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yA fiend ae z 4 ae = EZ Z eA Sei ESTABLISHED 1878. VOL. X/X. NO. 48. CLEVELAND—NOVEMBER 26, 1896—C HICAGO. COAST DEFENSE. The work of placing our harbors in a state of de- fense is summed upin the report of the board of ord- nance and fortifications, signed by Gen. Milnes, Cols. Frank and Jaynes, Major Phipps, and Messrs. Outh- waite and Ayer. The report states that under the in- creased appropriations of the present fiscal year, the work of placing our harbors in a proper state of de- fense is making good progress, and if only the same sums are appropriated annually for a few years our Principal ports will present a formidable front to an at- tacking fleet. It is hoped, however, that even more liberal appropriations will be made in order that we may soon be ready for any emergency that may arise. China, with undefended ports and an inad- equate navy, was defeated in a few months. In the last war between the great military powers of Germany and France, the sur- render at Sedan occurred only forty days after the declaration of war, ‘The wars of nations occur in cycles of varying length, - but seldom does a generation pass without a great conflict. Already more than thirty years have elapsed since our last great war, and another may soon, if the past be a guide to the future, terminate one of the longest intervals of peace we have ever enjoyed. Our engineer department is ready with modern plans for fortifications, and our ordnance department is prepared with de- signs for guns and carriages that are equal to any in the world. If Congress will but increase the appropriation to the capacity of those departments for useful and eco- nomical work, it will not be long before our coasts are secure against the attack of foreign powers. An effective preparation for wart is the best safeguard against war. The-foregoing summary closes an exhaust- ive report giving every detailof the progress of fortification, the examination of innumer- able devices of attack and defense, the testing of guns, gun carriages, powders, arms, mortars, armor, etc. A long list is given ‘of devices which have been examined and not approved, and a smaller list of those approved or under consideration. The re- port contains a letter from Secretary La- mont in which he points out that the board was created at a time when Congress was taking the first step in the execution ofa project that involved an ultimate expendi- ture of more than $100,000,000, the purpose being to have a body of experts to pass on the advancing stages of armament. Re- cent years, the secretary writes, had witness- ed a rapid evolution in war material. Foreign nations had armed andre-armed at short intervals Costly material had been manufactured; much of it to be thrown away as defective, or because out-classed by superior inventions on the part of a possible enemy. Mr. Lamont suggested that the work would be expe- dited if the board established certain definite ‘‘types of implements and engines of war.’’ In answer to this, the board specifies a list of ‘implements and engines of war for which satisfactory types have been determined.”’ The work as done at the various gunworks and ar- senals is reviewed in detail. SSS eee CANADIAN CANALS. Canada has expended $50,000,000 on her canals, and is now considering the question of deepening the St. Lawrence waterways to 21 feet. Premier Laurier thinks the deepening of the canals should be done jointly by the United States and Canada, inasmuch as they are common routes for vessels of both countries. It is esti- mated that if the river and canals between Montreal and Lake Erie were deepened to 21 feet, grain could be carried from Duluth and put on board the ocean steamers at Montreal. ~ TO DEFINE HARBOR LINES. The port of Sheboygan, Wis, on Lake Michigan, will soon make application to the war department at Wash- ington to have the government become guardian of the JAMES A. DUMONT, SUPERVISING INSPECTOR QENERAL OF THE STEAMBOAT INSPECTION SERVICE. (See Biographical Sketch on Page 6.) harbor confines within the city limits. From time to time there have been encroachments upon the original established dock lines, and this action is taken to pre- vent further extensions of docks into the river. At the last meeting of the common council the city en- gineer was instructed to make a complete map of the harbor lines. This will be filed with the War Depart- ment, and hereafter any encroachments will become an offense which the government can punish. It is to be hoped that other ports will also make application to the War Department for a proper configuration of the har- bor lines so that the increasing commerce of the present and the much greater trade of the future will not be hampered for room on reaching port, in the same man- ner as now prevails at the larger Jake ports. MERCANTILE MARINE OF FRANCE. In 1895 the total number of vessels belonging to the French. mercantile marine was 14,386 sailing vessels of a total tonnage of 386,510 tons, and 1,212 steamers of an aggregate of 500,568 tons, or a total of 15,598 vessels representing 887,078 tons. There is at present in France, a tendency to work very large sailing vessels; a shipping firm, which already owns a considerable number, has given an order for another group, and it is said that other firms intend to follow their example. These vessels pay well for many reasons, mainly be- cause, as soon as they are launched from French dock- yards, the shipping bounty is enough to defray the greater part of their cost. As regards steam vessels, there Were, in 1895, 1,212 vessels manned by 14,582 sailors and 7,353 engineers, firemen and stokers, and. representing an aggregate of 500,568 tons. There is a marked prog- ress here. In 1880 the total tonnage of steamers was but figures steadily rose from that year, attain- ing a culminating point in 1891 with 521,872 tons, but falling to 491,972 tons in 1894, to rise again to something over 500,000 tons in 1895. Of the 1,212 vessels, 170, manned by 10,116 men, are employed in ocean nav- igation; the remainder are for coasting purposes and use in the home ports. If the movement in shipping be considered more in detail, it is seen that the French flag embraces four millions of tons in en- tries and as much more in clearances. — The share of the French flag in. the en- tries and clearances of French ports in 1895 was but 35 per cent., and yet this shows an improvement over 1894, which was only 33.8 per cent.—the lowest percentage: reg- istered since 1880. From 35 per cent. in 1880 it rose regularly to 41.3 in 1887 and 1889, and then fell again as regularly till 1894. It now shows a tendency to improve; but great efforts have still to be made, and when it is remembered that a portion of the French tonnage in entries and clear- ances is represented by. subsidized postal vessels, by’ fishing vessels which :receive state bounties, and by others engaged in the coasting trade and the Francc-Alge- rian service, and which have nothing to fear from foreign competition, it is easy to see that the effort re- quired to’maintain this improvement is considerable, MASON EE ep ge TED: NEW AIDS AT CONNEAUT. Col. Jared A. Smith, Corps of’ Engineers, U.S. A., and Supt. Seeley, of light-house construction, made Conneaut a visit last week for the purpose of in- spection, and to make preparations for a new light on the west pier. The new light-house will be similar to the one now under construction at Ashtabula. The framework will have a foundation of piles. The tower will be 75 feet above the level of the water. Col. Smith states that the material has all been ordered, and work will be commenced early next month, and the work will probably be completed about January 1. Col. Smith also says that early in the spring the work of building the two oblique breakwaters will be begun. When these are finished and also the work Mr. Carnegie in- tends to do, it will make Conneaut as fine a harbor as there is on the Great Lakes. 277,759 tons; but the ~