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JuLy 27, 1899. LAKE FREIGHTS. As the $1 ore rate from the head of the lakes was stiffen- ing, along came a slump of & cent in grain, atid strikes at the Conneaut, Ashtabula, Erie and one Cleveland ore dock, has not thade the freight situation any brighter. The ton- nage diverted from the ore trade, through the strikes at dis- charging ports, going to Chicago for grain, is responsible for the reduction in grain rates, which shows how susceptible the freight market, and how closely watched the lake ton- nage is. The actual flat rate on ore is still held at 90 cents head of Lake Superior, 85 cents Marquette, and 75 cents Escanaba. Corn, Chicago to Buffalo, which it was thought could not ' get lower than 2 cents, dropped this week to 13 cents, the same rate to Port Huron and Midland, with plenty of bot: toms in sight and chartering brisk. The continued strike at ore reCeiving ports has not only affected grain freights, but has also placed more coal tonnage on the market for up freights, and the 5 cents raise to Mil- waukee is hanging fire again, so as to make rates 55 cents Ohio ports to Lake Michigan, and 60 cents from Buffalo. Lake Superior 40 cents all round, except to side ports, which are Io cents better, Portage and Ft. William, with Ohio ports holding out for, and in a measure claiming, 60 cents, _as a going rate to Lake Michigan. There is every indication that the ore discharging strike will soon be settled, the fact remains that whether one hun- dred o: one million tons less than was suggested as the sea+ son’s work is carried or not, iron ore is wanted and must be brought forward in spite of labor flurries. Coal will also have to be shipped in increasing quantities, and there is no reason why grain rates should not hold up in the fall as usual. Jumber rates are firm at $2.25 per M feet to Lake Erie ports, and the schooner trade in coal to river and light draft ports, is brisk, with rates to the Rivers firm at 35 cents, instead of fluctuating as they have done from 20 cents to the higher figure, as occasion demanded. : LAUNCH OF THE GERMANIC. The wooden steamer Germanic, built to the order of the Northern Navigation Co., was succéssfilly launched from the yards of the Collingwood Dry Dock and Wrecking Co., Collingwood, Ont., on Thursday last. A large number of prominent citizens witnessed the launch, including Mayor Chamberlain, with Alderman H. Y. Telfer, James Guilfoyle, H. Lamont, F. W. Bryan, and D. Wilson represented the corporation, and Messrs. J. J. Long, Vice President C. E, Stephens, Treasurer Charles Cameron, F. A. Lett, of Barrie, directors ; C. A. MacDonald, general passenger agent, and A. B. Pratt, general freight agent of the company. Miss Muriel, the pretty little daughter of Mr. C. KE, Stephens, performed the baptismal ceremony, breaking the customary bottle of champagne and pronouncing the words “I christen this boat the Germanic of Collingwood.”’ The interest and importance of the occasion was increased by the announcement of Vice President Long that the steamship company had increased their capital to $1,000,000, and the unexpended $600,000-would be used in building large ves- sels, suitable for the requirements of the increasing volume of trade; also that in conjunction with the dry dock com- pany they had in view the establishment of a large ship building industry that would give constant employment to 300 or 400 men. The Mayor, in presenting a handsome set of colors on behalf of the corporation, expressed the pride and apprecia- tion the town felt in the company’s push and energy in building such a grand, staunch vessel. He believed it would bring increased, prosperity’ to the company and increased trade to the town. & The Germanic’s* keel was laid on April 6, and notwith- standing the difficulty in obtaining men, the vessel was com- pleted in a little over three months. The steamer’s dimen- sions are igo feet over all; beam, 32 feet; and depth of hold, 12% feet. She will draw about 11 feet.and have a registered tonnage of 1,300. Her hull is entirely of white | : oak, steel strapped and arched, with steel deck beams.’ She |. There are watertight bulkheads , is classed Ar for ten years. forward and amidships. The engines are 24-inch double steeple compound, supplied with steam from a Scotch-type boiler, allowed 100 pounds pressure. The steamer is also supplied with steam steering gear, hoisting machinery and capstans of the most improved pattern, ,The dining saloon and parlors are roomy, and tastefully, and elegantly fur- nished. There is stateroom for 200 first-class passengers THE MARINE RECORD. bath rooms, etc., to complete the requirements of an up-to- date passenger steatnet, Electricity is used for all lighting, and thete ate over 200 lights operated by a dynamo and switchboard in the engine foot. On the upper deck is a magnificent protnenade too feet long, provided with seats and awnings. The safety of pas- sengers in case of accident is looked after by a full supply _of life-preservers, buoys, and five metallic lifeboats of the latest design. The first trip of the new steamer will be to Mackinac on Friday, July 28th. ee RAN THE RAPIDS. The néw steel steatner Mae, recetitly built by the Craig Ship Building Co., Toledo, to the order of the Porto Rico Steamship Co. (Miller, Bull & Knowlton), New York, ran the St. Lawrence river rapids in safety in charge of the Calvin Co. steamer Chieftaiti and arrived all well at Mon- treal on Thursday last. Much credit is due the Calvin Co., Ltd., and their mana- ger Capt. A. Malone, Kingston, for the skillful work they are enabled to do through having a valuable equipment for towing, wrecking and salvage, as well as a staff of compe- terit employes to carry out instructions. With the deepening of the St. Lawrence system of canals there will be a greater opportunity than ever before for the employment of the skillful towing and pilotage facilities’ already established at the foot of Lake Ontario. A CENTRAL AMERICAN CANAL. The advocates of the Nicaragtia canal schetne are pleased that the commission is favorable to. theit route, and will so report. They say that there can be no objection to the com- mission’s trip to the Isthmus of Panama, as the minds of the members are already made up. If this were true, it would not be complimentary to the commission, which is appointed to make an honest investigation of all the routes and give an impartial decision. A majority of the members may be par- tial to the Nicaragua route at present, but the investigation has not been made. It is possible that some of the commis- sioners may see reasons for a reversal of judgment. Certain distances have been collated to show that the Nica- fagua rotite will be shorter than the Panama for American trade in some directions, ‘The figures though are somewhat misleading, but even if they were correct they would prove nothing. The United States will ot build an interoceanic canal at a cost of several hundred millions of dollars for the American trade alone. It would be more sensible to put the money into ships and first create a merchant marine, which could use a canal. The merchant marine of the United States which would pass through the canal for years after it was built would not pay the salaries of the canal officials. To make such a canal successful the merchant marine of the world must be induced to use it, anda canal at Panama would be much more convenient. . The Nicaragua people say that their route would be shorter for the Central American trade, and that it does not matter about South America, as the trade in that direction amounts to very little. The Nicaragua scheme has been kept alive by arguments like these. An American vessel in the Central !American trade on the Pacific side is about as rare asisnow in August. ‘The trade with South America is great, and growing all the time, but, like the Central American trade, it is done chiefly in European vessels. oO oO oe NOTICE TO MARINERS. LiGHT-HousE INSPECTOR’S wri, | TENTH LIGHT-HOUSE DISTRICT, o Buffalo, N. Y., July 26th, 1899. Notice is hereby given that the light in Maumee Straight Channel, Inner Gas-Buoy, No. 30, Maumee Bay, which was temporarily discontinued May 2, 1899, for repairs to the lamp, was re-exhibited on July 25th, 1899. FRANKLIN HANFORD, Commander, U.S. N. Inspector 1oth L. H. District. a oO oO VESSELS CLASSED. ,, Vessels classed and rated by the American Bureau of Ship- ping this week in the “Record of American and Foreign Shipping” are as follows: Screw, Mae, owned by Messrs. ‘ Miller, Bull & Knowlton; schooner, Louise Hastings, tern ‘(3 mast schooner) Alverda S. Elzy; tern (3 mast schooner) i Roger Moore; British schooner, Brenton; British tern, “Wanola; British topsail schooner, Foster Rice; Swedish and ample steerage berths below ;;splendid smoking rooms, brig, Mathilda, and Portugese half brig, Luso. MJ ANOTHER LARGE EASTERN SHIPYARD. The New York Ship Building Co., by the completion of a contract with the Manufacturers’ Land and Inprove- ment Co., of New Jersey, for the purchase of a large strip of land at the southern extremity of Camden, on which they will erect a plant capable of competition with the best ship- yards of the United States and Europe, proved the con- tention, that the banks of the Delaware River are unrivaled in the advantages they offer for construction of ships. When the company decided to build the shipyards, the original intention was to put their plant in the harbor of New York. Hence the name of the corporation. But after extensive borings in that locality the directorate came to the conclusion that while the harbor of the metropolis was far the superior, in regard to shipping, of any on the Atlan- tic coast, it was not equal to the requirements of a mod- ern shipbuilding yard. The survey made by company’s en- gineers then located the site at Camden, which has a front- age of 3,500 feet and a depth of water at low tide of forty feet; and its purchase was recommended. A prominent officer of the new firm stated ‘‘that the yard will be designed to build all classes of ships from a model yacht to the largest liners and battleships, and there will be facilities to make them all that they should be. In the lo- cation of this yard, careful‘examination was made of almost every conceivable harbor on the Atlantic, and I must tell you that in all things we have found the Delaware just what was wanted.’’ Henry G. Morse, formerly the president of the Harlan & Hollingsworth Co., of Wilmington, is president of the New York Shipbuilding Co., and the directorate is composed of A. W. Mellon, president of the Union Insurance ‘Co., of Pittsburg; James H. Lockhart,a member of the Standard Oil Co.; Michael Jenkins, president of the Merchants’ and Miners’ Transportation Co., of Baltimore; Henry Walters, president of the Atlantic Coast Steamship Co; J. Craig Smith and Myron C. Wick, two prominent capitalists of Youngs- town, O. The company is chartered under the laws of Pennsylvania, with a capital of $3,000,000, which will very likely be largely increased. . ——$—$<$—$<$ $< a ee THE MINNESOTA VESSEL TAX. The lake transportation companies which have registered their tonnage from Duluth to avoid excessive taxation are not worried over the recent opinion of John C. Richberg, attorney of the Cook county, Illinois, Board of Assessors, that the Minnesota tax law on tonnage is unconstitutional: From Duluth comes the assnrance of Senator Spooner, father of the bill, that it will stand a test in any court owing to the fact that in Minnesota there is a constitutional provision which gives the legislature power to enact tax laws of this kind. The enactment which has proved such a great source of gratification to several of the vessel owners is as follows: “Section 1. In consideration of an annual payment into the state treasury by the owner of any steam vessel, barge, boat, or other water craft, owned within this state or hailing from any port thereof, and employed,in the navigation of international waters, of a sum equal to 3 cents per net ton of the registered tonnage thereof, such payment shall be received in lieu of all taxes and said steam vessel, barge, boat or other water craft shall be and the same is hereby made exempt from all further taxation, either state or municipal, upon the payment of the sum herein provided. “Sec. 2, The owner of any steam vessel, barge, boat or other water craft, hailing from any port of this state, ‘and employed in the navigation of international waters,’ desir- ing to comply with the terms of this act, shall annually, on or before the first day of July, file with the state auditor a verified statement in writing containing the name, port of hail, tonnage and name owner of such steam vessel, barge, boat or other water craft, and shall thereupon pay into the state treasury a sum equal to 3 cents per net ton of the reg- istered tonnage of the said vessel, and the treasurer shall thereupon issue a receipt therefor. “Sec. 3. The state treasurer shall annually, on or before the first day of December, pay into the county treasury of any county wherein is located the port of hail of any steam vessel, barge or other water craft complying with this act one-half of all money so received from any vessel or other water craft whose port of hail is within said county. ; “Sec. 4. This act shall be in force from and after its . passage.’’ The bill was passed in April, 1895. —$—$—$—$_$—$$ area eae ____ AppEAL in Admiralty—Review of Questions of Fact.— Where the evidence in a suit in admiralty is taken before an examiner, the decision of the trial court on questions of fact is not entitled to the same controlling weight as where the judge saw and heard the witnesses testify, and will be more readily reviewed by an appellate’court. The Sappho, 94 Fed. Rep. (U. S.) 545.