The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-01-30


gigantic railway system Of the United
states. has 10 record healthy growth
and the age Of wildcat railroad construc
ton has doubtless gone for good. The
present total length OF our roads is 1874,
s32 miles, and our advance is now re
corded year by year. Locomotives ant
freight cars continue to increase In size
though not go noticeably as they die
last year.
The steam locomotive still holds thu
field as par excellence the traction motoi
for heavy or long distance. The fastest
trains in the world during the year were
those run during the summer season or
the Pennsy lvania and the Philadelphia
and Reading roads, from Camden Il
Atlantic City. These trains, whose
schedule speed is between go and 7C
miles an hour, frequently made the runs
OF 55.5 and 5S3 miles at rates of from
6s to "a miles an hour, with trains
weighing az high as 300 tons.
THE AUTOMOBILE AND BICYCLE.
Unquestionably the greatest advance
in transportation is that recorded in the
field Of automobile, which is evidently
destined to enjoy a popularity as great
as. and certainly more lasting than, the
bicycle The styles Of the automobile
are improving in general appearance and
experience is leading TO marked inn
proyement ia the motors. The improve
ment in steam motors has been so great
as to promise that this long established,
well understood and easily managed
form Of power may yet become the most
popular for the automobile, with com
pressed air a possible rival.
As the star of the automobile rises,
that Of the bicycle seems steadily TO set.
The latter will never cease to be used for
business and pleasure; but the popular
rage, which is already on the wane, will
be increasingly transferred to the au-
tomobile as the price OF the latter comes
more within the reach Of the purse Of
the average citizen.
NAVAL.
In naval affairs there has been no
cessation of the efforts of the maratime
nations TO increase their already stu
pendous fleets. The United States at
the commencement Of 1899, stood fourth
in power and numbers, with Germany a
close ffsh. Unless we make strenuous
efforts, however, we will fall TO fifth
place, for the German government has
provi led for the expenditure Of nearly
5000, 100000 on naval construction.
Great Britain has now under construction
for her navy warships whose total ton.
mage is iSS, 900 tons, or more than the
total tonnage Of the United States navy.
France and Russia are making relatively
large additions, and Japan is liberal
patron OF the best European yards. We
cpnnot afford 10 stand still
We have received some notable addi-
tions during the year.
The manufacture OF the new long.
caliber guns at Washington has been
carried on with gratifying results. The
new 80 caliber l.inch gun has given a
velocity Of about 5000 feet per second,
with a moderate chamber pressure. Ex-
periments with hQh.explosive shells,
especially the new explosive "joveite," +"
have been highly successful. A shell
loaded with that substance, and weigh
ing 623 pounds, penetrated l4-inoh
Iarveyized plate without breaking.
THE MAGAZINE RIFLE IN WAR
The progress Of the South African war
has proved that the modern magazine
rifle is par excellence the weapon of the
future military operations. This weapon
has put heavy discount upon old-time
valor, and the war Of the future will be
more than ever war Of the tacticians.
AERoNAUTICs.
Activity in the aeronautical world has
been directed rather to the development
OF the airship than the aeroplane. Ever
since Langly's brilliant success in
achieving flight OF three. quarters of a
mile with an experimental, steam
driven, machine, We have heard but
little, either of the motor-driven aero.
plane, or the soaring machine. The
baloonists, ON the other hand, have been
very active and fairly successful.
ARCHAEOLOGY.
Although archaeology cannot this year
report such sensational discoveries as
have rendered some previous years
famous, gratifying results have been
attained in Rome, where the much
explored site OF the Forum still yields
up its secrets TO the antiquarian pick
and spnde; while in Egypt over two