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The lighthouse board announces two important changes in the aids to navi- gation. About Dec. 3 the intensity of the Montauk Point light is to be in- creased by changing the illuminant from oil to incandescent oil vapor. While the intensity of the flash will be increased, its duration will be reduced from nine-tenths to four-tenths of a second.. Fire Island Light, at the easterly side of Fire Island inlet and '67 miles to the westward of Montauk Light, will also be increased in inten- sity on the same date. The duration of the flash will be reduced to four seconds and the dark interval to 56 seconds. Because of the unprecedented rush of foreigners bound for European ports, serious freight congestion threatens all foreign shippers. At this season of the year freight traffic is al- ways heavy, and the unexpected de- mand for steerage accommodation is causing some considerable difficulty in handling both freight and passengers. The eastward-bound steerage, or third- class, travel for the year 1907 is al- ready 110,000 in excess of the same period of 1906, and the second class 14,000. The petroleum exports from Phila- delphia during the past week agegre- gated over 10,000,000 gallons, all of which was carried in bulk oil freight- ers, both steam and sail craft. The total exports since Jan. 1 have been 383,000,000 gallons. It is officially announced that qnar- antine against Cuban ports is now ended, with the exception that passen- gers from such ports, must, if intend- ing to proceed south after landing, furnish United States Marine Hospital official in command with their future addresses. The enlisted men of the 16 battle- ships of the Atlantic held a farewell ball at Coney Island, on the evening of Nov. 29. The men in charge of the - ceremonies are from the Connecticut, Louisiana, Rhode Island, Alabama and Ohio, the supply ship Glacier, and the repair ship Panther, the seven vessels of Admiral Evans' fleet now at the New York navy yard. The scout cruiser Salem will be placed in commission about next June, and will be commanded by Lieut. Com. A. L. Key. Her sister ship, the Chester, of which Lieut. Com. T. S. Wilson will be in command, will prob- ably be commissioned in April. "TRAE. MarRINeE. REVIEW CURRIE'S MANNERS. BY JAMES ROSSAN, The first of the dangerous storms of autumn was sweeping the lakes. It was only a good half gale, yet it brought its ominous message as a harbinger of what was to come. The large, staunch freighter Monarch was bucking into it. The men out on deck dodged the spindthrift thrown into the backstays and pronounced it a dirty night. But below decks they said it was beautiful steaming weath- er, cold and clear, with a full draft breeze. The steam gage hung glued to the spot, and the Monarch stood north'ard on Gitchie Gumee to the tune of 90 to the minute. The second engineer, who had charge of the watch, sat contentedly in his chair within easy reach of the levers, while over on the port side, where the best view was obtainable of the watergage glasses, the oiler paced lustily up and down whistling "Bonnie Jean:' The rapid opening and closing of the steamports, and the weak complaint registered by each crankcenter, all distinctly audible to the practiced ear, resolved itself into a hum attuned to the beat of 90 to the minute. Even the step and the tune of the oiler fell into the rhyth- mic beat .of the engine. Then a discord entered. It was a short, sharp click at the throttle fol- lowed by several nasty jars at the HYP. cand Ho - 1. valve gears. «Iie rhythm and harmony was disturbed, © and instantly the "second" sprang to the levers, while the oiler raced for the lower floor. » Currie, who was the chief engineer, came down the stair- way on the jump. : The disturbance had now settled down to a steady thump whenever the L. P. engine took the bottom cen- ter. From below the oiler reported the rapid heating of the L. P. pin and adjacent journals. The "second" had partly closed the throttle, and asked a hasty, "Shall I stop her, sir?" "No!" came sharp and decisive; "we can't stop in weather like this." The speed was now reduced, and the order rang through the engine- room for all hands to stand by. Next the chief, with the assistance of sev- eral of the handiest men and much ingenuity, managed to slack the trou- bled journals without being ground to pulp by the moving crank. Several lines of hose were then laid and streams of cold water applied to the heated parts. Trouble never comes singly and it was not long before it started to show at the. H. P. and -F. I. pins. More lines of hose were laid, and more shivering, dripping in- 49 dividuals stood down there with the cranks slashing the cold water all over them. And now there was work for every- body and to spare. Special oils were compounded, and mixed with pow- dered sulphur they were applied in liberal 'doses. Kerosene oil and soap- suds were resorted to. And in the grease cups it was graphite and cyl- inder oil, with a portion of white lead added. Economy on lubrication was thrown to the winds; it was a mat- ter of efficiency now. The refractory bearings were palmed every few min- utes in order to keep a close tab on what they were doing. Everybody was busy. The orders came from the "chief" in that sharp, commanding voice which brooked-: no _ hesitation. And there was no indication of a re- spite in the near future. For those engines, which only a short time ago had hummed so merrily along to the tune of 90 to the minute, were now thumping, and slamming, and jerking -at the mournful gait of 60 to the min- ute and anything beyond that brought smoky distress signals from below. But I have gotten ahead of my story, and must revert back two trips. At that time there was friction aboard the Monarch, and it happened in the following manner. It was one of those trips when through the agency of overcrowded docks the Monarch had a few days' delay. This was something which occurred but seldom, so it seemed as if nearly everything aboard needed overhaul- ing. The air pump was opened up for inspection; so was the feed pump and the ballast pump. Slack was ta- ken up on crank pins, journals, and crosshead-shoes, and the port boiler was cleaned. Of course, this was all necessary work and the men pitched in with a will, and when the end was finally reached they still had the bet- ter part of a day in which to attend to their own little affairs. It was then, while gathering up the tools, that an oiler reported a small steel ' kerosene torch missing. An incipient search was started for it without re- sults.- It was renewed on a larger scale, and still no results. Then the "chief" placed himself at the head of the searching party, composed of the full crew, and still that cantankerous torch remained conspicuous by its ab- setice. The air pump cover was lifted again, so was that of the feed pump, and the ballast pump, but no torch was found. As a few hours remained before sailing time the "chief" began speaking of blowing down the port boiler and opening her up. But the limit of endurance was reached. Angry