Ships and the Sea

First "Posting" of 1926. The first vessel posted as "missing" by the committee of Lloyd's this year is the American steamer Cotopaxi. This vessel left Charleston on 29th November for Havana, with a cargo of coal. On Ist December she reported that she had water in. the hold and was listing badly, but is stated not to have sent out a distress call. Her owners endeavoured to lbeato her by wireless, aud a Revenue' cutter was sent out to look for her,'but both efforts were fruitless. The Cotopaxi was a steamer of 2351 tons gross, built on the Great Lakes in 1918, and owned by the Clinchfield Navigation Company, Inc. Record Mails. • Three records in the carrying of mails were created on the last outward voyage ©f the Boyal Mail Steam Packet Company's liner Almanzora. At Southampton 4200 bags were shipped, 1200 of which were for Bio do Janeiro and 2700 for Buenos Aires. Each of these figures constitutes a record in the conveyance of mails betwesn England and South America, and the numbers for Rio de Jahiero and Buenos Aires aro tho largest ever landed at those ports from .one steamer. Some Old Sailing Lists. Some of the sailing lists, handbills, and menus belonging to the White Star Line in the 1870's make curious and interesting reading. The saloon passenger list of the Britannic, dated 13th September, 1877, refers, of course, to the'first Whito Star liner of that name, launched in 1874. A Britannic break%ist bill of fare for the same month has survived, hand written, in faded ink. 'The list of dishes presents a solid and satisfying programme, covering beef steak and onions, tripe fritters, and onions, -boiled hominy, and corn cakes, in addition to the more usual breakfast foods. In September, 1877, the White Star vessels sailing between the Mersey and New York, were Britannic, Germanic,. Adriatic, Celtic, Baltic, and Republic. . \ Return tickets, saloon, cost thirty guineas! Singapore Floating Dock. Nothing much is likely to be heard for three or four months about the large new floating dock which is required for the naval base at Singapore, says a writer'in the January issue of "Fairplay." The shipbuilders, who are considering the matter, have combined to send an ,expert to the, Far East, whose business will bo to gather information on the spot as to the labour available for reconstructing the dock. The official idea appears to be that the dock might be constructed in England and shipped abroad in sections; but contractors generally seem to be of the opinion that the labour available for reerection at or near Singapore is both insufficient and unsuitable. The matter will not be decided until the expert returns. Atlantic Passenger Traffic. Thcro-was »an improvement in the North Atlantic passenger traffic during 1925, as compared with the results of the previous year. Gains were reported in all four classes, the greatest increase being in third-class traffic, both ways. This is due to the efforts of the various lines to develop a larger volume of travel by means of special rates and special accommodation to college students andothers who took advantage of this travel opportunity. There were about 123,800 more passengers in all. The figures for the two years are as follow :-—Westbound passengers—l 924, 367,450; 1925, 458,854; .Eastbound passongers—l924, 334,511; 1925, 36G/J9S. Christening Ships in America. Prohibition has brought various sub•sidiary problems to America. For instance, in the absence of champagne how is a new vessel to be christened? American resourcefulness has risen to the occasion and solved the problem. A ship was recently renamed, her new name being Henry W. Breyer. Mr. Breyer, whose name the ship was about; to bear, is an ice-cream manufacturer of Philadelphia, so what could be more appropriate than that be should christen the vessel by breaking a ten-pound jar of his own special product over her bows'? This ceremony Mr. Breyer duly performed. Doubtless (observes the "Shipping World") he made a good splash. Detecting Smugglers. When the old Coastguard Force was done away with some time ago there were many people who expected a great revival of smuggling in consequence of the unprotected coastline. These expectations came to naught, however, says an English weekly. Certainly smuggling still goes on, but only as opportunity offers. At the moment, for instance, the low rate of exchange in some Continental countries is encouraging a certain amount of small scale running. But at its worst it is not nearly so bad as the outbreak that took place when the German mark collapsed. Those were the days when a seaman could buy a bottle of brandy in any part of Hamburg for fivepenee or sixpence, and could be pretty certain of getting seven or eight shillings for ii-in -a score of riverside publichouses on this side. How the Customs men obtain their information is one of their secrets, but once they suspect a ship, even though she affords wonderful hiding-places, their power of discovery is almost uncanny. There is, of course, always a little smuggling at such porta as Dover v and Folkestone, where the packet steamers land, but it is in such small quantities that the loss to thn revenue is not very great. Warning frequently reaches the Customs in advance of the packet, but many of theso amateur, smugglers give" themselves away—by a guilty conscience or exaggerated indifference. M.S. Astuxias. The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company's twin-screw motor liner Asturias, 22,000 tons gross, has carried out sin; cessful trials. By general consent tlic new vessel is one of the most outstand ing ships that has ever left the hand;: of her builders, Messrs. Harland ami Wolff, Ltd. Whether regarded from ■the, aspect of her beautiful external lines and distinctive funnels, the luxurious appointments of her ample passenger accommodation, or her two doubleacting Harland and Wolff-Burmeistcr and Wain motors developing their 20,----000 h.p., she is alike noteworthy, and justifies in full measure tho interest slie has aroused. Intended for ( the Royal Mail Company's South American service; the Asturias will set up a now record for comfort and luxury much in advance of -anything hitherto seen on the South Atlantic. Of imposing' di-mohsions-^she is 655 ft Bin in length by 78ft by 45ft —the now vessel has accommodation for about 1800 passengers and crew, an/l complies with the requirements of the Board of Trade ana Spanish Law. There are 17 public rooms throughout the ship of fine architecture, including the first-class din ing saloon, two. stories high, with its vast expanse of floor, the social halls, lounge, winter garden, smoke-rooms, Pompci.i.n swimming bath, children's playroom, and'other apartments, ensur ing the most pleasant social amenities for young and old. Electrical elevators aro installed throughout, and other electrical service includes laundry, printing, galley, and cooking gear, while there are about 5000 electric

lamps. All th engine room auxiliaries are electrically operated from Diesel-, driven generators. The propelling machinery of the Asturias places the vessel in a class by herself, says the "Shipping World," not only by reason of the size of her Diesel engines, but also as introducing to the. British mercantile marine the four-cycle doubleacting principle as applied to marine propulsion. The Boyal Mail Company is to be congratulated on its enterprise in adopting the most modern type of machinery, not only for the Asturias, but also for her sister ship the Alcantara, at present under construction at Belfast. Painting the Olympic. The White Star liner Olympic, which was out of commission for the past three months, has resumed her voyages oh the Atlantic service, sailing from Southampton to New York with a large number of passengers. She has in the interval undergone an extensive overhaul which has provided the shipyards with a good deal of employment. A large number of improvements were made, and it is estimated that altogether nearly 6000" gallons of paint were.used! Every part of the ship received attention. From her underpart no less than 57 tons of old paint, barnacles, and weeds were removed while she was in dry dock. The moat important operation was the fitting of a new stern frame in threo massive pieces having a total weight of 83 tons. Old Landmark Clone. The Mariner 'a Chimney has fallen, and sea charts throughout the world will have to be. altered to mark the event. The great chimney stood for 50 years at Northflcet, near Gravesend (England), and when the low-lying lighthouse was enveloped in river mists, its 270 ft of brickwork stood out clear* and distinct above them. Its disappearance has had to be notified to every maritime authority in the world. Whether it was no longer needed, or whether,it had become insecure with age, we do. not know, but its end bei came-it as its life. Bricks were removed on one side of its oase, and it slowly toppled over, retaining its sturdy straightness to the last moment. Homecoming sailors will miss it greatly, for it told them that their wanderings were near their end. A Big Job. Great interest is evinced in shipbuilding circles, says "Syren Shipping," as to the outcome of the tenders submitted by eight leading firms for the re-engining and re-boilering of the Canadian Pacific liner Empress of Australia. This vessel—formerly the j German-built Tirpitz, surrendered to Britain under the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles-^-is at present fitted with a machinery installation which comprises the Fottinger hydraulic reduction gear and a set of watertube boilers, and, it is understood, it is the intention of the C.P.S., to have these replaced by single reduction geared turbines of 21,000 s.h.p., with 200 deg. superheat, and a range of 14 Scotch single-ended boilers. Under the existing arrangement neither the turbines nor the propellers have been operating at economical speeds, and hence the decision of the owners to adopt measures which are undoubtedly of the heroic order. Motor-ship Orders. It is roported in an English shipping journal that there are uudcr construction in the world twenty-three vessels of between 10,000 and 20,000 tons gross each, and ten of 20,000 tons gross and upwards. Twelve out of the twentythree and four of the' larger vessels ars building in Groat Britain and Ireland. Of the vessels building abroad, throe are of over 30,000 tons gross, two are of between 25,000 and 30,000 tons, one is of between 20,000 and 25,000, one is of between 15,000 and 20,000 tons, ten are of between 10,000 and 15,000 tons, twenty are of between 8000 and 10,000 tons, forty-three are of between 6000 and 8000 tons, forty are of betw«en 2000 i and 4000 tons, and one hundred and. thirty-five are of under 2000 tons. Twg it the vessels of over 30^,000 tons are building in Italy, and one in Prance. The two vessels of between 25,000 and 30,000 tons are building in Italy. The largest vessel under construction in Germany is of between 20,000 and 25,----000 tons, ■ , '