New-York tribune., 1900-10-07

IVA ~ - n Il n ~ L ~ AoAI
ford and the Vaderland show types of vessels that
only gain by comparison with their neighoors. One
cannot but regret that the exhibit Of this company
should be a single unit and not type of many
more Of the same kind One feels most
strongly the hope that our National legls-
laton may be such to render financially possible
In an early future the larger entry Of American
capital intelligence and labor into this fertile helo
where to-day turn few burrows. The exhibit
of the German merchant marine, which, while FORM
ing part the exhibit of this group, is Installed
In adjacent pavilion is worthy of more than
passing examination.
Reference has already been made to the general
aspect of this pavilion ,nd the effort, both pro-
nounced and successful, to give it predominating
position and character amid the maritime display
of the Exposition And the success attained rests
upon much solid achievement, beyond mere archi-
with elaborate decorations and statues of German
sailors the place of honor is given 10 terrestrial
globe some ten or twelve feet in diameter, which
are laid out the principal routes Of German steamer
lines throughout the world. Alongside is a large
plaster model Of the enormous central administra-
ton building OF the North German Lloyd. sur
rounded by small models of the vessels Of their
different lines In a larger series of models are
shown the more recent vessels of the transatlantic
lines of the company and the Hamburg
American Line, such the Kaiser Wilhelm der
Crosse and the Deutschland. the latter vessel be-
ing also represented by model at one-third fuu
size, showing midship section above the machin-
cry and representing in great detail the dining
saloons and neighboring compartments, so as to
Indicate the luxurious character of the fittings and
decorations. In addition to a number or other
models, including many vessels of war. which were
especially interesting in this connection as indcat-
ing the large number Of private shipyards in Ger
many that, with Government assistance. have been
so deIevoped as to able construct battleships
Of the first class, there particularly large
and detailed model of the city and docks of Ham
burg existing at present. Accompanying this
model were graphic representations showing the
enormous growth of the sea borne commerce
handled in the city and the general growing pros
perity Of the port
LONGINGS OF AN EXPERT
While it would appear a study of more than pass
ing interest the political economist to determine
how far the general prosperity of the city is in
creased by its being a free port yet TO the civil
engineer the details Of the improvements Of the
natural facilities of the city by ntelligently planned
harbor works immense scale is of equal In
terest 1t seems at times almost unfortunate that
our own rich endowment of natural harbors should
not have rendered necessary at earlier period
the execution of permanent harbor works, and 1t
requires almost such disaster the unfortunate
fire in New York Harbor Of a few weeks ago to
call attention to the possibilities for development
that we have in this direction. For in CONNER
a part whose Importance cannot well be overrated
and it is this which makes the whole maritime
exhibit of Germany at the Exposition OF surpass-
ing interest; for it puts in visible form that ne
who runs may read the strenuous and well directed
efforts of Germany to carry the development OF
both her mercantile and naval fleets to that of a
maritime Power of the very first order.
To return to the Palace OF the Merchant Marine
from our excursion to the German Pavilion, there
is one class of exhibits that must unfortunately be
ad unfit nDOptiDR namely. those
competing for prize of 100000 francs offered by
the heirs OF Anthony Pollock of Washington, D.
c., for life saving appliances for service at sea
Apart from the well known and excellent devices
in the form Of life buoys. used in our own and
foreign navies and which are applicable especially
TO the case of the single individual. or at most
four or five persons who have fallen overheard
from vessel at sea, the general impression made
on the casual visitor by the solutions offered by
the various competitors was not unlike that ex-
perienced on noticing the advertisements of certain
despairing efforts Of humanity to retain some Of
the gifts that nature wthdraws with the passing
years Only here the fact that it was the struggle
for life itself gave a real pathos to the attempt
Stated briefly, the solutions attempted may be
classed under three heads-life buoys, detaching
and other apparatus for launching the ship
boats, and means for keeping a damaged vessel
from sinking. In the case of the life buoy. both
the Hichborn buoy, used in our own naval service.
and the Violet-Chabrand buoy. of which there is
In this section of the Exposition most interesting
sample, as supplied to the French and Russian
navies (Which besides furnishing automatically
lighted TORCH uses oil quiet the water about
the buoy, furnish excellent solutions for the case
Of the unfortunate imam overboardr' But when
the ship itself be abandoned it is to the
ships boats and the life buoys that safety at
sea must be looked for. And the matter OF launch
ing large number of boats and transferring to
them suddenly at night in bad weather hundreds
of men, women and children becomes a problem
for which there is no sure solution except in the
hands Of all merciful Providence. Not that
much may not be done in matters of minor detail
that may result under favorable circumstances
and in certain cases in great saving of life. But
the real solution is not there, but would appear
to lie rather in the third class of appliances re-
ferred to. namely, the means of preventing the
vessel itself from sinking after accident.
WHOLE SHIP A LIFEBOAT.
The reasons for believing this to be the case
are twofold: First, the mechanical and financial
possibility Of building the enormous passenger
steamers of the present day with well designed
and very large number of watertight compart-
ments The value of such subdivision is best IL
lustrated by such an accident as that occurring
to the engines Of the steamship Paris, when, with
both engine rooms flooded the steamer was safely
brought to port. The second which is only
Of Of appliances @ for closing With absolute certainty
divide the snip INTO the separate compartments on
which her safety depends, One such system Of
is exhibited with the other competitors for the Pol
lock prize; another, invented by Naval Constructor
United States naval exhibit. in the Army and
Navy Palace, While third, that of Mr.. Cowes
United States Navy is unfortunately only repre-
IF Is IN his reciion of well destrHed woTg sbs m9df
carefully studied details for preserving intact the
ships Perhaps there may be a profound phil
belts who manufactures cork lined Jacket for