The marine engineering department of the business is conducted in an imposing pile of buildings about 300 feet square. This immense shop is 50 feet high, and is divided into four bays, or compartments, by three spacious galleries of two floors, each 30 feet wide, and extending the entire length of the building. These galleries serve the double purpose of supporting powerful travelling cranes (two of which are capable of lifting loads of 40 tons, and the other two lesser weights), and providing convenient retreats where boilermaking, copperwork, and other operations are conducted. It is doubtful if a similar collection of ponderous tools is to be found anywhere else in Great Britain. Notable among the heavy tools seen here in operation is one of enormous proportions for planing and trimming armour plates, being capable of smoothing a surface 20 feet by 6 feet. There are three self-acting screw-cutting lathes, two slotting machines of great power, a universal radial drilling machine, with a radius of 18 feet, capable of boring a hole 4 inches in diameter, through a 9 inch plate in half-an-hour; a turning lathe having a 10-ft. spindle with a diameter of 20-ins.; a planing machine which cuts either horizontally or vertically, and has a traverse of 15 feet by 12 feet; two vertical boring machines, each with a travel of 5 feet; a turning lathe 8½ feet in diameter, with a 34 feet shaft; and a terrible and mysterious-looking machine, with a metallic disc 18 feet in diameter, armed with powerful steel cutters fixed round its circumference, which takes a shaving of 2½ inches off the mass of iron upon which it is operating. This machine was the invention of the late Mr Elder’s father, and is one of the most wonderful tools in existence. Adjoining this engine shop is the forge, which, with its 50 fires, 16 steam hammers, and all the necessary appurtenances to produce forgings with despatch, is an exceedingly busy section of the works. It is 300 feet long and 100 feet wide; and being lofty, excellent ventilation is obtained. There are three smithies of large dimensions—one being retained for heavy work, and the others for light work. In connection with the engine shop is a pattern shop which, like all the other wood-working departments of the premises, is fully provided with tools having the most modern improvements. The brass foundry is well appointed, and is arranged in two sections—one for light, and the other for heavy work. Manganese bronze propellers, of which the firm make a speciality, are made here in great numbers; the monthly output of this department amounts to 45 tons, all of which is used up in the yard, with the exception of a number of propellers which the firm supply to other shipbuilders.