expansion engines, to which steam is supplied by eight boilers, in four compartments, is expected to give 13,000 H.P. with forced draught, and a speed of 20 knots. The contractors are Messrs. Ausaldo. The coal supply of the Carlo Alberto will be 1,000 tons, and she will also have couvenience for liquid fuel. Her complement is to be 460 officers and men.

Chatham Dockyard.

The Victorious battleship, laid down here in May, 1894, and launched on October 19th, 1895, has now been completed for sea and will shortly join the Channel Squadron. The Illustrious battleship is making good progress, her engines and boilers are on board and she will certainly be completed by the beginning of the new year. The Vindictive cruiser is also being pushed ahead, and the Minerva cruiser may now be said to be ready for the pennant, although there still remain many of those little details to be finished which though not imperatively necessary are customary and conducive to the well-being of a warship and her company. The Diana has been delivered here by the Fairfield Co., and her trials have been satisfactory, with the lenus, she is among the new ships which are being completed for sea at this yard. There is not much repairing work going on. The Endymion has undergone a slight refit before leaving for the Mediterranean with relief crews; the Sappho is also under repair, but should not be long in hand; the Leander and Arethusa also absorb a few hands, but new construction now takes precedence of repairing work, and in many ways the new policy carries its own justification. The machinery of the l'indictive cruiser is being built in this yard, and considering the great success of that built for the Minerva cruiser, it is not surprising that the Admiralty continues to look with favour on this department of the dockyard. Preparations are making for the building of the Goliath battleship, she is to have Belleville boilers and the machinery will be supplied by Messrs. Penn, of 13,500 H.P. She will be laid down in January.

Naval Officers and the Bluecoat School.

For many years past the sons of indigent and poor naval officers were educated free of expense at Christ's Hospital, and hundreds of young fellows who afterwards served their country gallantly afloat received instruction at the Bluecoat School. Some short time since this privilege, under a mistaken impres sion, was taken away from naval men, and it needed a long and arduous fight, on the part chiefly of Mr. Lambert, of Greenwich Hospital, to get the matter put on its former and fairer footing. As a result the Council of Christ's Hospital are now engaged in entering on the foundation naval officers' sons, but owing no doubt to the fact that the news of the altered regulations bas not yet reached as wide as it ought, the applications have not been made in sufficient numbers to fill the existing vacancies. This state of things can only be remedied by making it widely known that a boon for poor naval officers' sons is thus going a begging. Those who are interested can learn all about the concession by writing to the clerk of Christ's Hospital, who is ready to give information to all inquirers.

The United States Warships.

The Newport News Co., of Virginia, the Union Ironworks, of San Francisco, and the Messrs. Cramp have secured the contracts for the three battleships, for the construction of which authorisation was made by the United States Government. The three ships are to be named the California, Alabama, and Penn. sylvania, and will in all their general features resemble the Kearsage and Kentucky, which are already building at News. The following are to be the chief characteristics of these new vessels:-Displacement, 11,500 tons; length, 368 ft. 3 in.; beam, 72 ft.; draught of water, 25 ft. The side armour, of Harveyed nickel steel, will vary in thickness between 4 in. and 16 in., and will be about 7 ft. deep. The steel protective decks will vary from 3 in. to 5 in. in thickness, and the battery will be further protected by bulkheads and casemates. The armament will consist of four 13-in. guns, carried in pairs in armoured turrets, fourteen 6-in., and other lighter quickfirers. A speed of 16 knots is to be given by engines of 10,000 H.P., and the coal stowage will be 1,200 tons. Secretary Herbert, in announcing the termination of the premium system, alludes to its advantages in the case of yards new to warship building, but states his conviction that with the experience gained, the time has arrived when it may be profitably abandoned. The danger is lest with a premium based solely upon speed attainments, especially when applied to battle

ships, it might have a disastrous effect by inducing the builder to make speed the dominant consideration, with detriment to other necessary qualities.

Devonport Dockyard.

The retirement of Rear-Admiral Church from the position of superintendent of the yard has been expected for some time, owing to the ill-health of this gallant officer. His successor is Rear Admiral H. J. Carr, who is expected to be fully as popular as his predecessor. The Magicienne, from the West Indies, is to pay off here instead of at Portsmouth, and rumour has it that she will be brought forward for foreign service in the East Indies. The Doris, from Barrow-in-Furness, has been delivered here, and make the fourth vessel preparing for commission at this port, the others being the Renown, battleship, and the cruisers Arrogant and Juno. The scheme for the extension of Keybam Yard is making good progress, and by the end of the financial year one will be able to say a good deal more about its appearance than at present. The Ocean, battleship, will be laid down here in December, and preliminary work has already begun. We shall have the start both of Chatham and Portsmouth, but with their longer experience it will be a great feather in Devonport's cap if its ship is ready first. No. 3 building slip is being enlarged on purpose for the operations. Among other vessels which have left the yard during the last month are the Blake, Talbot, and Flora, while on the other hand the Edgar has paid off after her commission in China. The Furious will be ready for launching next month if all goes well and no postponement is made.

The Torpedo Boat Destroyers.

The total number of torpedo-boat destroyers now built, building, or on order for the Fleet, is 90, and it is expected that orders for ten more, of five knots more speed than the fastest now constructing, will be given out before the end of the financial year, making 100 altogether. The names of the 90 boats are as follows:Albatross, Angler, Arab, Ardent, Ariel, Avon, Banshee, Bat, Bittern, Boxer, Brazen, Bruiser, Bullfinch, Chamois, Charger, Cheerful, Conflict, Contest, Coquette, Crane, Cygnet, Cynthia, Daring, Dasher, Decoy, Desperate, Dove, Dragon, Earnest, Electra, Express, Fairy, Fame, Fawn, Ferret, Fervart, Flirt, Flying Fish, Foam, Gypsy, Griffen, Handy, Hardy, Hart, Hasty, Haughty, Havock, Hazard, Hornet, Hunter, Janus, Kestrel, Leopard, Lightning, Locust, Lynx, Mallard, Mermaid, Opossum, Osprey, Otter, Panther, Porcupine, Quail, Ranger, Recruit, Rocket, Salmon, Seal, Shark, Skate, Snapper, Spitfire, Star, Starfish, Sturgeon, Sunfish, Surly, Swordfish, Sylvia, Teazer, Thrasher, Violet, Virago, Vulture, Whiting, Wizard, Wolf, Zebra, and Zephyr.

Launches of French Warships.

In September last the Saint Louis was launched at L'Orient, and in October, 1895, the Charlemagne at Brest. Now a year later and this battleship, of similar dimensions and characteristics, has been put into the water and named the Gaulois. She displaces 11,275 tons, has a complete steel belt at the water-line, carries her principal guns, four 12-in., coupled in turrets fore and aft as in our ships, and has engines of 14,500 H.P., to give her 17 knots, supplied with steam by Belleville boilers. A cruiser was also launched last month from the yard of the Société de la Gironde, at Bordeaux, and named the Catinet. She is of the second-class and is a sister to the Protet, of 4,065 tons displacement; she is 332 ft. long, 44 ft. 8 in, beam, and 21 ft. draught at the stern. She carries nothing but quick-firers, four of 6·2-in. calibre, ten of 3-9-in. and ten of 1.8-in. Also machine guns and a couple of torpedo tubes. Belleville boilers supply steam to engines of 9,000 H.P., intended to develop a speed of 19 knots.

Sheerness Dockyard,

The successful nature of the preliminary trials of the Pelorus cruiser has given great satisfaction in this yard, and everyone, from the Commander-in-Chief downwards, was rejoiced when a telegram from Plymouth announced that she had safely reached her destination, and that working at about two-thirds her natural draught H.P. her speed had been a little over 16 knots. The refit of the Swallow has been taken in hand because neither of the three vessels, Barracouta, Dolphin, Gleaner, put down for repair, have yet returned home for the purpose. It will not be long before the Dolphin is here now, as her relief has gone out to the Mediterranean. The Champion, after a short stay during the month, has left, and the repairs to the Sans Pariel battleship, are being carried out at the yard. The Sheldrake has also

returned to her duties, thus releasing a few more hands for the cruiser Proserpine. As soon as this vessel is launched the Pomone, a sister ship bearing a name well known in naval annals, will take her place on the stocks. The Landrail has resumed her duties.

Russian Warship Construction.

According to the Vie Domosti, a battleship of 8,800 tons, of the Rotislav type, is to be laid down at Nikolaieff. The gun vessel Gilyab, of 900 tons displacement, will take the water this month from the new Admiralty yard, where the the Pallada, a cruiser of the Diana type, is to be commenced. A coast defence ironclad of the General Admiral aproxime class is also to be laid down at St. Petersburg. At the Baltic yard an enlarged Russia, of 14,000 tons displacement, has been begun, and several torpedo-boats are under construction, In two torpedo-boats, Nos. 16 and 102, petroleum has been supplied as fuel. The battleships Oslabya and Peresriet are to be launched next spring, and the Mediterranean Squadron is to be brought up to a strength of three battleships, one coast defence ship, two gunboats, one

purposes of war is the barest fraction under 17 knots, and though this may not be regarded as adequate, it is some satis. faction to know that we have aɛcertained the actual speed that can be relied upon, while we also know that we can depend upon these ships steaming at 16 knots with natural draught. Nor is it disappointing to know that forced draught gives an additional speed of only three-quarters of a knot, as, owing to the inconvenience caused to the men in the stokeholds, forced draught can never be resorted to except in grave emergency, and the fact that the advantage gained is incommensurate with the labour it involves will deter commanding officers from having recourse to it unless they are driven to it by the exigencies of battle.

Portsmouth Dockyard.

No. 15 dock is now practically completed, and the water has been let into it. In case of emergency the dock is ready for use, but as no ship is likely to want it the work will not be hurrie 1 on, but progress steadily. It is, however, a matter of congratulation that we have now two Government docks ready to take

torpedo cruiser, and two sea-going torpedo-boats. What with this establishment and the large increase to the squadron in the Far East, the fleets of Russia now demonstrate determinated naval activity.

Steam Trials in the British Navy.

It is a common belief, says a contemporary, that the steam trials of ships give results that are utterly illusory. As a rule the vessels are not by two or three feet down to their full load draught. They are supplied with picked coal, and, as far as possible, with picked stokers; while there is no fault to find on the score of the sufficiency of engineer officers. The common belief having blossomed into an accepted doctrine, the Admiralty wisely decided to subject the Majestic to as severe a test as could with prudence be exacted. The choice of ship was excellent, as it is in the steam trials of battleships that the supposed unfair conditions are most manifest. Officially the ship is credited with 12,800 H.P. and 17 knots speed with forced draught, but at her recent trials, extending over four hours and a half, the mean H.P. was 11,800 and the speed 16.85 knots, though during one run over the measured distance on the Cornish coast she covered 16:9 knots, or six-tenths of a knot under the official speed. No fault can be found with the conditions, as the ship was in her ordinary seagoing trim, with her own crew and all the weights and stores on board, while she was hampered during the trial by a strong cross wind. It has, therefore, been ascertained that the actual speed of the ships of the Majestic class for the

the Powerful class of cruiser. The machinery of the Casar, battleship, has been delivered, and she now goes into dock to have the rest of her armour put in place, and will be ready for the pennant early in the new year. The Prince George battleship is ready for commissioning, and before long will go into the Channel Squadron, the crew of one of the Royal Sovereign class being turned over to her, the ship so relieved going to the Mediterranean. The Canopus battleship is to be begun here in February next, but already work has commenced on her frames and flat and vertical keels. The fact is that the ceremony of laying the keel plate is no longer the first stage in the commence. ment of a ship, just as the ceremony of launching may or may not be a sign of her completion. A good many ships having cleared out towards the end of the month, the yard began to look a bit bare, but the Revenge has now come in and will remain some little time. The Powerful's trials have to be stopped for a time, and the Terrible is now to go ahead. The ships now ready for sea in this yard are the Hercules, Sultan, Calliope, Iphigenia, Latona, Naiad, Indefatigable, with several destroyers.

Pembroke Dockyard.

The progress of the Andromeda oruiser is in every way satisfactory. The plating of the vessel is nearly complete, and so is her sheathing. The new first-class cruiser to be laid down when the Andromeda is launched will be named the Spartriate, after a ship captured from the French at the Nile. She was

also present at Trafalgar. The approaching launch of the cruiser, says a correspondent from the yard, has caused the authorities to direct attention to the question of providing a suitable berth for the ship while she is receiving her machinery and boilers. In ordinary circumstances she would be taken to Hobbes Point, and moored under the sheerlegs there, but this berth is now occupied by the battleship Hannibal. It is, therefore, proposed to moor her in the Haven and lift the machinery on board there. The adoption of this course would be out of the question if the boilers of the cruiser were of the ordinary type, as they would be far too heavy to be lifted with temporary appliances. The water-tube boilers, however, being much lighter, will enable the work to be done in this way, and although some risk will attach to the operation, it is anticipated that it will be attempted. The Hannibal is getting on well and there is no reason to anticipate that any change in the programme for her will be necessary.

We have pleasure in giving four illustrations of a neatly-arranged portable electric drilling machine, patented by F. Kodolitsch, Esq., managing director of the Austrian Lloyd's Steam Navigation Co.'s Arsenal, of Trieste. These machines have been at work at the Arsenal in Trieste for over three years, and are giving excellent results. The machine can be adapted for almost any job, however difficult or inaccessible, either in the shipyard or the fitting shop. It is obvious that such an arrangement saves an immense amount of shop labour by being able to take the drill to the work, and not having to take the work to the drill; for example, any large casting can be finished

PORTABLE ELECTRIC UNIVERSAL DRILL.

TUCH attention is being devoted to the introduction of labour-saving machinery in many branches of the arts and sciences, and in this direction we are following the example of the Americans, to whom no doubt is due the honour of having initiated the system of portable power-driven tools.

In no work perhaps has so little advance been made in this direction till quite recently than in shipbuilding, boilermaking and other similar manufactures, although it will be obvious that there is plenty of scope to adapt tools with motive-power devices in a portable and compact form.

complete by having all the holes drilled in it whilst it is being planed on the planing machine. This machine can be employed in the shipyard for drilling and counter sinking all rivet holes, and also for cutting out side-light, scuttles and hawse-pipe holes. The stern-post bushes can also be bored out by using the machine. In the Austrian Lloyd's Arsenal there are over 2,000 men employed, and drilling holes by a rachet is now almost unknown. Each shop is fitted with a number of special machines, and a network of wires connects them with a large dynamo for working them.

Fig. 1 is the general arrangement of the No. 1 size machine, which drills holes from 1 to 1 in. diameter.

This machine can be used for almost any kind of work, either for engineering purposes or for ship repairs. Fig. 2 is the machine for drilling holes in ships' decks, and tank tops or counter-sinking same. This machine can counter-sink 1,000 holes a day, or drill 400-in. holes in -in. deck plates per day. For counter-sinking the workman simply lifts the countersinking bit out of one hole by elevating the handles, wheels it to the next, and dropping it in keeps it there till the operation is completed. Fig. 3 shows the drill at work on the bow of a steamer in dry dock. In repairing stranded steamers the motors have

Each machine is under the control of the man or boy who is working the drill. We made reference to these machines in our June issue this year, on page 108, in an article we gave with regard to the work that was then being carried on in Messrs. Yarrow's yard.

Mr. Kodolitsch has also successfully expanded tubes in marine boilers up to 4 in. diameter by using a similar special motor. It is impossible to enumerate all the varied uses to which these machines can be adapted.

We hear that Mr. Kodolitsch has appointed Mr. F. S. Dudgeon, of 30, Great St. Helen's, as his sole agent for the United Kingdom.

proved most valuable for drilling out the rivets of the plates to be replaced. There are four sizes of the machine made, the largest size is for drilling holes up to 3 in. diameter, and is used principally for boring armour plates.

We hear that these machines are now employed extensively in the United Kingdom by ship repairers and engineers. Mr. Kodolitsch has successfully adapted his electrical motor for expanding boiler tubes in water-tube boilers, and Messrs. Yarrow & Co., of Poplar, have many of these machines at work. It was found that instead of being able to expand 70 tubes a day by steam power they were able to expand 30 tubes per hour by using the Kodolitsch motor. This special machine is illustrated in Fig. 4.

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Nomos" Compositions for Ships' Bottoms.-We have received from Messis. R. T. Bruce & Co, of Hull, a long list of the names of vessels that have been recently coated with the above composition, amounting to some hundreds of thousands of tonnage, including ships from many distant ports. We would draw attention to the fact that a great number of the "Nomos," many of vessels in this list have previously used " them for a considerable time, which is very good evidence of the good reputation it has obtained from the many important and influential owners whose ships are included in the list.

Institute of Marine Engineers.-Meetings are held at the above Institute on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. On Tuesdays and Thursdays drawing classes are held for the juniors, lectures on suitable subjects are also given them on Tuesday evenings.

Floating Dry Dock.-The Spanish Government is inviting tenders for the construction of a floating dry dock at Havana.