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MARINE REVIEW. 5 The Missabe Combination--lts Bearing on Freights. As there is every reason to expect that the combination re- cently effected between the New York stockholders in the Amer- ican Steel Barge Company, the Wisconsin Central syndicate of mine owners on the Gogebic range and the owners of some of the best properties on the new Missabe range, will result in in- creasing the power of these interests in the market for Bessemer ore, as well asin transportation business on the lakes, vessel owners and ore producers outside of the combination are natur- ally very much concerned about its policy in such matters as prices of iron ore and the construction of more vessels, which would, of course, be of the whaleback type. Although the best informed ore dealers and vessel owners of Cleveland are entirely ignorant of the extent to which the Rockefellers have been, or are now, interested in the several companies taken into the new corporation, it is generally referred to as a Standard oil concern, and there has been considerable discussion about the Standard oil policy of overcoming competition, by carrying on production of any kind at a loss when such an end is in view. 'This policy is hardly expected in the present case, however, as the output of ore controlled by the combination, admitting that the best of the Missabe mines will prove all that is expected of them, will not be large enough to rule a mining business that represented an investment of tens of millions before the American Steel Barge Company or the Rockefellers were heard of in connection with it. It is the opinion of most ore dealers that the new syn- dicate, which will have big expenses connected with its opera- tions, will tend more to regulate and maintain a fair price for ore than to depress the market by trying to undersell competitors, who have already passed the stages of costly preliminary work in the development of their mining properties. But as the days of high prices for iron ore have passed, and only the big com- panies can mine ata profit, it is certain that a very large num- ber of small mines, that have made some money in previous years, have been closed during the depression of the past several months never to resume operations again. It is also the general opinion of ore dealers, and vessel owners who are heavily inter- ested in the ore trade, that the capitalists controlling the opera- tions of the barge company and the new mines will not, in view of the present liberal supply of tonnage on the lakes, take imme- diately to building more barges. It can be safely said that the whaleback barges, which have been on a common footing with other vessels this season, on account of a lack of contracts, will not, at the close of the year, show a big return on the invest- ment which they represent, although they are thought to have been built at a lower cost than that paid for the ordinary type of vessel. If there is prospect then of the present supply of vessel tonnage being about equal to the demand for some time to come, any capital that is to go into the consolidation is more liable to be applied to the mines, railways and terminal facilities than to boats. This is not saying, of course, that the West Superior ship yard will continue in idleness altogether for a long period, but no matter how wealthy its backers may be, they are not liable to rush recklessly into vessel building if they can find ships already built to carry their ore on the lowest pos- sible margin of profit. Skilled Labor in American Ship Yards. During several years past a very large number of naval archi- tects, draughtsmen and skilled workmen from Great Britain and other Enropean countries have been finding employment here in the shipyards of the Atlantic coast and the lakes, but the de- mand for labor of this class has been fully supplied, especially Since several of the large yards of the lakes have been without contracts. 'he same condition seems to prevail on the coast, as indicated by the following letter from a correspondent at Phila- delphia of one of the English shipping journals : '"'T cannot recommend any more shipyard men to come to this country looking for work before next spring, It is not expected that any more new work will be putin hand before then, and the forces are adequate at at all the yards for the con- tracts now under way. Next year, however, the government will award contracts for three new steel gunboats to cost in the aggregate $1,200,000, and business in other lines will surely liven up. Besides, the work of improving the Brooklyn navy yard and making it one of the most complete naval establishments in the world will be commenced next spring. 'The government has sold to the city of Brooklyn 27% acres of unnecessary land from the navy yard territory for $1,208,000, and this money will be used in the improvements. Among other things the erection of twelve new shops capable of turning out battleships is contem- plated. At present there are reported to be 5,500 applications for positions at this yard on file, and only 2,200 men are em- ployed in the various departments. Not Enough Sea Service, After summing up some of the accidents to naval vessels within the past few years, Industry of San Francisco concludes an article on the sea training of naval officers with the following paragraph : 'No company could maintain a line of steamers if there were one-half the accidents that occur in the naval service. It may be said war vessels are heavy and unwieldy and have to perform evolutions not required in the case of merchant steamers, which is true, but when the causes of accidents are looked into, a large - share of them come from a want of navigating skill and knowl- edge, as in the case of the Victoria and the Sultan. The fact is there is too much college and too little sea in the modern methods of educating naval officers." Current Comment. The skipper of the Vigilant is a Norwegian, born in Bergen in 1847, and an experienced deep water sailor, William Hausen by name. The new draw-bridge at Flushing, L. I., is fast approaching completion. 'The Berlin Iron Bridge Company, H. Berlin, Conn., has a large force of men employed in finishing the draw. _ Mr. E. H. Smith, who has been associated with Capt. J. B. Hall in looking after the shore interests of the American Steel Barge Company at Cleveland, has gone to Buffalo to take up a position similar to that of Capt. Hall in Cleveland. So Say WE Aty.--" It's a remarkable fact," said a Boston newspaper man to me yesterday, " that the dining car service on the various railroads only begins to be good when you get west of Chicago, whereas the farther east you get, the worse you are served, with one notable exception--the Nickel Plate road. I was agreeably surprised by the dining car service of the Nickel Plate road. It compares well. with the best service on the western roads." That was a high compliment, and I mean to let my townsmen know of the good repute in which at least one Cleveland road is held by strangers.--Cleveland Town Topics. AFTER THE FAIR IS OVER--You may be sorry that you did not go when you reflect on such opportunities for reaching Chicago cheaply as are offered by the Nickel Plate road's one fare excursions. "The next will be Sept. 21st and Sept. 23d. Three trains each way every day. 'Tickets good returning ten days. For THE ODD FELLOWS COLUMBIAN DEMONSTRATION--At Chicago Sept. 25th to 27th, and the special exercises at the fair grounds Sept. 25th, take the Nickel Plate Road's one fare excur- sions Sept. 21st and 23d. Superb new train service. PILGRIMS TO THE Farr--Should remember the Nickel Plate road's low rate excursions to Chicago. Nine days at the fair. Choice of three trains going and returning. One fare for the round trip, September 21st and 23d. British charts of Lake Superior cover the entire north shore. $1.