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=e, WIRE, WORK AND WEAR. Practically speaking, and especially among the marine element, we are standing at the conflux of two ages— the age of iron and the age of steel, and the two are still striving for mastery, the old iron and the new steel. Steel has replaced iron in many departments of indus- try, and the battle will go on until the sphere of each has been definitely marked out according to its tseful- ness and special capabilities. Steel isan alloy of iron, and contains carbon and manganese, the former of which gives it the qualities of hardness, lightness and elasticity, while the latter element toughens it and neu- tralises the natural brittleness of the metal. Hard, light, tough and elastic, steel is specially suited for the manufacture cf wires. The amount of carbon present determines its fusibility, capabilty of tempering, and rate of rusting. Steelcan be produced with four times the strength of iron of a similar weight, and the elastic sufficiency of steel may range as high as 75 per cent. of its ultimate strength, while iron will begin to permanently elongate at 40 per cent. of its ultimate tensile resistance. ‘These qualities render steel the best material for wire, and it is accordingly superseding iron in some branches of the wire industry. . Wire-making is a very ancient industry, and the use of several wires in combination is likewise of consider- able antiquity. It seems that cold wire drawing by hand was practised in Germany in the fourteenth cen- tury, avd this industry was introduced into Hugland in 1565, when acertain S. ©. Shultz and other foreigners came over and settled at Holywell. Later on thetrade made its way into Yorkshi:e, Lancashire and Warwick- shire, and in 1663 the first mechanical wire miil in that country waserected. Cast iron, the best material for -wire for running ropes, was invented in 1750, and since 1800 the Warrington district has been prominently con- nected with the wire industry and its varied products. The principle of the axiom, ‘‘In unity is strength,” was early recognised in the wire industry, andattempts, more or less successful, have at various times been made to carry it out by uniting several wires together for the purpose of forming a rope to supersede hempen cables. The first wire ropes originated-in- Germany, and in 1820 were niade on the ‘“‘selvagee’’ system, i. e., a number of wires were laid parallel and bound together by a ‘‘serving’’ of fine wire. Ropes of this construction were used for the suspension bridges at Geneva and Freiburg in 1826. Obviously, however, they were use- less for running purposes, since when once the fine “serving”? was worn through by friction, the component wires of the rope would ‘‘brush out’’ and separate, thus destroying the strength and value of the rope, and il- lustrating the fable of the bundle of sticks with its moral, “United we stand, divided we fall.’ Again, splicing for repairs was out of the question; and, in ad- dition to this, the ropes were too rigid, possessing little or no flexibility. But it must be said that the ultimate breaking strengih of the selvagee rope approximate very closely to the aggregate tensile strength of the component wires, separately considered; and, therefore, selvagee ropes are still used in some cases where there is no friction to be apprehended, and an appropriate ex- ample of this is found in its application to the famous Brooklyn Bridge at New York. The puzzle of producing a strong, flexible wire rope was solved by the inventor of the “‘strand’”’ system, but who that inventor was is not definitely known, as the honor has been variously claimed. Those who take pride in the priority of English industries, claim Mr. J. B. Wilson, of Derby, tohave made stranded wire ropes as early as 1832 for the Haydock collieries in Lanca- shire. Germany, not to be out of it, claims that in 1834 Professor Albert, of Clausthal, made some stranded wire ropes for use in the Hartz mines. The manufac- ture was introduced into England in 1838. At first, iron wire was used, but that has now been superseded by steel; also, at first, the ropes were made by hand on a rope walk, like the hempen goods, but later on by machinery, the first machine being patented in 1840. The difference between the early wire ropes and those of to-day, is that the first ropes were crudely manufac- tured and ill-proportioned, subject to irregularities, uncertain and unsatisfactory; but by the definite ex- perience since gained rules of precision have been estab- lished, which, in conjunction with care and judgment in the selection of the wires, have secured uniformity of ’ proportion in the lay of the strand and ropes. Messrs. Bullivants, of London, procure the necessary é THE MARINE RECORD. wire from their steel wire works, where it is made by rolling down heated bars. of metal into rods about &/- inch in diameter, which are then further attenuated by. being drawn in a cold state, with the assistance of soaps and grease, through a series of circular holes of regu- larly diminishing sizes in metal plates. ‘The first pro- cess the wire undergoes in rope-making,. after being tested to eusure fitness, is galvanizing. 'This is done by cleaning it in an acid bath, and then passing it through a bath of molten zinc, whence it passes through a sand bath or bed of asbestos. Though subjected, both in preparation and in prac- tical use, to the most thorough and searching tests, it would seem that Messrs. Bullivant & Co.’s. wire ropes invariably come out right, thus testifying to the high standard of production that obtains in the famous Mill- wall Works. The rigid adherence to excellence of quality and alike regard to principle in the execution of all orders and contracts, explain the high standing and wide reputation of the firm who haye done so much to raise their industry to its present level. LARGE LAKE CARGOES. The Bessemer Line steamer Sir William Siemens cleared from Duluth on Sunday with 177,000 bushels of wheat, equal to 5,370 net tons, which eclipsed the pre- vious record-breaking cargo of the s‘eamer Queen City 40 tons. Butif the report is correct the steamer W. D. Rees, of the Wilson Transit Line, left Duluth on Satur- day with 130,000 bushels of wheat and 70,000 bushels of ' barley, or 5,580 net tons, then the latter vessel bears the palm with a cargo 210 net tons greater than that of the Sieinens. The steel barge Aurania, owned by John Corrigan, of Cleveland, arrived at Buffalo last Wednesday and on the same day the vessel was reported at the Buffalo custom house as clearing with 5,200 tons of coal. If the cargo of 5,200 tons of coal has been taken on, it will ex- ceed any vessel’s cargo taken out of Buffalo by over 900 tons. However, it is now reported that the Hart- nell, loading 4,777 net tons, has broken the Aurania’s record by 23 tons, so it would appear that the Aurania was not loaded tothe extent or credit given. The steainer Queen City also loaded a cargo of grain at Duluth this week of 156,256 bushels of barley and 58,000 bushels of wheat, equaling 5,/90 net tons. —_—_—— n> * <> +a THE EASTERN FREIGHT MARKET. According to the regular circular issued by Funch, Edye & Co., New York, there is still a demand for some tonnage affording November shipment, and a rate quite out of proportion to those for later shipment may be obtained for suitable boats. For December, steainers are offering freely at 3s. 6d. from range for picked ports. Cotton freights are quiet and little doing in view of the relatively higher price at which the article is being held here than in Wurope. ‘There is little inquiry for steamers to carry case oil for the far East, charterers in this branch having likewise temporarily withdrawn. The cargo of grain purchased for Bombay has been arranged for December loading, but with the option of discharging it at a port inthe United Kingdom. Business for sail tonnage has been most active during the week just passed... A number of vessels have ac- cepted case oil freights at a slight reduction from pre- vious figures, in evident expectation of meeting with somewhat. improved rates for return cargoes. There has likewise been some better demand for prompt vessels for general cargo at former figures, while vessels to arrive for this business are neglected, charterers hav- ing evidently supplied their wants for some months to come. Vessels are in moderate request for lumber from Gulf ports to the River Plate at $12 clean charter. The financial troubles in the Brazils have momentarily stopped engagemeuts in that direction. Tonnage for nayal stores is still in moderate request at rates last conceded. — rr 0 ee THOUGH navigation at the head of the lakes is practic- ally ended, the sales of lumber in that region are larger now than at any other time this year. Since the elec- tion 10,000,000 feet have been disposed of, and the most of it has been shipped. ‘The shippers have become greatly encouraged over the outlook, and they predict that the improvement will continue all winter and that at the opening there will be large amounts awaiting shipment, LOSS OF THE ARNOLD. The steamer B. W. Arnold, which had in tow the barge Sumatra when the latter foundered off Milwaukee harbor with the loss of four lives; lies upon the beach near Salmon Trout River, Lake Superior, a total loss. The Arnold was bound from Duluth for Chicago with 800,000 feet of lumber, and had in tow the barge James Mowatt, also lumber laden. About noon on Saturday, off Ontonagon, fire broke outin the deck load forward, and despite every effort to cHeck it spread the entire length of the steamer, compelling the crew to take refuge on the Mowatt, after which the towline was cut and the steamer was allowed to drift away. The Port- age Lake life savers reached the burning craft at 5:30 p.m., after having rowed a distance of fifteen mwniles, and finding that they could do nothing better assisted in navigating the Mowatt to the canal, which point was reached at midnight. ‘The tug Valerie Steamed to the burning craft from Houghton with the intention of towing her to a point where a more effectual fight might be made against the flames, but a line could not be run on account of the heat. Hence the Arnold continued to -drift before the wind, a burning mass which lighted Lake Superior for miles, until she fetched up on the bottom near Salmon Trout River, and there was slowly consumed to the water’s edge. Insurance on the Arnold to the extent of about 13,000 was carried in the agencies of Worthington & Sill, of Buffalo, and C. A. McDonald & Co., of Chicago. The remainder, about $25,000, was placed with what is known as the Port Huron pool, made up of vessel owners at that point. The B. W. Arnold was built at West Bay City by F. W. Wheeler in 1885 for the Mills Transportation Co., of Marysville, Mich., the present owners. Her net tonnage was 674, rating Al*, and she carried an Inland Lloyds valuation of $50,000. TD © <> 2 KICKS FROM PORT HURON. Lo the Editor of The Marine Record: : Port Huron, Micu., Nov. 23. Since the life-saving station has been located there has been a gréat deal of kicking as to’ the location. Now, why not let it go aud say no more, even if the street car company has got the location where they want it. It is not for the sailors’ benefit but for the interest of land owners and railroads to gobble up everything that comes up for the benefit of shipping, The proper place for that station is on the light-house reserve. I think ‘‘ Mariner” in the Detroit Free Press has a share in a very nice location. Now keep right on kicking and the station will go to Lexington or where Billie Bryan has gone, up er River. = * * The story that the new life-saving station at this point is to be erected at the upper end of Gratiot beach for the benefit of the street railroad company, and that the land whereon it is to be built was donated to the government by the street railroad people, is entirely without foundation. The point where the station is to be located, is, in the opinion of many mariners, the most suitable for that purpose in this vicinity, and was chosen for that reason by Supt. Kimball. The land was donated to the government by A. D. Bennett and Marcus Young, neither of whom have any connection with the street railway company. JACK. There is a big kick among the marine men at Port. Huron because of Supt. Kimball’s decision to locate the new life-saving station just above Katahdin beach on two lots given to the government by the street car com- pany. The company is to build its line up to the station. At that point there is 16 inches to 3 feet of water for about 200 feet out from the shore. As the lifeboats draw three feet it would bea hard matter to launch a boat ina heavy sea. The proper place for the station is at a point about five miles above Fort Gratiot light. It was at this point that the schooners Meisel, Tilden and Shupe went ashore, when four of the volunteer crew lost their lives in trying to rescue the crew of the Shupe. It is the opinion of every body except the stockholders of the street car line that the station should go farther up the shore. The. superintendent can do the right thing by the sailors by building his statlon at the point Ihave named on a piece of land that juts away out in the lake, giving plenty of water for the handling of the boats, no matter what the general level may be. MARINER.