The Iron Age 1893-03-23: Vol 51

‘THE Industrial Progress of Japan. ‘he first official report upon the indus- tries of the country has just been pub lished by the Japanese Government, and contains some interesting information in regard to the industrial progress of that | progressive nation since she began to puton Western civilization. The most important of the new industries is cotton spinning, in which 38 mills, with a capital of over $10,000,000, are engaged. Owing to various causes, however, the companies THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1893. |requirements of the home market, but considerable export trade is being done. | Inthe case of matches, for instance, we learn that an export business of the value of $1,115,000 was done in 1891, a small |quantity of these articles being even | shipped to the United States. That prog- ress is going on is evident, for we are told that electricity is fast gaining ground |in Japan, and the making of apparatus for domestic use is being carried on to some | extent. noticeable, however, is a decline in some of those artistic A regrettable feature which is | IRON AGE Worthington Pumping Engines at the World’s Fair. The method of supplying the large quantities of water necessary for the fount- ains, sprinkling, steam engine condensers, boilers and fire protection will form one | of the most important and interesting | features of the Columbian Exposition. It was originally intended to take this supply | from the city mains, but as the project industries which have | developed it was found that the amount Fig. 1.—Horizontal Worthington Pumping Engine. WORTHINGTON PUMPING ENGINES AT THE WO operating these mills are said to be in no very flourishing condition just at present, as we learn that in 1891 only three of the 38 concerns could show a profit. Among | other new industries undertaken by the Japanese is the manufacture of paper, which is stated to be very flourishing; so much so that the natives are now ask- ing for a prohibitive duty on this article. Silk mills, are of course, in operation, but this is not a new industry. Others, however, which have recently been called | into life are the manufacture of matches, | soaps, rope, Portland cement, glass, bricks and brushes; also tanning and the manu- facture of sulphuric acid, soda and chlo- rine. On the whole, the efforts made by the Japanese to develop their resources have been very successful. In more than | one of the industries above mentioned the manufacture now not only suffices for the | been so prominent and so graceful a part of Japanese life and character in the past. EE In his recent testimony, given before the British Royal Commission on the labor question, Robert Giffen, the eminent statistician and economist, made two strik- ing statements bearing on strikes and trades unions. First, he estimated tkat during the years 1890 and 1891 the wage- earners of England lost $12,960,000 by strikes, in addition to a large sum indi- rectly lost by the diversion of trade into ' new channels. In thesecond place, he men- tioned that there are 13,000,000 workers in Great Britain, of whom 7,000,000 are adult male laborers. Meanwhile, the most | complete reports of the trades unions show a membership of only 871,000; demon- strating that not one in twenty is a unionist. F RLD’S FAIR. needed would be greater than could be obtained in this way, and the pressure would be too low in case of fire. This made an independent pumping station necessary, and a contract for four pumping engines aggregating 40,000,000 gallons capacity in 24 hours against a head of 230 feet was let to the Henry R. Worthington Company of New York, who had performed & similar service at Philadelphia in 1876, New Orleans in 1884, London in 1888, and Paris in 1889. The pump house will stand facing the Grand Plaza at the southeast corner of the Palace of Mechanic Arts. It will be a handsome twe-story building of brick. and probably remain a permanent ornament to the park after the close of the exposition. The architecture of the exterior will be decidedly classic and ornamented with ten medallion portraits of engineers whose 662 names are historical as successful con- structors of water works in this country and England. The upper story will be fitted up as reception rooms, where visitors interested in water-works matters will be welcome. The circulating water for condensers will be pumped from the main Machinery Building, where a space 100 x 50 feet will also be occupied by the Worthington Com- pany, who will combine this with a portion of their regular exhibit and furnish an as- sortment of about 40 pumps, seven of which will be in operation, with an aggre- gate capacity of 24,000,000 gallons per day in addition to the main supply. The main pumping station will contain two horizontal and two vertical engines, besides two No. 2 Underwriter fire pumps. The largest engine, Fig. 2, will be verti- cal, of 15,000,000 gallons capacity, and will be a duplicate of one furnished for the city of Toledo, Ohio, except that it is not furnished with the high-duty attach ment, as is the Toledo engine. This engine will have two high-pressure and two low- pressure steam cylinders, two double act- ing water plungers and an independent jet condenser. The high-pressure cylinders will be on top and in line with the low-pressure cyl inders, which latter will be supported by cast-iron frames from the pump cylinders, all resting on a heavy bed plate. The piston rods will extend down through stuffing boxes on top of the water cylin- ders, and be coupled directly to the plunger. The weight of the moving parts will be carried by two single-acting balanc ing plungers, attached one to each piston rod, working in separate cylinders, which communicate with a large air tank and operate in the manner well understood by those acquainted with the Worthington vertical engices. The diameter of the high-pressure steam cylinders will be 30 inches, low-pressure 60 inches and water plungers 32 inches, all of 60-inch stroke. The suction and delivery pipes will be 30 inches, steam pipe 6 inches and rated pump horse-power 700. The independent air pump will have 14-inch steam cylinders, 17-inch water cylinders, and 15 inches stroke. Engines of this type have been in use for a num- ber of years in the water works of Mem- phis and Nashville, Tenn., Brooklyn, N. Y., Peoria, Ill., and other cities. The other vertical engine, Fig. 3, will be triple expansion with two high-pressure cylinders of 15 inches diameter, one inter- mediate cylinder, 33 inches diameter; one low-pressure cylinder, 574 inches diameter, and four single-acting water plungers 22 inches diameter, all of 38 inches stroke. Each steam cylinder will be directly over and in line with a pump cylinder and the piston and plunger will be attached di- rectly to the same rod. A horizontal rocking beam wiil connect one high-pressure cylinder rod with the intermediate cylinder rod, so that their re- spective pistons will work in unison, while another similar beam will connect the other high-pressure cylinder with the low- pressure cylinder. The duplex valve mo- tion is so arranged that each of these cou- ples operates the valves of the other side. The steam cylinders will all be jacketed and the receivers will contain reheating tubes filled with live steam, This engine will have a capacity of 8,000,000 United States gallons per 24 hours, or 330 pump horse- power, at a piston speed of about 135 feet per minute. Di ameter of steam pipe, 4 inches ; suction pipe, 24 inches; delivery pipe, 20 inches. The exbaust steam will be received by a jet condenser and independent Worthington air pump with 12 x 10 inch steam cylin- ders, and 14 x 10 inch water cylinders. One of the horizontals, Fig..1, will be similar in construction to the standard Worthington high-duty water-works en- THE IRON AGE, gine now in use by so many large cities, and will be compound condensing, with two high-pressure cylinders 25 inches di- ameter, two low-pressure cylinders 50 inches diameter, and two double-acting water plungers 274 inches diameter, all of 38 inches stroke. It will be fitted with the high-duty attachment, patented and introduced by this company, which per- mits of the use of steam at a high grade of expansion. This ingenious device has been described in former issues of The Iron March 28, 1898 which there will be a series of spray plates. This engine is rated at 500 horse- power, and will be capable of delivering over 12,000,000 United States gallons of water in 24 hours. The diameter of both suction and discharge pipes will be 30 inches, and of the steam pipes 5 inches. ,, The water end will be of a special de- sign for heavy pressures, and in this and other respects the engine will be an almost exact duplicate of one recently furnished by this company for the city of Lowell, fh iN ih lt 7 q iy Jae Si. Fig. 2.—The Worthington WORTHINGTON PUMPING Age. The compensating cylinders will be carried by frames bolted to the outside ends of the water cylinders, and the com- pensating plungers will work against cross heads attached to the ends of rods which extend from the plungers out through the water. cylinder heads, The air pumps, which are 12 inches diameter by 38 inches stroke, will be horizontal and lie directly under the high- pressure steam cylinders. They will be driven from the lower ends of vertical beams, attached at their upper ends by links to the compensating cylinder cross heads. The air pump valve chamber, placed between the two air pump barrels, acts as a support for the jet condenser, in ENGINES Vertical Pumping Engine. AT THE WORLD'S FAIR. Mass., which developed a duty exceeding 115,000,000 foot pounds per million heat. units. The other horizontal engine will be a somewhat radical departure, in that it is designed to run ata piston epeed of 350 feet per minute, on each side. It will be a six cylinder triple-expansion with high, intermediate and low pressure cy linders on each side, arranged tandem, and working in line with the water plunger. Diameter of high- pressure cylinders, 94 inches ; diam- eter of intermediate cylinders, 13 inches; diameter of low-pressure cylinders, 25 inches; diameter of water plungers, 11 inches; all of 48 inc~es stroke. The steam valves will be cylindrical and the high- Sa ee rae a ad , TE sie eee Se le 7 fre Aides March 28, 1893 pressure cylinders will be fitted with cut- THE IRON AGE. pumps, the supply and delivery pipes and offs. The intermediate and low pressure | the general distribution of the system as cylinders are steam jacketed. The steam will be condensed by a Worthington in- dependent condenser, having two 9-inch steam cylinders and two 12 inch pump cylinders, all of 10 inches stroke. The diameter of the steam supply pipe to this far as the station is concerned. ee British War-Ship Construction. In 1889 the British Parliament passed engine is 4 inches, the diameter of the|an act which had for its object, as an- suction pipe 24 inches, and the diameter | nounced at the time, such an increase in of the delivery pipe 20 inches. power, 190, and capacity, 5,000,000 United States gallons per 24 hours. Horse- | the fleet of Great Britain as should make | it equal in fighting power to the combined naval forces of any two foreign nations. Fig. 3.— Worthington Triple-Expansion Beam Pumping Engine. WORTHINGTON PUMPING ENGINES AT THE WORLD'S FAIR. The potable water supply will be taken This measure, known as the Naval from the Sixty-eighth street station of the| Defense act of 1889, embodied a ship- Chicago water works, in which is located | building programme which provided for a Worthington high-duty engine recently | a tota) of 70 new ships of an estimated erected, having a capacity of 15,000,000 aggregate dssplacement of 316,000 tons galJons in 24 hours, and is similar in con- | and carrying 540 tons in their main bat- struction to the 12,000,000 gallon engine in the exposition grounds. Its high press- ure steam cylinders are 33 inches diameter ; low-pressure, 66 inches diameter; water plungers, 33 inches diameter, all of 50-inch stroke. The general arrangement of this plant will be understood from the plan and side elevation, Figs. 4 and5. These drawings show, in addition to the location of the teries, besides a suitable number of rapid- fire and machine guns of smaller caliber. The work thus inaugurated was to extend over a period of five years, and it was de- cided that 38 of the vessels should be built in the Government dockyards and 32 by contract. The total expenditure which the project involved was estimated at about $105,000, 000. The vessels which were to be built by 663 contract comprised 4 first-class battle ships, 5 first-class cruisers, 17 second-class cruisers and 6 torpedo vessels. Those which were to be laid down in the Gov- ernment dockyards included 6 battle ships, 4 of the first class and 2 of the second class, with a number of cruisers of the first, second and third classes and several torpedo vessels. As originally planned, each one of the eight first class battle ships was to carry four 134-inch 67-ton breech-loading rifled guns mounted in turrets or in barbettes, as the main armament, with hydraulic appara- tus for training, elevating and loading, besides ten 6-inch guns and a secondary battery of rapid-fire and machine guns, with a complete torpedo equipment. It was afterward decided that the 6-inch guns should be of the rapid-fire type. The maximum thickness of armor assigned was 18 inches. Twin-screws driven by triple- expansion engines were adopted. A speed of 16 knots with natural draft and of 174 knots with forced draft and a maximum of 13,000 indicated horse-power was ex- pected. The displacement was to be a little more than 14,000 tons; length, 380 feet; beam, 75 feet; extreme draft of water, 27.5 feet. Nominally the coal en- durance was to be sufficient to enable a distance of 7000 to 8000 nautical miles to be covered at a speed of 10 knots, but the usual experience is that estimates of this nature are not realized in actual serv- ice, and in fact the present estimate for these vessels is 5000 nautical miles. The construction of these eight first- class battle ships, which surpass in size and power any previously built for the British navy, has proceeded in substantial accordance with the original design. As they will for many years be included among the finest war ships afloat, it may be of interest to recall their names. They are the ‘‘ Royal Sovereign,” ‘‘ Hood,” ** Ramillies,” ‘‘ Empress of India,” ‘‘ Re- pulse,” ‘* Resolution,” ‘‘ Revenge” aad ‘**Royal Oak.” The cost of the hull and machinery of each one of these ships ex- ceeds $4,000,000. In the case of the two second-class battle ships, the ‘‘ Centurion” and ‘‘ Bar- fleur,” originally designed to be of the same type as the larger ones already de- scribed, but to have a displacement of only about 9000 tons each, material modi- fications have been made in the plans so that the displacement is to be 10,500 tons and they will in fact be more power- ful than some of the older battle ships that are rated as of the first class. They will each carry four 10-inch 29-ton breech- loading rifles mounted in pairs in armored barbettes, and ten 4.7-inch rapid fire gune, besides guns of smaller caliber and tor- pedoes. If necessary the guns can be worked entirely by hand. The main armor belt will have a maximum thickness of 12 inches. It is estimated that the speed will be 17 knots with natural draft and 18 to 18} knots with forced draft. Like the new first-class battle ships, these ves- sels will havea high free board throughout their length. In connection with the ‘* Centurion” it is of interest to note, as illustrating the speed with which work can be done in the English yards, that 200 tons of material were built into her within the first week after she was laid down. In point of numbers the cruisers occu- pied a large part of the building pro- gramme of 1889. They were to be of com- paratively few types, but the original in- tention has not been followed very strictly in this respect. Considerable variations from the original designs have been au- thorized from time to time, especially as regards vessels built in the Government yards. The modifications have been mainly in the direction of greater displacement, increased protection to machinery and to 664 gun’s crews, and a marked recognition of the value of rapid-fire armament. THE IRON AGE. March 23, 1898 given the following results: With natural; Other new work is already under way, draft, boiler pressure, 150.3 pounds; air |including a battle ship which is to be an The annual statement of the First Lord | pressure, 0.39 inch; vacuum, 28.3 inches; | improved ‘‘ Centurion,” and a number of of the Admiralty, recently submitted in explanation of the Navy estimates for 1893. 94, presents an interesting view of the progress of work under the Naval Defense act of 1889 The close of the financial year, which in England ends on March 31, marks the passage of four years out of the five through which work under the act named was to bedistributed. One-balf of the total number of ships provided for by that act are practically completed and are either in commission or nearly ready for service. These 35 completed ships comprise 2 first class battle ships, the ‘‘Royal Sovereign” and ‘Hood ;” 3 WORTHINGTON first-class cruisers, 21 second-class cruisers, 4 dockyard built and 17 contract built; 4 third class cruisers, and 5 torpedo vessels. The remarkably rapid progress achieved in the construction of the ** Royal Sover- eign” is worthy of note. The keel was laid at Portsmouth dockyard in Septem- ber, 1889, and she was completed in two years and eight months from that time— an unprecedented record for a ship of any- thing like her size and type. Special effort had been made to push the work on this particular ship. The actual cost of labor and materials for dockyard work was well within the original estimate. This vessel was commissioned in May, 1892, as flagship of the Channel squadron. Although the information is not in- cluded in the First Lord’s statement, it may be added that the steam trials of the ** Royal Sovereign” were reported at the time to have been favorable and to have revolutions, 96.8; indicated horse power, 9644; speed, about 164 knots; with forced draft, boiler pressure, 155 pounds ; | air pressure, 1.6 inches; vacuum, 27.8 | inches ; revolutions, 106.3; indicated | horse-power, 13,312; speed, 18 knots. | After the conclusion of the trials leakage of boiler tubes became serious and fer- |rules were fitted to them, this device having proved successful in other cases where grave trouble had been experienced from the same cause. In the contract work under the Naval Defense act unavoidable delays have oc- curred, but 25 of the 382 contract-built 48°MAIN DELIVERY ——~——1! Fig. 4.—Plan View of Pumping Station. vessels are practically completed, includ- ing 1 first-class battle ship, the ‘‘ Ramil- lies,’ 3 first-class cruisers, 17 second-class cruisers, already noted as completed, and 4 torpedo vessels. Of the total of 70 vessels provided for by the act named there are 35 which are not yet completed, It is expected that 26 of them will be finished within a year and that the remaining nine will be brought near to completion within the same period. Several new vessels not included in the Naval Defense act are now to be taken in hand, and anumber of torpedo boat de- stroyers to be built by contract are to be ordered. Two additional battle ships of the ‘‘ Royal Sovereign ” type, with some improvements, are proposed. Their prin- cipal armament of heavy guns will consist in each case of four 12-inch guns of latest pattern. 30 SUCTION % first-class torpedo boats. Orders have been given for six torpedo boat destroyers of new type, which promise to be a nota- ble addition to the smaller vessels of the fleet, as a speed of 27 knots is guaranteed. It is proposed to complete and try the first ones of the new type this summer and afterward to order 14 other vessels of this class from private firms. In this connec- tion it may be noted that in France, also, work is about to begin on a torpedo boat designed for a speed of 27 knots. An official estimate made in 1889 stated that the effective navy of Great Britain consisted at the beginning of that year of <{TO CASCADE & FOUNTAIN N » CONDENSER x 14"x 10" PUMPING ENGINES AT THE WORLD'S FAIR. 62 armored ships, 29 protected and par- tially protected and 282 unprotected vessels, including 131 torpedo boats. Taking ac- count of ships building at that time, and also of those provided for by the compre- hensive scheme embodied in the Naval Defense act, it was then estimated that in 1894 the fleet would number 76 armored ships, 88 protected and 336 unprotected vessels, including 147 torpedo boats. This does not, of course, include new construc- tion authorized lately and recently begun or about to be taken in hand, Kae A new industry is reported by an En- glish exchange, springing into life at Bar- row, in the North of England. For some time experiments have been conducted at Wakefield in the production of steel bar- rels for the conveyance of petroleum, and as they have been proved to be a success, the works of Caird & Purdie, shipbuilders, a ae UR i a ee bg ale co oe ee a Be ae March 23, 18938 are being fitted up with machinery to pro | duce these barrels. In the first place, the barrels, which are of light steel, are made. in halves by means of compression in a mold when the plate is hot. Afterward | they are welded together by means of elec- | tricity. The operation is in every sense a/| novel one and will be watched with inter- est. The barrels are intended for use by the large oil-carrying companies engaged in the oil trade of the East, where the tem- perature has a great effect on wood casks and results in much leakage. —— An English scientific journal states that | M. Van Rysselberghe considers that the | electric current cannot be transmitted to a (hee THE IRON AGE. WORLD'S FAIR NOTES. English Schemes for Traveling Ex- penses, English mechanics have evolved a novel scheme for visiting the fair. In many of the big factories of the Midland districts of England the employees are organizing lotteries for holiday trips to Chicago. The ex periment was tried with success during the Paris Exhibition, but the distance being shorter clubs did not procure such | wholesale reductions in rates as they will this summer. Twenty or thirty operatives pay 1 shilling per week to a treasurer, who is T SECOND FLOOR * 12 MAIN STEAM PIPE ee 18-6 _MAIN: F'.OOR LINE y 4 me “1 <4 FLOOR LINE OF BOILER ROOM - 4 DATUM LINE ake Se Poo WORTHINGTON distance practically or economically. In his scheme for electrically lighting the port and city of Antwerp he has made a thoroughly new departure. His method isto pump water to a considerable hight, whence it flows by gravity to several elec- tric lighting stations, where it drives tur- bines coupled directly to dynamos, which supply electric current to lamps within a short radius. The slight distance through which the current is conducted permits of using iron instead of copper for this pur- pose, effecting a further economy, not- withstanding the increased sectional area necessary. The Hydro Electric Company of Antwerp will, it is said, be able to supply an electric current at less than the usual rate, and will be able also to supply water, enabling consumers to generate their own electric current. The result will be watched with interest. Cc ' 7 ‘Tree + 5 STEAM PIPE 7 10 PIPE Fig. 5.—Side Elevation of Pumping Station. PUMPING ENGINES AT THE chosen by ballot. These payments have been kept up during the winter and now amount to a considerable sum, to which has been added the forfeited subscriptions of those members who have been delinquent. About April 1, when a given sum has been attained, the club will open negotiations with some tourists’ agency. The agent is told how much money is on hand, and is asked for estimates as to the number of, persons who can be transported and cared | for during the fair for the given amount. | WORLD'S 665 home. The holder of such a certificate may dispose of it as he desires, as it is transferable. A great many have gone into such schemes as an investment and will sell their certificates if they draw prizes at an advance. Lottery schemes of ali kinds take well in England, and it is reported that the World’s Fair lottery proj- ects are patronized to a great extent. ‘ Of course this method does not mean travel via fast steamers and express trains, But a general good time is promised, and comfort and convenience so far as is possible has been guaranteed. More at- tention is paid to cheap excursions for workingmen in England than in any other country. There are many firms there who give very low rates to such partiesfand _ Rar €) 6 STEAM PIPE , BOTTOM OF CONDUIT FAIR, make money. These firms keep many agents abroad arranging special rates at hotels and boarding houses for excursion- ists. Their representatives have been in Chicago during the past month securing quarters in the second-class hotels for their patrons, and the indications are that dur- ing the summer many such visitors will enjoy the sights at Jackson Park. Hotel Accommodations, A recent count by a local journal dis- He may decide that the money in hand will closed the fact that up to that time work suffice for six persons from Birmingham to the World’s Fair, including, of course, hotel accommodations while in Chicago. Then the six men who are to make the journey are selected by drawings. Those who hold the lucky numbers are given certificates good for the trip, while those unlucky in drawing blanks must stay at , had begun on no less than 279 structures, ‘containing about 34,000 rooms, in the | World’s Fair district, comprising the ter- |ritory south of Fortieth street, north of | Seventy fifth street, and east from the boundaries of the south parks and the | Washington Park Club. In securing the totals no attention has been paid to any 666 hotel projects which thus far exist solely on paper. Some of the latter will doubt- less be built, but they are too uncertain to be considered in cold figures and tables. Nor have any hotels been included which will cater directly to World’s Fair trade, but which were constructed prior to six months ago. It is immaterial for what purpose the buildings will be used after the fair. Some will be torn down and others given over to residences and flats. Just at present they are all hotels, and must be counted in when Chicago’s ca- acity to entertain next summer’s visitors is being computed, Private residences, where one or more rooms will be rented, and hotels built before the World’s Fair period will increase the number of avsila- ble rooms in the exposition district to nearly if not quite 50,000. Hotel men state that visitors will average two to a room. If this be correct, 100,000 people can walk to the exposition from the quarters provided for them and walk back in the evening. The total capacity of the hotels in the business district of Chicago has been more than duplicated in about six months in the immediate vicinity of the fair. It is claimed by the Chicago people that no World’s Fair ever before made such ample preparation for the ac- commodation of visitors. Sweden at the Fair. Arthur Leffler, the chief commissioner of Sweden to the World’s Columbian Exhi- bition at Chicago, and Axel Welin, as- sistant secretary to the Royal Swedish Commission for the Chicago fair, have ar rived in this country. Being interviewed, they said that the Swedish exhibit would be one of the finest at the fair. Mr. Leffler said the Government had appropriated 350,000 crowns, or about $100,000, for the exhibit to be sent to Chicago, and that that amount, in proportion to the popula- tion of other countries, was the largest ap- propriation made by any European coun- try. ‘*The Swedish Government is taking more than ordinary interest in the fair,” said Mr. Leffler, ‘‘and it has done some. thing in the way of appropriating that no other country has thought of. In addi- tion to the 350,000 crowns for the exhibit, the kingdom has appropriated 50,000 crowns to be used in sending the mechan- ical engineers of the country to the fair. Sweden regards the exposition as a great educational institution, and it wants its mechanical engineers to get the benefits of a visit to Chicago, and the 50,000 crowns is for the purpose of assisting them to get there. The exhibit left Sweden on March 2, and the articles will be in their place in our building at the fair grounds by April 1. The most prominent articles of the exhibit will be of iron and steel. The other articles will be in clay, cement, wood pulp, porcelain and wick. Our art ex- hibit will be comparatively small, but it will prove to be a surprise to the judges in the art department. There are only about 75 exhibitors in this department, but some of the most celebrated artists of Europe have contributed, and among the 200 works in oil, pastel and water colors some superior work will be seen. Two of our great sculptors, Kasselberg and Bor- jesson, have contributed some of their skill to the exhibit.” Europe at the Exposition. Theodore Stanton, resident commissioner of the fair in France, has collected reports from the various European commissioners as to the part that their respective coun- tries will take at the coming exposition. From these reports, Mr. Stanton says, ‘*One is readily convinced that the artists, inventors, manufacturers and farmers of the Old World will carry off many and sig- nal honors at Chicago.”” Germany, France, Russia and Denmark in particular will THE IRON AGE. make a great showing at the fair, while Sir Henry T. Wood writes that while ma- chinery will not be so good as in previous British sections, ‘‘ it is expected that Great Britain will quite maintain the position she has always occupied at the international exhibitions,” despite the fact of ‘‘ a cer- tain disinclination on the part of her man- ufacturers to take part in any more ex hibitions.”” The collection of pictures will be ‘‘extremely good;” scarcely any of the best-known artists will be un- represented, and in view of the great exhibit Germany is preparing in man- ufactures, it is fair to presume that Great Britain, however averse some of her manufacturers may be to incur the ex- pense, will be sufficiently awake to her commercial and manufacturing interests to make every effort to hold her own in Machinery Hall with a rival that has been pressing her close of late years The markets of the world are open to the win- ners of the Columbian awards, a fact that every manufacturer fully appreciates, whether in Europe or in America. Su- premacy in manufacturing, like suprem- acy in politics, in art, in literature, in everything in fact in life, is never con- ferred once forall. The prize medalists of Paris in 1889 in commercial and manu- factured articles must add to their record ‘*Columbian Exposition, 1893,” or make way for their latest and more enterprising competitors. Championship in every article of manufacture or art, like the championship in pugilism, can be held only on the ground of being able to hold the field against all comers. There is no reason to fear, therefore, that in all the infinite variety of articles that enter into commerce between the different nations of the world, or in the higher realm of art and artistic manufact- ure, the progressive nations of the world will not be adequately represented. The eager demands tor space in the various de- partments of the exposition long ago gave evidence of this interest in the tair, and if any further testimony were needed it is supplied by the reports of the commis- sioners of the respective countries of Europe. The Canadian Pacific Exhibit, Five of the finest cars manufactured by the Canadian Pacific Railroad were hauled into Jackson Park on the 15th and in- stalled in the Transportation Building as the exhibit of that railway. Every car is of mahogany. The wood for the exterior comes from the forests of Hon- duras and is polished to the smooth- ness of plate glass. The interior is of light mahogany known as prima vera. The engine which ran at the head of the train did not have steam up, as the exhibit was hauled by another engine. The train is 400 feet long. The entire display was manufactured at the Montreal shops. General Passenger Agent McNicoll wit- nessed the installation of the cars and said: ‘* The train is not purely for exposition purposes. It is a perfect representation of the standard cars in service on the Canadian Pacific. All of our latest pas- senger coaches are of mahogany, and the engine is a type of half a dozen which are now employed on the line, This particular train will be run between Chicago and Montreal when the exposition closes.” The coaches will be landed on the track alongside the passenger train of the Lon- don & Northwestern of England. It was the intention of the Canadian Pacific to institute a comparison between the rail- road accommodations on this side of the water and those furnished in Great Britain. The baggage car is of the standard type, and its length is 63 feet 8 inches. It weighs 59,000 pounds, and has plate glass wherever glass is used. Its exterior March 28, 1893 finish is mahogany, the same as the coaches. Next to it is a second-class car. It looks, however, as fine as the others. It is in- tended for sleeping purposes as well as being a day coach. The furnishings are of leather and the second-class passengers who ride in it—the capacity is 64—will be furnished with a smoking compartment as well as lavatory and other modern acces- sories. Next to the second-class is a first-class coach. When it was run over the scale at Montreal, it weighed 324 tons and has a capacity for 56 passengers, Here begins the work of E. Colona, the architect of the company. He has designed the in- terior of the coach after the early Italian Renaissance and the furnishings are of copper red plush with white mahogany and old oak, upholstered with olive corduroy. To break the tunnel-like appear- ance of the interior of the average coach this one has two arches, giving an air of coziness and comparative seclusion. There is a smoking compartment at one end capable of accommodating six passengers, and at the other another compartment of like size for a sitting room. In the dining car ‘‘ Savoy,” which is 70 feet 10 inches long, and weighs 42} tons, there is a capacity for 30 passengers. The Italian Renaissance prevails in the archi- tecture, and the leather work is of yellow brown with carpets of old India rug pattern. The last car in the train is a sleeper and bears the title ‘‘Satsuma.” This is the heaviest coach of the lot and weighs 47 tons. Forty-four people may sleep init. The plush trimmings are of sage greea color. The ceiling is paneled and the interior architecture is of the Spanish Renaissance, The staterooms are en suite. Old bronze is the finishing of the metal work. When the engine which heads the train is fired up it will be capable of hauling ten coaches at the rate of 60 miles an hour. The drivers are 5 feet 9 inches in diameter, and when the machine is loaded up with water and fuel it will weigh 106 tons. It has six drivers. From one end of the train to the other there are mahogany bronze and brass fin- ishings. It is vestibuled throughout, elec- trically lighted, steam heated, and has all the latest signal, brake and coupler de- vices. The cost of the exhibit is estimated at $70,000. Mines and Mintng Far Advanced, The Mines Building, which will contain iron and steel products, is in the hands of exhibitors. Some of them moved in weeks ago and commenced to build the pavilions in which their metals will be shown, but the big crowd came last week. Seventeen States. seven foreign nations and dozens of individual exhibitors have laborers on the floor and in the gallery getting their shows ready. Chief Skiff says: ‘‘ Every exhibit for this building will be in place before the opening of the fair. Most of the exhibitors have assured me that they will have all their work done by the middle of April—two weeks in advance of the opening. Some of them may bea little later. They may not get their dis- plays arranged until a few days before the opening, but most of the States, nations and individual exhibitors will be ready before the required time. During the last few weeks we have received many requests for space in the Mines Building—in fact, as many as came in during the preceding three months. Many of them were very desirable displays, perhaps as good as we will have, but the space had all been as- signed, every inch of it, and we could not take the late comers in.” Five of the greatest colleges of Germany have united in sending a collection from their mineral museums. ‘‘It is a superb March 23, 1893 THE IRON AGE. 667 exhibit,” Mr. Skiff remarked, ‘‘ perhaps the finest that has yet been sent to this country. We reserved 5000 square feet for it in the galleries.” An interesting display for the Mines Building that came last week was the model of a quicksilver mine from New Almaden, Cal. J. P. Randol, superin- tendent of the mines, made the model some time ago and gave it to the Govern- ment Museum. The managers loaned it to Mr. Skiff, to be shown in connection with the exhibit of mercury which is being pre- pared by Professor Christy of the Univer- sity of California. By a system of glass panes, arranged Carefully, the complete workings of the quicksilver mine are shown in this model. The American Tin Plate Association have telegraphed Chief Skiff that a good showirg would be made. The members for visitors. An unsurpassed view of the] work, and the exposition will be opened grounds and buildings will be afforded and it will probably be the most extensive lofty promenade in the world. Up to the hight where the wall is to be is a dis- tance of 250 feet. But when the sight- seers have reached the landing it will not be to find themselves in a narrow coop but on a broad walk, and if the proposed plan is carried out the visitor can travel nearly one mile in rounding the roof of the build- ing. The Hale Elevator company have been awarded the contract for four eleva tors to run to the roof. and a fee will be charged for the ride. Feature of the Allis Exhibit. The E. P. Allis Company of Milwau. | kee will have in their exhibit at the World’s | Fair a contract made by James Watt and ‘his partner for the construction of an Fig. 3.—Rear View. THE WESTCOTT INDEPENDENT LATHE have been given the entire south gallery for their exhibit, and are now arranging a division of the labor of putting the plate in attractive array. An oil well supply company will make an extensive showing of all the machinery used in sinking oil and artesian wells. This will be in a special building near Machinery Hall, although a part of the mines show. The company propose to put their machinery to practical use, and during the fair it will sink a well 4500 feet deep. West Virginia, Virginia, Utah and Mon tana have their pavilions well under way. Michigan and Missouri have been working nearly a month, The Ohio board have sent in several carloads of building stone recently to be used in the mineral house of the Buckeye State. All the Colorado displays are in the building. Promenade on the Roof. Around the lofty roof of the Manufact- ‘ures’ Building there is to be a promenade Fig. 2.—Jaws Extended. g Fig. 4.—Parts of Chuck Detached. CHUCK. engine. In 1796, some years after Watt had built his first engine, the Birmingham Flour & Bread Company wanted an engine and the firm of Boulton & Watt, consisting of Matthew Boulton and James Watt, agreed to build it. A contract, as long and formal as a State document, was accordingly drawn up and signed and sealed. The contract, which has been carefully preserved, passed into the hands or Sir John Benjamin, a wealthy mill owner of Birmingham, Eng., who desired it to be exhibited at the World’s Fair, and he loaned it to the Allis Company, in whose vaults it nowis. It is insured for 2,500. Items, The exposition management has made arrangements to supply electric lights at night in all buildings where night work will be required to complete the installa- tion in ample time for the opening May 1. Nothing will be permitted to interfere with the rapid progress of installation as advertised, and as the act of Congress requires. The exhibit from Funchal, Madeira, has arrived, and is being installed in the trans- portation exhibits department. It con- sists of a bullock car, yoke and tongue, sledge hack, mountain sled, hammock and two discodels, Several steam yachts were received last week from the Gas Engine & Power Company of New York for installation in the transportation department. This firm are building two steam launches for the use of the Director General and Lieutenant Baker. An ‘anthracite needle,” which required two cars for its transportion, reached the Park last week. The only other needle known which compares with it in size is Cleopatra’s. The anthracite column came from Pennsylvania as a sample from its hard coal mines. Russia’s exhibit was shipped March 11. That Government has abandoned its inten- tion to erect a characteristic national house as headquarters. The house was entirely framed and set up in St. Petersburg, but the ice blockade in the River Neva pre- vented its being shipped in time to reach Chicago May 1. Mr. Ferris is rushing rapidly skyward the construction of his big wheel on the Midway Plaisance. Four towers to be used as false work are completed, and their tops are 235 feet above the ground. The mak- ing of foundations has proved an unex- pectedly difficult task. The foundation stones, or, rather, concrete, had to be placed 40 feet below the surface of the ground, Peter Wright & Sons, an English firm, have sent 120 anvils for exdibit in the machinery department. Laird Bros. of Birkenhead, who are among the leading shipbuilders of Great Britain, have sent to the fair 65 cases of models of ships, including sailers and steamers. The price of admission to the grounds has been raised to 50 cen's to discourage visitors, who have latterly grown so nu- merous as to impede the work of prep- aration. EEE The Westcott Independent Lathe Chuck, The Westcott Chuck is claimed by the makers, the Westcott Chuck Company of Oneida, N. Y., to be stronger than any other independent chuck, because the end thrust and strain come upon the chuck body at its strongest points. This result is accomplished by providing each jaw screw, A, Fig. 4, with a steel carrier, C, which is threaded on one side and fastened by a set screw, B, one-half of which has a bearing on the screw carrier and the other half in the body of the chuck, the set screw being long enough to secure great resistance. The thrust does not come at one weak point, as in the usual construc- tion, but is distributed so as not to spring or break the chuck body. The screw car- riers are adjustable, and it is claimed that upon this depend merits which are new and of great consequence. When the chuck is required to hold work larger than its outside diameter, the steel screw carriers are drawn outward, together with the jaws and their adjusting screws, there- by retaining the full thread-bearing be- tween the screw and jaw, the screw carrier still supporting the jaw; the desired capacity is thus obtained without injury to the chuck. Should the jaw screw cut from need of oil, or become clogged with chips and dirt, the set screw c:n be re- f 668 moved and the screw carrier driven out, | together with the jaw screw and jaw. The chuck body is formed with holes extending through it for convenience in bolting light work to the chuck, such as pulleys, whose rims might be injured by the pressure of the jaws. These chucks are made with two, three or four jaws, or with special jaws. EE EE Trial of the Dynamite Gunboat * Vesuvius.”’ Ever since the ‘‘ Vesuvius” was placed in commission, almost three years ago, spas- modic efforts have been made to test the efficiency of her armament, but no thorough or satisfactory proof of her capability had been shown until the trials just completed were made. The trials of two years ago made in Chesapeake Bay were extremely unsatisfactory and inconclusive, as the ranging of the guns had not been done previous to the firing and nothing was definitely known about their accuracy. Still enough was ascertained to induce the board having charge of the trials to recom- mend that further experiment be made. Had there actually been a war with Chili, at the time hostilities threatened to break forth, the ‘* Vesuvius” would have gone down to the scene of trouble and taken | the chances of accuracy of range and certainty of action on the part of the fuses. At that time orders were given to hurry up her armament and get her projectiles ready for service; but when the war cloud | blew away the hurry was no longer ap- parent, and it was not until February of this year that she was reported ready for | her trials. Strange as it may appear, even | at that time the fuses for her guns had never been tried and the inventor, as well as others interested in the trials, had no idea whether or not the mechanism would work properly. Preliminary Work. A programme that was intended to bring out the efficiency of the pneumatic system, the accuracy of the guns, the reliability of the fuses, and the general adaptation | of the vessel for purposes of naval warfare, was drawn up and a board of naval officers was ordered to conduct the experiments. | The ranging of the guns was left entirely | with the commanding officer of the| ‘* Vesuvius,” the board taking up the fir- | ing from the poimt at which the ranging practice ceased. The vessel was moored to a wharf at the naval station, Port Royal, 8. C., in the Beaufort river and the firing was done with all three of her pneumatic guns, the | fall of the shots being plotted with theod- olites placed at favorable stations on the river bank along the line of fire. | Firing Blanks. The projectiles were what is known as| sub-caliber ‘‘blanks.”” This means that the diameter of the shell was less than that of the gun, the former being 10 inches and the latter 15 inches. Gas checks of wood are secured about the rear | end of the projectiles, and wooden center- ing pieces are p!aced about their forward end to insure there being no balloting or striking of the projectile against the gun during its passage along the bore. Both of these appendages flew from the shell as it left the muzzle of the gun. The term | ‘* blank ” signifies unloaded prc jectiles The maximum range used was a little over 2000 yards, and the minimum about 500 yards for one of the guns, and some- | what less for the others. These points | were very carefully established by a num- | ber of shots, the remainder of the pro- | jectiles being strurg along between the | sure that pressure, being recorded. From 'this data curves were struck and in the \specting board being to see how closely obtained when the vessel was firing for shell, so that the firing throughout was under as similar conditions as it could be | differences in the fitting of the valves for the middle gun of the three, it gave much the rectangles made by the practice thus | cate their work. | which were sealed the fuse, primer case, &c. Still the firing of the two was so nearly alike that it is hardly probable that flight over the 2000 yard range was 11} THE IRON AGE. March 23, 1893 ing, or ricochet, as it is called, and even when they do not rise above the water they come up close to the surface, then turn down again and once more rise to- ward the surface, an action very much like that of porpoises coming up to blow and then diving again. From _photo- graphs, taken as near as possible to the point of fall, it was found that the angles. of arrival of the projectiles varied from. 24° at the 2000-yard range to 154° at the 500-yard range. And with this data, in addition to other already obtained, the probable rectangles upon which shot fired at the various ranges would fall were cal- culated. A vessel about the size of one of the large cruisers was considered as the target. The lateral deviations being so small, it was not thought necessary to. take them into the calculation. The in- creasing confidence in the accuracy of flight of the projectiles was quite apparent as the trials progressed, the observing boats. drawing continually closer to the line of flight. Probable Effect of Shots, If the cruiser representing the target were broadside to the ‘‘ Vesuvius” guns at 2000 yards in smooth water eight out of ten shots from the middle of the three guns would strike her, with the probability of any one of the eight being sufficient to. put the ship out of action if it exploded about her deck. In fact it is hardly likely that the ship would remain afloat if the. full 200 pounds of gun cotton were prop- erly detonated in any portion of the vessel. If the vessel were bows on to the ‘* Vesuvius ” nine out of ten would strike her if fired frcm the same gun. This is the best showing at any of the ranges, the accuracy being much more apparent at the most distant range The greater rapidity with which the projectile flies and the con- sequent greater effect of the rotation feathers to steady the projectile in its. flight may ina great measure account for this. The worst showing at 1000 yards, the shortest range at which there were sufficient data to base a reliable deduction, was with the port gun. When the- cruiser was considered as being broadside to the guns only two and one-third shots out of ten would be effective. When the cruiser was bows on to the firing about one-half of the shots fired would be hits.