The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

PUBLISHED KvERY [THURSDAY BY THE MARINE RECORD PUBLISHING CO.,, [INCORPORATED. ] GEORGE L. SMITH, President, COE. RUSKIN, . rte é 2 MANAGER. W. L. McCormick, - 8 . . EDITOR. THOMAS WILLIAMS, Chicago, . ‘ ASSOCIATE, CLEVELAND, CHICAGO, WESTERN RESERVE BUILDING, ROYAL INSURANCE BUILDING, FOURTH FLOOR. ROOM 308. SUBSCRIPTION. One copy, one year, postage paid, $2.00. One copy, one year, to foreign countries, $3.00. Invariably in advance. ADVERTISING. Rates given on application. All communications should be addressed to the Cleveland office. THE MARINE RECORD PUBLISHING Co., FOURTH FLOOR, WESTERN RESERVE BUILDING, CLEVELAND. Entered at Cleveland Postoffice as Second-Class Mail Matter. CLEVELAND, O., JULY 30, 1896. HERE AND THERE. It is so refreshing to find any admission from Great Britain of the superiority of anything American, that we must quote in full the following from the London Yachtsman: The New York Forest and Stream is still fighting with its more patriotic American contemporaries over the Payne bill. We are bound to say that the F. and S. has had by far the best of it; but incidentally there has cropped up a point which merits attention from British yachtsmen, viz.: the undeniable superiority of Ameri- can-made capstans over those offered by English firms for use aboard yachts. ‘This is chiefly felt in the small sizes of capstans; for while one may get from America a double-action capstan, suitable for the fore-deck of a 42-footer, the smallest that can be obtained in England is so heavy that even the skippers of 42-footers are loth to have it on their fore-deck. * * * We must take some exception, however, to the state- ment that the Forest and Stream is ahead in its argu- ments against the Payne bill. These so-called argu- ments, so far as we have seen them, consist of mud- throwing of a nasty and unconvincing character. Among the yachts which have been made the targets for the malice of this publication are the Wadena and Comanche, the former built by the Cleveland Ship Building Co., and the other by the Globe Iron Works Co., of Cleveland. Forest and Stream says: The American steamyacht, which the Payne bill is designed to protect by the exclusion of all foreign-built craft, isa discredit to the enterprise and mechanical skill of the nation and a laughing stock outside ofa small circle immediately interested in construction. The largest and most pretentious, the Nourmahal, might readily be mistaken for a Reading collier if her yacht signals were not flying; the famous Atlanta was a complete failure, in spite of her heavy cost, as she came from her builder’s yard requiring immediate al- teration and a lengthening of 15 feet to fit her for use. The homely Electra, slow at best, was still slower when first built, her original engines being soon replaced by new ones, and finding their proper place in a tug-boat. Of the new yachts, the Wadena had to be rebuilt after trial, with 15 feet added amidships to correct the original faults of the design; the Comanche, though comfortably fitted below, has the bows and top sides of a British tramp steamer. The sweeping phrase “‘absolute failure’ is also used promiscuously in mention of other yachts, the exagger- ated expression being sufficient proof of the paucity of real argument in condemning them. The remark re- garding the Wadena is a palpable misrepresentation, as the lengthening occurred after she had been in com- mission sometime, ‘True, it was ‘‘after trial,’’ but not immediately after her trial trip as the Anglomaniac sporting paper would have it believed. The lengthen- ing was caused by no fault in the original design, but THE MARINE RECORD. because the owner wished to reduce her draft without sacrificing any of her rather unusual amount of auxili- ary machinery. As for the Comatiche, this far-fetched comparison is based upon the simple fact that consider- able deck space was allowed forward, in compliance | with the wishes of her owner. This does not spoil her looks by any means, and both the Wadena and Co- manche are yachts of which any American might be proud. The Comanche was built to be in every respect an American yacht, in design as well as in material; and the fault found with her appearance seems based solely on the idea that nothing is good which does not follow the English styles, in the matter of houses as well as of model. The continuous success of American sailing yachts over their British competitors, in which the credit is given very largely to the hull design, is a sufficient vindication of American ability in that direc- tion. Why should designs not be allowed some latitude in laying out the deck plan as well? * a * But even if these statements, were true, it must be ad- mitted that the only means which builders have at their command for securing improved pleasure tonnage is practice, and how is this to be secured when owners spend their money across the water? Builders are not warranted in building large yachts for sale, as the people who enjoy sufficient means to possess such luxuries insist upon outlining the general arrangement of such a boat. And as for the alleged deficiencies in American yachts, the root of the whole matter, it is most likely, lies right in this characteristic. The pro- spective owner who places an order for a yacht with an American builder insists on being her architect, and the gentleman who enjoys that title is reduced, in fact, to the standing of a mere draftsman. The owner wants things arranged after a certain fashion, and often his desires are such that compliance with them is an abso- lute impossibility, especially if he has had no experience to give him proper and practicalideas. After this is explained to him, he will insist on having his own way as nearly as possible, and in this way builders are in many cases forced to act against their better judgment. Then, if the experiment turns. out badly, the builders receive all the discredit. If an American places a yacht order in England, he either gives the builders full discretion in the matter, or else he is so far distant that he is unable to dictate with any certainty. He is either too far away to inspect the yacht during process of her construction, and the builders, it is probable, either do not consider his unique instruc- tions as matters serious enough to-pay any attention to, or else they convince him in a peremptory and excathedra style that his suggestion cannot be considered for a moment; that they violate all established rules for Eng- lish yachts and yachtsman, and the owner is awed into submission. It is admitted that American merchant ves- sels of the same grade of workmanship present a far better appearance and are really better than those of the British; and why should it be otherwise, under the same conditions, with pleasure craft? * * : ‘ Our Buffalo correspondent, in writing of the late Capt. George McKay, of the lost schooner Little Wissa- hickon, a few weeks ago, spoke of his deeply religious nature, and his firm belief that he, was proof against drowning. Judging from some of his past experiences, his belief in that regard would seem to be justified. His career, from the time of the Lady Elgin disaster, had been checkered with a succession of hair-breadth escapes in which he was face to face with death a score of times. One of these occasions was recalled while in a reminiscent mood the other evening by Capt. Alex. McKay, of the steamer City of Detroit, who is a distant relative of the deceased, and who began his lake-faring career with Capt. George McKay, early in the 70’s, soon after his arriving in this country from Scotland. “T was sailing with him in the old schooner Joseph in the season of 1872,”’ said Capt. McKay. ‘‘We were in a tow of four schooners, bound «p the lake in tow of the old tug Moore. She had the Ajax and Adriontic ahead of us, and the old schooner Baltic was towing behind us. A violent gale struck us off Rond Kau, not far from where the Captain finally met his fate. The tug kept going with us as wellas she could, but finally the tow-line parted between the Joseph and the Adriontic, having chafed in two at our rail, and looking ahead we could see the latter settle in the water. ‘he Ajax was making very bad weather of it, and the Moore was obliged to give that schooner all her attention. The Moore finally passed out of sight with the Ajax in tow, and the Joseph and Baltic were left together. We managed to get along with the foresail and jib, and we wanted to cast off the Baltic’s tow-line. The Captain refused to do this, although it seemed as much as we could do to take care of ourselves. The Baltic was a pretty old boat and she soon began to go to pieces. The crew got into the yawl, and made for our boat; but after covering part of the distance, the yawl, with seven men in it, went down in the trough of the sea, and never came upagain. Still we held the towline, al- though it greatly interfered with us; but finally the timber head pulled out of the wreckage, and the tow- line was soon freed by thé action of the water, after which we hauled it aboard. We worked all night at the pump, and blew a distress signal. A steamer came. within hailing distance, but the captain said he could do nothing for us, but would send assistance if we could hold on a few hours longer. This then seemed veryun- — likely, and we were in despair when the steamer passed out of sight; but the tug Moore, which had taken the Ajax under Long Point, was in search of us, and soon picked us up. ‘It was only then that we learned that the entire crew of the Adriontic had perished.”’ * * Manager I). M. Bowers, of the new Rockefeller fleet, seems to be setting the pace for liberality again. Mas- ters salaries have been sagging off for several years past, being a considerable item in the retrenchment schemes which have been prevailing for some years past. By making an offer of $1,500 Mr. Bowers has been able to Secure men to command his boats who are everywhere recognized as among the most capable and efficient masters on the lakes. By instituting a system of prizes for the best season’s showing he offers another incentive to the ambition of the captains of the fleet. This plan was;tried last year on the passenger steamers of the Goodrich Transportation Co., on Lake Michigan, with all its officers, and worked so well that the com- pany has thought it advisable to try the same tactics again this year. * * * That the lake trade is constantly developing on new lines is again demonstrated by the closing of a contract between the Japaneses Mail Steamship Co., Limited, and the Great Northern Railroad Co., for the establish- ment of a steamship line between Toledo and Seattle. The Great Northern will thus extend its operation into the Orient, and its bills of lading’and passenger tickets will be in force from Tokio, Japan, to Buffalo, N. Y., via the fleet of the Northern Steamship Co. The first steamer is expected to leave Seattle August 15, and the line will run one steamer each way monthly. * * * The owners of lake tonnage seem perfectly willing to back up their sentiments, expressed last spring, that they wanted safer navigation through the Sault. They state that if their masters will not obey the rules they will be required to stand the fines, and it is believed one master has been disciplined in this matter already. At least one owner refused to apply for the remission of a fine on one of his steamers, on the ground that it was worth the money to him to have their rules obeyed. EEE — CURRENT FREIGHT STATISTICS. The total shipments from Alpena from the opening of navigation to July 15, are as follows : Lumber, 37,787,000 feet; shingles, 3,120,000; lath, 1,360,000; railroad ties, 233,203; cedar posts, 181,500; telegraph poles, 3,921; pound net stakes, 400; cedar, 360 cords. The shipments of ore from the port of Ashland thus far this season have been one-third less than they were for the corresponding time last year. Ore shipments from Ashland to July 2, this year were 808,663 tons, against 1,123,071 tons for the same period last year. The shipments from Ashland to July 20 this year increased this year as compared with last year. eee ne The British whaleback sailing ship Ancona, of Glas- gow, is in New York, loading case oil for Shanghai. The hull, which is built entirely of steel, is of the “tumble home” type, broader at the water line than at any point above it. Her sides slope at such an angle that one can almost walk down them without the aid of a ladder. The sides curve over to meet a narrow deck, which runs flush from end toend. This is circled by an iron rail- ing instead of bulwarks. She has the bow of a clipper and the elliptical stern of a racing yacht. ow aa SS SS aa