The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-09

British entries in the recent races up the sound. On one leg of the triangu- lar course this hgh-gaited racer cov- cred ten nautical miles in IT minutes and 30 seconds, which Is at the rate of over 40 miles an hour. In her races here the Pioneer was provided with set Of odd-looking 'fins.' On her trial trip on the other side the Pioneer turned tur- tie in making sharp turn. The fins were attached to help to overcome this ten dency of turning keel upward when cut ting around the corners of a triangular course. The vessel is of the hydroplane type. She has an overall length of 39 feet Il inches and beam of feet. She is propelled by an eight-cylinder Wolse- ley-Siddeley engine of 400 horsepower.
 Best Speed Made
 The fastest motorboat owned In Amer ica is the Dixie H., which in 1907 cap- tured the equally famous Harmsworth International Power Boat trophy in the races that were held at Monaco. The ownership of the boat recently passed from E. J. Schroeder of Jersey City to Frederick K. Burnham of New York The Dixie II, which is actually Dixie III, was built in 1905 for E. R. Thomas. The vessel was originally equipped with an eieht-cylinder Smith & Malby motor and which was designed to develop 275 horse power. For this was subsequently sub- stituted an eight-cylinder Whit man. Later on new hull was built for this engine by Lawley of Boston. This craft of involved ancestry recently at- tained speed of 37 statute miles an hour.
 In her day the Arrow, owned by Charles R. Flint of this city, was un- doubtedly the fastest thing afoat. She was very frankly constructed for the highest speed that 1t was possible to ob- tain in a boat of her dimensions, and she succeeded in making luminous her name. One day on the Hudson river few years ago this twin screw racer covered a nautical mile in 92 seconds. This was at 0 speed that was equivalent to A statute miles. The Arrow had been stripped for the race. Only enough coal was carried to enable the vessel to go over the measured course. She went to the starting line with steam bottled up and established a worlds record for a miles run. - The Arrow is 1S0 feet in length and has a beam of 12 feet. Her engines, which are of the quadruple expansion type, originally had an indicated horse power of approximately 4OO0. The boiler power of the vessel was recently re- dueed and the Arrow Is now no longer In the class of world beaters, although she Is still very speedy.
 
 States navy possesses three very speedy vessels, these being the scout cruisers Salem, Birmingham and Chester Two of these, the Salem and Chester, are fired with turbine engines. The Birming- ham is equipped with reciprocating en- zines. The three have been undergo ing extended tests to determine the rel- ative value of the three types, one of the turbines being of English design, the other being the product of America. These vessels were built for a speed of 26 knots an hour
 The British battle cruiser Lion, which was recently launched, Is credited with a hitherto unapproached speed in ves- sel of her great dimensions. With length of TOO feet and displacement of 26ooo tons. 1t is promised that the great warship will show a speed of 2S knots an hour. It is said that her engines, which are of the turbine type, will have an indicated horsepower of 70,00O The vessel, therefore, combines the speed of A destroyer with the displacement, ar mament and protection of a battleship.