SHIPS & THE SEA FATE OF THE ORIOLE.

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 80, 2 October 1915, Page 10

SHIPS & THE SEA FATE OF THE ORIOLE.

Concerning the loss of the steamer Oriole (General Steam Navigation Co.) some interesting information was given in the King's Bench Division London, recently. The Oriole left London on 29th January for Havre, and passed Dungenoss next day. That was the last time she was seen. Three of her lifebuoys were washed ashore in February near Hastings and Dymchurch. In March a Guernsey fisherman found a beer bot)le floating in the sea near the Channel Islands, and this contained an envelope with tho steamship company's name embossed upon it. It had upon it the words "Oriole, torpedo — sinking." An expert had compared the writing with the signatures of the orew, and had come to the conclusion that it was written by one of three men, while the widow of the carpenter identified it as the writing of her husband. On the day the vessel should have reached Havre, two British slaps were torpedoed in the neighbourhood lof Havre by a submarine. TRAWLER CAPTAIN'S NEGLECT. At a court martial held at Plymouth recently. Temporary Capfc Js.mes Brown, R.N.R., in command of one of H.M. trawlers, was charged with having, through cowardice or negligence, failed to bring an enemy submarine into action, and with negligence in not proceeding to the assistance of the British schooner George Mary. The. Court found that the charges of cowardice and neglect to assist the crew of the schooner were not proved, but on the charge of neglecting to engage the enemy the accused was found guilty and was dismissed the service. JAPANESE MERCHANTMEN. It ib of interest to note how many, vessels Japan has for her shipping business. According to the official statistics prepared at the end of last March, the number of vessels having a gross tonnage of over 20 tons, totalled 2128, with an aggregate tonnage of 1,585,912 tons, of. which vessels of over 1000 tons numbered 412, with an aggregate tonnage of 1,316.937 tons. Of the total tonnage over 1,000,000 tons belong to the N.Y.K., the 0.5.X., the T.K.K., and the N.K.K. (a-11 .working under Government subsidies), and the remaining 500,000 tons belong to the M.8.X., the Mitsu Bishi, the Harada, Hachiuma, Okazaki, Tatsuma, Kishimoto steamship companies, a.nd other tramp shipowners. The tonnage of vessels which have been contracted to be built at various home yards amounts to 280,000 tons. In the event of these vessels coming into service, the total of Japan's merchant marine will come up to 1,860,000 toas. _____ i AMERICAN DESTROYER FLOODED. Departing momentarily from their intactics, the Teutonic conspirators have by their latest manoeuvre sought to sink tho destroyer Ericsson, completing in the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Safe at 9 p.m., the vessel was found flooded and half-sunken three hours later. An inspection showed that a seacock had been opened. The Ericsson lies opposite the Oklahoma, also nearing completion, on which three separate fires occurred. A chain boom prevente any nj> proach to the vessels by boat, and guards are everywhere. There have been many attempts to sink naval vessels, including the battleships New York, Warrington, and two others. The naval authorities, professing to believe that these occurrences are accidental, are greatly concerned, remembering the chain of uaexplainable catastrophes on submarines, one of which involved the loss of the crew of twenty-five. The policy of Washington is to oonceal these evidences of Teutonic activity, as the authorities fear that loyal Americans' may attack the Germans. NORWEGIAN SHIPBUILDING. Norwegian shipbuilding yards are ex« ooptionally busy. At the end of June, the industry held contracts for- the building of 116 steamers and motor vessels, representing a total of 141,615 tons, as compared with 88 steamers, of 86,815 tons, at the corresponding period of last year. Of the total contracted for, 50 steamers of 39^00 tons are actually under construction, while for the rest the keels have not yet been laid. There are no contracts for the building of sailing ships. PREVENTING WARSHIPS LEAKING. When, a battleship is hit below the waterline to stop the leak a device similar to an umbrella is used (states an exchange). This is thrust through the hole, point first, closed, and then drawn back co that it will open like an umbrella, leaving the canvas outside, which by the pressure of the water ia forced effectually against the ship's side. The handle of this device is formed, like a eorew, and is secured on the inside of the vessel by" a nut. This is the method of handling small holes. When more considerable damage has taken place below the waterline a large mat made of . canvas and oakum is employed. This is fixed into position by means of a rope passed under the keel 6O as to pull the mat in position over* the hole. Other ropes are also required at different angles to haul the mat to its right location. OIL-BURNING TUGBOATS. The forerunner of a fleet of five tugboats for the Mexican Petroleum Company, New York, has just been put into service. This craft, which is named the Mexpet, is an oil-burining tug built by the Staten Island Shipbuilding Company, and measures 112 ft long, 24.6 ft beam, and 14ft deep. The boat has been designed with a bunker space of 90 tons of crude oil, which is calculated to be sufficient for 10 days' steaming, so that she could in case of need proceed from New York to Tampico without making a 6top. Her engines develop 750 i.h.p., steam being supplied by a Scotch boiler. The accommodation is sufficient for a crew of 11 men. SHORTAGE OF ENGINEERS. As has been the case for some time past in securing deck officers for British ships, it has lately been found no easy thing to obtain engineers, . especially juniors. Frequently vessels sail short of a junior. That is to say, steamers usually carrying four engineers have to be content with three. It is, of course, due to the number of certificated men drawn into the Navy or the Royal Naval Reserve, and also probably to the demand for such 6killed labour on shore. A boat which has been constantly employed in the sugar trade for years, or in any of the ore oarrying trades, will (remarks Shipping Illustrated, New York) show w^rse signs of wear than another boat of the same age which has been more favoured in employment. The biggest vessel launched <m the Clyde during July was the twin-screw steamer Aotearoa, of 15,000 tons, built by the Fairtield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, for the Union Stoam Ship Company of }yew Zealand. The Great Lakes steamer Matea. has been cut in two parts, and is being-, towed from Port Huron through the Welland Canal (states a Home, exchange). The tugs in charge will deliver the parts at Montreal, where they will bo put together again, and the vessel will proceed under her own steam to Boston, where her new owners will uae her in coasting trade. • New York newspapers state that when the Dwinsk, .of the Russian- American line, arrived in port, eaoh of her public rooms had a placard in some conspicuous s]>ot warning the passengers against speaking German. Tho card was printed in Russian and English, and from the jirst cabin down to the steerage quarters it was to be peen. at every turn. The longest sea tow from Baltimore (U.S.A.) will be made to San Francisco, tho steamor Falcon towing the bargo Charles Nelson, both laden with coal (says a London paper). The two vessels belong to the Charles Nelson Company, of San Francisco, and make the trip to Boston through the Panama C'anaJ. The steamer will carry about 1800 tons, and the barge about ICOO. / ■ . For Chronic Chest Complaints, fAdx*. >