This is, no doubt, due to the fact that so small a proportion of the population have any practical mechanical knowledge. Almost every man in the United States knows the use of tools. Very many who have no manual occupation are fairly skilled workers, and those who have inventive tendencies are not ashamed to devote their leisure time to the acquirement of technical skill necessary to prepare their working models and perfect their inventions. In France, on the contrary, such knowledge is considered derogatory to anyone. in the higher walks of life. A clerk will not close a shutter nor dust off the top of the desk at which he works, since that is the business of an "ouvrier;" nor will a man who moves in good society permit himself to be seen carrying a package of any sort along the street.

One result of this exclusive use of tools by laborers is that French invention usually has, to an American, a certain sense of awkwardness in its mechanical application. The idea may be a good one, but there is very seldom any of the handiness which one finds in an American invention. In the many cases of application for American patents which come before me, I am almost always struck by this lack of directness of application, which leaves them open to competition, thus destroying the value of the invention by improvement of application of a principle.

This does not apply to an invention by M. Pierre Paul Guibert, of Millau, Department of Aveyron, France, intended to prevent railway collisions. It is, in effect, a simple and natural application of the "block system;" but, instead of merely displaying a signal at each end of a section of track showing that the same is occupied, M. Guibert's system acts also on the engines of the approaching locomotives and, by cutting off steam automatically, brings the train to a standstill.

As a preventative of head-on collision this invention would seem a positive improvement on the block system, though it is quite possible that the increased cost of installation may prevent its general adoption. I send inclosed a set of drawings and a copy of the specifications for his patent,* which M. Guibert was kind enough to send me. Whether his system is of practical importance or not, it serves to show how the United States is regarded by the inventors of Europe, who make haste to secure protection under our law so as to take advantage of the wonderful market it opens to really meritorious devices.

BORDEAUX, September 7, 1899.

ALBION W. TOURGÉE,

Consul.

Filed for reference in Bureau of Foreign Commerce.

NEW FRENCH STEAMER.

Mr. Thomas Sankey, United States consular agent at the port of St. Nazaire, furnishes information regarding the recent launching of a large French passenger steamer. He says:

An interesting event in shipping annals took place here yesterday-the launch of the steamship La Lorraine by the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique for the line from Havre to New York. La Lorraine is the largest French merchant steamer afloat; total length, 177 meters (578.8 feet); breadth, 18.2 meters (59.7 feet); depth to keel, 12 meters (39.4 feet). The ship was built under the direction of the Bureau Veritas and is of steel, with the upper parts of especially hard steel to secure rigidity. There are five decks and a promenade deck 100 meters (328 feet) long for the first and second class passengers. The lifeboats, eighteen in number, are placed on the promenade deck, as well as rafts. There are fifteen water-tight bulkheads, a longitudinal bulkhead between the two engines, and at double-bottom ballast tank of a capacity of 1,100 cubic meters (38,842 cubic feet). There are two twin-screw, triple-expansion engines, each with four cylinders in juxtaposition, with distribution by Stephenson's slides and cranks with counterweights to lessen the vibration. The force will be 22,000 horsepower. All the auxiliary engines will be entirely independent of the principal ones. The distilling apparatus consists of sixteen simple cylindrical boilers, each with four fire boxes. The pressure will be 11.5 kilograms to the square centimeter. The bunkers have a capacity of 3,000 tons. The space set aside for the engines and bunkers is 58 per cent of the steamer. The first and second class passengers will be lodged in two large deck houses, between the first and second decks. Secondclass passengers will occupy space aft. The rest of the space between decks amidships will be reserved for first-class cabins, ladies' boudoirs, bathrooms, barber shops, etc. The children's dining room will also be in this part of the ship. The deck house will contain the first-class dining room, which, for the emergency of bad weather, is provided with a system of electric ventilators. Above the dining room are the saloon and library. The ship will carry 59 passengers in the cabins de luxe, 378 first-class, 118 second-class, 398 third-class passengers; total, 953. officers, 170 men, and 180 attendants. 22 knots. In the event of war, it will ernment as an auxiliary cruiser, and

The crew will consist of 22 The ship is expected to steam be used by the French Govwould be armed with nine

guns (six quick firing) of 138 millimeters (5.4 inches) and eight cannon revolvers. The keel of the boat was laid in July, 1898, and the cost is estimated at 12,000,000 francs ($2,316,000). expected to be ready for service April 1, 1900. A sister ship-La

The ship is

Savoie is on the stocks and will be launched next March.
JOSEPH I. BRittain,

NANTES, September 25, 1899.

Consul.

ELECTRIC TRAMWAYS IN NORTHERN SPAIN.

Until a year ago, such a thing as an electric car was unknown in Spain. The cars in a few principal towns that could boast of having tramways of any kind were drawn through the streets at a jog-trot pace by horses or, more frequently, mules.

Within the last few months, however, foreign enterprise has been the means of inaugurating electric traction in the streets of Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao, and San Sebastian, and the lead thus taken by the principal tramway companies in the chief cities of Spain is likely to be quickly followed by others. It appears to me, therefore, that the present moment is particularly opportune for our makers of electrical plant, steam engines, boilers, rails, wire, etc., to come forward with tenders for the supply of such materials.

The following particulars regarding the most important tramway companies in the north of Spain may prove of interest to any firms. desirous of soliciting orders from abroad, and I shall be glad to endeavor to supplement these general remarks by more precise information on any given point of special interest to our exporters or manufacturers.

BARCELONA.

Compañia Anonima de Tranvias de Barcelona.-This company, whose present manager is Mr. J. Kennedy, was the pioneer of tramway enterprise in Spain, having first started running its horse cars through the principal streets of Barcelona about twenty-five years ago, with a ninety-nine years' concession from the municipality. The system. was changed to electric power in May last, and Dickinson's overhead trolley is used. This company at present owns eighty-five motor cars besides its old horse cars, but the latter will be superseded by other motor cars when the lines are all in working order. All the new plant required was supplied by a firm of English contractors. The cars were built in Barcelona; the engines and boilers for generating the motive power, dynamos, and fittings for the cars were purchased in the United States; and the rails in Belgium. The fares

charged are low, 10 centimos (11⁄2 cents) being the fare for a run of 5 or 6 miles. The cars are well patronized, and the company is in a flourishing condition, with a capital given at 15,000,000 pesetas ($2,400,000), subscribed for almost exclusively in England. This road has a mileage of about 12 miles through the most frequented streets of the city.

Compañia de Tranvias de Barcelona à San Andres.-This concern about five months since changed hands, and now, under the able management of a Belgian engineer-Mr. Oscar Schmidt-Corr-is about to effect several important improvements. The traction is to be altered from steam to electricity, and the line prolonged from its present terminus at the outlying township of San Andres, 5 miles. distant, to the manufacturing town of Sabodell, which lies 15 miles north of Barcelona. Another branch line is to be built from Barcelona to Horta, about 5 miles. The present subscribed capital of this company is given as 3,250,000 pesetas ($520,000).

Compañia de Tranvias de Barcelona à Sans.-This company has a line running from the center of Barcelona to the suburb of Sans, a distance of about 3 miles. The cars are at present drawn by mules, but the company has asked permission from the town authorities to use electricity as motive power. The capital of this company is 3,000,000 pesetas ($470,000). Manager, Mr. Francisco Esdeve.

Compañia de Tranvias de Barcelona à Badalona.-This line of steam tramways connects Barcelona with the neighboring town of Badalona, a distance of about 6 miles, the rails being laid along the high road. I have been unable to ascertain whether or not this company intends changing its motive power. The capital of the company as given is 2,000,000 pesetas ($320,000). Manager, Mr. F. Gillis.

4

Compañia General de Tranvias.-This road has a mileage of about miles between Barcelona and the suburb of Sarria. Trains of four cars are drawn by powerful steam locomotives, which are rendered necessary owing to the sharp curves and steep gradients in the narrow streets of Sarria. I am informed that electric power on this road is soon to supersede steam.

In connection with the tramways of Barcelona, I should mention a small railroad company called the Ferrocarril de Barcelona à Sarria, the only double-track railroad in Spain, about 3 miles in length, with a capital of 3,000,000 pesetas ($470,000), that has also recently applied for permission to adopt electricity as its motive. power in the place of steam.

SAN SEBASTIAN.

Compañia del Tranvia Electrico de San Sebastian.-The president is D. Antanasio Osacar; manager, M. L. Carlier. This electric road runs for a distance of about 5 miles through the town of Pasages. No. 231-2.

which is the commercial port for San Sebastian, as far as the small manufacturing town of Rentiri. All the electrical plant was supplied by La Compagnie Générale d'Electricité, of Geneva, Switzerland. The cars were made in Saragossa, Spain.

BILBAO.

There is only one tramway company in Bilbao, which runs two lines with an aggregate mileage of about 19 miles. The motive power is electricity. During last year, 2,700,000 passengers were carried; but, as the service is being improved and increased, a better result is looked for this year. The capital of this company is 4,500,ooo pesetas ($725,000).

VALENCIA.

All the city and suburban tramways in Valencia have been bought up by a French company. The plant is now being erected to run the cars by electricity, but the contracts have all been placed with French firms.

There are a few other tramways and railroads in the Province of Catalonia, particulars about which I have not yet been able to obtain. The foregoing remarks will, however, serve to show that there is undoubtedly a market in Spain for American electrical equipment.

If our manufacturers and street-railway journals will send me their names and addresses, I shall be glad to furnish them with the names of the chief contractors of all new companies, when they are formed for building tramway lines, and information regarding any movement toward the purchase of electrical supplies by the older

ones.

BARCELONA, October 3, 1899.

JULIUS G. LAY,

Consul-General.

STEEL ROADWAY IN SPAIN.*

The road between Valencia and Grao is 2 miles in length, and an average of 3,200 vehicles pass over it daily. Until 1892, it was constructed of flint stone. The annual cost of keeping it in repair was

about 35,000 pesetas. amounted to $5,470.

At the rate of exchange at that date, this

The construction of a steel roadway was determined on, and the annual cost of keeping in repair the central zone of road thus relieved from heavy traffic-which proceeds over the steel rails-is now only 2,500 pesetas, or about $380 at the present rate of exchange.

*This report was made in answer to an instruction sent at the request of the Department of Agriculture, to which Advance Sheets have been sent. See also "Steel-plate roadway in Great Britain,' CONSULAR REPORTS NO. 230 (November, 1899), P. 495.