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June 1885 OCK laborers at the St. Paul & Pacific Coal Co.’s docks we are told had been receiving 25 cents an hour and struck for 85 cents and that they refused to let other men go to work. The difficulty was finally settled by noon, the men being paid by the ton. Wages have rightfully been steadily increased since these days 40 years ago, but the purchasing value of the dollar has just as steadily declined, and it is questionable just how much better, if any, actual con- ditions are today. * * * The new despatch boat DOLPHIN had recently completed her six hour trials, with a speed ranging from 15 to 16% knots, and averaging 15% knots for the entire period. In her first two trials she had fallen below the gov- ernment contract speed which was 15 knots average over a six hour run. How this remarkable reversal of form was accomplished is not stated. We do know, however, that the DOLPHIN had a long and honorable service in the navy. * * * In view of recent developments in the use of sound and echo for depth finding purposes it is interesting to note that successful experiments were carried out 40 years ago in the use of .echos for determining the distance off of approaching vessels. These ex- periments were carried out on the Patapsco river about seven miles from Baltimore. The apparatus employed consisted of a musket to the muzzle of which a _ speaking trumpet had been attached. This gun was aimed at passing vessels and discharged us- ing blank cartridges, and it was found of course that an echo was returned after a longer or shorter time accord- ing to the distance off of the vessel. June 1895 1 AN article written by Prof. G. Frederick Wright of Oberlin Col- lege, the Chicago drainage canal is referred to as the boldest scheme of modern times. The question of whether drawing water through this canal From the Old Log Book Stray Items About the Great Lakes, Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf Coasts and Inland Rivers from MARINE REVIEW Files of 10, 20, 30 and 40 Years Ago would lower lake levels was decided to be one of “baffling uncertainty” and the only way it could be settled was to open the canal and watch the re- sult. This was 30 years ago. no longer any doubt about the lower- There is ing of lake levels. A long fight through the Supreme Court between Chicago and the states bordering on the lakes in support of the interests of navigation has just ended. * * * In the quaint phraseology of the day we are told that the General Electric Co. equipped the new Edy-Shaw steam- er at Wheeler’s yard, West Bay City with a 150 sixteen-candle power light- ing plant, and further that this order assures the owners of this ship a plant of the same grade of work put out by the company for all the new cruisers of the navy. Many improvements have gone into the building of gen- erating sets since this time and they are without doubt today practically perfect in every mechanical detail. BY * * Assistant Engineer John K. Robison of the United States navy, was quoted on the predominance of boilers of the “tubulous type” in the French navy of that day. He was evidently im- pressed with the greater economy pos- sible with this type of boiler. John K. Robison, now has the rank of rear admiral and is chief of the Bureau of Engineering of the United States navy. June 1905 N EDITORIAL in MARINE REVIEW pointed out that never before had the ship yards of the Great Lakes had so much work. No less than 16 ships were ordered for delivery in 1906, and a total of 40 ships were under construction or ordered since Jan. 1, 1905 for delivery during 1905 and 1906. The total new tonnage in carrying capacity amounted to 360,- 500 tons. *k * An announcement was made of the formation of the firm of Cox & Stevens as naval architects and engineers. The firm of Gardner & Cox having been dissolved. The firm is now very 232 well known, specializing particularly in large yacht work. * * * We find illustrations of the initial stages in the construction of the fa- mous cunarders, the Lusitania and Mauretania. It was pointed out that since the pioneer steamer of this line, the historic Britannia, which sailed on her first voyage July 1840, fitted with paddle wheels and with a total of 750° horsepower, the power placed in. single vessel had increased nearly one hun- dred fold. One of these vessels was under construction at the yard of Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson. June 1915 HE battleship MorENO had recent- ly been completed at the New York Shipbuilding Co., for the Argentine Republic. A sister ship the RIVADAVIA was built by the Fore River Ship- building Co. In their day these ships were first line fighting units, but ten years is a long time in the life of a battleship, and both ships are now be- ing changed over to burn oil and undergoing elaborate rebuilding and renovation to modernize them. This work is underway at the Fore River. plant of the Bethlehem company. * * A contract was awarded the General Electric Co., for the electric drive on the battleship CALIFORNIA. Though the JUPITER had been fitted with this type of motive power it was still considered somewhat of an innovation. The past ten years have demon- strated the suitability of this type of power for ships of war. That it will become the ultimate type of power in certain classes of merchant vessels as it has in many lines ashore, seems probable. * ES * Comments in an appreciative vein by Engineer, London in regard to the career of D. W. Taylor then recently appointed chief constructor of the navy was reprinted. Probably no man ever occupied this important office better fitted to carry on the work, and cer- tainly in no period in the country’s history did a chief constructor face such responsibilities as were his.