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The Cleveland Vessel Owners' Association will regulate the wages ofengineers out of that port this season according to the class of steamers on which they are engaged. The schedule, which is higher than thatof a year ago, is as follows: - 1. Metal steamers having water bottoms and triple expansion engines - chief, $115 to $125 a month; second, $75 to $80 a month. 2. Metal steamers not included in the first class and wooden vessels with triple expansion and compound engines, excepting smaller vessels which may be placed inthe third class - chief, $110 to $115 amonth; second, $70- to $75 amonth. 3. Smaller boats with high pressure or low pressure engines, or with compound engines, covering all boats not included in the first and second classes - chief, $80 to $100 per month; second, $60 to $70 per month. Gen. Poe attributed the low stage of water last season to a falling off in the precipitation or rainfall and the greater evaporation which logically accompanies clear weather. He sees nothing to indicate that the water will rise to any appreciable extent in 1892, but beyond Ae present season he makes no prognostications as to what we may expect. The rise and fall in the lake level cannot properly be called periodical, for there is no stated period between the two. They may be five or nine or any number ofyears apart. The highest water ofwhich there is any record extant was m1838, when the mean level ofLake Huron was 584.34 feet above the mean level ofthe sea, taken at New York. In 1847, nine years later, it had fallen on Lake Huron to 578.84 feet, or five and one-half feet in nine years. The latter record is seven inches lower than the lowest point reached by the water in that lake last scEson. February 19,1892 Chi<2o fOT ^of Superior is 335 miles in length; its greatest breadth is 160 miles- mean depth, 688 feet; elevation, 827 feet; and atea, 82,000 square miles The propeller Wffiam Cowie, which was purchased and rebuilt by Steele of Sagmaw after she burned in 1890, is being converted into atow barge . uiarine engines are in process ofconstruction by Samuel F.Hodee&rnofDetrort. Three ofthese are triple expansion engines for whalebacks of srain ftom StLouis to Europe by way ^pMirir'""" Golf of Mexico is being considered by ^ter^ I Capt. Harry Zealand has been appointed master ofthe large steamship E.C. Pope. The Pope was built and laiuiched last year by the Detroit Dry-dock Co. She is said to be the largest, as well as one ofthe fastest, on the lakes. Capt. Zealand formerly commanded the Ontario ofthe Beatty Line. The feny Garland is receiving new planking and new railing throughout and is otherwise being improved. It is the intention ofthe Detroit, Belle Isle &Windsor Ferry Co. to give each of its vessels athorough overhauling before the excursion season opens. Work on the company's new boat is progressing rapidly at the DetroitDry-dock Co.'s upperyards. Capt. Grmnmond has decided to convert two or more ofhis tugs into passenger steamers, but what he will do with them when this is accomplished is still amystery. One ofthem, the Swain, and probably the Owen, will be put on the Des-Chree-Shos- Ka route, but rumor also has it that he will get up an opposition feny line to Windsor. The captain simply says he"doesn't know." In the Lyon-United Lumbermen collision suit at St. Clair Flats, in the Marine Court at Detroit, Judge Swan held that there was no fault to be attached to the UnitedLumbermen and tow; and that tiie John B. Lyon was solely at fault and must respond in damages to the New Dominion, and also to the dredge. Assessment of damages was referred to the United States Commissioner. It is roughly estimated that the damages are about$6000. At Washington on Monday an interesting report was submitted to the House to accompany aresolution reported by instruction of the Committee on Foreign and Inter-State Commerce, requesting the President to negotiate with Canada tosecure the speedy improvement of the Welland and St. Lawrence Canals so as to make them conform in depth to the standard adopted by the United States for its improvements within the Great Lakes. The water ofLake St. Clair is about afoot lower than itwas at the worst oflast spring's ice jam, and the current in the river is greatly reduced. At Qrosse Point, the ice, which firoze while the water was higher, is now lying at the bottom ofthe l^e for a considerable distance from shore, and teams are employed in collecting boulders which under ordinary circumstances are under water. The stones are being usedfor the building of breakwaters nearshore. Marine City is one of the liveliest places along the whole chain oflake tMs winter. At the Curtis &Brainard ship-yards asteamer is well under way and will be completed in the early summer. She is 245 feet on the keel, 41 Vi feet beam and 21 feet deep and will be fitted with afore and aft [compound] engine and have two