The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-07-31


tenants, 4s lieutenants. Junior grade, and
Il6 ensigns, making total Of 1853 line Off
GERS, or about so per cent Of the engineer
corps. The ranking naval officer on the
active list is Rear-Admiral George
Brown. the ranking commodore, Thomas
o: Selfridge, and the ranking captain,
Allen v. Reed.
There is reported to be much regret
among the officers OF the navy that the
Hartford, now being repaired at Mare
Island. is not to be restored to perfect
model OF her original type-dtted, finished
and furnished with historical accuracy.
This regret will not be confined to the
navy. 1t 1 a sentiment which will be
shared by loyal hearts all over the land,
for ''the old Hartford" as Farragut
called her. holds place In our history
that will forever associate her name with
the truest patriotism and Americanism.
AS a rule the American people care little
for monuments of the past, even when
they serve as memorials of our own his
tory. The starry banner suffices US as a
symbol of our glory and a reminder OF
the valor that on land and set has made
our nation great. Nevertheless, there are
some memorials which even we are 10th
W bpdhS, No kAultTlGdH WOul0 Willingly
lose the old Constitution, which is still
preserved on the Atlantic coast as an OBJ
ject of patriotic veneration. What that
gallant ship is to the Atlantic coast the
Hartford might be to the Pacific. Her
history, one Of the most illustrious in the
annals Of warships, is forever associated
with that of the immortal Farragut, who
in her so often carried Old Glory to VIC
tory, and she well deserves to be main
tanned as long as human skill can keep
her as a memorial OF the navy In the
days of the great war that made the
republic nation.
An innovation in yachting circles Is
now being talked of, nothing less than
sails made Of compressed paper, the
sheets beig cemented and riveted together
in such a way as to form a. smooth and
strong seam. 1t appears that the first
process OF manufacturing consists in
preparing the pulp in the regular way,
to a ton of which Is added one pound
Of bichromate OF potash, rs pounds Of
glue, 80 ounces OF alum, ~ pounds of
soluble glass, and 40 pounds OF prime
tallow these ingredients being thoroughly
mixed with THE pulp. Next the pulp is
made into sheets by regular paper max
ing machinery and two sheets are pressed
together with a glutinous compound be-
tween. so as to retain the pieces firmly,
making the whole practically homo
gene>us. The next operation is quite I'M
portant, and requires a specially built
machine OF great power. which is used
in >compressing the paper from a thick,
sticky sheet to a very thin, tough /one
The now solid sheet is run through a
bath Of sulphuric acid, to which ten per
cent Of distilled water has been added,
from which Vt emerges to pass between
glass rollers, then through a bath of
ammonia, then Gear water, and finally
through felt rollers, after which 1t is
dried and polished between heated metal
cyclinders. The paper resulting from this
process is in sheets of ordinary width
and thickness OF cotton duck, 1t is elastic,
air tight, durable. light, and possessed OF
other needed qualifications TO make 1t
available for light sail making. The
mode of putting the sheets together is
by having a split on the edges OF the
sheet or cloth, so as to admit the edge
Of the other sheet. When the split is
closed, cenented, riveted or sewed, 1t
closes completely and firmly.