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MARINE REVIEW. | TT Of Interest to Vessel Masters. Officers of the Lake Carriers' Association who have succeeded in impressing the United States light-house board with the value of gas buoys on the lakes, are expecting that within the next two months they will have ten to fifteen more buoys of this kind than are now -- on the lakes. This is in addition to the larger number that will be provided later on by the special appropriation of $25,000 contained in the sundry civil appropriation bill, It is more than probable that the next installment of the buoys, three or four in number, will go to the Sault river. Capt. Walsh of tie steamer Corsica says of the two buoys in Poverty passage, Green Bay: "I have seen these lights at a distance of ten miles on a clear night, and I have picked them up at a similar distance in the morning, just before daybreak. The buoy on Ballard's reef and Lansing shoal are equally valuable." Arrangements have been made so that there will be no question this season as'to the care of the Canadian buoys in Pelee passage, Lake Erie, which were put out on Saturday last. They are exactly in the posi- tions which they occupied last season. Vessel masters are taking unusual interest in the system of re- ports regarding misplaced aids to navigation, obstructions, etc., insti- tuted by Geo. L .McCurdy of Chicago as a representative of the insur- ance companies, and Mr. McCurdy is giving personal attention to the correspondence. Capt. J. F. Vaughn of the steamer Northern Queen wrote a few days ago suggesting, as had already been suggested by another master, that a white and red light, one above the other, be placed on the lower cluster of piles at the point of turning out of the Detroit river into the new cut in Lake St. Clair. Mr. McCurdy's answer was as follows: "I will convey at once to the proper officer of the govern- ment (light-house inspector at Detroit) your suggestion, reeommend- ing that the change be made. It is quite possible, of course, that there may be something that would make such a change impracticable, but we can at least inform the officer in charge of the views of your- self and others regarding this matter. I am pleased to advise you that in response to my invitation I have heard from many of the masters of lake ships, noting the absence of some of the guides to navi- gation and. the necessity for others in unmarked places. The re- sponse has in fact been of a kind that must result advantageously to everybody concerned. I will esteem it a special favor if, when you have the opportunity, in conversing with your brother masters, you will enlarge upon this topic with them and point out te those who fail to understand the scope of this work what it means to them, so that _the cooperation may be general, as by all working together we can certainly make lake navigation more safe than it is at present." The chief of the hydrographic office, Commander J. E. Craig, U 8. N., Washington, D. C., has informed Mr. McCurdy that the branch offices of the service on the lakes will take up all information that he may receive and assist in giving publicity to it, both by Coren charts and by publishing the reports in the "Notices to Mariners.' It is understood that all ore-handling machinery on the big new docks for the Carnegie railway at Conneaut will be supplied by the Brown Hoisting & Conveying Machine Co. This is a very large con- tract, as it involves the erection of ore hoists that are expected to unload two 5,000-ton ore carriers daily. The Brown company is now putting up three extra legs for unloading ore on the old plant at Conneaut. These machines are to be completed in about a month. August 15 is still spoken of as the date for completion of the new ore docks at Conneaut, but it hardly seems possible, from present indications, to have the work finished at that time. Itis also claimed that the Pittsburg, Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad will be completed in August. Another gunboat, the Princeton, was launched a few days ago, at the ship yard of John Dialogue & Son, Camden, N. J. The Princeton is @ composite gunboat. She is 168 feet on the water line and 204 feet over all, with a beam of 36 feet and a depth of 22 feet 6 inches. She Is built of teak and pine, with steel frames, and is especially adapted to service in shallow water, having a mean draught of 12 feet. Her contract price was $230,000, and the guaranteed speed is to be 12 knots an hour. This vessel is sogpued with a complete outfit of pumps of the Blake special vertical marine type. Commander E. H. C. Leutze is the inspector of the ninth light- house district, with headquarters at Chicago, who recently succeeded Commander Dayton. Great Gathering of Naval Engineers at London, Probably thirty-five representatives of the ship building industry in the United States will attend the International Congress of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, to be held in London next month. All arrangements for the congress are under the direction of the Institu- tion of Naval Architects of Great Britain, and the program is of a most elaborate kind. Among members of the Society of Naval Architects . and Marine Engineers in this country who will attend are Chas. W. Pusey, J. F. Van Vleck, W. Louis Sonntag, Jr., W.F. Moore, D. G. Moore, R. J. Hawes, W. H. Shock, Jos. R. Oldham, Chas. Ward, H. E. Rottmer, I. E. Thayer, W. W. Bates, W. H. C. Swenson,J.. J. O'Neill, David Joy, T. G. Roberts, Berrier Fontaine, L. E. Bertin., W. I. Babeock, D. W. Taylor and W. M. McFarland. Gen. T. W. Hyde of the Bath Iron Works and President N. G. Morse of the Harlan & Hollingsworth Co. are now in England and will very probably remain over for the congress. The guests will include numerous friends of the etotion from France and Germany, who have, within the past two or three years, entertained the British society in Paris, Berlin, Hamburg and Stettin, as well as ministries of marine of all of the principal naval powers of HKurope and America, The programme thus far outlined is as follows: On Monday, July 5, a conversazione will be held at the Hotel Cecil. On the Tuesday, at rel a, m., there will be a reception of foreign dele- gates by the president of ans congress at the Imperial Institute; at 11:30 the Prince of Wales will deliver a speech of welcome, and ine Earl of Hopetoun will give his inaugural address and papers will be read and discussed; at 9 p. m. the Lord Mayor of London will hold a reception at the Mansion House. On Wednesday morning papers will be read and discussed, and at 7 p. m. a great dinner is to be given at the Holborn Restaurant. On Thursday morning there will be excur- sions by steamers from Westminster Stairs to the Tower bridge and London docks; luncheon will be served at the Royal Albert docks; -- and at 8:30 p. m. a great festival concert will be given at the Queen's -- hall, Langham-place, followed by a supper, also at Queen's hall. On Friday a special train will convey the delegates to Southampton, -- whence they will proceed by steamer to Portsmouth dock yard, and -- afterwards return to London by special train. At 9:30 p. m. the Hon. T. A. Brassey and Lady Idina Brassey will hold a reception. Saturday, July10, will be reserved for pleasure excursions. For the following week the foreign guests are invited to visit the works of the Fairfield Ship Building Co.; of Wm. Denny & Bros.; of Sir W. _ G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co; and of Palmers Ship Building Con ds To Overcome Danger at the Encampment, Since the opening of navigation vessel masters have claimed re- peatedly that unless something is done so that vessels making the new cut at Sailors' Encampment, Sault river, will know of the approach of anything that may be coming in the opposite direction, there will -- be a serious accident in that vicinity before long. Conceice Fol- ger, who is in charge of the light-house affairs in the river, has been appealed to, and it is understood that he has decided to ee eneng to the government that measures be taken to remove all trees on the island in the vicinity of Johnson's point. The island i is heavily wooded in and around the district known as the Encainpment, and this is the main cause of danger to navigation. It is expected that if the trees can be removed there will be less difficulty in making the bend. Not long ago Commander Folger suggestd that it might be well to change the ranges at the mouth of the Sault river--Frying Pan and Pipe islands--to bright white instead of red lights, and asked for the opinion of vessel masters on the subject. Capt. E. T. Rattray of the steamer Joliet, who is trading regularly to Marquette and passing . through the Sault river three times a week, says that a mistake may be made in changing the color of these lights. If white lights are used there is danger of the light on Pickands, Mather & Co.'s coal dock being raistaken for one of the range lights. He would be pleased to see stronger lights at this point if it was ssc to have them without the danger to which he refers. A smooth roadway. Perfect passenger service. Uniformed col- -- ored train porters for the convenience of both first and second class coach passengers. Quick time. Through sleeping car service between © Chicago, Cleveland, Buffalo, New York, and Boston. A superb din- ing car service. No change of cars for any class of passengers between ~ Chicago and New York City. Rates lower than via other lines. These are advantages presented by the Nickel Plate road. 47 June 10