New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-22

The French newspapers have given some atten-
ton of late to the experiments recently made on
the French batte-shp Courbet on the means OF us
injecting war and other vessels propelled 10y steam
and which are reported TO have been successful
The experiments on the Courbet were made with
one of its auxiliary boilers. with pressure OF four
kilograms Another boiler adjoining me on Win ,h
the steam pressure was enpii,Sl oi hIs"s vas
put inside and the boiler then hermetcaly closed
drec,ed upon the garment for twenty minutes un-
I'll Il was thoroughly sterilZcl On tllr loho"ihs
day after the boiler had cooled off, the garment
was taken out and found to be in good condition
ana perfectly disnfected.
correspondent writing from Gibraltar to THE
Army and Navy journal" says that the British mil
itary occupation OF that great Mediterranean FORT
ress continues to be very strict Not only must
every one entering the town have pass. but that
must be renewed before the sunset gun unless the
visitor wishes TO come in conflict with the au'horl-
ties. The points of military interes, cannot pe seen
and photographers forbidden 10 take pictures
OF any part OF the Rock. The construction or new
galleries is constantly carried on 1ut WIN o ,3e
posed of battalions OF the toyai tnGiceIs anu
At the date Of the report from the Mediterranean
British Squadron November IS. there were In the
harbor of Gibraltar the batteships Royal Sovereign
Empress Of India ard the Rodney; the cruisers I'm
mortalite Narcissus and Bellona. and the gunpoatS
Bramble and Speedwcll These vessels have fire.
quent drills in fleet manoeuvres end with torpedo
boats and guns Four days before this report a
torpedo-boat Of the Rodney, when running t0rpe-
does. capsized by being turned too Slatpy WIN tne
helm. She completely turned turtle, but was kept
afoat for ten minutes by the air inside OF her dur
ing which time her kept revolving IN the arr
and then went down headfOr"Glost, recalling the
similar final scene of the battle-ship Victoria.
Sir Samuel Baker In a letter to 1.-The London
Times" calls attention the duty Of the Admiralty
with regard TO Gibraltar and the lack Of facilities
for protecting Great Britain's interests there. lie
SAYS there can be question as 10 the necessity
of a repairing dock for the warships. and though
committees have reported upon this matter and
urged the building OF dock II has neither been
begun nor is II contemplated. He declares II
TO be a simple question Of preparation ana expense,
and either Great Britain must abandon the Mcdi-
terranean and the Eastern route 10 lndia, or us
safety must be insured by ludcious Increase or
the naval force and the establishment OF at least
one good repairing dock at Gibraltar He also dea
with the shOrtness of supply OF coal and ammuni-
some effect the British Government.
The steam trials OF the British warshps are com
planned OF by naval men misleading. because
lately they have often been conducted with the
ship drawing much less than its load draught OF
water. The Resolution. which recently made a
speed considerably above that stipulated. IL Is said
was not down to her normal lOad-line by about
three feet when she made her trial. IL Is also as
serted that various other ships, especially the tor
favored in the way when
they made their official speed trials.