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three years ago, resulting in the loss of over thirty lives, the experts having de- cided that that accident was caused by the ignition of the new charge by the unburnt gases and smoldering cartridge cloth of the preceding charge, the ord- nance bureau caused to be fitted to the breech of each of the: great guns an air blast apparatus calculated to expel by compressed air any gas or cloth that might remain in the bore of the gun. So far this has woiked well, and there have been no "flare backs" since the de-' vice was 'installéd??) LEROS NAVIGATION CONFERENCE COMMITTEE MEETS. The committee which was appointed by the Navigation Conference 'in April' last held a meeting recently in "New! York to consider the matters referred to 'it and' to make plans for carrying 'the 'a¢tion of the conference into effect. Lewis, Nixon, chairman of the committee, presided. Among the subjects considered were the questions of licensing the masters of sailing vessels and the requirement of thé use of appliances for 'the. 'rapid launching of life boats. Resolutions on these two important subjects were passed as follows: "Resolved, That the government should take such measures as may, in its judgmert, seem proper to license the masters of sailing vessels of three hun- dred tons and over, such license to be based upon an examination as to knowl- edge of the rules of the road and good character, but licenses should be issued without examination to masters of good character who have had five years' ex- perience in sailing vessels. "Resolved, That it be the sense of this committee that the department of navigation consider the advisability of compelling all vessels carrying pas- sengers which in the judgment of in- spector or under ,existing laws are equipped with life boats shall be provided with modern appliances. for « quickly launching them, such as are now required of sea-going vessels." - ACCIDENT TO KAISER WIL- ' HELM II. The North German Lloyd steamship Kaiser Wilhelm II while loading coal at Bremerhaven July 20, suddenly listed and the water poured into her bunkers and boiler compartments through the open coal ports causing the vessel to careen and lie on her side on the bottom. The accident is explained on the basis that the inspectors of the coal stowing had not noticed that the vessel was not properly trimmed because, being par- tially aground, she kept her equilibrium. When, however, she began to refloat with the rising tide she suddenly went over on her side. The water has' been "THE. MarRINE. REVIEW entirely pumped out and it is announced that aside from the cleaning which will be necessary, the vessel will not require any repairs, Several days will elapse be- fore the ship can sail however and mean- time her passengers are being portioned out to other lines so far as is possible with the present crowded state of traffic. DULUTH GRAIN SHIPMENTS. Duluth, July 24--The great amount of tonnage available has brought about a large drop in the grain rate, cargoes having been shipped from the head of: the lakes for a cent and a little over. The shipments tof 'wheat and flax -in- creased though' thesload of 400,000 bush- els 'of flax taken' by ithe D, Ro'Hanna is not included in the figures below.. There are still in Duluth over 4,000,000. bus. of.' wheat <and about 2,000,000 bus. 1 of flax. Tlie stocks of other grains are very low. The figures showing the receipts and shipments for the week are as fol- lows: ; WEEK ENDING JUL; 20. Receipts. Shipments. Wheat ee ais Cowes 714,451 ° 1,014,072! COD eee on ae 4,337 25,000, Oatsr ie a es 98,296 129,329 Ryee rie oa ee ee 12,142 29,422 Barley (7. ee te. 93,490 219,870 as ee ea a a oe 240,715 561,377 The load of the Hanna of 400,000. bus. taken on at the Great Northern Elevator "S" was loaded in the quick time of seven hours. INTERESTING FEAT San Francisco, July 22--The pas- senger steamer Manchuria, of. the Pacific Mail Steamship Co,, has just been launched from the Union Iron Works dry dock where she _ has been undergoitig extensive repairs. The Manchuria ran. ashore 'on the Island of Oahu, one of the Hawaiian group, on Aug. 20, 1906, where she held fast until successfully floated, though in a vezy damaged condition, on Sept. 18% 1906. 'The vessel was subsequently brought to San _ Fran- cisco and turned over to the Union Iron Works, Dec: 17 1900. toy be re- paired. Unquestionably this was one of the largest ship repair jobs. ever made -in 'this -countsy.. During her captivity in dry dock, 257. shell plates, 22 keel plates, 355 frame angle bars, 266 floor plates and 609 inter- costal plates had to be removed and renewed. This practically meant that the entire bottom of the ship was taken out. In doing this the greatest care was necessary to prop- erly shore the ship in her weakened condition to prevent straining. About 1,500 shorés, 12 inches by 12 inches, .were used for this purpose. The repairs called for the continuous , services of the 600 to 700 workmen during a period of over five months. The river and steam transportation - providing ,engaged 29 interests of Sacramento have reached an understanding to build a steel bridge across the Sacramento river at the foot of M street, which will' be open to car-wagon traffic and -to pedestrians. . RECHRISTENING SNAG BOAT. The order which was issued by Secre- tary of War Taft some months ago that' no steamboat, public | building, park, roadway or public reser- vation should be ramed after any living offcer of the army or navy or any liv- ing official of the government has led _to the renaming of three boats now in the possession of the engineer depart- ment of the United States army. 'These are the Mississippi snag-puller © Col. Mackenzie, the Major Mackenzie, now. in government work on the Mississippi with headquarters at Keokuk, and the dredge boat General Mackenzie, located at Cape May, NiJ:> These three -- boats "were onamed after the present head of the engineering corps, Brig. Gen. Alexander!) Mackenzie, having been built while he was occupying successive ranks and named after him. The president and the inland waterways commission are to make a trip on the Mississippi snag-puller while on their tour of in- spection this fall and the boat will by that time be under a rew name, which has not yet been announced. MAGNOLIA TO BLAME. The United States lighthouse tender Magrolia, upon which President- Roose- velt was a passenger, and rot the fruit steamer Esparta, was at fault in the col- lision between these boats in the Missis- sippi: river, Oct. .26, 1905, according to a decision made by Judge E. D. Saund- ers, in the United States district court at New Orleans recently. In dismissing a suit for $25,000 brought by the govern- ment agairst the fruit ship, .Judge Saunders held that the evidence taken in the case by a United States com- missioner, showed the lighthouse tender to be at fault. The accident occurred when 'President Roosevelt took his southern: trip in the autumn of 1905, ° ALLAN LINER CORSICAN. The new steamer Corsican, the latest addition to the Allan Line, reached Montreal from Liverpool last week. The Corsican is an extremely graceful boat and reminds Canadians of the old Parisian which for many years was the most popular boat trading on the St. Lawrence route. The Corsican was not pushed on her maiden trip but is ex- pected to reduce the passage by sixteen hours. - She was 'built by .Barclay, Cur- rie & Co. on the'Clyde and is 516. ft. long, 6114 ft. wide. Her engines are triple expansion,