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20 ' MARINE REVIEW. MARINE REVIEW Devoted to the Merchant Marine, the Navy, Ship Building, and Kindred Interests. Published every Thursday at No. 418-19 Perry-Payne building, Cleveland, Ohio, by THE MARINE REVIEW PUBLISHING Co. SupscripTion—$3.00 per year in advance; foreign, including postage, $4.50, or 19 shillings. Single copies 10 cents each. Convenient binders sent, post paid, $1.00. ' Advertising rates on application. Entered at Cleveland Post Office as Second-class Mail Matter. To All Old Sailing Masters on the Great Lakes. The Marine Review is desirous of obtaining the experiences of old sailing masters on the lakes and the histories of the old vessels which they sailed, together with photographs or pictures of them and their craft. These old sailing masters and their vessels are a part of the history of the great lakes which is fast becoming obliterated by the revolution in lake transporta- tion. This history is of a perishable nature because it exists largely in the memories of men who have spent the greater part of their lives on the lakes. If it is not preserved now it never will be preserved. The Marine Review therefore begs old captains and mates and vessel owners to write a brief ac- count of their lives, their experiences on the lakes and the histories of the vessels upon which they sailed. The Review will both publish and pay for the matter. Never mind spelling, punctu- ation and diction; the Review will furnish those; just relate the facts. The Review hopes that every old sailing master will take this as an appeal to him personally and jot down during his winter evenings a rough sketch of his life. For instance, but little is known about Lake Superior navigation prior to the opening of the Sault Ste. Marie canal. Who knows about it? Has anyone any pictures of the vessels afloat on Lake Superior at that time. If so, send them to the Review to be photographed and they will be promptly returned in good condition. By the same token, does anyone know of the first steamboat line that ran between Detroit and the Sault? Representative ‘Charles H. Grosvenor has introduced a bill in the house of representatives to amend the law governing the use of the steam craft in such manner that its provisions shall apply to all boats propelled by gas, fluid, naphtha or electric motors which are used for hire. The law as amended not long ago so as to apply to vessels propelled by gas, electric and naphtha engines, provides for the employment of licensed engineers and pilots and compliance with the requirements of United States gov- ernment inspection for craft of 15 tons burden or larger. The amendment offered by Mr. Grosvenor proposes to strike out this limitation of size and bring under such provision all craft used for profit or hire. Legis- lation tending in this direction, or to the extension of the complete law now governing the use of steam vessels, has been attempted at intervals during the past ten years without any show of success, until in the last instance when the present law was passed. Owners of electric, gas and naphtha launches made no remonstrance to the present law, as its scope was so restricted by the clause which the Grosvenor bill proposes to revoke. The Grosvenor bill, if passed, would work a great hardship to merchants engaged in a small way along river and harbor fronts. A small launch for the quick delivery of packages is absolutely essential to their business. It is absurd to claim that it is necessary for the merchant to employ a licensed engineer and pilot to operate such a craft. Such a measure would put him out of business, for it would more than consume his monthly profits. He could not afford to hire an engineer and pilot and, were the law enforced, he would have to deliver his goods in a row- boat. There is another element of danger in the Grosvenor bill. Should it pass it would be but a step to revoke the clause now confining the scope to boats used for hire and thus bring all power craft under the necessity of empioying licensed engineers and pilots in their operation. The great majority of owners of craft who now derive much pleasure from that source of recreation would prefer to sell their boats rather than to submit to the imposition of such a law. It is quite probable that Mr. Grosvenor has introduced the bill by request without comprehending the exact situation, but doubtless under the impression that it would benetit the people at large. It would really work an injury to the people at large; and is moreover. a serious interference with personal rights. A man cer- tainly should have the right to invest in a little naphtha launch without putting an engineer and pilot upon his pay roll forever, [January 10, cba The river and harbor bill, carrying the list of appropriations men- tioned in the last issue of the Review, was presented to the house of representatives on Wednesday. ‘Mr. Burton made a masterly exposition of the bill and was cheered by his colleagues in the house. Several at- tacks were made upon the measure by members who thought that they had not fared well enough and others who thought that the great lakes were faring too well, but Mr. Burton was enabled to meet their arguments, It is quite likely that the bill will pass the house in much the shape in which it is presented. An interesting incident in the debate in the house was the presence of Senator Hanna, who, it is represented in the press, will attack the provisions of the bill which apply to the extension of the ‘Cleveland breakwater. It is given as the senator’s opinion that the goy- ernment should provide merely for a harbor of refuge and ior nothing else. If this be correct, the Review believes that the senator takes a some- what too restricted view of the case. The battle of the cities along the lakes is on. The south shore of Lake Erie is going to be the future fighting ground of the great industrial-organizations. Particularly is this true in its relation to iron and steel making and its subsidiaries. That city is going to win which has the greater accommodation. The Review hopes to see the day when the entire stretch of lake front from) Waverly avenue to Gordon park will be literally teeming with industries, each with a waterway to a convenient dock. The first requisite to obtain this condi- tion is an adequate breakwater. It would come with sorry grace indeed were Cleveland deprived of its industrial prestige through its own senator. Chicago owns very few vessels, but in the little group of men on the Board of Trade that look after lake freights and insurance on millions o1 bushels of grain moved by the water route to Buffalo from the western metropolis there is as much brain and business ability as can be found in , any other branch of the lake trade. One of this group drops the Review a line regarding Capt. D. Sullivan’s announcement that he has taken up business on his own account. He says: ‘Capt. Sullivan has gone into business with his son at No. 2 Sherman street, under the name of Sullivan & Co. No man stands higher on the Board of Trade than does Sullivan, and he is one of the brainiest vessel agents ever on the floor. Besides this, he belongs to the generation of vesselmen who do not squeeze their pennies in their business. He is a generous, whole-souled fellow, thor- ough, painstaking and upright in business, and worthy of anything that may be said in commending him to the vessel interests.” A late report from the Suez canal directors shows that during 1899 there passed through the canal 3,607 vessels, representing an aggregate burden of 9,895,630 tons. This is a gain of 104 vessels and 667,017 tons over the previous year. Only 327 vessels passed through the canal for the first time. Vessels passing through the canal under quarantine are compelled to avoid any contact with the land, and must stop at night if not provided with electric headlights. Over 90 per cent cf the vessels going through were properly provided with headlights, and their average time was 15 hours and 41 minutes. Although in 1898 over 94 per cent of the vessels were fitted with headlights, the average time for boats so pro- vided was two minutes longer than in 1899. The American Highway & Steamship ‘Co., which was recently formed in New York, proposes, according to incorporation papers, to go into the ship building business and to carry on a general marine freight traftic. The ship building feature of the incorporation papers is probably inserted simply for the purpose of enabling the company to take up ship building if it is thought advisable to do so. The capital is $2,000,000 and in addi- tion there will be an issue of $2,000,000 of bonds. Funds from the sale of bonds will apply upon the construction of ships and the bondholders wil! be secured by mortgage and insurance on the ships. The vessels which it is proposed to build will be of about 10,000 tons each. Charles R. Flinr is interested in the company, and he says that companies will be formed in case the ship subsidy bill was passed. _ Representative Burton, chairman of the committee on rivers and harbors, house of representatives, and Representative Foss, chairman of the committee on naval affairs, have arranged to visit Seatttle and other points on Puget sound after the adjournment of congress. Other mem- bers of these committees will probably join them in the trip. Consider- able pressure is being exercised to obtain additional apppropriations for rivers and harbors and for the enlargement of the Puget sound naval station. : The provision in the Pacific cable bill that the cable must be of American manufacture means much to the American Steel & Wire Cox should the measure pass. This company is the only concern in the United States which could manufacture the cable within the time specified. The first cable is estimated to cost $11,000,000, the second cable the same figure, and other connections will cost about $600,000 additional.