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MARINE Effect of the Lakes on the Iron Industry. In an article discussing the enormous value of lake commerce and the great benefits of lake waterways, especially in their relation to the iron industry, the Engineering and Mining Journal of New York says: 'Probably no expenditure ever made by the government has been of greater benefit to the nation than the money employed in improv- ing and maintaining navigation onthe great lakes. It is the lake waterway which has made the development of the iron ores of Michi- gan, Minnesota and Wisconsin possible, and has enabled the iron ranges of the Lake Superior region to furnish the industry in the United States with a supply of iron ores, without which its growth would have been far less rapid than it has been. The copper industry of Michigan has also been very greatly benefited. Taking these two great interests alone, the return has been far greater than the amount invested, to make no mention of the agricultural industries of the west. The Suez is the only great maritime canal at all to be compared with the Sault canal, which connects Lake Superior with the lower lakes. During the last year for which figures are available the Suez canal passed 3,352 vessels, with a total registered tonnage of 8,039,105, or 9,110,313 tons less than were recorded at the Sault during 1896. The average rate of freight on tonnage passing Detroit, which is practi- cally the great bulk of lake traffic, is estimated at 0.085 cent per ton- iwnile--probably the lowest price for which freight is transported any where in the world. In this country the railroad rates are less than in any other except British India; but about the lowest charge known here is that on Pocahontas coal to tidewater, which is not far from 0.25 cent, or three times the lake rate. Theaverage trunk line rate on heavy through freight is 0.45 to 0.60 cent, or from five to seven times the lake rate. -The effect of this extremely low rate, on the iron ore industry especially, can be estimated only by the fact that the ship- ments have reached a total of 10,000,000 tons a year. Perhaps these figures should not surprise us when we remember that over 60 per cent. of the iron ore supply of the United States last year came from the Lake Superior mines and tiat nearly all of it took the water route to market. Taking the rates paid on this ore by lake, we find that if the ores had been carried by rail at the usual average of the roads west of Cleveland and the other lake ports, the charges on this ore would have exceeded the freight actually paid by some $2.50 per ton; that is the cost of every ton of pig iron made from lake ore would have been increased by $4. These instances alone are sufficient to show the importance of the lake waterway, to both the mining and manufacturing industries; and others equally striking could be given did space permit." System of Steamship Signals. A patent has been taken out by Mr. J. T. Dawes of Mold, North Wales, for the purpose of enabling steamships to ascertain the engine speed, whether ahead or astern, of each other at night when approach- ing one another. This is done by a combination of electric lights operating as follows: Four white and four green lamps are located at the masthead or other suitable position in the ship, so as to show forward, and are connected by separate wires and switches to the engine room signalling apparatus, so that when "full speed ahead"' is shown the four white lights will be in action; when full speed astern is indicated the four green lights will be illuminated; whilst two white lights, or two green lights, will be shown, according as the en- gines are moving, half speed ahead or astern; all connection being shut off from the lamps when the engine signalling lever indicates that the engines are stopped. A further improvement consists in construct- ing the lamps to show different colored lights astern, say all red. This can be done by having openings at the backs of the lamps covered by red glass. It is claimed that the rays of light so projected' being localized appear aS mere narrow beams, and are easily distinguishable from the ordinary ship's regulation light. It is also claimed that owing to the nature of the lights they possess greater penetrative power than the ordinary twenty-point arc mast-head lamps, and will, therefore, be of considerable value in fog. While the theory of the patentee may claim consideration for the scheme, it is one which we fear in practice will find no supporters.--Liverpool Journal of Commerce. The Blue Book of American Shipping answers questions that arise daily in every vessel agent or owner's office. If the book is not satis- factory it costs nothing, as the money will be returned. Order at once, No. 409 Perry-Payne building, Cleveland. Tragedy of the Engine Room. An exceedingly interesting story is told by a delegate from New York city to the national marine engineers' convention, now in ses- sion in this city. The chief engineer of the ill-fated Commodore, which was wrecked off the coast of Forida several weeks ago, was an active member of the New York city local organization. He was a young man of good character and ability, and his love of adventure induced him to offer his services to the Cuban junta. His services were accepted, and he was ordered as chief engineer of the Commodore. Against his protest an assistant was assigned him whom he knew nothing about, and who had not belonged to any local marine en- gineers' association. Upon the pretext of being ill, the assistant en- gineer of the Commodore shirked work for seyeral days before the ship went to sea, so that when the vessel took her departure the chief engineer was pracically exhausted, there being only two mates and two engineers in the list of officers. "After the Commodore left harbor," says the narrator, "the as- sistant engineer, upon the plea of continued illness, kept the chief on. watch for the greater part of the day. At midnight, after leaving port, the assistant volunteered for duty, and when things were turned over to him everything about the machinery was working well. The chief engineer had thoroughly tested all the pumping appliances be- fore leaving harbor, and they were found to work excellently. Par- ticular attention had been given to the adjustment of the inspirators for clearing the bilges of water. Within two hours from the time the chief engineer had been relieved he was awakened by one of the fire- men, who told him that the ship was sinking, and that practically everything in the engine room had become disabled. The chief im- mediately went to his station, and found that the assistant engineer, who had been a beach-comber, and an ex-convict, and whose services had been secured because they could be obtained cheaply, had_practi- cally wrecked the machinery. "After a vain attempt to put things to rights the vessel was abandoned, the deck officers taking to the boats, and the engineer force being left to find safety on araft. The captain of the Commodore gallantly stood by the raft, and after battling with the storm for thirty hours reached one of the Florida keys, but in the attempt to affect a landing from the raft all of the engineer force were lost. While the raft was being towed, the men from the captain's boat carefully kept watch over it, and a short time after the crew left the vessel a scuffle took place on the raft, which resulted in the chief engineer and one ~ of the firemen throwing the traitor into the ocean. It is unnecessary to state that the leaders of the Cuban junta have now learned ata great cost that not only ability but integrity and character are required even in the engine rooms of filibustering steamers. "Weakened by continuous work and exhausted by his duties in charge of the raft, the chief engineer of the Commodore lost his life in the surf in attempting to make a landing. His comrades in the NewYork association of marine engineers, in connection with friends of the Cuban cause, propose to make some substantial recognition of his excellent services in fitting out the Commodore, and his pluck in sealing the doom of the traitor who had betrayed his ship. The un- fortunate fate of the Commodore will probably be a practical object lesson to the naval officials of even great nations in teaching them that naval warfare has greatly changed during the past decade, and that the man below as well as above the protective deck is an import- ant factor."' The marine engineer delegates from New York city declare that the story as told above was from the official statement as furnished by President Palma of the Cuban junta in New York city. The com- ~ mittee of New York marine engineers distinctly told him that the organization would boycott every filibustering steamer starting from the coast unless the exact facts in regard to the death of Chief Kn- gineer Hartigan were furnished them. The story has never been in print, and from the earnestness and sincerity of the Cuban leaders the New York engineers are convinced that the tale is a true one.--Wash- ington Star. A Very Desirable train to take when going to New York is Pennsylvania No. 6, leaving Union station 1:40 p. m. daily and from Euclid avenue 1:50 reaching New York 7:40 next morning. Pullman sleeper through without change. Supper served in dining car. . <4 ti a