The distance from the Tyne to Callao does not represent a world’s record for a tow of this nature, inasmuch as it has been exceeded by the Dewey Dock built by the Maryland Steel Company of Baltimore for the United States Government, which, in the summer of 1906, was towed from America to the Philippines, a distance of 13,089 miles, in 150 days. Great Britain, though a large builder and the principal designer of floating docks, does not possess very many; possibly the number and excellence of the dry docks scattered round her coasts may be the explanation. But as dry docks are costly to make or alter, the British Admiralty has ordered the construction at Wallsend of a floating dock which will take the largest battleship afloat or likely to be built for some years to come. In anticipation of the possible needs of the mercantile marine, plans have been prepared for a floating dock with a lifting power of 45,000 tons. The largest floating dock in existence at present is at Hamburg, which has a better equipment in this respect than any other port in the world. It was built by Messrs. Blohm and Voss, the shipbuilders, for their own use, and was completed last year and can lift 35,000 tons. Hamburg has altogether eighteen iron and steel floating docks. Bremen has three large floating docks, two of which, if used together, have a lifting power of 3300 tons. The third dock, 385 feet long by 83 feet inside measurement, can lift a vessel of 10,500 tons. Other countries also have provided themselves with floating docks; indeed there are few nations of any importance which have not several floating docks, modern in type, of great lifting power, and thoroughly equipped. A few, like Austria, reserve the docks for naval purposes only. [Illustration: THE “BAIKAL.”] [Illustration: THE CARTAGENA DOCK.]