ns-shipments upon the two systems. The rails weigh 19 pounds to the
running foot in the parts where the exploitation can be effected
either through adhesion or racks, and 17 pounds in those in which
adhesion alone will be employed.

[Illustration: FIG. 2.--DIRECTION LINE OF THE RAILWAY THROUGH THE
ANDES.]

The special locomotives for use on the rack sections will weigh 45
tons in service and will haul 70 ton trains over gradients of 8
percent. Those that are to be employed upon the parts where traction
will be by adhesion will be locomotives with five pairs of wheels,
three of them coupled. The weight distributed over these latter will
be 28 tons. These engines will haul 140 ton trains over gradients of 2
per cent.

The earthwork is now finished over two-thirds of the length, and the
track has been laid for a length of 58 miles from Mendoza. It is hoped
that it will be possible to open the line to traffic as far as to the
summit tunnels in 1891, and to finish the tunnels in 1893. These
tunnels will have to be excavated through hard rock. To this effect,
it is intended to use drills actuated by electricity through dynamos
driven by waterfalls. The Ferroux system seems preferable to the
Brandt and other hydraulic systems, seeing the danger of the water
being frozen in the conduits placed outside of the tunnels.--_Le Genie
Civil_.

* * * * *

THE EMPRESS OF INDIA.

[Illustration: THE NEW BRITISH PACIFIC LINE EMPRESS OF INDIA.]

The Empress of India is intended to be the pioneer of three fast mail
steamers, built by the Barrow Shipbuilding Company for service in
connection with the Canadian Pacific Railway, between Vancouver and
the ports of China and Japan, thus forming the last link in the new
route to the East through British territory. Her sister ships, the
Empress of China and Empress of Japan, are to be ready in April next.
These three ships all fulfill the requirements of the Board of Trade
and of the Admiralty and Lloyd's, and are classed as 100 A1. They will
also be placed on the list of British armed cruisers for service as
commerce protectors in time of war. For this service each vessel is to
be thoroughly fitted. There are two platforms forward and two aft, for
mounting 7 in. Armstrong guns. These weapons, in the case of the
Empress of India, are already awaiting the vessel at Vancouver. The
Empress of India is painted white all over, has three pole masts to
carry