cessfully employed for the propulsion of
steam lifeboats in which, owing to the danger of fouling the
life-saving and other tackle, an open screw is objectionable.

The final extermination of the sailing ship is popularly expected as
one of the first developments of the twentieth century in maritime
traffic. Steam, which for oversea trade made its entrance cautiously
in the shape of a mere auxiliary to sail power, had taken up a much
more self-assertive position long before the close of the nineteenth
century, and has driven its former ally almost out of the field in
large departments of the shipping industry. Yet a curious and
interesting counter movement is now taking place on the Pacific Coast
of America, as well as among the South Sea Islands and in several
other places where coal is exceptionally dear. Trading schooners and
barques used in these localities are often fitted with petroleum oil
engines, which enable them to continue their voyages during calm or
adverse weather. For the owners of the smaller grade of craft it was a
material point in recommendation of this movement that, having no
boiler or other parts liable to explode and wreck the vessel, an oil
engine may be worked without the attendance of a certificated
engineer. As soon as this legal question was settled a considerable
impetus was given to the extension of the auxiliary principle for
sailing ships. The shorter duration of the average voyage made by the
sail-and-oil power vessels had the effect of enabling shippers to
realise upon the goods carried more speedily than would have been
possible under the old system of sail-power alone.

It is already found that in the matter of economy of working,
including interest on cost of vessel and cargo, these oil-auxiliary
ships can well hold their own against the ordinary steam cargo slave.
Up to a certain point, the policy of relying upon steam entirely,
unaided by any natural cheap source of power, has been successful; but
the rate of speed which the best types of marine engines impart to
this kind of vessel is strictly limited, owing to considerations of
the enormous increase of fuel-consumption after passing the twelve or
fourteen mile grade. For ocean greyhounds carrying mails and
passengers the prime necessity of high speed has to a large extent
obliterated any such separating line between waste and economy. It is,
however, a mistake to imagine that the cargo steamer of the future
will be in any sens