Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-12-20
New Device for the Cleaning
of Ships Bottoms.

L ltON AuSltoiioh
invention for cleaning the marine
growths from ships without docking:
The machine is contained in wa
tertight casing and is easily handled
by one man. 1t is operated by cleo
tricity taken from the ships dynamo.
the current from which causes wire
brush to reyolye against the side of
the ship, removing thereby the
growtbs. The pressure against the
ship is caused by screw propeller
attached to the machine, the pressure
against the side being governed by
the speed of the revolving propeller,
which is regulated by a rheostat in
the hands Of the operator. The
modus operandi of the cleaning oper-
alton being to attach the machine to
a rope, lower it over the side, start
the motor and gradually lower the
machine down until the bottom Of the
ship is reached The machine is
again hauled to the surface and
moved along another strip and the
process repeated. II has been found
in practice that the machine will
work well on strip OF about three
feet wide. 1t is the intention of the
owners to form companies in the
most important shipping ports to
clean ships and in the future the ship
owners will merely have to telephone
to the operating company upon the
arrival of a ship in port and the APP
paratus will be sent on board and the
ship cleaned while discharging and
loading cargo. The importance of
this Invention to shipoWners is ire
mendous as it will obyiate the ex-
pense of docking and loss of interest
while laid up.
Special Steamer Required to Garry ..
Cotton.
For the second time in the history
of the port of San Francisco and for
the second successive year, the con-
gestion CT cotton shipments to the
Orient has made it necessary to char
| ter a special steamer to transport the
| excess of the southern staple across
the Pacific. Last wear the Southern
Pacific was forced to charter a steam
/ er. This year ~e chartering has
been done by the Santa Fe, which
+, has now on hand surplus above the
regular shipping facilities of 10000
tons of cotton destined for Japan.
The British steamer Clan McIver has
been secured. .:>
Although last years record for cot
| ton shipments 70 the Orient Eroke
| those of former years, this has been
exceeded by about one-fourth. For
the last two months fully two-thirds
OF the cargo space of the regular Pa
! cific Mail and Togo Kisan kaisba lin
ers has been flied with cotton, yet
| the surplus has continued to pile up
! until the action OF the Santa Fee was
| necessary. The Clan McIver is now
! ut China Basin where the stevedores
are busy loading
Mary T.. Foster Brings New Skipper.
With nearly one million feet of lum-
Der. the well-known schooner Mary f.
Foster now rides at anchor in the
stream awaiting berth at the Allen
4 Robinson wharf. This vessel sailed
| from Aberdeen. Wash. on Nov 18th
The vessel is now in command of Cap
tain R. r. Peasley, who. however, pos
sesseS q wide circle of acquaintance
here through visits to the port in 9th
cr vessels The Mary E Foster
| brought cargo consigned TO the firm
Of Allen & Robinson.
| ~
japanese Steamship Competition
| in India
Concerning the question asked re-
Gently in Parliament by Sir John
ReeS. as to whether the British gov
eminent was taking any steps to pro-
test against Japan's prohibition OF
cOasting trade to foreign steamers
the Asahi remarks that it is a repeti.
ton Of a question he asked some time
ago, and has been moved to revive
/ by the keen competition which has
sprung up between the British India
S. \. co. and the Nippon Yusen
kaisha. The Asahi goes on to make
the remarkable statement that the 3
|. line is held in detention by the
Indians. but that the strong corpora,
ton of white men who control it in