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#8 MARINE REVIEW. = Silverware for Two Ships. The following corresponden 'hick ! "Cturdy of Ghieaee and eae ene fei oe eae fe oe oe e eee is self-explanatory: De ae eae M eo. L. McCurdy, Chicago; Iil2Bpear Sir: 4 last, when the steamers Minneapolis and St. Pad eee ianaeied a e a Chicago, you stated to Captain Jackson and myself that if we GROMERE the ships through the season without stranding you would present 18 3 itl a silver water service. I am glad to be able to report to you Ane these steamers came through without mishap of any kind, W : i Z rubbed the bottom anywhere, and had no difficulty. I am sorr 4 idee that while I was in the act of leaving the ship, I was thrown ae 30 fe : from the ladder, through a chain striking it, and was knocked senseless for several hours. I went down between the boat and the dock, but fn no bones broken, and I am getting along all right now. eens, Steamer Minneapolis, WILLIAM 5 Milwaukee, Wis., Dec. 23, 1897. aot eee In answer to the foregoing letter Mr. McCurdy wrote Capt. Jamieson as follows: : es Capt. William Jamieson, Master Steamer Minneapolis, Milwaukee Wis.--Dear Sir: Your favor of the 23d inst. received, recalling to my attention my promise to send you a silver water service if you got through the season all right; also the promise of a water service for Capt Jackson of the St. Paul. These two steamers were the first risks that I accepted | MISSISSIPPI RIVER STEAMER CITY OF S this year, and having had the pleasure of seeing these fine ships launched and go into commission, I have taken a great deal of interest in them and their masters. Perhaps I may have a technical advantage of you, for I consider that it was just as important for you personally to get through ie season all right as for the ship. In fact, I may say thal ee ee have paid a claim on the ship than to have learned that you met ve dent. However, I will not take advantage of this technicality, but on a other hand extend to you my hearty sympathy, with the hope that vale: wi soon be in good condition again. The two water sets are ee hs i the engravers, and will be sent to you, I trust, so that you he oh an asa Christmas greeting. Allow me at this time to thank you for the d on letters you have written during the season on aids to navigation, ai fe the behalf of my associates and myself to extend to you our best wis 1es for your welfare. GPO ee Chicago, Ill., Dec. 24, 1897. ee Q : " The 1898 volume of the "Record of American and Foreign ee published by the American Shipmasters' Association of New a i being delivered to subscribers. The present yolumicys ee The annual issue of this valuable register and classification ot ee ae "Record" contains full reports and particulars of about fe vess: : ' ssification of all classes and nationalities, rules for ie pene eae of 1ro: i 5 for the con : ; f on, steel and wooden vessels, rules 'sions for the installation of steam machinery and boilers for vessels, prov! alu- electric fee and power apparatus on shipboard. and ee a able information of special importance to underwriters Persons interested in shipping. n the Nickel Plate road, Dec. 24, 25 and Holiday rates are available o 408--Deec. 31 31 and Jan. 1, returning until Jan. 4, 1898, United States Oar Inspector. Of all the ridiculous bills introduced in congress of late that of Wm Alden Smith. (H. R., 4855,) is the worst. Niodistetanding the wide- spread operations of the steamboat inspection service, revenue cutter serv- ice and other bureaus of the government that in many ways 'interfere unnecessarily with the business of the ship owner, Mr. Smith would estab- lish a new office, that of United States oar inspector. Money expended ea ee such useless bills as that which follows is certainly thrown "Be it enacted, etc., that from and after the first day of July, 1898, it shall not be lawful for any vessel, steamboat, barge, tug, or other floating conveyance engaged in the transportation of passengers to leave any harbor or port of the United States without being provided with full sets of Doat oars of a first-class quality for each and every small boat carried on board of such vessel, steamboat, barge, tug, or other floating convey- ance, for the safety of the lives of persons thereon; that any person or persons violating this law, being the master or owner of such vessel steamboat, barge, tug, or other floating conveyance. on conviction before the proper court, shall be punished by a fine of $50 or imprisonment for not less than thirty days nor more than ninety days for each and every offense; that there shall be one United States inspector appointed by the secretary of the treasury with a compensation of $2,500 per annum, with all necessary traveling and hotel expenses, whose duty it shall be to visit the several ports and harbors of the United States and inspect the num- ber and quality of the oars contained on the vessels, steamboats, barges, T. LOUIS, ENGAGED IN PASSENGER AND FREIGHT SERVICE BETWEEN ST. LOUIS AND NEW ORLEANS. tugs, and other floating conveyances, and condemn all oars not safe to use for the protection of the lives of persons on such vessels, steamboats, barges, tugs, and other floating conveyances, by placing a stamp, 'con- demned by the United States oar inspector,' thereon. Said inspector shall make report annually to the secretary of the treasury as to the condition of the oars found at the several ports and harbors of the United States, and said inspector shall be allowed one assistant to act as clerk, at the compensation of $1,000 per annum and traveling expenses. All acts and parts of acts in conflict with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed." Two of the largest ships owned by the Peninsular & Oriental Navi- gation Co., the greatest of English shipping concerns, are the Arabia and Egypt, now nearing completion in England. Both of these big steamers, which, in addition to large freight capacity, will accommodate 500 saloon passengers and steam 20 knots an hour, are fitted with Howden hot draft appliances. These vessels are each 500 feet by 54 feet, and 37 feet 6 inches in depth, with a gross tonnage of 8,000. They have triple engines of 14,000 effective horse power, four cylinders, four cranks, and propeller blades of manganese bronze. The Cramps have made a record in the building of the freight and passenger steamer Miami. It was only June 20 last that the contract for this vessel was signed, and fifteen days later the keel was laid, so that her construction has occupied less than six months. Yet she is a vessel of 1,150 tons displacement, with a collective horse power in the neighborhood of 1,600 and stateroom accommodations for 150 passengers. She was built for Henry G. Flagler and will ply between Miami, Fla., and Nassau, Bahama islands.