The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-18

the great lakes practically the entire fleet
is to be rebuilt on lines of the modern
steel vessel.
The Cramps. Of Philadelphia, and the
Union Iron Works., of San Francisco,
have completed the first war vessels for
foreign powers turned out from Ameri-
( can ship yards in many years. The Ameri-
can tramp steamer has made It's ap-
pearanee. New England districts are
again witnessing quitefa little activity in
the construction Of wooden vessels, even
to the placing of an order for al six
masted ship that Is to carry $500 tons
dead weight. In this line Of diversity may
be mentioned also the ight-draught,
stern-wheel type Of steamer, which has
been constructed in quite large numbers
on both coasts for service in shallow
Alaskan waters; and on the great lakes
the steamer of about 5000 tons capacity
on fourteen feet draught, which is suited
to special trade on the lakes, or may
be transferred through the Welland and
st. Lawrence canals to the Atlantic,
where there is promise of profitable trade
for a long time to come, not only be-
tween parts ON the Eastern seaboard, but
also between New York, Cuba and Porto
Rico.
Progress in the construction of pleas
ure craft has not been less rapid. The
Bath Iron works, Bath Me-, completed
recently the most powerful engfned steam
yacht ever constructed for a private
owner, and a summary of the years or
ders shows almost two score steam
yachts ranging from go to 1903 feet In
length completed or under construction
in American yards. The construction of
the Columbia by the Hereshoffs for the
international cup races of the fall of
1899 indicates the general interest still
shown in sailing craft, and the success
~ fIor T1Y<-
Ermack, constructed in England marks
the further advance of distinctly Amer
lean idea.
Plans have been made which will place
at least few American dry docks, both
floating and stationary, at the head of
the worlds structures of this charac. err
The great timber dry dock now building
for the Newport News Ship Building and
Dry Dock company, at Newport News,
Va, will so far surpass all others of it's
class that two ordinary naval vessels can
be accommodated therein simultaneously
while the floating dry dock for the gov
eminent to be stationed at Algiers, La
will surpass those other products Of its
designers skill, the Stettin and Havana
docks.
An event of first Importance during the
year has been the introduction in con-
gress of BILL destined to secure the
adoption of system of ship subsidies.
which offers the surest solution of the
problem of restoring our merchant ma
rlne to Its former position on the seas
Of the world. This measure. as well
as the Nicaragua canal BILL would have
been given fuller consideration in the
last congress but for the war disturb
ances. 1t will undoubtedly be. taken lp
early in the next session No definite
action on the Nicaragua canal question
can be taken for some time, as 1t will be
necessary to await the report of j new
commission, authorized at the close of the
last congress, and which is empowered
to investigate not only the Nicaragua but
the Panama and any other possible route
and report as to which Is the most feas-
ible to construct and operate
Projects for extensive river and harbor
improvements have had the support of
MT. Frye in the senate and Chairman
Burton, OF the rivers and harbors COM
mittee, in the house, and appropriations
have been on scale of liberality Par
ticularly has this been gratifying in so
far as 1T insures much needed radical
Improvement Of New York harbor. At
the various navy yards extensive pur-
chases OF tools and machinery will be
made, and four new dry docks. two of
stone and two of timber, have been au-
thorized.
Finally the United States has learned
much from the foreign shipbuilder and
his kindred artisans, and seemingly the
British shipbuilder is. ready to accord
more attention to the trend of events
in this country. An American firm re-
Gently furnished to Belfast builders a
large consignment of ship plate for the
Oceanic, the largest vessel ever con-
.structed, and the British technical jour
mails are universal in the concession thar
in America is to be found the future RI
val of Great Britain as a shipbuilding
and ship-owning nation. -