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TORPED O-BOATS.
(TIE RECENT WAR CALLS ATTENTION. TO THE
PROGRESS OF AMERICAN INVENTION
IN THIS DIRECTION.
»A series of tests of the Holland submarine tor:
pedo-boat was made last March for Lieutenant
Sargeant, of the Naval-Auxiliary Board. ,The
work was done in thirty feet-of water,’ and gave
full satisfaction to Mr. Holland and to the Gov-f . I
ernment expert. The first trials consisted of a
series of surface runs at a speed of ten knots, in
which the boat showed great manoeuvring.
power, changing her .. course with remarkable
rapidity. '
The diving test was made at the same speedr
and the boat went down at an angle of 15 de—_
grees with the surface. At a depth of seven
feet she came to an even keel, and ran for—
ward for several hundred yards. Another time
the boat dived completely out of sight, her flag-
pole disappearing. altogether, and no trace of
her being visible until she reappeared several
hundred yards from the point at which shade--
scended.
The Holland submarine boat is a result of
some twenty years' experimental ,work on the
part of its designer, who firmly believes that
this type of vessel is to become the most deadly
weapon of future naval warfare. Thisis the
first submarine boat of its kind ever built and
tested. The Holland is 55 feet long, 10% feet in
diameter and of 75 tons displacement. The steel
hull is cigar—shaped and approximates some—
what to the model of the Whitehead fish tor—
pedo. It has two sources of motive power, be-
ing run by a. gas engine while on the surface
and by a motor, with storage battery, when
submerged. Above the storage batteries on each
side of the ship are the compressed air tanks,
from which fresh air- is supplied to the crew
when the boat is under water.
The cellular bottom of the vessel is utilized
for the storage of the liquid fuel, and here are
the water ballast tanks, which assist in trim—
ming and in the operation of diving or rising
to the surface. The offensive powers of the Hol-
land are, consideringthe size and method of
attack, far greater than any other engine of
\var. She carries in her bow an under—water
discharge tu_be for launching the Whitehead
torpedo, of which she carries several stowed
in a suitable compartment. In addition to these
the Holland carries two other discharge tubes
for firing gun-cotton projectiles. The forward
tube is capable of throwing a 100-pound gun-
cotton shell 3. distance of three—quarters of a
mile. The other tube, astern, will drive a shell
accurately for a distance of two hundred yards
under water.
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LINOTYPE MACHINES.
{HERE >ARE MORE THAN ~FIVE THOUSAND OF
THESE WONDERFUL LABOR-SAVING
DEVICES IN DAILY USE.
There are now in daily use over five thousand
Linotype machines. They are to be found in
every civilized country, and in establishments
devoted to every variety of newspaper, book and-
miscellaneous printing. They are used alike in
offices requiring only one or two machines each
and in the vast metropolitan establishments giv-
ing employment to fifty machines or more.
The Linotype is a machine controlled by finger
keys, like a typewriter, which creates the type-
matter, as demanded, ready-for the press 'or
stereotyping table, to be once used and then
melted down. Instead of producing‘singlte type
of ,the ordinary character, it casts type-metal
bars or slugs, each complete in one piece and
having on the upper edge the type characters to
print a line. The linotypes are produced and as-
sembled automatically in a galley, side by side,
in proper order, so" that they constitute
a “form," answering the same purpose and
used in the same manner as the ordinary
“forms" consisting of single types. After being
used the linotypes, instead of being, like type
forms, distributed at a great expense, are sim-
ply thrown into the melting pot of the machine
to be recast into new forms.
An impetus has been given to the art of print-
ing by a dozen years’ use of the Linotype the
like of which was not in evidence a. hundred
years after the invention of printing. The Mer-
genthaler Linotype derived its name from Ott-
mar Mergenthaler, a Swiss mechanic and in-
ventor, living in _Baltimore, in 1875. He was
employed to experiment with devices to cast
type automatically, but failing of satisfactory
results on the lines indicated by those for whom
he labored he constructed for himself a. rod-
ically different machine. It was experimented
with for a. number of years before being put to
practical use.’ Its use in newspaper office: was
begun in 1 and at the present time there _are
few offices of importance in-the United States,
Canada or England which do not have Linotypes
in constant use; . . ._ ‘
In 1891 an improved machine was brought
forth. This «machine has come into general use
in. book offices-and its introduction there has
been a matter of great moment to the reading
public. Books can now be bought for a small
fraction of their former cost,,and as a result the
library becomes a part of the furnishing of every
household. As people read more, the demand for
a better class of books increases, and the gen—
eral trend of thought of a community is thus
cultivated and imfiroved. The majority of mag-
azines now publis ed are products of the Lino-
type, and the number is being constantly added
to. When the Mergenthaler Linotype came into
general use most newspaper publishers found
that they could do all the composition required
on their papers and a considerable amount in
excess. and as a means of utilizing their spare
time they set about making bids for bookwork.
Attracted by the very low prices quoted, a large
amount of this class of work was secured. The
result was not satisfactbry; but, strange to say,
' the blame at the start fell principally upon the
machine. The book printer seemed to forget his
,views of a few years ago. As in the case of the
introduction of cylinder presses, it has taken
time for this belief to wear away. But as no
successful book-printing establishment of im~
portanc‘e could now get along without rapid
presses. so is the time coming when Linotypes
must also become a part of its equipment. Most
large offices now have them in operation. Many
small offices were started with one or two and
have gradually added others, until a good-sized‘
“battery" was acquired. There have been cases
.cost money—lots of it. In an emergency, like a
in which the Linotype was the first part of the
equipment, and thus became the nucleus-around
which a, large plant was built up. .273. -_ »
The introduction of the Linotype into the book
composing room parallels the advent ofgthe cyl-
inder press in the pressroom. Some see-in it an;:
opportunity to recover lost ground,_and;they are.
reaping the benefit of their enterprisegfiOthers
éprofess to be still unconvinced, but it :is only a
matter of time when they, too, “Will come into
the fold."_~ 4. _, ' ‘
. 1 FOR‘ PASSENGER CARS.
STEEL PLATFORMS ARE Now SUPPLANTING THE
OLD woonEN onus-ADVANTAGES or
‘ THE CHANGE.
In length and weight, passenger carsare now
much increased over former years, the speed
of trains'is greatly heightened, the burden put
upon the platforms made more and more severe,
andthe frail, unsubstantial wooden platforms-
have groaned and gagged under the strain. No
matter how handsomely finished a coach may
be; if its platforms droop, its appearance is
seriously marred, to say nothing of the constant
menace tothe safety of the passengers therein,'.
involved‘in this structural weakness. .
Wooden platforms require constant repairs
to keep themin proper shape, and these repairs
collision, they break downward or upward, and
demolition of the- car bodies ensues.
Efforts have been made to strengthen the
wooden construction by the use of truss rods
and by plating the beams with steel, which
helped some, of course, but with the multi-
plicity of bolts and nuts incident to these means
of bracing, there was added expense and trouble
in keeping the parts properly tightened.
Resetting to these expedients was, however,
merely temporizlng with the trouble. The lateral
strains were not resisted. ' ‘
Stéel platforms are said to accomplish the
desired results. ,In the construction of the steel
platform, steel I beams are used, instead of
'wooden beams, and the buffer mechanism re-
ceives the buffing force in a direct line with the
longitudinal sills of the car, and at a pomt best
caICulated to stand the greatest. shock without
injury to the car, and through the medium of
a buffer spring, giving a range of motion suf-
ficient to insure cont act of the buffer plates, un-
der all conditions when cars are cOupled. A
large number of prominent railroads have al-
ready adopted the steel platform, and several
hundred cars have been equipped with it, and
are in constant use. ..
In the opinion of mechanical explerts its
efficiency and economy'are such as to indicate
that it will come into universal use. ‘"‘
Henry H. Sessions, the designer of the stan-
dard steel platform, has devoted a lifetime to
carconstruction.’ In various capacities and on
different railroads he had under his supervision
the construction of all kinds of cars, and he
'was in a position to note defects and to en-
deavor to remedy them. He was the inventor of
the vestibule idea in railroad-car construction,
and one after another he bettered and improved
points which he found lacking in satisfactori-
ness. During twelve years’ service as manager
'of the Pullman Company, .at Chicago, he intro-‘
duced eighteen patents in the Pullman cars.
The standard steel platform is said to. have
many advantages __ over the wood platform,
among its claims to attention being the fact-
that it weighs much less, is stronger and costs
no more. his _a safeguard against telescoping,
and practically'costs nothing to keep in repair.
The Pullman Company is applying it to all of
its new cars. and it has received the most.
_flatteflnslndfleemeiits, . -- 4 - ,. .-
V'POWER' " FROM ‘ NIAGARA: " '
‘ The wonders of Niagara have been gazed
upon for many generations by..admiring thou-
sands, .and the -'mind- of . man= has-been ~fllled
.with numerous. schemes for making a sprac- ‘-
-tica.l usezofzthe energy and-power of that great
body of water which flows so= resistlessly. and
steadily onward in» its course to .the sea. Of the
hundred or more efforts which no doubt were
made by as many individuals and bodies of in-
dividuals in the 'course of'the last half-century
there'has been one that wassuccessful. Some
three years ago there was completed one of. the
most important engineering feats of the age,
i. e., tapping the river by means of a canal,
which turns the water into_a wheelpit 160 feet
deep. .11: this water-pit is a turbine wheel,
which supplies the power to the great system
of dynamos in the power-house above. This
undertaking is backed by a‘company having on
its directorate some of the best-known financial
men in the country. The property of the com-
pany is said to represent an investment 02
$10,000,000. Fully equipped with a plant of al-
most marvellous capabilities, the concern has
long since entered the field for supplying elec-
tricity for all manner .of purposes. The electric
current can be transmitted for a. long distance.
and the city of Buffalo, which is within twenty-
five miles of Niagara, will be supplied from this
source, Inducements are offered to manufactur-
ers to move to 'Niagara Falls, where land will
be- furnished them and power supplied to an
extent. One of the schemes under promotion in
connection with this electric construction com-
pany involved the use of the electric power for
moving canal-boats on the Erie Canal.
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STEAMSHIP OF THE ATLANTIC
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COMPANY.
Of the many steamship companies which make this port a terminal, few enjoy a more widespread popularity than the Atlantic Trans-
port COXDDany. In the accompanying illustration will be found an example of the many magnificent vessels owned and operated-by this ling
So great has been the success attending the passenger service during the last five years that it has been found necessary to add to the
These are now building in the celebrated shipyards at Belfast, Ireland, and each of the four
will have a tonnage of 17,000. The following names have already been selected for these vessels: Minneapolis, Minnewaska, Minnetonln
already large list four modern steamships.
and Minnehaha.
The first of these is expected to be, completed for her maiden run by June 1, 1890.
the Atlantic Transport Company undertook to handle a passenger service. Prior to that date it had confined itself to the carrying of freight
between Baltimore. Philadelphia, London and Swansea. About seven years ago combination freight‘ and passenger steamships were
put into service between New—York and London. Moderate rates for passage were charged, and the accommodations of the vessels were
of such a. superior character that almost at a single bound the line jumped into popular favor.
port Company at the present day is maintained by four
and the Manitou.
It is only since 1891 that the management of
The passenger service of the Atlantic Trans-
splendid ten-thousand-ton teamships—the Menominee, the Mesaba, the Marquette
These four vessels are practically new and represent the highest type of the shipbuilders’ art and skill. The stateroom
dining-room, smoking and reading rooms are furnished in lavish style and with a view to the comfort and convenience of the passen-
gers. A particularly desirable feature of all these vessels is found in the fact that the staterooms are situated amidships on the upper
deck. This reduces to a. minimum the influence of the ship's motion. The Atlantic Transport Company is unusually favored in the location
of its pier in this city. It is to be found at West Houston-st., and is easily accessible from all parts of the city. The offices of the company
are at No. 1 Broadway, where all details concerning rates and times of sailing may be obtained.
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STEAM‘SHIP STATENDAM, ‘OF THE -HOLLAND—AMERICA _LIN E. 4 p .
The above illustration‘shows the magnificent new-l steamer Statendam, Vof the Holland-America Line. The Statendam.»is a. twin-screw
’steamer of 10,500 tons, and was built by a famous firm in Belfast, Ireland. It is the equal in pointflof . luxuriousne‘ss .of anything afloat on
the Atlantic Ocean, and its practical construction leaves nothing to beydesired. The’Holland-America'Line was establishedin 1872, and from
that timehas maintained a. passenger and freight service of large proportions._.__lt is generally. agreed by-old ocean: travellers. thatvthe. com-
pany offers one. of the best routes betwéexilthe United States and the_Continent _of Europe. One route goes direct from New-York to Am—.
sterdam, and the other takes 'in’ Boulogne-sur-Mer on the way.to Rotterdam. In addition” to the Statendam,_the company hasadded another .
new steamer, the Rotterdam, during thepresent year, but the buIsinessz'of the company has increased so rapidly that, _it_ now has under way.
three new twin-screw steamships, to be called the'fR'yndam‘, the. Noordam' and" the _Potsdam. These are being constructed in .Belfast, and,
will be completed in the coming year. ZTheupr-esent fleet is composed ,of‘the gotterdanl, the Maasd‘amg: the ‘Sta'tendam-mthe‘ Amsterdamfifithe
Werkendam and the Edam. The New-Morin. pier 6: the company is~at Fifthzst" Idobokem while the generallpas‘sengerofiiceiisgatNofi'gmgd.
way. Steamers leave for Rotterdam from New-York every Saturday. and every alternate Thursday for Amsterdam.
Norwalk Chronicler