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ST a a Vidal shoal between the canal and Big Point was sounded, but not quite completed. Work on the St. Mary’s new improvement was con- tinued. Water guage, markings were continued with the following result: Above locks 601,84 feet above sea level; below locks 582:01 feet; mean difference 19.83 feet. St. Mary’s Falls Canal, Michigan, was opened to nav- igation April 25, since which time to June 2, 539 boats have passed through the lock. Owing to the unusually large number of boats passed, six men of the labor party were employed in assisting the lock force. Depth of water over the platforms averaged 13.9 feet. The canal postoffice handled 14,177 letters, 376 postal cards, 868 newspapers and 74 parcels. During the month 524 more vessels passed than in May, 1894. The increase in freight tonnage was 255,340 tons andin passengers 277. The improvement in Hay Lake channel has steadily progressed except in the first section, where little was done on account of the dredge breaking down. At St. Clair flats four tons of fertilizer were put on the dikes. In the Detroit River one dredge has been clearing up ‘the area from which the boulders were removed last fall. Anarea 800 feet long and 300 feet wide west of Grosse Isle ranges was dredged. Another dredge com- menced work May 9 at a point 1,100 feet below the upper end of the obstraction, working down stream over an area 800 feet long and 300 feet wide toa clear depth of eighteen feet. : ee LAKE FREIGHT SITUATION. After being held down to 50 cents for several days the Escanaba ore rate, went back on Wednesday to 55 eents with Marquette firm at 75 cents and the head of the lakes at 85 cents. The Buffalo coal market is firm with not too much tonnage at hand; present quotations are 50 cents Chic- ago, Racine or Sheboygan, 45 cents Milwaukee. Toledo tate declined to 25 cents: a drop: of 5 cents from the former rates. Ohiocoal freights have been more than quiet all week, although there has been inquiries for Lake Michigan, yet, there is little coal coming in nor are very heavy shipments -expected. for some days. During the week 50 cents was paid from Erie to Mil- watukee, Ohio ports 40 to 45 cents and 30 cents to the head of the lakes, but coal is scarce on account of a large number of cars being tied up with ore at furnaces and again the mines are not getting out their usual quantity of coal at this time of the year. ‘The Chicago grain trade is at a low rate, and there has not been enough grain handled during the week to ‘keep the line boats loaded even at a1 cent rate on all kinds of grain. —_— DD ee SANDY HOOK SEARCH LIGHT. Experiments are to continue with the monster search light which was erected some time ago at the army prov- ing ground at Sandy Hook, which was on the roof of the Manufactures building at the World’s fair, and was purchased from its German maker by the War Depart- ment. A recent report on the operations with this search light shows that it will not be as valuable an auxiliary in coast defense as was originally supposed. The lampis mounted on an iron tower which has a granite base. It is found that a small boat can easily avoid the intense shaft of. light with a little dexterous and careful navigation. The boats which have been used are small, fleet and easily changeable, and more- over are painted'so as to be undistinguishable. One difficulty in making observations is that it is almost impossible to distinguish objects while standing near the light. This has resulted in the provision of a mechanism which allows the light to be changed in-its vertical and horizontal motions from a distance by either hand or electric power. A metalic shutter has been added to the light, so that it may be used for sig- naling purposes after the manner of the much weaker oil lanterns which are used in the army signal service. The opening and closing of the shutters, which disclose or hide the light, can be made to conform to the Morse code of dots and dashes. Of course, a cipher code can be easily utilized in transmitting messages to a friendly fleet at a distance. The Sandy Hook search light plant consists of one search light complete, with a parabolic glass mirror 60 inches in diameter and furnished with a horizontal self- focusing arc lamp. One steam engine of 20 horse- power, arranged for direct coupling with a dynamo of THE MARINE RECORD. 160 amperes and 70 volts, the whole being of sufficient capacity to produce an intensity of light equal to about 200,000,000 candle power. Special measuring and con- trolling ‘devices, such as voltmeter, and amperemeter, safety fuses, rheostat with switch board, etc., are pro- vided as part of the plant. The steam engine and dy- naino are located near the boiler pertaining to the ma- chine shop. EEE a VISIBLE GRAIN SUPPLY, The stocks of grain in Chicago elevators last Satur- day evening were 17,585,000 bushels of wheat, 5,502,000 bushels of corn, 2,146,000 bushels of oats, and 37,000 bushels of rye. ‘Total, 25,270,000 bushels of all kinds of grain, against 22,421,000 bushelsa year ago. For the same date the Secretary of the Chicago Board of Trade states the visible supply of grain in the United States and Canada as 47,717,000 bushels of wheat, 10,785,000 bushels of corn, 8,686,000 bushels of oats. 117,000 bushels of rye, and 118,000 bushels of barley. These figures are smaller than the corresponding ones a week ago by = 2,022,000 in wheat and 707,000 in corn. ‘The visible sup- ply of wheat for the corresponding week a year ago decreased 1,106,000 bushels. rr sc CASUALTIES OF THE WEEK. : The seven days that have elapsed since the last issue of the RECORD appeared, have been one of the luckiest weeks for the lake fleet that have passed this season. There were, however, two very narrow escapes from se- rious disaster by collision. The schooner H. Taber ar- rived at Cheboygan, Mich., Saturday evening minus her | jib-boom and cat-head, lost in a collision with an nn- known steamer the night previous, in the Straits. This is Supposed to be the: EF. C. Pope, which FERCEES a col- lision in which she escaped damage. On Thursday night the Bulgaria and Vega had such a close shave on Lake Superior that the Vega sustained some damage. Both the above accidents were attribu- ted to fog. Capt. James Davidson, the silboueise Bay City ship builder, was in personal command of the steamer Rob- ert Holland, towing the Lizzie Law, when he met the steam barge Salina, which gave the first signal. Capt. Davidson was afraid of going aground, and blew a cross whistle. The Salina and Law collided, and the former now rests on the bottom of Saginaw River, where the . troubled occurred. ‘There is quite a dispute over dam- ages. The schooner Porter, in tow of the steamer St. Paul, struck on Vienna shoal on Wednesday, and was found to be leaking considerably when she was released, but her own pumps kept her free and she proceeded on in tow. THE NEW BATTLESHIPS. The contention of the naval ordnance officers that the armor belt on the new battleships should be raised - one foot higher than is designed, is warmly combated by Chief Constructor Hichborn. Commodore Sampson, chief of ordnance, declared that the belt as planned is but three feet above and: four feet six inches below the water, with only 500 tons of coal on board, and when a supply of 1,300 tons isin the ship the belt is but eighteen inches above water and six feet under. If the supply of coal is increased to 1,600 tons, as is stated may be done, the belt will be less than one foot out of water. It is nearly always the case that the‘draft of a ship, espe- cially a large one, exceeds the estimated draft. The improvements, added fittings, etc., not unfrequently tend tosuch a result. Whena ship isin action and fighting, one side the ship has an inclination to the fighting side, which further submerges the armor on that side, which is also the side attacked. While the protection to be furnished by the belt is for an average draft, it should not be overlooked that when a ship goes into action with her belt armor almost submerged, she loses the protection which it ought to furnish, and there is no remedy for the difficulty, whereas, if she is forced to fight with more of her belt exposed than the com- manding officer deems prudent, he has the effeetive rem- edy of admitting water to the double bottom. If these vessels were put to seain time of war it would be with pound of coal they could carry, and if the sup- ply became reduced to 500 tons, prudence would require them to renew their supply. For all these reasons it is believed that it would be wasteful of protection to place the armor belt so low. -carry foresail, ACTIVELY BENEVOLENT. steno Capt. Edward Evans, of the steamer M. C. Neff, with — the assistance of Capt. James Hogan and John F. Ho- dell, all old friends of the late Capt. Edward Stines, _ who with his son lost their lives on the steamer Chicora, succeeded in obtaining $490 on behalf of the deceased © captain’s widow, who was left in poor circumstances after the lossof her husbandand son. Following isthe list of donations: et O. S. Richardson Fuel- Geo. Warrington. p ing Cons Aiea kemes ..$50.00° A: C. Johnson... Independent Tug Line. 25.00: Peter.Ott......:... Goodrich Transporta- L. Windmuller tonmiCoicei ati ... 25.00 EK. R. Coughlan......... Becker & Jackson....... 25,00 D. R. Cameron.......... Lake Mich. & Lake Su- Donaldson Bros........ 5.00 perior Trans. Co. ... 25.00 John Mohr & Sons.... 5.00 Independent Fuel Co.. 25.00 G. Whistlar:.....j2.005. 5.00 New Kentucky Coal Tobin & Hamler...... 5.00. CO. el eee eee eee 25.00 J. B. Bates & Co........ 5.00 Miller Bros. Dry Dock H. Channon Co...,..... 5.00 Cou gine Ns tes . 25,00 Dunham Towing & Northern Michig an Wrecking Co......... 5.00 Ttatis, Conia: 25.00 James A. Reeves...... 5:00 Martin Ryerson.......... 25.00 James Rogers........... 5.00’ T. B. Banner... ----- 25.00 Capt. James Hogan... 5.00 W. P. Rend & Co. ...... 10.00 Capt. Wm. Evans..... 5.00 Geo. B. Carpenter... fines 10.00 Capt. Edward Evans. 5.00 Chas. F. Elmes.........., 10.00 John F. Hodell......... 5.00 Robt, Tarrant............ 10.00 Capt. John Roberts... 5.00 Robt. EH. Hills. .:. ....... 15.00 Martin McNulty....... 2.00 — Jolin Ford.........:.0.:.25. 10.00 Capt.Wm.Chamberlin 1.00 Cape Wm. Hudsons . 10.00 Wim. Musgrave......... 2.00 Bera en 5.00 ON Sehattieens 8 ..... 5.00 A. Westendorf. FLOTSAM, JETSAM AND LAGAN. The Charles Wall will tow behind the Germania this season. The schooner Augustus is getting repairs at penton Harbor. The new steamer Islander is almost completed at St. Joseph, Mich. - Gow & Campbell, of Wence nave out a force pump on their.tug Boss. 768 ‘The dredge Hamlin, from ireeoutel is deepening the water over the sand bar at Port Colborne to 17 feet. Steambarges entering Toledo are requested not to as vessels astern cannot see the range lights. John H. and Guy Gillette of Marquette, were arrested by U.S. authorities on charge of dumping ashes in the harbor there, - Capt. Long of the City of Rome, advises deep draft. boats to keep well to the Canadian side at the head of _the St. Clair River. Several big tugs engaged in the trans-Lake Huron logging trade have become excellent customers for the Alpena fuel docks. The Canadian steamers Edna Brydges and Algoma collided Wednesday, the 12that Rat Portage. The latter was badly damaged. There is now 18 feet of water between the harbor piers at Sheboygan, Wis., but in the river channel the depth does not exceed 16 feet. The schooner J. B. Kitchen has completed repairs at Port Huron, and has taken on at Alpena the same cargo of plaster with which she got into trouble. She is now carrying it to Chicago. Capt. Kirtland, who is one of the oldest and best ‘known of the Lake Michigan masters, has invented a patent sounding apparatus that is said to be perfect. It was tried ona fast boat recently and no trouble was found in obtaining a true depth of ten fathoms while the boat was moving at a 16-mile gait. Referring to the location opposite Sweet’s mill on the Sault river, where the consorts of the steamer Shenan- doah grounded. T. R. Harvey says it may be well to note that there isa mud shoal at this point which has already cost the vessel interests $100,000. There is no red stake at this point, and the black stake is shifted nearly 6,000 feet out of position, down the channel. The Tamarack and Osceola mining companies have definitely announced their intention of building new coal and merchandise docks at Dollar Bay, cost $60,000. The new dock will entail a longer rail haul to the mines, but will save charges of 10 to 50 cents a ton now made by the Calumet & Mt. Hecla Co., through the Torch Lake Canal on all Cargoes going on Lake Linden. Nine thousand persons contributed $2,250 to the Pilot’s Benevolent Association and the Marine charities of New York by visiting the new American Liner St. Louis at her pier at the foot of Fulton street, in New York.