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. ek RR ANN OE gained in carrying passengers between the two great English speaking countries. Glance at the first model depicted in this booklet, that of the diminutive Britannia, in her day the finest ship afloat. Sixty-four years have elapsed since this pioneer Cunarder first cleaved American waters, and a greater contrast than will be presented by that of the Britannia and the 25-knot steamers cannot be imagined. 'The evolutionary process has been a gradual one, and it is only by comparing the first and latest vessels of the line that it is possible to realize the vast progress which has been made, a progress in which the Cunard Line have ever been in the front. Each of these 25-knot steamers will be from twenty-five to thirty times the gross tonnage of the Britannia and eighty-five' to ninety times the power. But apart from size and speed and appointments these vessels attract universal attention on ac- count of their rotary or turbine engines. These will enable the new flyers to make the voyage between Liverpool and New York in a little more than one-third of the time occu- pied by the Britannia, while along any one of their turbine- driven shafts will be transmitted six times the total horse power developed by the engines of the whole pioneer Cunard fleet of four steamers. During the experimental stages of applying the steam turbine to ships, some difficulty was ex- perienced in the matter of maneuvering, reversing, going astern, etc. This obstacle to complete success has now been obviated, and the new vessels will be able to come to a dead stop from full speed in as short a time as if driven by recip- rocating engines, while their maneuvering power will be un- surpassed by any steamers afloat. The adoption of rotary engines means increased speed for the same boiler power, due to reduced weight of machinery and increased economy in steam; an utter absence of all vibration, and hence greater comfort, while the smaller engine room spaces and openings will insure commodious passenger quarters and promenade space. The mere fact that the Cunard directorate have adopted, on the best expert advice, the steam turbine, is proof positive that the rotary engine is the marine engine of the future, and it is quite in keeping with Cunard traditions that they should have decided upon the system only after thor- oughly convincing themselves that the steam turbine pos- sesses economical advantages over the reciprocating engine, and that it is an efficient, reliable and safe system of pro- pulsion. 'MOTOR BOAT TO CROSS THE OCEAN. Mr. S. F. Edge, the famous English motor boat builder, has given out a most interesting interview in London con- cerning the probability of motor boats crossing the Atlantic ocean. A French enthusiast on auto boat construction, M. Charley, has offered a prize of $10,000 for the first motor boat to cross the ocean. "Whether M. Charley was serious or not when he made his prize offer to the first man to cross the Atlantic in an auto- mobile boat, I think one of us will get his 50,000f.," said Mr. S. F. Edge. "Accidentally I happen to have a boat under construction that meets all the transatlantic requirements; in fact, one of the. stipulations of the contract was that she should cross the ocean on her own keel. The American gentleman who ordered her does not wish any publicity, but I have written to ask his permission to compete for the prize offered by M. Charley. The boat in question was ordered eight months ago and it will be finished in March. I shall not attempt to cross in that month, but will wait for the summer -weather. With tne wireless weather reports of the transatlantic liners it is now possible to have some assurance of weather conditions. I admit that in a head sea we could hope for little more than 10 knots an hour, while in a gale we should have to heave to with sea anchors. The boat we are building will have two steadying masts which could carry rn £ VN le UW sail, although she is designed for motor power exclusively." "What about the fuel problem " "That will be solved by having the entire ballast of the boat consist of petrol. As the petrol is needed it will be replaced by water. Two and one half tons of petrol will take you a long way under moderate power. The suggestion that motor boats can be met. by supply vessels in midocean is utterly impracticable, even if money were no object. Motors are growing lighter per horse power each year, and therein lies the surety of success of automobile boats. We are now making one hundred horse power motors that weigh only five hundred pounds. So far naval designers have not helped us much. We have been working towaru the right type of hull by ourselves." INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF NAVIGATION. The tenth International Congress of Navigation will be held at Milan, Italy, from Sept. 24 to 30 of next year under the patronage of the king of Italy and the duke of Genoa, admiral of the royal Italian navy. The congress of Milan will be the tenth congress of navigation, as stated, but the first instituted by the Permanent International Association created at Desselfort in 1902. This association, which has been subsidized by twenty-four states and by a great number of towns and technical and commercial associations, com- prises members all over the world and has become of great importance. Since the year 1885, the date of their foundation, the congresses of navigation have been held on nine different occasions in Belgium, Austria, Germany, England, France and Holland, at the special and official invitations of the governments of these different countries. The program of papers at the Milan congress will be an extremely valuable one and in addition scientific excursions have been arranged to the great industries of Italy. The representatives of the United States by appointment of the state department to the permanent national congress are Gen. Charles W. Raymond, Major J: C. Sanford, corps of engi- neers, U. S. A.; E. L. Corthell, 1 Nassau street, New York, and John Bogart, 40 Wall street, New York. Mr. Corthell had some 200 copies of the program of the International Naviga- tion Congress sent to him for distribution to those who are not permanent members of the congress of navigation. Copies may be procured) by addressing him. He has also the circu- lars for admission to membership in the congress, which will be sent by him to any one interested. The Puget Sound Dry Dock & Machine Co.'s property at Tacoma, Wash. will be sold at public auction on Nov. 23. The dock is known as Quartermaster Harbor dry dock and was built in 1892 by R. W. De Lion at Port Hadlock, Wash., and towed to Quartermaster harbor. The dry dock is 325 ft. long, 100 ft. wide and 11 ft. deep, divided amidships into two compartments, which are subdivided by five transverse builkheads, making twelve compartments. There are six centrifugal pumps connected direct to six Westinghouse en- gines. Each pump handles two compartments. The dock is" in first-class condition. The 7o-ft, auto boat, Speedway, built and owned by the Gas Engine & Power Co. of Morris Heights, N. Y., and operated by Mr. Charles L. Seabury of the company, crashed into a stone abutment of the Putnam bridge in the Har- lem river last week and was almost completely demolished. Mr. Seabury, who was in the front of the boat steering, to- gether with the engineer, were thrown into the water but were rescued without difficulty. The accident was due to the breaking of the steering apparatus of the auto boat. The Speedway was built to run 4o miles an hour and for the last week Mr. Seabury had been conducting a series of speed tests with her.