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MARINE REVIEW. : | 7 An Immense Light Tower. . The accompanying engraving represents the latest light tower design of the United States light-house board, which has been prepared for erection at Cape Charles, Va., and is believed to be the highest of its type in existence. As will be seen, the tower isin form an octaganol Focal Plane. _ ----- ----_ oa @ = wae a ae een a = ee a we wo Bee ee dene eet ee EG ue ener ee hate a ae asia ene = eee = WY Fee ee a eee a seco rae Soke | 3 4 a 2 eee pyramid, built up of one vertical central tube surrounded by eight tubular struts thoroughly braced together. The foundation is hard sand, which, in spite of a popular impression to the contrary, makes an excellent foun- dation when it is prevented from spreading. At Cape Charles the stratum is so hard that itis impossible to drive a1}4 inchiron bar more than 6 feet into it under the impact of a heavy sledge hammer. A similar tower is also to be erected at Hog Island, Va. The engraving is from Engi- neering. To Meet the Question of Grain Shortages, A special meeting of the finance (executive) committee of the Lake Carriers' Association was called in Cleveland Tuesday to consider the fol- lowing communication from the vessel owners of Duluth and Superior: James Corrigan, President, Lake Carriers' Association, Cleveland, O.-- Dear Sir: A number of vessels engaged in the grain carrying trade from the head of the lakes to Buffalo, have recently suffered heavy losses by reason of the excessive shortage (some 5,000 bushels in the past forty days) which have been discovered when the vessel had discharged her cargo. Inquiry into the cause of these shortages has developed nothing beyond the fact that the vessel interests, under the present form of bill of lading, are powerless to prevent or correct them. It has been suggested that the vessel interests combine upon a clause, to attach to all grain bills of lading, providing that the burden of proof be transferred from the vessel to the shipper, as is the case with railroad bills of lading, and with this object in view, the Vessel Owners' and Agents' Association of Duluth and Superior this morning met and fully discussed the following clause: "Tt is understood and agreed that the vessel waives all claim for pay- ment for overage and shall not be responsible for shortage in excess of one-third bushel per one-thousand bushels carried. Vessel to deliver all grain carried and collect freight upon actual, out-turn." The sentiment was unanimously in favor of the adoption of the above clause to attach on after Sept. 1, 1894, to all grain bills of lading. It was suggested that the matter first be submitted to your association and also individually to the different managers and owners of vessels engaged in the grain carrying trade for discussion, and in the event of its general approval that agents be instructed to accept grain cargoes only upon these conditions. I trust the question will have proper discussion by your association and request that you advise me as soon as possible of their action. CuHas. W. LELAND, Secretary. DULUTH, MINN., July 27, 1894. Mr. James Corrigan, president of the Lake Carriers' Association, was in Duluth when the action above referred to was taken, but the commu- nication was forwarded to Cleveland for the purpose of bringing the mat- ter before all lake vessel owners in aformal way. Of course the subject is not a new one, but the proposition to adopt uniformly a clause of this kind governing shortages and overages in bills of lading is new. It was agreed that the action of the association at Duluth was timely and wise, and the committee of the general association regretted that it would be impossible to compel all members to take such action, but it was rec- ommended that members instruct their agents at Duluth to insist on the clause being inserted in their bills of lading. All members of the association will be informed of this action of the committee. Of course it is to be expected that grain shippers will object to such a provision in bills of lading, and the outcome of the struggle, which it is proposed to inaugurate on Sept. 1, will be looked to with interest. A Very Old Letter. Readers of the REVIEW will recall several communications in these columns of late from Capt. Charles Gale, who went out from the lakes on several ocean voyages in the fifties and who has been writing re- garding numerous vessels that made such voyages. The letters have at- tracted considerable attention. Mr. Rollin S. Giffin, now with the Na- tional Safe and Lock Company, Cleveland, was on a voyage from Cleve- land to Liverpool with Capt. Gale, when a boy in 1859, on the Deshier, a boat owned by his uncle, John F. Warner of Cleveland. She took over staves and brought back pig iron, leaving in May and returning in Sep- tember. Mr. Giffin visited Capt. Gale at his home in Sombra, Ont., a short time ago and surprised the venerable vessel master by producing a letter written in 1861, and of which the following is a copy: Rollin S. Giffin, Albany, N. Y.: My Young Friend: Since you were with me some time ago in the Deshler I have had command of the barge D. C. Pierce from England to Havana. From there I loaded with sugar and left on the 25th of March for London, Eng. But after six days out came on a heavy gale from the eastward and the ship lost sails and rudder and small spars, and when the storm abated I found I was in longtitude 74 W. and off Cape Henry. I then ran for Norfolk and got there on the 4th of April, where I took cargo for caulke, but when I had finished all repairs the rebels took the Pierce and sank her. They took all I had and put me in prison where they kept me fourteen days. They then let my daughter and myself go, and I wentin a boat with my crew to the frigate Minnesota where I met Com. Sar Stringham, who used us very kindly and sent us all to Boston in the gun- boat Pembroke. Since then I have had.command of the schooner Saranac. CHARLES GALE. CLEVELAND, Dec. 2, 1861