track, etc.

* * * * *




CAPSTAN NAVIGATION ON THE VOLGA.


On several of the large rivers on the Continent, with rapid currents,
cable towage has been introduced in addition to the older methods of
transporting merchandise by sailing and steam boats or by towage with
screw or paddle tugs. A chain or wire rope is laid on the bottom of the
river bed, fixed to anchors at the ends and passed over a chain pulley
driven by the steam engine and guided by pulleys on the steam tug, the tug
lifting it out of the water at the bow and dropping it over the stern and
winding itself with the barges attached to it along the chain, the latter
being utilized as a rule only for the up journey, while down the river the
tugs are propelled by paddles or screws, and can tow a sufficient number
of barges with the assistance of the current. The system has been found
advantageous, as, although the power required for drawing the barges and
tugs against the current is of course the same in all cases, the slip and
waste of power by screws and paddles is avoided. The size of the screws or
paddles is also limited by the nature of the river and its traffic, and
with cable towage a larger number of barges can be hauled, while the
progress made is definite and there is no drifting back, as occurs with
paddle or screw tugs when they have temporarily to slow or stop their
engines on account of passing vessels. Several streams, as the Elbe,
Rhine, and Rhone, have now such cables laid for long distances in those