The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

TUGBOATS FOR THE RHONE. 155 The solving of the problem of the Rhône navigation was attended with many difficulties, and for more than 50 years, numerous modes of traction, as varied as they were ingenious, were tried one after the other, witliout success. None of the numerous experiments made ever gave füll satisfaction. Notwithstanding the improvements in the Rhône navi- gation, which have resulted in obtaining a draught of water of 2 metres (6 ft. 6 in.) during 280 days of the year, and a draught of 1.600 metre (5 ft. 3 in.) during 60 more days : it remains a very rapid river, with steep inclines, and conséquent strong currents which complicate the navi- gation to a marked degree. The boats are drawn clown In 1894, this company entertained the idea of trans- forming this primitive material, and of replacing it , by a single system of towing large lighters from St. Louis to Lyons. The programme consistée! in going up the Rhône from St. Louis to Pont St. Esprit, and from Tournon to Lyons, with the lielp of tugboats towing convoys of two barges loaded with 600 tons of goods ; and in estab- lisliing between Pont St. Esprit and Tournon, where the current is especially strong, a series of extra tugboats, forming a relay, and which would help the convoys to cross the rapids. The designing and building of these tugboats and the construction of a number of the lighters were Tugboats for Service on the Rhone. the river at a great speed, while in going up stream they have to work against the force of the current. Until 1896, the Compagnie Générale de Navigation, which holds the monopoly of the service on the Rhône, effeeted this service with paddle cargo steamers, 110 to 160 metres (360 ft. to 524 ft.) in length, and 120 to 150-ton light-draught lighters. The paddle steamers insured the service down and up stream, while the lighters ran down stream loaded and were brought up stream by the “ grap- pin ” (grapnel boat). This was a kind of tugboat of about 500 horse-power, fitted in its centre with a large toothed wheel which, by ploughing in the bed of the river, enabled the boats to cross the difficult places, notwithstanding the force of‘ the current. entrusted to Messrs. Schneider and Co. The problem was all the more complicated, as it was necessary to obtain a high speed on a draught limited to 1 metre (39f in.), and the hulis were not to exceed 60 metres (197 ft.) in length, to insure easy evolution. The displacement was therefore limited to 300 tons, in which were included 20 tons of coal and 17 tons of gear, thus leaving only 263 tons for the huli, engines, and boilers. Owing to the light draught and to the impossibility of using serew propellers, worked by high-speed engines, it was abso- lutely necessary to have recourse to paddle-wheels, which meant employing the heaviest types of engines for a very light draught boat. O wing, however, to the arrangements adopteel, all these