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MARINE REVIEW. 9 A Lake Naval Reserve. Although the federal government has for some time past shown a disposition to favor naval reserve organizations throughout the country, it is unfortunate that on the lakes especially there has been a lack of interest in the movement among vessel owners and marine men generally, who might be expected to take a leading part in the formation of the different state organizations. Illinois and Michigan have taken advantage of the assistance that has been offered to them by the general government, and the cities of Chicago and Detroit now have a naval militia of fair proportions, but the movement in Ohio has been slow of development, and in the other lake states practically nothing has been done. In Cleveland a few earnest workers have succeeded in forming a division of the Ohio organization, and with a view to assist- ing their efforts, as well as the efforts of promoters of this movement in other lake states, it may be well to direct the attention of shipping interests to the objects and expectations of the naval reserve institu- tion as a whole. The United States is the only civilized country on the globe that has not some established system for replenishing its stock of maritime defenders. The popular voice has everywhere approved of measures taken in recent years to place our naval establishment upon a footing equal to that of other maritime powers. But we must have a reserve force from which to man our ships, and more particularly a naval sentiment that will make a rapid and sudden increase of the regular force possible. Each international episode and every domestic evil emphasizes this fact: We have a sea coast of about 10,000 miles, with only a regular naval force of 8,000 men, a great many of whom are foreign born, while such a foreign power as Great Britain, for in- stance, with all her regular naval force and navy, has a naval reserve amounting in all to 126,000 men. France has 160,000 men. Naval reserves in other European nations are not as large as those of France and England, but they all have a system of replenishing their navies with men in time of need. It is well known, of course, that although we are turning out naval vessels that are equal to the best in the world, it is an impossibility at the present time to get enough Ameri- can seamen to man them. With this condition in view, the federal government has encouraged the organization of naval reserves in the different states, and on the Ailantic coast, especially in the states of Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island and Connecticut there are organizations well equipped and of large membership. In North Carolina, Texas, California, Pennsylvania, Washington, Delaware, Oregon and Mississippi the naval reserve movement has also found many earnest supporters. But nowhere probably will these organiza- tions be of greater benefit than on the lakes where the extent of coast line and the value of interests involved are fully equal to those of the Atlantic and Gulf states. During the last session of the Ohio legislature a law was passed providing for the organization of two battallions of a state naval re- serve. One battallion has already been organized, uniformed and equipped, and is now in service in Toledo. The second battallion has been alloted to Cleveland, and the first division of this battalion has been mustered into service and the men are now drilling and waiting for their equipment. A second division is ready to be mustered in as soon as the officers of the present division see that the aid and assistance which they expect will warrant it. The division already in service numbers about seventy-five men. There are, of course, a large number of the men who are not sailors, but all are enthusiastic and willing to learn. Many of them own or are interested in yachts or other small boats, and their experience in this regard will be of some advantage to them. Officers of the division are D. H. Pond, lieutenant; Geo. H. Gibson, lieutenant junior grade, and N. J. Shupe, ensign. They have just received their commissions and are now drilling the men at the Gatling Gun Armory, where they will hold their drills until permanent quarters can be secured afloat. When the second division is organized and mustered into service it will form a full ship's crew which will be commanded by a lieutenant commander, and a staff. It is hoped that some practical vessel man of prominence can be induced to accept this position. The government has made an appropriation this year of $50,000 for the naval reserve but this is not received in money. It is given to the reserve in arms and equipment. This year it will amount to about $10 or $12 per man, which will be sufficient to provide for rifles and cutlasses. From year to year as the appropriations are made and grow larger the men will be supplied with arms of all kinds used in the regular navy, in which they will be drilled, and. the strictest discipline followed. One of the promoters of the Cleveland division says in a discus- sion of its plans: "We do not propose to make our organization a show organization but rather an organization for work. We expect to be of immediate assistance to vessel owners and the shippng in- terests, as we will be subject to call in time of riot or serious labor difficulties. It is our intention to secure, as soon as possible, a suitable boat, to be used for permanent headquarters, and in which also the men could be readily moved if required to points like Lorain, Fairport and Ashtabula. Unfortunately the state legislature, on ac- count of opposition from representatives of the interior counties, who have no interest in lake commerce, made no appropriation for the reserve. But in order to take advantage of last year's government -- appropriation for equipment we were forced to hurry our organization, and depend upon assistance from those whom we are to serve in securing uniforms and a training vessel. The men have themselves contributed for their working uniform, which will consist of a white canvas suit, but they must be provided later with the full United States seaman's outfit. The vessel should be a three-masted schooner, as nearly square rigged as practicable, and it is the intention to anchor it within the breakwater enclosure. it is hoped that these facts placed before the shipping interests will cause vessel owners and others to come forward with the aid and support that such an organization deserves."' we) Liability of Brokers. A case just dismissed in Cleveland by Associate Justice John W. Harlan of the supreme court of the United States, will prove especially interesting to vessel brokers. It is that of Crerar, Clinch & Co. of Chicago against Moore, Bartow & Gilchrist, vessel brokers of Cleve- land, growing out of an alleged breach of contract for the transporta- tion of ore. The hearing was before Circuit Judge Ricks of the northern district of Ohio, who, being obliged on account of ill health to take an extended vacation, requested Justice Harlan to dis- pose of the case, Among other things, the plaintiffs claimed that Moore, Bartow & Gilchrist, after chartering the steamer Elphicke | for a cargo of ore at 40 cents, ordered her to take another cargo from Escanaba, agreeing to furnish another vessel of equal capacity for the cargo intended for the Elphicke at the same rate; that they failed and neglected to do this and the plaintifis were themselves obliged to go into the market and secure tonnage for the cargo. This they did on or about Oct. 24, 1895 (the Hlphicke's charter was made about - May 1), at a rate calling for $2,112.50 in excess of the cost of the first charter. The plaintiffs sought to hold the defendants to the liabili- ties of owner, treating their promise to furnish other tonnage as an original obligation to carry. The defense was made that Moore, Bartow & Gilchrist were brokers; that this was known to plaintiffs, who dealt with them as such; that the failure of the El- phicke to carry was not due to any fault of theirs, and as to furnish- ing other tonnage, their promise to furnish ata certain rate only bound them to a proper endeayor todo so, and haying been duly diligent in that regard, they were not to be held. The case involved several other questions of fact, but was dismissed in defendants' favor on the finding that defendants were brokers; that plaintiffs knew this, and that as brokers defendants had not failed in the per- formance of any duty resting upon them as such. . An excellent chart of Green bay and approaches, on a large scale, has just been published by the United States Hydrographic office and may be had from the Marine Review. The chart is corrected to March 1, 1897, and takes in with Green bay the west shore of Lake Michigan from Manistique to the Kewaunee. It will be of great value to masters of Lake Michigan trading vessels, as well as the larger ore and coal carriers trading to Escanaba. Soundings are in feet and there is a scale of statute miles attached. The price is $1.25, but the chart is so complete in detail that it is larger that the single anes charts of Lake Superior or Lake Michigan. Ex-Representative J. M. Farquhar of Buffalo is one of several prominent Republicans who are anxious to succeed Mr. EH. T. Cham- berlain as commissioner of navigation. Major Farquhar was the first chairman of the committee on merchant marine and fisheries of the house, and was the author of the bill which provided for a commis- sioner of navigation. a