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MARINE REVINHW. 15 A reduction in these charges was obtained so that in 1894 the rate for shovelling grain in the hold of steamers was reduced from $4.00 per 1000 to $3.75, the other prices remaining as before. The matter of a further reduction in the grain shovelling charges at the port of Buffalo was brought up at the last annual meeting and a committee, of which Captain J. J. H. Brown, of Buf- falo, was chairman, was appointed to see what could be done in the matter. Under the guidance of its chairman, this committee adopted and put into operation a plan for shovelling grain at Buffalo which is entirely new and which has proved itself during the season of navigation just closed a com- plete success. Before the opening of navigation a contract was entered into between the Lake Carriers' Association and James Kennedy of Buffalo, N. Y., where- by Mr. Kennedy contracted and agreed to do all the shovelling of grain out of vessels of the Association during the season of 1895 at the uniform rate of $3.50 per 1,000 bushels, irrespective of the kind and condition of the grain and ofits situation in the vessel, and with no distinction between steam and sail vessels. In order to show just what has been saved to vessels under the operation of this contract a statement has been obtained from Mr. Kennedy showing his operations under the contract during the past year. A summary of this statement is as follows: During the past season there was shovelled at the port of Buffalo 121,225,497 bushels of grain. Of this, 103,225,497 bushels was grain in good condition carried in the hold of vessels ; 15,000,000 bushels was grain in good condition carried on deck, and 3,000,000 bushels was wet or damaged grain. On the grain in good condition, carried in the hold, the charge for shovelling was $3.50 per 1000 as against $3.75 per 1000 in 1894 and $4.00 per 1000 in 1893. Calcula- ting the saving only for the difference between 1894 and 1895, namely, 25 cents per 1000, the shovelling charges on this grain was reduced under the operations of Mr. Kennedy's contract $25,806.00. On the grain carried on deck there was a saving of $1.00 per 1000, or $15,000.00 in all, and on the wet and damaged grain there was a saving of $6.50 per 1000, or $19,500.00 in all, making a total saving to vessels of $60,306.00. This, however, is far from showing the real advantage to vessels derived from this contract. It is conceded that the work of shoveling grain in vessels has never been so satisfactorily performed as during the past season. In former years it was the practice to stop work precisely at midnight on Saturday night, even if only a small remnant of grain was left in the vessel. In such cases the process of unloading was finished on the following Monday. During the season just closed it has been the uniform practice to finish unloading all vessels where the process was once begun. This has resulted in a large saving of time to many vessels during the season. In addition to this, the contract system of shoveling grain has done away with a number of prac- tices which had grown up in the business, which tended to send vessels having cargoes consisting of several different lots of grain to as many dif- ferent elevators. Under the present system much less shifting of vessels during the process of unloading is necessary, and valuable time, as well as tow bills, have been thereby saved. EXTRA PRIVATE LIGHTING AND MARKING OF CHANNELS, DUR- ING THE PAST SEASON. Besides maintaining the usual number of private lights on the Cana- dian side of the Detroit-river, the association was compelled during the season just closed, by the extraordinary low stage of the water and the consequent groundings and difficulties experienced by vessels at new points in the Detro't river, to expend about $900 extra for additional stakes, buoys and lights. These additional marks were placed under the direction of Capt. George P. McKay, the efficient chairman of the commit- tee on aids to navigation. The result of establishing them was a large de- crease in the number of accidents in their locality and afforded positive proof that exactly the right thing had been done. On August 20, 1895, Capt. McKay superintended the placing of the following marks: A black stake on Briton shoal; a float light on the foot of Bois Blanc island; a float light on Boston shoal; a float light on New York shoal; a float - light and black stake directly opposite Amherstburg, Ont. On the 2tst of October, 1895, Capt. McKay placed six float lights and six black stakes and one red stake between the Lime Kiln crossing and Ballard's reef. On the night of October 20, just previous to Capt. McKay's arrival at this point, the steamer " Waldo Avery" had struck there and was leaking badly. The steamer '" Tohn Craig" was sunk, and several others had expe- riencedtrouble. Capt. McKay was obliged to act promptly in the matter to avoid further disasters, and the stakes and lights above referred to were ordered placed by him on his own authority. It is enough to say that the finance committee promptly ratified Capt. McKay's action and that there were no more complaints of accidents and disasters at this point. This result was as beneficial to the underwriters as to vessel owners, and the underwriters will be asked to share the extra expense with the Lake Carriers' Association. NEW AIDS TO NAVIGATION ON THE GREAT LAKES. In October, 1895, the president and the secretary of the association con- sulted with the officers of the light-house board at Washington with refer- ence to the establishment of a number of new aids to navigation on the great lakes. They took with them to Washington a short list of proposed new lights and signals, prepared under the direction of the committee on aids to navigation, and went over each item very carefully with the officers of the light-house board, hoping thereby to secure the support of the board and to have the proposed new lights included in the list recom- mended by the light-house board for construction, and included in the an- nual estimates of the secretary of the treasury. The proposed new lights were as follows: A light and fog signal on Middle island, Lake Huron. A light and fog signal at Crisp's point, west of Whitefish point, Lake Superior. A light and fog signal on St. Martin's reef, Lake Huron. A light and fog signal on Rock of Ages, Isle Royale, Lake Superior. In addition to these new lights we asked that the fog signal at Mar-. . quette be located on a crib just inside the end of the pier at that point, in- stead of on the shore, at a considerable distance from the pier, where it is. now placed. We also asked for the placing of gas buoys as follows Ist. On Graham shoal, Straits of Mackinaw. NEE. 2nd. On the easterly side of the channel near Grosse point, half way "| between light ship and tripod. 5 3rd. On southerly point of Fish pian 4th. At three points in the St. Mary's river above the cao as "angoe : on a chart presented to the board. fi 5th. On the shoal at the south-east point of North Manitou jelhias until completion of light-house at that point. When the annual estimates of the treasury department were submitted to congress we were greatly disappointed to find that none of these new lights, which are most urgently needed, were inclnded in the estimates for . appropriation at the present session of congress. In spite of this discour- aging failure to secure the hearty support of the light-house board in an -- attempt to increase the efficiency of the light-house service on the lakes, i . the association hopes to obtain appropriations for a number of these aids to navigation. A bill authorizing them and appropriating the necessary money will be introduced in congress within a few days, and the light--- house board will be called upon for a report as to the necessity of each of | these lights. As the board is on record in past years as favoring some of _ these lights, it is believed that they will certify to the necessity of some, if not all, of them, and a determined effort will then be made to secure ap- propriation in the senate for as many as possible. At the last session of congress, largely by the efforts of Senator McMillan, the appropriation made by the house for general buoyage was increased in the senate, and the wording of the act changed so as to permit the purchase of gas buoys | out of the amount so appropriated. The association was informed bythe | light-house board that a certain number of these gas buoys would be put -- in service in the great lakes. During the year one of these gas buoys was put _ in operation in the harbor at Erie, Pa., where it has given the greatest -- satisfaction. The board also announced its determination to locate buoys -- at Lansing shoal, north of Squaw island, Lake Michigan, and at Poverty _ Passage, Green Bay, but it is understood that the buoys for these points, which are manufactured in Germany, were not completed in time to make it worth while to place them during the past season. They will, however, be placed at the opening of navigation, 1896, It is hoped also that the light-house board will see its way clear to place some additional gas buoys _ out of this year's appropriation for buoyage at some of the other points | recommended by the association. c There has been a very exasperating delay in the construction of the -- light-house at North Manitou island. Although the appropriation for this light was made last winter, nothing has been done towards building it. It is understood that no owner can be found who can give the government a title to the land where the light is to be located. As the light-house board is forbidden to construct a light-house except upon property to which the United States has a perfect title, the board has been powerless to act. The United States district attorney for the district in which the light is located has been instructed to commence condemnation proceedings to acquire title to the property, and unless some special legislation is obtained, the construction of the light can not begin until these proceedings are termin- ated. It is understood that in some special cases permission has been given to construct lights upon land to which no one claimed title. Unless the coudemnation proceedings in this case are likely to reach a speedy termin- ation, an effort will be made to secure authority to proceed in this case; and failing in this the light-house board will be asked to place a gas 'aries at the point in question until the light is ready for operation. ; REMOVAL OF LIGHTS AND BUOYS BEFORE CLOSE OF NAVIGATION. The high rates of freight which prevailed during the latter part of the season of 1895 kept the entire lake fleet in commission until navigation was closed by ice. Nevertheless, although practically every large vessel on the. lakes was in commission, some of the most important lights. were extig= guished, and the work of removing buoys went on asin former years, This _ is a very difficult matter to deal with, and probably it will always be neces- Si sary that the work of removing the buoys should be at least commenced _ before the actual close of navigation. 'Nevertheless, there. were instances ie