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THE MARINE RECORD. Ss It will be seen from this statement that it is late in the day to be discussing the evidences of a Northwest Passage, Whether it is ever open all the way from ocean to ocean is another question, but even if such be the case, the Passage is of no commercial value. aaa ea LAKE FREIGHTS. As announced last week the Lake Superior ore rate from the head of the lakes has since touched the 90-cent limit though it has simmered down again to the old figure of 85 cents with 75 cents from Marquette and 55 cents from Escanaba. Coal freights are brightening up and there is now more life in Chicago grain shipments although rate is still at 1 cent, taken chiefly by the Line boats. Wheat to Toledo 1% cents and oats to Port Huron at 1 cent. While many shippers early in the spring contracted to bring down large blocks of ore are behind in their contracts, and have, during the past’ week, chartered outside tonnage to help out, still while we must chron- icle carrying charges on wild cargoes as 10 or 15 cents higher than they were at this time a year ago, earnings of the boats show very little increase. The difference in shipments in the month of May and the same month in 1894 is only a little over 50,00 tons, as in April last year about 50,000 tons were shipped from Lake Superior ports. With better prices for ore and much stronger demand and consumption this year, the output is bound to be larger than last season. Coal shipments have been very light up to date, anda large number of boats \hat have been going up light will goin that trade later. Coal men will be in the market for tonnage the balance of the season and if there is any change in.the ore freight situation there is every reason to believe that it will be in the vessel owners’ favor. : The freight market during the past week was quite active and while some weak spo’s showed up early in the week, they have nearly all disappeared, and the feeling in coal and ore freights is firm, Escanaba car- goes were more plentiful than boats Saturday, and while regular shippers refused to pay more than 55 cents some owners were hopeful of getting an advance this week, in spite of the fact that Chicago is doing little or nothing. The rate from the head of Lake Superior holds steady at 85 cents. ~ Coal cargoes for Lake Michigan ports were offered quite freely last week and several that were consigned to slow docks at Milwaukee went without takers, although 5 cents above the regular rate was offered. Blocks of coal have been covered at 32% and 35 cents, while the wild rate is strong at 30 cents. DO TO REPLACE A FOUNDERED STEAMER. The Lehigh Valley line is preparing to build another steamer to replace the foundered steamer Cayuga. Manager Henry recently said in reply to a question on the subject: “Ido not want to say too much about it, but I presume we shall build. We havn’t boats enough to keep us going. I am going east to see about it right away.’? There was something said about the Tacoma, which is now in the place of the Cayuga, being enough to do the work, but Manager Henry did not accept the suggestion. son but not for the future and Captain Henry always knows what he is talking about though when the new contract is placed it will probably go to the Globe Iron Works Co. rr a A MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT. And now it is learned that the employes at the ship- yards down east are: rejoicing over the announcement that the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry-Dock Co, have secured the contract for building a $500,000 steel passenger and freight steamship for the Cromwell Line, the vessels of which run between New York and New Orleans. The steamer is to be 325 feet long, 44 feet beam,and 33 feet deep. She will have accommodations for 400 steer- age passengers. She will be equipped with 3,500 horse- power triple expansion engines and all latest improve- ments. Her speed is to be 15 knots an hour. She must be completed within eight months, or about the same time the big Plant Line steamer is to be turned over to The Tacoma would have to do for this sea- | her owners. The two vessels will cost over $1,000,000. Several hundred men will be added to the force at the yard in the near future. The Newport News Shipbuild- ing & Dry-Dock Co. has more work on hand at present than at any other time since its establishment five years ago. The three gunboats for the government will be launched within the next sixty days. —_ LEED + a LIGHT-HOUSE APPOINTMENTS. The secretary has made the following appointments in the light-house service: ‘‘Homer K. Page, keeper of light station at Windmill point; George S. Holden, as- sistant keeper at Detour station; S. P. Roger, keeper at. St. Clair salt range; Otto Redman, second assistant keeper at Port Austin reef; Sidney A. Knox, assistant at St. Mary’s Fallcanalrange; John D. Wuffy, assistant keeper at St. Clair: flats range; A. W. Burke, third as- sistant keeper at Spectacle reef; Kdgar B. Adams, assistant at Thunder Bay island and Walter Anning, assistant at Charity island, and Herbert N. Burrows, keeper at Port Austin reef. ED oo CHIEF HARRINGTON RETIRED. Prof. Mark W. Harrington, chief of the Weather > Bureau, has been removed by the President, the order being made public Tuesday. ‘There has been friction between Prof. Harrington and Secretary Morton, his official chief, for some time. On June 19, according to the statement which Mr. Harrington makes public, the President requested his resignation ‘‘ because of per- sonal interests,’’ as Prof. Harrington phrases it He de- clined to resign and the President directed has, removal, to take effect with the beginning of the ne Wear, July 1. Prof. Harrington was appointed by Secretary Rusk in 1890, from Michigan, because of his long acquaintance with meteorological matters. He was a member of the faculty of Ann Arbor University, and had the influence of the Senators from that state. Professor Harrington says that he has been made a martyr to political necessities. ‘‘ Among the public in- PROF. MARK W. HARRINGTON. terests which I have steadily in view,’’ said he, ‘‘ were the preservation of the scientific corps and the protec- tion of the bureau from the spoilsmen. When a scienti- fic bureau descends to the four year office-holding plan, it at once loses prestige and ceases to be a desirable post for competent men.” ED Oe OE A BUFFALO CONTRACT PLACED AT CHICAGO. The city of Buffalo, N. Y., awarded the contract for their police patrol boat to the Marine Iron Works, Chi- cago, Ill., and delivery of this steam yacht (Australia) in charge of Capt. Pete Larson will be made under her ownsteam. She will clear from Chicago Wednesday, July 3d, making short stops en route at Milwaukee, Manitowoc, Mackinac Island, Rogers City, Port Huron, Detroit, Cleveland, Erie and Dunkirk. Her principal dimensions are: Length of hull 50 feet, beam 10% feet, draft 40 inches. Triple expansion condensing engine; diameter of cylinders 4%x7 and 12 inches by 8-inch stroke. Boiler allowed 165 pounds steam pressure. The Australia is a handsome, seaworthy craft, a credit to her builders, and those interested in steam yachting should make it a point to inspect her, although as prompt delivery is contracted for, she will only re- main at the above ports over night. OBITUARY. (Capt. THOMAS ENGLISH). Another of the old-time lake masters has passed away in the person of Capt. Thomas English, who died last Friday morning at the residence of his son, Mr. Wm. T. English, on 178 Fifth street, Detroit. Capt. English had been apparently in the best of health up to the night of his death. On Thursday he was moving about the city, and ate heartily that even- ing. Shortly after midnight the family heard his breathing with difficulty, and found him suffering from heart failure. He lived but a short time. ‘Capt. English sailed the lakes for over 50 years, and during his early career was an associate before the mast with Capt. Joe Nicholson, of Detroit, and other well-known mariners who have since died or gone into other vocations. He was known at every point along the entire chain of lakes and had friends everywhere. About 12 years ago he sold out his vessel interests and settled down in Detroit to enjoy the fruits of his busy life and hazardous calling. His brother, Capt. Alex. English, equally well-known on the lakes, died a year or two ago at his home in Chicago. The captain left a widow, two sons and two daugh- ters. The sons, William T. and Norman English, have been in the plumbing and heating business in Detroit for many years. The funeral services were held at the residence Sunday. CAPTAIN BENJAMIN ACKLEY. Capt. Benjamin Ackley was buried Tuesday afternoon. He was born in Cleveland in 1816, and began sailing early in life. He first visited Chicago at the age of 18, when he was in command of a sailing vessel. Twenty years later, in 1854, he settled there permanently, start- ing a wholesale coal business. His fortune was swept away in the panic of 1873. He made another by building railroads, but again met with business reverses, and died a poor man. VISIBLE GRAIN SUPPLY. The stocks of grain in Chicago elevators last Satur- day evening were 17,365,000 bushels of wheat, 4,603,000 bushels of corn, 2,124.000 bushels of oats, and 34,000 bushels of rye. Total, 24,126,000 bushels of all kinds of grain, against 20,840,000 bushels a year ago. Forthe same date the secretary of the Chicago Board of Trade states the visible supply of grain in the United States and Canada as. 44,561,000 bushels of wheat, 9,060,000 bushels of corn, 7,018,000 bushels of oats, 146,000 bushels of rye, and 134,000 bushels of barley. These figures are smaller than the corresponding ones a week ago by 1,664,000 in wheat and 439,000 in corn. ‘The visible sup- ply of wheat for the corresponding week a year ago decreased 1,195,000 bushels. rr 6 A STEEL SCOW. On the lakes as elsewhere wooden vessels are giving way to metal craft,and as we noted a week:or two ago the launch of the first steel schooner or tow-barge to be put afloat on the lakes we may now chronicle the fact of a steel scow having been successfully launched last week at Sault. St. Marie. The well-known contracting firm of Dunbar & Sulli- van built last winter at the Soo a steel dump scow to be used in their dredging work. ‘The scow cost the moder- ate sum of about $10,000, and is the first one of the kind ever built.on the lakes. She is 162 feet long, 25 feet wide and 11 feet high. She has eight pockets or com- partments with a capacity of 400 yards. The scow or lighter will shortly be taken to Montreal to be used by Dunbar & Sullivan in a dredging contract on the Lachine Canal. A similar dump scow will be placed on the ways at once and rushed to completion in a much shorter time than it took to build No. 1. ——— a rr ——___. NOTICE TO MARINERS. Notice is hereby given that the Red Spar Buoy, mark- ing Calumet Entrance, North, off South Chicago, I11., has gone adrift. By order of the Light-House Board: Com. J. H. Davton, U. S. N., Inspector 9th L,. H. District.