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: December, 1915 . October Lake Levels ‘The United ‘States Lake Survey re- ports the stages of the Great Lakes for the month of October, 1915, as follows: Feet above Lakes, mean sea level. OUPCHON 2. 602.75 Michigan-Huron:% 20. s.20...4 579.81 Dre GUA ee aa Non ee tees 571.99 Ontario 5 ee A 245.17 Lake Superior is 0.26 foot higher than last month, 0.02 foot higher than 2 year ago, 0.09 foot above the aver- age stage of October of the last 10 years, 0.81 foot below the high stage of October, 1869, and 1.17 feet above the low stage of October, 1879. Dur- ing the last 10 years the October level has averaged about the same as the September level and 0.2 foot higher has averaged 0.3 foot lower than. the September level and 0.3 foot. “higher than the November level. Lake Ontario is 0.28 foot lower than last month, 0.42 foot lower than a year ago, 0.70 foot below the average stage of October, 1861, and 1.50 feet above the low stage of October, 1895. During the last 10 years the October level has averaged 0.4 foot lower than the September level and 0.2 foot high- er than the November level. The following bids were received by the United States engineer at Norfolk, Va., for dredging and rock excavation in James river, Va.: Norfolk Dredging Co., $42,700; A. V. Wills & Son, $42,350; Maryland Dredging & Contracting Co., $34,590; P. Sanford Ross, Inc., $39,134. “Muddling Along” Policy Causes Dilemma THE MARINE REVIEW | 453 ‘southeastward of Minot’s ledge light- house, which shows that the exceed- ingly broken and rocky areas of Stell- wagen ledges and the approaches to Cohasset harbor are duplicated in the deeper water farther eastward. This area had been previously closely sur- veyed by the old method with the lead, but numerous rocks with less depth than had been charted were found. A rock with 25 feet of water over it was found on the sailing line heretofore recommended between Bos- ton and Cape Cod Canal. It lies 1% miles, 114 degrees true (SE. by E. % E. mag.) from Minot’s ledge light- house, in a position where 51. feet was the least depth found by the previous survey with the lead. An- other rock with 21 feet over it was KKK WW " w www" DD Db —Wb—nWWwW)"", ;«WBW:, ww), vv) SSS BCW’W 7 ee Oe er ge ee os eee ee pees shipping men and crews on the Great Lakes resolved to support the Seamen’s law as soon as it went into effect last. month, the irresponsi- bility and negligence of the government whose duty it is to place the law in operation caused much trouble and heavy monetary loss, owing to the lack of proper preparation. Between 4,000 and 5,000 men are eligible to apply for able seamen’s certificates on the Lakes, under the La Follette law. Because the necessary certificates were not sent in time to the various in- spectors, and because the latter were not given a long enough period to handle applications, a heavy congestion of work resulted. Crowds of sailors waited for hours to secure certificates and it is said that. but a small percentage of lake vessels were fully manned according to the requirements of the law on the day it became effective. With the best work that the inspectors can possibly do, it is estimated that they will be kept busy issuing certificates until long after the close of naviga- tion, and possibly until spring. This will make tt im- possible for many ships, regardless of the good will of their operators, to comply with the new law this autumn even though the examiners work at top speed. Similar conditions exist on the Pacific coast. The collector of the port of San Francisco found it neces- sary to telegraph to the secretary of commerce to suspend temporarily the. physical requirements of the law. Of the 2,000 seamen sailing out. of San Francisco _ but a small percentage appeared for certificates and of these 28 per cent were found wanting and denied certi- ficates because of physical deficiencies. A like embar- rassment in the placing of the new law in operation was experienced at Boston. The requirements include — numerous tests of efficiency, such as demonstrations of ES WCW@Ww@CL life boat work, and it was necessary to divide the- Y applicants into groups for examination on various ] steamers. Considering the length of time which the ZY department .of commerce has had to prepare for the Z execution of this law, it seems, to say the least, re- markable that preparations were so incomplete, even bearing in mind the department’s brilliant and un- paralleled past record for efficiency. The contrast be- tween matters as they are and as they should be ts all the more striking, in view of the fair-minded spirit exhibited by shipping men in their willingness to try out the law without shirking their share of the responsibility. WW NS WMWMioie ii ’n"wWwWwéw~wfD py}})Dp_] p95 _ [ 57771} 11 w5ivy WKWGW< EI MUA A VJ0gDZJ. DOH WWW lower than last month, 0.48 foot low- er than a year ago, 0.75 foot below the average stage of October of the last 10 years, 3.13 feet below the high stage of October, 1876, and 0.21 foot above the low stage of October, 1911. During the last 10 years the October level has averaged 0.2 foot lower than the September level and 0.3 foot higher than the November level. Lake Erie is 0.21 foot lower than last month, 0.07 foot lower than a year ago, 0.14 foot below the average stage of October of the last 10 years, 1.71 feet below the high stage of Oc- tober, 1885, and 1.19 feet above the low stage of October, 1895. During the last 10 years the October level Survey Waters Federal coast and geodetic survey parties have made a complete survey this season, by means of a wire drag, of the approaches to the port of Boston and of the coast from there to Plymouth, which takes in the route between Boston and the Cape Cod canal. Numerous patches of pinnacle rocks and boulders have been found by this means. .The department of commerce states with certainty that all dangers, however small in extent, will now be shown on the charts, and that shipmasters can lay a course with certainty to avoid all hidden dangers. A report has just been received of the results of the work eastward and ie found at a point 134 miles, 133 de- grees true (S.S.E,.7/ Eo mae) teou Minot’s ledge lighthouse, in a position where 41 feet was the least depth previously known. Warning Flag The submarine distinguishing and warning flag is hoisted on the tender or parent ship of submarines to in- dicate that submarines are operating in that vicinity. Launches accom- panying submarines also fly this flag. - The submarine warning flag consists: of a rectangular red flag with white center, on which is the profile of a torpedo in black. Vessels seeing this signal should give the escorting ves- sel a wide berth and keep a good lookout for submarines.