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44 degrees 17 minutes north, longitude 70 degrees west, being a little more than 26 miles southwesterly of Nan- tucket Shoals lightship. "The stem of the Florida struck the Republic's port side nearly a square blow and made a narrow verti- cal cut, extending well below the water line, straining and starting the bulkheads. Under her momentum, the Florida's bow, where the side platings and frames, was crumpled back some 30 ft. The top of the Florida's bow passed above the -Republic's side plating, so that it reached and wrecked the cabins along the saloon and promenade decks, causing the death of two passengers and injuring two others. The Repub- lic's engine room was quickly flooded, and although the bulkhead doors were closed, the soundings showed that the ship was settling aft." Then follows a statement concern- ing the transfer of the passengers and the sinking of the ship. The plaintiff's estimate of its loss is $1,- 500,000 on the steamship, her equip- ment, stores, supplies, and freight, and _ passage money, and $500,000 on the cargo and personal effects of the master, officers, crew and passengers. As to the responsibility, the libel- lant continues: "The collision aforesaid and _ the damage resulting therefrom occurred without any fault or negligence on the part of the libellant or those in charge - of the Republic, but were wholly due to the faults of the Florida, in that she did not keep a proper course; did not keep out of the way of the Republic, whose course she was cross- ing; had no. sufficient lookout; did not give proper whistles or 'signals; did not give proper heed to the whis- tles or lights of the Republic; failed by her whistles to indicate her changes of helm; was proceeding at an immoderate rate of speed; did not stop her engines on first hearing the Republic's whistle; did not take seas- onable steps to avoid the Republic; did not seasonably slow, stop, or back; did not port her helm, but in- stead starboarded her helm, thereby thwarting all efforts of the Republic to avoid her; and in other faults and neglects which will be shown on the trial hereof." It is also asked by the White Star ~ line that the captain of the Florida be required to tell under oath the ex- act position of his vessel at noon on Jan. 22; the state of the weather be- tween that noon and the time of the collision; what soundings he had tak- en and what courses. sailed; whether it struck ordinary functions of overhaul. THe Marine REVIEW he heard the Republic's whistle before seeing her, and what orders he gave to his quartermaster or steersman be- tween the time of hearing the first whistle and the collision. THE MAURETANIA'S NEW PRO- PELLERS. The final work to the internal over- haul of the Mauretania has been prac- tically comipleted. Most of the build- er's men who have been working in conjunction with the Cunard engineer- ing staff have returned to Newcastle. Mr. Swan, of Messrs. Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, is, however, still giving, the work his personal atten- tion, and it is said that when the Mauretania sails from Liverpool on Jan. 23 he will proceed with her. The main interest of engineers seems to be concentrated upon the new propellers, which have been installed in the ves- sel, and which are expected to produce a distinct increase in speed, and a further reduction of any vibration. The two forward propellers each has four blades of a solid type, and each one weighs 18 tons. The two ft pro- pellers weigh 22 tons each, and have three blades. These propellers, work- ing at full speed, will make 180 revolu- tions per minute. It will be remem- bered that last year the Mauretania made an Atlantic trip with three pro- pellers at an average speed of 248 knots. The fact raised a good deal of discussion upon the distribution of her driving power, and the suggestion was freely made that there was a better concentration with only three propell- ers working. Other experienced engi- neers, however, place little reliance upon this, but believe that the fixing of four smaller blades on the forward propellers will play an important part in their relationship to the after pro- pellers. We understand that so far as the engines are concerned, very little alteration has been made beyond the The opinion is nevertheless held by certain experienced engineers 'that the Maure- tania will put up an unlooked for. rec- ord when the better conditions of late spring come along. SEA BRAKE FOR INDIANA. The battleship Indiana is to make a test of a new sea brake within a few weeks. This device is designed to prevent collisions and consists of wings 13 ft. long by 6 ft. wide at- tached to the sides of the vessel and hinged perpendicularly. The wings are to lie flat when the vessel is mak- ing headway and when a sudden stop 'will be is desired they will open half Way from the front. It is expected that this will result in an almost instantan. eous checking of speed. The mechap. ism of the brake will be operated by pneumatic control on the firing bridge, the station of the officer of the deck If these wings prove successful they will make it possible to maneuye; battleships in much less space that at present and will serve to prevent accidents such as that of the British battleship Camperdown, which was rammed and sunk by the Victoria during fleet evolutions in the Med. terranean. It was seen that this col- lision was inevitable for some mo- ments before it occurred and it js believed that such a brake might have prevented it. The test will be made somewhere in Delaware bay and will be witnessed by the secretary of the navy. Some of the officials of the Cunard Steam- ship Co. have made requests that they be allowed to view the tests in or- der to judge as to whether the brake would be practicable for the Cunard liners, LIGHTSHIP FLOTILLA REACH- ES THE COAST... The lightship flotilla, consisting of three new lightships and three tenders built on the Atlantic coast for service on the Pacific coast, have safely reached theit destination under com- mand of. Capt. Albert Mertz. The fleet consists of the tender Manzanita and lightship Swiftsure No. 93, which will be stationed in the Straits of San Juan de Fuca; the tender Sequoia and lightship Relief No, 91, which will be stationed at San Francisco; the light- ship Columbia River No. 88, which stationed on the Columbia bar, and the tender Kukui, which will be stationed at Honolulu. PERSONAL. Robert W. Hunt & Co., consulting and inspecting engineers, have engaged the services of John Carghill, who will make his headquarters at the firm's New York office, 90 West street. He will largely devote his attention to the examination and report upon railway and other cor- portate properties, for which his expeti- ence gained while connected with the Pennsylvania lines, British Westinghouse, Metropolitan Railway Co, of London, and other organizations, has prepared him. Schuyler & Caddell, Red Hook, N. J. launched a covered barge for the George L. Hammond Co., of New York, Jat. oo. IN