Besides these horse capstans there are steam capstans which are less complicated and have condensing steam engines of about 100 horse power, the power being transmitted by gearing to the rope drum. The rope drum shaft projects on both sides beyond the boards of the boat, and for the return journey paddle wheels, are put on to assist the launch in towing the clumsy and big capstan boat down the river. The steam capstans tow considerably larger masses of goods than the horse capstans and also travel somewhat quicker, so that the launch has scarcely sufficient time to drop and raise the anchors and also to make double the journey. We do not doubt that this system of towage might with suitable modifications be advantageously employed on the large rivers in America and elsewhere for the slow transport of large quantities of raw materials and other bulky merchandise, a low speed being, as is well known, much more economical than a high speed, as many of the resistances increase as the square and even higher powers of the velocity. * * * * * STEAMBOAT EQUIPMENT OF WAR VESSELS. The larger ships in the navy, and some of the more recent small ones, such as the new cruisers of the Phaeton class, are fitted with powerful steam winches of a type made by Messrs. Belliss and Co. These are used for lifting the pinnaces and torpedo boats. We give an illustration of one of these winches. The cylinders are 6 in. in diameter and 10 in. stroke. The barrel is grooved for wire rope, and is safe to raise the second class steel torpedo boats, weighing nearly 12 tons as lifted. The worm gearing is very carefully cut, so that the work can be done quietly and safely. With machinery of this kind a boat is soon put into the water, and as an arrangement is fitted for filling the boat's boilers with hot water from the ship's boilers, the small craft can be under way in a very short time from the order being given. Mr. White is fitting compound engines with outside condensers to boats as small as 21 ft. long, and we give a view of a pair of compound engines of a new design, which Messrs. Belliss are making for the boats of this class. The cylinders are 4 in. and 7 in. in diameter by 5 in. stroke. The general arrangement is well shown in the engraving. On a trial recently made, a 25 ft. cutter with this type of engines reached a speed of 7.4 knots.