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6: THE MARINE RECORD. EEE aa THE MARINE RECORD ESTABLISHED 1878. PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY, AT 144 SUPERIOR ST., (LEADER BUILDING), CLEVELAND, O. IRVING B. SMITH, CAPT. JOHN SWAINSON, BRANCH OFPICE: PROPRIETORS CHICAGO, ILL, 238 Lake Street. THOMAS WILLIAMS, Associate Editor. SUBSCRIPTION. One copy, one year, postage paid, One copy, one year, to foreign countries, . Invariably in advance. $2 00 $3 00 ADVERTISING. Rates given on application. Entered at Cleveland Post Office as Second-class Mail Matter. CLEVELAND, O., OCTOBER 24, 1895. Sn CEE! THE lake fraternity are sincerely sorry to lose so efficient an officer as Major Ruffoer, of the engineer corps, who has been stationed at Buffalo, He had the lake work, and particularly Buffalo’s harbor interests, truly at heart. He will go to his new field of work with the best wishes and friendship of all. ——— rd rr THE proposed united action to secure government reg- ulation of the speed and handling of vessels in the St. Mary’s River is certainly praiseworthy, although somewhat tardy. Most of the collisions which have occurred .in narrow channels this season have resulted from the reck- less and inconsiderate actions of other vessels which escaped damage. It has meant the loss to the under- writers of what is the equivalent of a large individual fortune during the past few months or since freights were _ restored to a paying basis. The loss of time to the ves-. sels has meant the sacrifice of many thousands of dollars by the owners of the unfortunate boats. This is not right, and the remedy is easily applied. ———— or ee Tue government is rapidly getting rid of some of those old sea dogs who have stood the Navy in such good stead inthe past. It is now announced that Rear Admiral Kirkland had been detached from duty and ordered home, He will probably apply at once for retirement. This grows out of the fault found by the government with a letter written to M. Faure, congratulating the latter on his election to the presidency of the French Rebublic. The Admiral represented that the letter was of a purely personal character, and was written in his private capac- ity. The government has differed from him in respect to the propriety of the letter, and the Admiral has doubtless grown tired of serving under people who busy themselves so much with trifles that they have‘no time to attend to the greater questions now presenting ‘themselves to the United States. rr 00 NEVER has the fact that the day of small boats isin its twilight been so pointedly emphasized as during this sea- son. Last year good weather afforded some partial com- pensation for low freights, but the little fellows were able to make but a few trips at good figures this season with- out encountering gales which either wrecked them beyond hope of repair or left a repair bill which was very large in proportion to the value of the boat. This has been the case in scores of instances, and while there have been a number of heavy repair bills on large steamers due to stranding or collision, the loss in proportion to the total value of the investment, was very much lighter. Then too, the losses on the smaller boats have in an exception- ally large number of cases fallen, where they could be ill afforded, in a few cases meaning almost ruin to the un- lucky owner who sailed his little craft themselves. Of course, owners of boats engaged in inter-lake trade were to a degree protected by insurance, but they can see which way the wind blows, and when they save any money from the wreck, are inclined to put it into the large steel craft. This may be taken as an indication that theimpetus given to shipbuilding, is by no means exhausted, even in re- spect to boats for next season’s trade. BADLY MIXED UP. A “correspondent” of a lake contemporary takes occa- sion to slur the charts issued by the Hydrographic office in a way that only tends to throw a lurid light upon his own ignorance, and to make him the laughing stock, were his identity known, of a very large and growing class of lake navigators. He writes as follows of the new en- gineer’s chart of Lake Superior: It differs from the Navy chart in that itis up to date, larger scale, and on the polycomic instead of the Merca- tor. The Mercator projection permits a given course to be platted in a straight line, but to do this the scale of the map varies, and it becomes a difficult matter to obtain correct distances between headlands. * * * The Navy chart (Mecator) is a navigator’s chart, while the Poe (en- gineers’) is a pilot’s chart, and for that reason I believe it better suited for the needs of the lake interests. You can readily test the two charts as regards scale, and you will see the difference. I am glad the engineer corps has been able to get ‘out this chart because it will show the character of charts that the engineer corp can furnish as opposed to such compilations of doubtful accuracy as the Navy has hitherto published. Most of the Jatter are simply copies of the old engineer’s charts, very imper- fectly brought up to date, and on the Mercator projection, which is the correct projection for ocean charts, but for coast charts I do not believe to be of much use for head- land to headland sailing. The charge of inaccuracy in scale, made against the Navy, or hydrographic charts, is about as novel as it is groundless. hundred charts of the Navy issue, and this is the first complaint that has been heard of. Some masters have found themselves slightly bewildered, and have called in to ask for instructions regarding measurements; but none-of them have shown the over-weening conceit to declare at fault. a system on which ocean navigation has been followed since charts were first invented. But the writerintimates that this sort of thing is all right on the ocean, where there’ is plenty of room; but the charts are of little usein “headland to headland sailing.” If this be true the poor wretches who are engaged in the coasting trade of the United States are certainly working at a very great disadvantage. The “correspondent” doesn’t seem to realize it, but they really are as rocky coasts and prominent headlands on salt water as on fresh.. Fortunately these people understand the scale of these charts, and.don’t try to measure with a two-foot rule, and to compute by statute miles, a most laborious * method of calculation. The scale of the hydrographic chart alters, it is true, with the degree of latitude; but thisis only in the interest of greater accuracy, and if this “correspondent” will apply his dividers to the sida of the chart abreast of the locality where he has taken his measurement he will have no difficulty in learhing the distance in nautical miles. This is the mile registered by his patent log, and is much easier handled in his mental calculations than the statute, or land measurement mile. Then, when he has com- pleted his calculations, let him, if he must, reduce the distance to statute miles. But because he has probably made the error of applying his divides to the scale at the bottom of the map, and has, in consequence found his calculations at fault, it is not necessary for him to cry out that the whole mathematical universe, especially the Navy Department, is out of gear. : The Hydrographic Office, in the surveys which were the basis of the current issue of charts, has used the old engineer charts, together with all other sources of infor- mation, and has applied the corrections learned through its own thorough surveys, which included a thorough system of sounding in shallow water. The accuracy of the Hydrographic Office, in its work and in the published results of such work, has been the: subject of repeated complimentary comment, particularly in the lake region, where much of its work has proved a sort of revelation, and has met with hearty appreciation. Certainly the office has never found it necessary to publish three or four pages of errata, as the Light-House Board did re- cently in connection with its regular List of Lights, Bea- cons, and Buoys. Perhaps if this sage correspondent would pay a short visit to one of the branch Hydrographic Offices he might learn a few points which would tend to raise his opinion of the Navy charts. In return he might tell why the duties of navigator and pilot differ so materially as toi require separate sets of charts. ED ee WantTED—Address of Matt Gardner, lake engineer or fireman. Important. Address THoMas WILLIAMS, 238 Lake st., Chicago. There have been sold from this office several NOTICE TO MARINERS. MORE LIGHTS AT BALLARD’S REEF. The ake Carriers’ Association, with the consent of the United States Engineers, is causing the erection of six black spar buoys, with six floats, showing red lights at night, to mark the extreme western limit of the channel at Ballard’s Reef. This is considered neces- sary because of the unusual number of strandings caused by the very low water. Vessel captains are cautioned to keep the Upper Grosse Isle a trifle open to the westward, and to keep in the bounds with the black buoys in day time and with the red light at night until the lower stake or red light is reached, and then to get on the Grosse Isle ranges until the boat enters Lime- kiln Crossing. At the present stage of water there is a channel of 16 feet 5 inches of deep water. Vessels must not go to the eastward of the two redstakes, which are placed on the ranges, as there is a dangerous obstruction in that direction. It is necessary to run under very slow check while passing over Ballard’s Reef. The white lights east of the red stakes show dredging work and there is less than 14 feet of water there. When the water is too low for Lake Michigan boats to go through the channel, a red flag will be shown by day on Mullen & Gatfield’s dock at Amherstburg and Sandwich, and a red light by night. When the water is too low for Lake Superior boats, two red lights will be placed, one over the other at night, and two red flags in the same position in the day. Masters are requested to use caution not to carry away any of the buoys. The large number of accidents at this part of the Detroit River lately on ac- count of the low water is the reason for these precau-. tions. BUOY REPLACED Commander Dayton, inspector of the Ninth Light- House District, gives notice under date of October 3that the red 3d Class can buoy marking the NE. end of She- boygan Reef, has been replaced. NOTES FOR NAVIGATORS. Both lights at the entrance to Owen Sound harbor have been changed to red. Additional marks will be erected at Rain’s dock at the Neebish, to indicate the depth of water at Sailor’s En- campment. The Hydrographic Office announces the issue of an engraved chart of Hay Lake Channel, showing all the new marks. The boulder on which the Craig struck is on the ranges, and was thrown up, it is claimed, by the dredges at work there. A barrel buoy has been. placed: by the steamship Michigan at the spot off Point-Pelee where the steamer Presley fetched up. The water in the passage between Monroe Island and Put-in-Bay is very low, and nothing drawing 14 feet should pass through it. The Amaranth has landed boilers and other material for a new fog signalat Eagle Harbor. The new fog horn will be in operation next season. A lighthouse has been erected and put in operation by the Canadian government on the western extremity of Pie Island, Thunder Bay, Lake Superior. A white lantern light will be shown from the mizzen rigging of the schooner Bruce, sunk at the head of Mud aoe about 3,000 feet SW. by S. from Encampment rib. The schooner C. N. Johnson, whose owners expect to raise her, lies about half a mile north-west of Bay Point, close to the channel bank. Lights will be kept on her. Vessel masters are requested to check down while pass: ing her. : Capt. J. K. Williscroft reports having found but 8% feet of water on the inner south-west patch or shoal, near Simon Rock, in the south-west passage to Algoma Mills. The charts show three fathoms on it. Approxi- mate position, one-quarter mile S. by W. % W. (S. 16°52 W.) from Simon Rock. $$ rp The Penberthy Injector Co., of Detroit, Mich., write us that in visiting the State Fair of Missouri, recently held at St. Louis, they found 19 manufacturers of trac- -tion and farm engines with 40 engines on the grounds. In looking over these engines they found on 33 engines out of 40 the ‘‘Penberthy”’ injector, the other seven hay- ing five different makes. ‘They also state that two manufacturers out of those representing the seven en- gines agreed to use the ‘‘Penberthy”’ Injector in 1896.