[1] As his educational period was before the day of technical schools, he followed the usual course of preparation for mechanical engineering and served a regular apprenticeship in the machine shop with Jabez Coney.

[2] During the Civil War he was in active service the whole time, and during the first 18 months was fleet engineer of the North Atlantic Squadron, being attached to the steamer USS Minnesota.

These tests were the first of the kind conducted under circumstances of entire reliability, with the result that the report of the trials was republished all over the world and is still quoted in all the text books on steam engineering.

Loring was senior member of a board that made a test of the machinery of the Anthracite, a little yacht with a triple-expansion engine working with 600 pounds pressure.

The experiments were valuable as showing that, with the form of apparatus on board the Anthracite, there was no such gain in economy as to warrant the tremendous pressure carried, while it involved numerous practical difficulties.

The personnel of this advisory board was distinguished in all its branches, and the work they did made possible our splendid fleet of today, as they definitely decided to abandon wooden hulls for those of iron and steel, and for general progress in every respect.

[2] On the retirement of the engineer-in-chief, William H. Shock, only two successors were thought of, one of whom was Loring, and his merit and thorough qualification for the position were so well recognized that the appointment came to him entirely unsought.

The air was filled with rumors of intended changes, among them one which promised to cause a violation of the contract labor law, as it was actually seriously under consideration to import a British engineer and put him in charge of the design of machinery.

[2] Another very important series of experiments conducted by Loring were those on the boilers of the torpedo boat USS Cushing, to determine the economy of evaporation with different air pressures and rates of combustion.

[2] Having reached the age limit in December 1890, he was placed on the retired list; but having always been a man of very vigorous physique, he did not give up active employment and was for a time consulting engineer to the United States and Brazil Mail Steamship Company.

He wrote well and was a good speaker, but he was perhaps at his best in a party of moderate size where his keen sense of humor, his genial personality and his remarkable skill as a raconteur made him a most enjoyable associate.

He was a vice-president of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers from its formation until his death, and, as long as his health permitted, was very active in its council and general meetings.