present. The Earl of Hopetoun replied, with hearty words of thanks, for the splendid reception prepared for the members, and having read the Emperor's reply to a telegram of homage which had been sent on the occasion of the Institute dinner, the business part of the meeting commenced, and the following papers were read and discussed.

"On Signs of Weakness in Tank Steamers," by Herr Otto Schlick. The reading of this paper was held over from Thursday. "On Various Descriptions of Doors applicable to Water-tight Bulkheads, their Fastenings, &c.," by B. Martell, Esq. "The Employment of Electricity on Board Ships," by Herr F. Eickenradt.

After the close of the discussion the President once more expressed, in feeling and cordial terms, their great indebtedness and most sincere thanks for the grand reception they had received

adjourned to the principal restaurant in the Exhibition Park, where, on the invitation of the Committee, over 500 persons sat down to lunch, Mr. Herz, who occupied the seat of honour next to Lord Hopetoun, proposing the healths of the Queen of England and the German Emperor, and these having been suitably honoured, the company dispersed.

On the last day of their stay in Berlin, Monday, June 15th, the members were conveyed by special train to Stettin, for the purpose of inspecting the shipyards of the Vulcan Co., which were in full activity. After spending an hour and a half in going over the works and yards, the members returned by steamer to Stettin, where luncheon was provided, and after partaking of this the return to Berlin was made by special train, and the summer meeting of 1896 concluded. We cannot close this brief account without expressing, on

in Berlin, adding that he was fully convinced that no foreign body had anywhere ever met with such a splendid reception as they had. The noble Chairman said that he was sure that he could not better conclude the present meeting than by expressing the hope that the Institution of Naval Architects would be honoured with an opportunity of returning the kindness they had received by being allowed to show similar hospitality to their German professional colleagues when they arrived on English soil. He finally called upon those present to rise in their places in honour of the Reception Committee, whereupon there spontaneously burst forth a threefold "hip-hip-hnrrah in honour of the Committee. Admiral Hollman, on behalf of the Reception Committee, expressed his satisfaction at the very pleasant manner in which the whole of the festivities had passed off, and joined in the hope that Germans might soon have an opportunity of fraternising in an equally festive manner with the English. The meeting then broke up, and those assembled then

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behalf of the Press and the visitors, our sincere thanks to all concerned for the excellent arrangements made to ensure the comfort and enhance the pleasure of all attending this meeting, and in this connection we would specially mention the names of the Hamburg-American Line, who were our hosts while on board the Furst Bismarck; to Herr F. A. Meyer, Chief Engineer of the City of Hamburg; to Admiral Hollman and Dr. Von Botticher, of Berlin; to all the members of the Reception Committee, and to the courteous Secretary (Mr. George Holmes), to whose indefatigable exertions so much of the success of the meeting was due.

Owing to pressure on our space we are compelled to hold over our report of the Papers read and the discussions thereon until our next issue.

It has been mentioned that the members visited the yards of Messrs. Blohm & Voss on June 8th, and the following brief

account of their establishment, and accompanying view of the works and fitting shops, will be of interest, and for which we are indebted to the courtesy of the firm. The yard is situated on the Elbe at the entrance of the Schanzengraben, and has an area of over twenty-five acres. Founded originally on a modest basis, it is now, after having been in course of time considerably extended, in a position to build the largest vessels both for the Government and the merchant navy. The ground necessary has been recovered by dredging 500,000 cubic metres of sand from out the Elbe, so that the depth of water in front of the shipyard now permits the largest vessels to lay direct along. side the quay. The quays have a frontage of 550 metres on the Elbe and of 240 metres on the Schanzengraben.

Directly opposite the shipyard are situated the two floating docks, constructed of iron and consisting of six sections, each dock capable of lifting ships of a length of more than a hundred metres. A third much larger dock, capable of lifting vessels up to 17,500 tons displacement, is now in course of con. struction.

The large new buildings are entirely constructed of iron and brick. At the entrance of the shipyard are the main offices, the offices of the shipbuilding and marine engineering departments, and a large model-room, in which the models of vessels built by

the firm are exhibited.

At the east of the dockyard is the shipbuilding establishment, of an area of 5,500 square metres, containing the furnaces, bend. ing blocke, rolling, bevelling, punching, shearing and planing machines, as well as hydraulic rivetting machines.

In front of these works are the seven berths for the construction of ships up to 170 metres and more long. Next to these berths are the sheds of the angle-smiths, lock-smiths, copper-smiths and tinners.

Opposite to the entrance of the yard are the engine works, fitted with the latest and most modern machinery for the building of engines up to the largest sizes. Here you find large planing and cylinder boring machines, lathes, cranes, &c., moreover three engines of 150 H.P. each for driving the different lines of shaftings, as well as the dynamos for the six electric travelling cranes, capable of lifting from ten to thirty tons each.

The boiler works are also fitted with a full complement of special machinery and hydraulic tools for bending and flanging plates for boilers up to the largest sizes and highest pressures. Here are also a number of turning cranes as well as three travelling cranes of a capacity of thirty tons each, driven partly hydraulically, partly by electricity.

The smithy is of large size and containing sixty hearths, etc., as well as different steam-hammers of various size.

The joinery works is a large building three stories high, entirely built of iron and brick, and fitted with special machinery, such as moulding, planing, dove-tailing, boring and milling machines, band and circular saws. Next to the joinery works is the saw mill, with large rack and band saws and planing machines, and adjoining to this the carpenters' shop.

On the quays are the necessary cranes for lifting the material and placing on board the engines and boilers. There is a large shearleg crane of a capacity of 100 tons and a height of 28 metres, two stationary cranes of 20 tons each, one derrick crane of 10 tons, and three travelling cranes. A'second very large derrick crane of 150 tons capacity at a radius of 20 metres, 45 tons at 32 metres radius, and a height of 45 metres above ground, is in course of construction.

Three tank locomotives and more than 100 trucks are employed in transporting material, and a complete telephone system con. nects all departments.

The number of workmen employed averages more than 3,000.

The number of ships built and building in the yard since 1878 up to the present time is 121, including some 24 sailing vessels, all of which have a very good record for fast sailing.

At present one steamer for the Hamburg-South American Steam Navigation Co., of about 6,500 tons deadweight,is building; also two steamers for the Deutsche Dampfschiffs-Rhederei zu Hamburg, of 7,000 tons each; moreover, two twin-screw steamers for the North German Lloyd, Bremen, viz., one passenger and freight steamer of a length of 525 ft., and 10,000 tons deadweight and one of 4,000 tons.

Besides, the shipyard has just delivered for the Hamburg Heligoland passenger service a light draught saloon paddle steamer, with a speed of 16 knots. Finally, there is approaching completion a twin-screw passenger steamer of a length of

400 ft. and 6,000 tons deadweight, built to the order of the Deutsche Ost-Afrika-Linie, Hamburg.

Messrs. Vulcan Co., Bredow, Stettin. Another establishment, the inspection of which afforded deep interest to the visitors, was the yard and works of the Vulcan Co., of Stettin, a general view of which is given in our two-page supplement, and smaller views showing the laying of a keel of a mail steamer; exterior of the foundry, with clock tower, interior of the foundry; two views of the damaged Brazilian ironclad 24 de Mayo, in floating dock; also an illustration of some very large engines for use in the 20,000 ton ship referred to later on. Of the six small views, Fig. 1 is a view taken in the locomotive erecting shop; Fig. 2 is from a view taken in the main erecting shop; Fig. 3 shows a marine engine being erected; Fig. 4 is taken in the locomotive erecting shop; Fig. 5 is a view taken in one of the large turning shops; while Fig. 6 is from a view taken in the heavy erecting shop. We have to thank the proprietors for these photographs, and trust that they will convey to our readers a better idea of the magnitude of these works than any mere description would do. The company was formed in 1857. The origin of the works dates back to 1851, in which year Messrs. Fruchtenicht & Brook established a small yard for building iron ships, and engineering work on a small scale, on the present site. The original establishment had only one-fifth of the present extent, the present establishment covering 25 hectares (62 acres). On the formation of the company, in addition to shipbuilding the construction of locomotives was at the same time taken in hand, and in the spring of 1859 the first locomotive engine was delivered. In 1866 the first man-of-war, of small size, was taken in hand, and in 1869 the first large-size marine engine was built for the ironclad frigate Hansa. The first order for a largesized ironclad, the Preussen, was given to the Vulcan Co. by the German Admiralty in 1869. Up to the present 235 vessels and over 1,500 locomotives have been built by the Vulcan Co. for home and abroad, among which, besides various small-sized men-of-war and merchantmen, 17 large men-of-war for the German Navy, namely, the armoured sloop-of-war Preussen, the cruisers Leipzig and Prince Adalbert, the armoured sloops-of-war Sachsen and Wurttemberg, the cruisers Stosch, Stein, Carola and Olga, the armoured sloop-of-war Oldenburg, the cruiser Irene, the battleships Brandenburg and Weissenburg, the yacht Hohenzollern, the despatch-boat Comet, the cruisers K and N; further, six largesized men-of-war for the Chinese Navy, viz., the armoured sloops-of-war Ting-Yuen, Chen-Yuen, Lai-Yuen, King-Yuen the torpedo catcher Fei-Ying and 10 torpedo-boats for the German Navy, six for the Greek, and two for the Russian Navy. Among the many vessels built for the Mercantile Navy there are a number of the largest and fast freight steamers for Transatlantic traffic, viz., for the North-German Lloyd fast-liners Kaiser Wilhelm II., Havel, Spree, Preussen, Baiern and Sachsen; for the Hamburg-American Steam Packet Co.: fast liners Augusta, Victoria, Furst Bismarck, the freight steamers Patria, Palatia, Dania, Scandia and Rugia.

There are at present on the stocks, one twin-screw fast liner 625 ft. long, 66 ft. beam, and to steam 23 knots, of 20,000 tons displacement, and 28,000 I.H.P.; two twin-screw freight and passenger steamers, each 523 long of 17,600 tons displacement and 7,000 1.H.P., to steam 14 knots. Two cruisers for the German Navy, of 5,600 tons displacement. With the exception of rolled iron goods and of heavy shafts and other forged pieces, all parts of both vessel and machinery are produced in the company's own works.

The average number of men employed is 4,500.

The Furst Bismarck.

As a very full description of this vessel appeared in our issues for June and July, 1891, we need not here say any more than that she is a very finely-proportioned vessel, as will be seen from the large view, while the smaller views bear testimony to the handsome and luxurious manner in which her interior fittings have been carried out, while we can speak from personal experience as to her comfortable and good sea-going qualities.

The thanks of all who took passage in her are due to both officers and crew for the kind and courteous consideration shown by them to all their passengers, and not the least pleasant item in the programme was the short sojourn in this splendid ship.

It is generally known that one of the chief causes of the loss of efficiency with regard to mechanical ventilation when air propellers are used is due to the fact that volume fans have been incapable of working up to a sufficient pressure to overcome the friction consequent upon long air mains and changes of direction, while on the other hand a pressure blower does not deliver a sufficient volume of air to make it adaptable to ventilation, and further, the expenditure of power for a blower is excessive and out of all proportion to the results obtained.

To overcome these defects the "Baird-Thompson " propeller has been designed to combine the two principles, and thus, while it delivers a greater volume of air than any other propeller, the pressure can be regulated in proportion to, and so as to overcome the resistance in, any length or form of air main, and that within the moderate limits of speed consistent with economical working.

In the accompanying illustrations Fig. 1 shows a combined Baird-Thompson patent high-speed engine and their air propeller. These engines-Fig. 2 shows a modified and less powerful form for driving the

Baird-Thompson electric air propeller, as shown in Fig. 3 of the accompanying illustrations, cannot but prove a desirable and useful acquisition. Here, as will be seen, the driving power is supplied by the electric motor, which may be wound to suit any current supplied by the generating dynamo, and will, of course, work in any position. It scarcely need be said that it is much easier to convey power by electric current in a couple of wires than to convey the same amount of power by steam pipes or gearing, and

their entire fleet with the complete system of automatic and mechanical ventilation originally introduced by Messrs. Baird, Thompson & Co., the well-known pioneers in the development of ventilation, warming, and drying, and whose methods have been very much improved of late years by their successors, the Grahtryx Ventilating Co.

After severe and prolonged practical tests, which in every instance appears to have given the highest satisfaction to all concerned, contracts have been

wherever dynamos or electric mains are fixed, this form of driving should specially commend itself, a 12-in. propeller, when delivering 1,000 cubic feet per minute, costing barely a farthing an hour for current. We may here say that one of these electric fans (large size) has been working most satisfactorily at the Birmingham new Technical Schools for some time.

In Fig. 4 is shown a small water-motor arrangement for driving the propeller. Here the water, under a sufficient head or pressure, passes through the nozzles shown into the small buckets and so causes the rotation of the propeller.

It will give some idea of the range of size of these various motors and air propellers if we say that the company make them from 12 in., capable of delivering 1,000 cubic ft. per minute when absorbing 1-36 of a H.P., to 120 in., delivering 205,000 cubic feet per minute, and requiring 13 H.P. to drive it. Any of these sizes may be constructed for ordinary belt and pulley driving.

The company have, during the period 1887 to 1896, taken 25 gold medals, being the highest awards given for ventilating appliances during the years indicated, and so satisfactory have their different appliances proved after the severest tests that one of the principal Atlantic shipping firms has ordered the fitting up of

the last. With the homeward bound passengers of the

Drummond Castle there was the sadness that men who had attained an honourable ambition, and who would have seen the next morning's sun shining on the coasts of Britain, lost their lives almost on the threshold of home. Again, though the persons lost in the Elbe were subjects of a friendly, and even of a kindred nation, they were in fact not known to us. Here the lost are our own flesh and blood, and we cannot speak to the man in the street without finding that he has lost a friend, or it may be a relation.

So, too, there was something of the unexpected in the loss of the Cape boat which could hardly be found in the wreck of the Elbe. The North Sea in January is not a pleasant place. Perhaps it may be said that the neighbourhood of Ushant is

THE FLEETS OF THE MAIL LINES. (From our own Correspondent.)

The Great Disaster

Has dwarfed all other matters in connection with the Fleets of the Mail Lines. The vessels of these fleets run with the regularity and safety of express trains, and men come to forget the perils of the sea. Now and then such a disaster as that of the North German Lloyd liner Elbe last year-a disaster which still from time to time is brought forward in the Admiralty Court, and now this of the Castle liner, come to tell us that there are circumstances under which man is a helpless victim to the remorseless sea that in ordinary circumstances he so successfully and thoughtlessly rules. The loss of the Drummond Castle too has many points which accentuate the horror in a way that was lacking in the Elbe case. In the first place the people who were lost in the Elbe were outward bound and had bidden farewell to their friends and relatives with the feeling that, though Europe and America are comparatively near now-a-days, it would still be a long farewell: and for many of them, perhaps,

But the passen

never a nice place. The retort is a just one. gers by the Elbe had to traverse rough seas at their worst to get to their desired haven. No one on board the Drummond Castle ever wanted to see the cruel rocks of Ushant. They did not want to go near them. Surely a June voyage from the Cape might have been relied on as one which could not be attended with much danger. And this remark brings us to the strange fact, which is all we shall ever get, that the Drummond Castle was miles to the east of the position that she ought to have had. That she was miles to the east of the place where her experienced skipper and his officers believed her to be in. The undisputed fact that she was going fourteen knots when she struck, proves conclusively that no one dreamt she was anywhere near the fatal rocks. And the irony of it all is that this evidence of the uselessness of human precaution took place whilst the Institution of Naval Architects were sitting in Hamburg, and whilst the echo of the revelries that celebrated Lord Kelvin's jubilee were yet fresh in our ears. The great scientist, who will ever be dearest to those that go down to the sea in ships, as Sir William Thompson, has done much for the safe navigation of the seas. The great diminution of strand