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1901.] and 8-in. guns, the latter in broadside, and there are eleven ships built or building having 8-in. guns mounted in turrets. 'To the unprofessional mind it might perhaps appear to be a good plan to build varying types of ships, in order to make sure that some one type shall be the best. This would be a great error, since nothing is worse than a patchwork fleet, some of one kind and others of another. The wisdom of adopting the 8-in. gun as a part of the battery of our battleships has been clearly demonstrated and is being rapidly followed by foreign 'nations. No reduction in caliber should be entertained." Admiral Bradford then takes up the important question of superposed turrets. He invites attention to the fact that Admiral O'Neil voted for the armament. (including guns in superposed turrets) adopted for the five battleships of the Virginia class, and to the opinion of officers of the Kearsarge and the Kentucky, which have superposed turrets, in favor of that type. "The unfavorable criticisms of the superposed turret are, thus far, purely theoretical,' says Admiral Bradford. 'In practice they have fulfilled every expectation of their advocates." Admiral Bradford concurs with the majority as to the general type of ship recommended. In conclusion he says: "The armament of the ships of the Virginia class was assigned only after the most careful con- sideration by many. of the ablest officers of the navy. I consider it very unfortunate that the majority of the board of construction should now recommend an armament for additional battleships so different in caliber and so differently disposed, protected and mounted. The natural effect will be loss of confidence in the knowledge of the board as to the type of battleship best suited for naval purposes. I therefore recommend the most careful consideration by the best authorities the department is able to command." $13.50 TO ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., AND RETURN. From any point on C. T. & V.R. R., July 18 and August 15. Tickets good twelve days and for return will admit of stop-over at Washington on return trip. Apply to any agent, or J. E. Galbraith, traffic manager, Ct. & V.. bk, Cleveland ©... -. Aug. 8. Within a very short time now the United States hydrographic office will have completed the series of small books containing sailing directions for all parts of the great lakes, and which are being sold at such a low cost--30 cents each--as to place them within reach of all young men who are seeking advancement aboard the vessels. As a private enterprise these books could not be compiled for anything like the cost at which the government issues them. Two books of. the series, covering Lakes Superior and Michigan, are already on sale, and another, dealing with Lake Huron, the Straits of Mackinaw, Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair river, will come from the press shortly. The fourth and last of the books, now in course of preparation, will cover the Detroit river and Lakes Erie and Ontario. These "Sailing Directions" may be had from the Marine Review. . , points. _ as this end may be attained. _ middle of the desert and wireless telegraphy will have 'been established ' across the greatest waste in the world. MARINE REVIEW. 27 sa WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY IN AFRICA. . The French government has been encouraged by the helpfulness that the British derived from the wireless telegraph in the Boer war and the results of the experiments made by the prince of Monaco to take steps in a tentative way to introduce the system into the African colonies. Ar- rangements have been made to carry out the experiments simultaneously both in the moist tropical regions and in the dry Sahara. The work is to be advanced only so far as its success seems to be assured between the stations where the apparatus is placed. The experiments in the moist tropical regions wiil begin in Senegambia and Gaboon, on the west coast of Africa. They will 'be under the charge of M. Magne, director of the. postal and telegraphic service in the French west coast colonies. He has recently left France with apparatus sufficient to equip several stations. His first endeavor will be to establish wireless communications 'between Rufisque and Gorée. The latter town is a mile and a half from Dakar, the excellent port of Senegal, where large ocean steamers ride safely in deep and smooth water and where the Atlantic cable from Europe first reaches the mainland. About twenty miles to the east is Rufisque, separated from Gorée only by a water surface. Magne's second experiment will be further south in the still more humid climate of Gaboon where he will test the practicability of the wireless system between Libreville and Denis. These towns, about twenty-five miles apart, are also separated only 'by a water surface, the purpose being in both these experiments to have the most | favorable conditions as to surface and thus be able to study under the best of circumstances the meteorological influences that may determine the practicability of the system in tropical Africa. If wireless telegraphy proves to be a success at these stations the next step will be to extend it inland. Meanwhile the project of establishing wireless communications across _ the desert of Sahara is under way. Two missions, equipped with modified , Marconi apparatus, are to start, one from Timbuctoo and the other from ' Tuat, the termini of the proposed line across the desert. They are to follow the usual caravan route along a line of wells, between these two The advantages of this route are that it offers a considerable amount of grazing tor camels, is far to the west of the hostile Tuaregs, and is inhabited, here and there, by friendly natives, a part of whom will be employed to protect the line if it is put into operation, The two parties are to establish stations along the route, it being, of course, a necessary condition that each station is able to communicate successfully with the one established behind it. The parties will advance only as fast If they are successful they will meet in the Pan-American exposition rates to Buffalo via the Nickel Plate road-- _ Tickets now on sale at all stations, one and one-third fare for round trip, good returning fifteen days. Write, wire, 'phone or call on nearest agent, or E. A. Akers, C. P. & T A. Cleveland, Ohio. 85, Aug. 1. ae BELLEVILLE GENERATORS Grand Prix 1889 Originated 1849 Hors 'Concours 1900 © Latest Irmmprovements 1896 'or ae Number of Nautical Miles made each year by Steamships of the Messageries Maritimes Co., Provided with Belleville _ Generators--Since their Adoption in the Service. Year. Australien | Polynésien Amepe eras Eon Chili Cordillére Laos Indus Tonkin Annam Atlantique (996.05 a2. 67,728 2,460 139. Lo 68,247 68,331 204 $0928 ccs 68,247 68,403 69,822 23,259 1993). 68,379 68,343 68,286 68,247 UBO4.. oc ccceunss 68,439 68,367 68,574 68,439 37,701 1805. ...43%:, 68,673 68,766 68,739 68,808 40,887 28,713 £396......)....c: 69,534 92,718 69,696 69,549 62,205 | . 63,153 40,716 1897...c0.<... 68,250 69,606 92,736 69,555 62,235 76,110 63,357 43,146 [898......2.2.. 70,938 69,534 69,552 69,597 62,526 | 63,240 63,240 62,553 63,954 22,707 RO ssc cuise 69,534 69,615 67,431 90,405 60,246 62,778 62,868 52,344 54,855 44,007 22,884 1900... 26... 69,534 67,494 69,744 69,564 61,719 62,382 62,502 51,471 53,373 [ 62,016 63,066 52,140 Total... 757,503 | 713,637 | 644,784 | 597,423 | 387,519 | 356,376 | 292,683 | 209,514 | 172,182 128,730 85,950 52,140 ATELIERS ET CHANTIERS DE L'ERMITAGE, A ST. DENIS (SEINE), FRANCE. WORKS AND YARDS OF L'ERMITAGE AT ST. DENIS (SEINE), FRANCE. TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS* BELLEVILLE, SAINT-DENIS-SUR-SEINE.