No. 29. [From Nature, April 25, 1889. Vol. xxxix. pp. 608, 609.] 



.MR-TIGHT SUBDIVISIONS IN SHIPS 



THE last two months have been unfortunate ones for 

 shipping gent-rally, and more particularly for the navies of at 

 least four of the great Powers. France has lost two torpedo 

 boats under such circumstances as to involve the condemnation 

 of a whole class of vessels. Germany and the United States 

 of America have each lost a small fleet in a hurricane of unusual 

 violence. Besides the material loss of ships these three nat 

 have to bemoan the loss of a considerable number of men. 

 Only little more than a month ago one of the largest ships of 

 the British Navy stranded in waters rightly assumed to be 

 perfectly safe, and has become a total wreck. Fortunately in 

 thi> case there was no loss of life. Another of 1! M. iblpl -nly 

 jn-t escaped the disaster which o\vr\vhelmed the German and 

 American fleets at Samoa, and the circumstances attending 

 escape an \v<>rth\ of a moment's attention. 



The storm approached not without warning, and it i> 

 nt that the captains of all the ^iips set about making 

 preparations for meeting it a- l>-t th\ mi-ht. I >pear 



all to have got up steam, so as to ease their cables 1>\ 



in CAM it should be impos^M* t< u< -t 

 The only >hip that <li<l m-t cut WM II. M 5, lift . 

 without in anv wav dm < >m the merits of her cap 



those under 1 \ ident, from t . < .-unt- 



to hand, that all \v..uld probal>l\ have hern in. 

 not been pm \id.-<l with \T\ p<. \\nful ma hinT\ . In 



s 2770, and her horse p< 



as 4020. sc power per ton of 



displacement. I 



1^'a." \vhi< h app.urntlv had considerably 

 than OO "'t. 



