The Washington herald., 1913-02-23

| in this country: but several British firm.
do a large business OF this kind The yes
sci is built temporarily Each piece
is marked, and then all are taken apart
the pieces transported to the desired in
land body OF water. where shipbuildins
! materials are not available, and there
put together in permanent FORM II wa.
| thus that the Victoria Nyanza Lake il
| Mid-Africa, was supplied with steam
ships and even more difficult was tbs
transportation OF the first ship to Lake
Titicaca. the highest Of all lakes. le,5i;
| feet above the Pacific The trans
Siberian transportation problem wa.
much simplified when one Of these YES
sells was launched on Lake Baikal.
The value of the floating dock and the
interesting story of its discovery are sci
forth. There is a suggestion for tht
United States In this discussion, for the
inability of any dock in North American
waters to receive a modern mammoth
liner reveals the fact only too well that
every port worthy OF the name must be
provided with facilities to enable the
largest ship aioat to be laid bare when
ever the necessity arises.
Steamship surgery" has performed
some marvellous operations. Ships lose
their bows and have entire new ones put
on. One r. & o. liner Of not satisfactory
size was cut in two and sixty feet In.
serted between the severed ends. and she
came from the operation as trim as eveI
and a knot faster. A steamship too large
to go through the 500 Canal was cut in
halves, the pieces towed through, and pu!
together. and she sailed away under her
own steam.
Some progress is being made on steam
less ships-motor propelled-a system
that. IL perfected. would mean a vast
economy in men and fuel
THE LAST FRONTIER: By E. Alexander Prov
ell. Charles Scrbncr's Sons. New York.
From the moment when Stanley re.
turned to the world. with his wonderful
story of how he found Livingstone. to
the day when Roosevelt came forth
from the depths of the Dark Continent,
after his expedition in the cause of sci
ence, the eyes of the world have been
turned toward Africa.
On the south coast of the Mediter.
ranean, French enterprise is pushing its
way against Arab opposition. and Is
bound to win: and eyes which once were
turned toward California and Australia
are now looking toward Rhodesia and
the Transvaal Mr.. Prowell who formerly
was connected with the American consul
lar service in Egypt. has found much
to say that is new. He begins his tale OF
the conquest of Africa with the story
of the French advance in the continent.
ana brings the intelligence that nearly
one-half the land area and nearly one
fourth of the native population of Africa
mas been brought under French control
and influence by means mainly Of 'beads
and brass wire" of public schools. the
American phonograph and the American
sewing machine. The railway also has
been a vast influence. while Maxim guns
have been conspicuous by their absence.
Mr.. Prowell. in a chapter entitled THE
Passing Of the Peacock's TALL" relates
the cause and methods through which 1t
was brought about a few months ago-the
practical session Of the country of the
Moors to France. Vividly he draws the
picture of the scene in the palace of the
signature to the document which estab-
lished the French protectorate over that
Moorish domain. But the political status
OF Morocco is not the main portion of his
description, but rather the country and the
people and the practical value to France
of its latest colonial acquisition, concern
ing which Mr.. Prowell Is not optimistic
Mr.. Prowell tells us of the Ouled Nails.
the sirens of the desert: the dancing girls
of the North African littoral. who follow
the lives Of the better known geishas of
Japan; the matches OF India, and the
odallsques of Turkey. Not only this. but
he discourses Of the condition of women
In general In the North African countries;