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--_ - MARINE REVIEW. | 15 OCEAN AMBULANCES. A writer of one of the London newspapers thus discusses a new plan of ocean patrol to minimize the dangers of the sea which would seem to have many considerations to commend it: The word "missing" is prominent in the shipping annals of late. The mysterious evanishment of the '(Condor and Huronian has not alone set people musing upon the perils of the deep. There are at the present time fifteen other vessels posted at Lloyd's, and the heavy extra rates which are being asked upon them all by underwriters are perhaps the most significant testimony of their fate. It may be argued that the dangers of the sea can never be to any appreciable extent provided against. The menace of the leeshore is largely neutralized upon our own coasts by the heroic and efficient life boat service. That modern delusive averter of the evils of collision, the water-tight bulkhead, may, indeed, enable the owner to insure at higher rates, but how often does it save a ship? Steam is a factor which undoubtedly has added to the security of the mariners' call- ing, yet there are innumerable instances in which it has proved a source of peril undreamed of in the days of tacks and sheets. And beyond this, what are the conditions of the sea life as lived not so much on board the palatial liner as upon the teeming ocean tramp? Are they superior to what they were in the time of Marryat, so far, I mean, as science has lessened the sailor's risk of getting drowned? The theme is one which has occupied the minds of men, although it has thus far been productive of but small practical fruits. To combat the stormy ocean is no mean undertaking, as Dame Partington discovered when she attempted the task with her broom; and as Mr. Bush concluded when he gave over striving to subdue the Goodwin Sands. But there lies before me as I write a little pamphlet dealing with this subject, and de- tailing a plan which appears at once so feasible and so meritorious that I confess I view the obligation of carrying it out almost in the light of a national duty. The title of the slender budget is as follows: "Scheme for an International Blue 'Cross Ocean Life and Salvage Service," and it is compiled by Mr. Henry Forton Craggs, a member of a well-known firm of Middlesbrough ship builders. The author assuredly establishes his claim to speak upon this subject with all the authoritv to be gotten out of long experience when he tells us: "I have been for half a century, ashore and afloat, practically en- gaged with ships, both sailing and steam--designing, building, and sailing wood, iron, and steel vessels. I have stood many a 'gravy eye trick,' and hauled out many a reef-earing."' To anchor such vessels in fixed stations, with soundings running into thousands of fathoms, would be obviously impossible. Nor would the ocean life boats be in a position to most effectively render aid if they lay hopelessly moored. Mr. Craggs' idea is that the latitude and longitude for each upon her station be fixed, within which limits each shall cruise for a specified time, particulars of these positions and dates being punc- tually announced in all marine almanacs, so that it may always be known approximately where a Blue Cross vessel can be found. Briefly, the salient points of Mr. Craggs' comprehensive scheme are the establishment, at certain intervals, along the most frequented of the watery highways of ocean steam life boats, of a type specially designed to withstand the stress of all weathers. The purpose of this fleet is suffi- ciently implied by the character of the vessels forming it. To enhance the utility of this project it must necessarily be' international, and as it would make for the benefit of all sea-going races it is inconceivable that any civilized country would hesitate to acquiesce in the scheme. The service is designed to be, in its relation to the mariners' vocation, practically upon the same footing as that for which the Red Cross is em- blematic in the army. Its primary mission would consist of rendering aid to distressed vessels, and rescuing shipwrecked sailors. But beyond this the functions of floating hospitals and mission stations might be admirably discharged by the little craft. "And I believe," adds this ingenious sailor, "were it known to seamen that on a given date one of the life boats would be within sight of a fixed latitude and longitude, many crippled ships. and crews who have had to abandon ships in their boats, would be saved and accounted for, that now, alas! we only hear of as 'missing.' " A forecast which carries peculiar significance in its appeal at the pres- ent moment, the names of the 'Condor and Huronian still lingering preg- nant with mystery and disaster in the public mind. It needs not that I should do more than broadly indicate the character of Mr. Craggs' scheme in order to enable anybody with the most rudi- mentary knowledge of maritime affairs to immediately perceive the im- mense blessing it would prove to the ocean-borne world. No necessity for me to go into the technical details of these steam life boats and their equipment. The originator of the Blue 'Cross project suggests that the number of life boats and of cruising stations should be fixed by an inter- national board, representing the nations who adopt the scheme, each nation being represented in proportion to its shipping tonnage. Which last point naturally brings us to the consideration of who would defray the cost of this world-wide cordon, girding all the trackless blue highways, with the necessary adjuncts of supply steamers continuously visiting them to replace stores and relieve the crews. But Mr. Craggs has not over- looked this aspect of the matter so comprehensive has he been in evolv- ing his admirable scheme. He not only demonstrates that it can be done, but he tells us on commercial lines how to do it. Starting with the pre- mise that the loss of life and property is a national disaster, he naturally at once puts the matter upon a basis which must indirectly concern all classes in this maritime kingdom. He boldly announces he anticipates that species of opposition which is bred of apprehension for the pocket, and he is beforehand with this objection by providing against the exist- ence of it. No rates, taxes, levies, or tolls form any part of the Blue Cross scheme. On the contrary, the prospect of a lucrative investment is held out in connection with it. And, remembering that the originator of the whole project is himself a prominent man in the important industry of ship building, with a clear, practical knowledge of all features of the sea calling, one would be chary in saying that any detail of this well- thought-out pamphlet is either sanguine or improbable. : Loss of property at sea manifestly means loss of money. . The saving of vessels. which are in jeopardy of being lost forms.a well-defined busi- ness, inasmuch as it already maintains several prosperous salvage; com- panies. Large sums of money are paid for the salvage of vessels; as may be gathered from the fact that the average awards of the admiralty court run to nearly one-third the value of the ship and her freight. eo iene Mr. Craggs put forward his own ideas for the financing of his "The cost of the service," he writes, "which should include an insur- ance and superannuation fund, should be apportioned among the nations served in proportion to their shipping tonnage. . . All salvage of ships or cargoes to go to government account, and to be credited to the service. I estimate that ten life boats and one store boat would serve the North Atlantic, and that this fleet would cost £275,000. This fleet would : be sufficient not only to establish the value of the work, but the need for its extension to other ocean tracks. I think the sum of say, £800,000 could be raised by an issue of Blue Cross 214 per cent. consols." The interest on this issue could be paid, and the working expenses of the life boat fleet provided for, Mr. Craggs computes, by the earnings from sal- vage and special awards. As to who would subscribe the capital, one might safely wager that marine insurance underwriters would see to that. Be this as it may, the conception is a most practicable and beneficent one; and while it is characteristic that it should come from a British sailor, it would be fitting that the great international scheme for the welfare of all who go down to the sea in ships should be established by the first maritime power in the world. GOLD DREDGES OPERATED BY ELECTRIC MOTORS. Gold dredges operated by electric motors are doing much to reclaim the enormous wealth of gold lost by the wasteful methods of early placer mining. The Bucyrus Gold Dredging Co. has recently purchased from the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co. of Pittsburgh a large amount of electrical machinery for the operation of its dredges in Cali- fornia. The chief point of activity in California, at the present time, is on the Feather river at Oroville. In early mining days in California the Feather river was the scene of great activity in placer mining, many million dollars worth of gold being taken out of Feather river canyon, A great deal of this gold, owing to primitive methods of handling, was not saved and was deposited with the "slickens" on the flats at. the mouth of the canyon, below Oroville. An area of about 10,000 acres is now being partially worked over by gold dredges. Hydraulic mining having been prohibited and the bed rock being found at a great depth, the only feasible method of lifting this gold bearing gravel from the bed of the river or old channels is by the dredging process of mining. The profits of operation have frequently been $1,000 per dredge daily. Each dredger costs from $40,000 to $75,000, depending on its capacity. The operation of the dredge is accomplished entirely by electric motors, the current for which is obtained from long distance transmission companies, operating in this neighborhood. Transformers are usually placed upon the bank to lower the voltage of long distance lines and flexible cables from the bank to the top of the dredge, and from there to the various motors. There are usually installed motors of an aggregate capacity of 75 H.P. to 200 H.P. on each dredge. A variable-speed Westinghouse induction motor drives a counter-shaft from which the main dredging buckets are operated. These buckets raise the material from the bed of the river to the shaking screens on the top of the dredge. TO MAKE FOUNDRY IRON. One hundred acres of land, occupying the lake front at South Buffalo, adjoining the Lackawanna Steel Co.'s site on the city side and extending to the frontage owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad Co., are under option by Frank H. Goodyear, S. W. Goodyear and William A. Rogers. In regard to fifty acres of this 100 acres, Mr. 'Rogers of the firm of Rogers, Brown & Co., has issued the following statement: "William A. Rogers of Rogers, Brown & Co., and F. H. & C. W. Goodyear are proposing to build in Buffalo two large, modern blast furnaces for the manufacture of foundry pig iron. An option has been secured on about fifty acres of land in the vicinity of the Stony Point steel plant, which will no doubt be chosen as the site. It is expected that each of the furnaces will produce about 400 tons of pig iron per day. The offi- cers as so far arranged are: W. A. Rogers, president; Frank H.. Good- year, first vice-president; Charles W. Goodyear, second vice-president. The ownership is equally divided between the Goodyear firm and Mr. Rogers. It is expected that work will be begun during the summer and completed within the following eighteen months or two years. The com- pany will have its own ore properties in the Lake Superior district and coal mines of coking coal in Pennsylvania. The capital to be employed in the furnace plant, ore mines and coal operations is $3,000,000. The motor department of the Johnson Works of the Lorain Steel Co.'s plant at Johnstown has been sold to the Westinghouse Electrical Manufacturing Co. of Pittsburgh. ok