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AUGUST 2, I900, oo“aos—=»s» eee Sees THE MARINE ENGINE, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE. I recently took atrip onone of the Fall River steamers plying on Long Island Sound between New York and Fall River, Mass. Being always interested in machinery, and particularly in the steam engine, I embraced the opportunity to visit the engine room and see the immense beam engine which propels the vessel. It was an impressive sight to see the giant crank swing around in its circle with such ponder- ous force and to also watch the immense walking-beam os- cillate in its trunions far overhead. The engine of this boat isa compound, the high and low pressure cylinders being connected to the same walking-beam. The stroke of the low pressure piston, which is connected to the outer end of the beam, is probably about ten feet, while that of the high pressure piston is somewhat less, as it is connected to the beam nearer the fulcrum. The immense A-frame made up of steel plates riveted together like the members of a bridge helped to complete the impression of great power and mas- siveness of design. But impressions and facts are sometimes different. Not long ago I was in the engine room of the largest ocean steamer afloat, the Oceanic, and there saw one set of engines which drive the twin-screws. They are triple- expansion engines and have four cylinders, the low pressure cylinder being divided into two on account of the great di- ameter necessary if it were concentrated in one, and also to get a more constant torsion effect on the shaft. Since the combined power of the propelling engines of this vessel is about 28,000 h. p., the power of this one engine was proba- bly six or seven times that of the beam engine referred to, but it was not nearly as impressive inits general appearance. The short stroke, the connecting rods, the general compact- ness of the whole engine was in striking contrast to the old- timer, and what a difference in power per unit of space re- quired. The beam engine monopolizes a large part of the most valuable space of the vessel and developsa low ratio of power as compared to the modern vertical tandem engine, thanks to high pressure, high piston speed and generally greater efficiency of the latter. It sometimes appears to me that while the pioneers in steam engineering are deserving of the fullest measure of praise for their work, they appar- ently tried to see how much metal could be used in an en- gine, seemingly being under the impression that msssive construction and roundabout methods of transmitting mo- tion increased the effectiveness of the machine in some mys- terious way. Probably in the same way those who come after us will wonder why we persisted in building our en- gines and other machinery in such absurd forms, which nevertheless seem to us now to measure the height of per- fection. The future designers will point to the much better and simpler methods which to them are so plainly evident, and which at that time will be incorporated in their general practice.— A. F. Canot in Steam Engineering. oo or ALIEN LABOR LAW. United States Labor Inspector Bailey is again getting in some of his fine work against Canadians. On the steamers St. Lawrence, New York and Empire State, of the ‘‘White Squadron,”’ the majority of those employed were Canadians, and principally Kingstonians. Now the Labor Inspector has been sniffing around the river for the past month, and it was only last week that his ‘‘detective’’ instincts ferreted out the fact that there were Canadians employed on the above three steamers, which were Uhited States vessels with headquarters at Kingston. Accordingly he served notice on Folger Bros. to dismiss these men immediately, and threatening after ten days to fine the company five dollars for each Canadian employee remaining on their boats. Last week almost the entire crew of the Empire State was thus dismissed. Yesterday and to- day the steamers St. Lawrence and New York have suffered, several of the latter crew arriving in the city to-day. Folger Bros. disliked very much to dismiss the'Canadians, but were forced to abide by the law. That they preferred Canadian labor will be seen by the fact that three-quarters of the crews of their eight steamers are Canucks. In all over twenty were dismissed. So the Canadians continue to suffer from the ‘‘brotherly kindness’’ of their Yankee neighbors.—Kingston Whig. or rr ——t—— THE present purchase of Pennsylvania soft coal for ship- ment to Cronstadt, on Russian account, is followed by the announcement that the British steamship Hotasu has been chartered to load 4,000 tons of the same cargo for Gutujewsky, Russia. It is thought probable that the coal is intended for railroad consumption. THE MARINE RECORD. THE HEAVENS IN AUGUST. Astronomical data for August, 1900, furnished the MARINE RECORD by the Washburn observatory : Three of the bright planets are to be seen in the morning sky during the month of August. Of these, Mars, the ruddy planet, is high in the eastern sky in the last hours of the night, while Venus, the most brilliant of all the stars, is a little lower and farther south. ‘The latter reaches its maxi- mum brightness on August 14. Still lower will be found the inconspicuous morning star, Mercury, which will rise at about the same point of the horizon as Venus. Mercury reaches its greatest elongation west on August 19 and will be favorably situated for observation for a week preceding and a week following that date. The remaining two bright planets are seen in the evening sky, Jupiter low in the south- west and Saturn following. The latter passes the meridian in the middle or early evening, and at a low altitude, very nearly the same as that at which Jupiter passes the meridian two hours earlier. The times of sunrise and sunset at Milwaukee for the month are as follows : e SUNRISE. SUNSET. ENE RG REE rr Beats ean oh AAD ioe ebiocitustoaeaitccs teks 7313 GANA ELTS vere siuiernce relent cage oh Ore cake Ae hcaienis sfevcte open mths 7:00 ANE (207s sacs sunburn Sarg Sala enre SOS iars, S Ahecyeatayuen och 6:45 PUSS 3 Dect sexes’ aoe aapggrea Mia wetes Biel ore titi rote ejore aye neers 6:29 The times of the moon’s phases are: Hirst quarter. (acs Vea eo tare aaa, Aug. 3, 10:46 a. m. Pull MOO cists eves eet es Aug. Io, 3:30 p. m. mhird quarter. 26 Sere ee ee Aug, 17, 5:46 a. m. New ‘Moonie y ty bene eee i ee eos Aug. 24, 9:53 p. m. The principal fixed stars visible during the month in the evening hours are: To the west, Arcturus, Antares. Near the meridian, Vega. To the east, Altair, the bright stars of the constellation Cassiopeia, of the Northern Cross, and lower down in the sky, of the Square of Pegasus. or INSPECTING LIGHTS. - Commander J. C. Wilson, U. S. N., of the Eleventh Light- House district, has completed two trips of inspection of lights between Detroit and Point Iroquois. All the lights in the district have now been inspected. The aids to navigation maintained by the Light-House Board in the Eleventh district are: Lake Lake Huron. Superior. Second order lights.................... ir I Whird:order lights 3 to 4.c bs ue enens 4 5 Third and a half order lights............ I 3 Fourthiorder Hehts.c er ee an 18 19 Filthcorderdlights 12)... S329) oe a 8 8 Sixthiorderlightss: Fie ends tes suiace 8 4 Hens MAULCLNS con ee at co OA heen 37 9 Tubular and other lanterns............. 53 50 Light vessels in position................ 3 oO Gas lightedsbuoys.4 io. a.k <i ae 22 oO Motalslishted -aid9 (55 sos va ois 155 99 Steain- top signals), c.0 se. coos hee cee abs 13 18 Clockwork fog signals........... Rete [ 4 Day Deacons: S558 5.5% ee kl ons oe ea fe) I Bell buys csc ease cies ate: os uns ws 2 I Other buoys es. ss scan noes 247 130 Totalercccet setae. AP Sremmarenial hee 263 154 Total number of aids, 671. Ch OR ES SS EASTERN FREIGHTS. Messrs. Funch, Edye & Co., New York, report the weekly situation on freights as follows: The anticipation we expressed of a better freight market for grain shipments has been fully realized by advanced fig- ures conceded for Cork f. 0. tonnage, as well as on berth steamers. The Cork f..0. rate for August boats may now be quoted at 4s. bid, with very little response, however, on part of owners of the limited amount of open suitable vessels. Other trades are equally handicapped by the continued scarcity of prompt tonnage and freights are gaining strength in most directions, excepting only coal shipments, upon which the advance in freights acts adversely. Charters from the gulf ports have advanced to 20s. on the net basis for the later fall months’ loading. Our market for sail tonnage continues very quiet but equally firm, and rates are stiffening, although very little business has latterly been accomplished. or or oo In order to prosecute the search for the bodies of his two daughters, who were drowned in the Idler disaster, Capt. Corrigan has had a scow built with circular plates of glass in the bottom. These windows have been made water-tight, so that as the boat is towed through the water it is possible to see the bottom of the lake for a considerable distance in all directions. That the search might reach to greater depth, the craft has been equipped with electric lighting apparatus so that lights can be used to illuminate the bottom of the lake. 7. SHIPPING AND MARINE JUDICIAL DECISIONS. - (COLLABORATED SPECIALLY FOR THE MARINE RECORD). Freight.—In a general average adjustment no deduction is to be made from freight charged against the cargo owner because the cargo has been subjected to particular average charges for salvage. The Eliza Lines, 102 Fed. Rep. (U.S.) 184. Admiralty Jurisdiction—Maritime Contracts.—A clause of a charter party giving the charterer the agency of the ship in case she is in general average during the term of the charterer creates a maritime contract, which may be enforced in a court of admiralty. The Ripon City, 102 Fed. Rep. (U. S.) 176. ; Shipping—Mutual Liens of Vessel and Cargo.—The mu- tual lien between vessel and cargo, resulting from a contract of affreightment, exists, as against the ship, only in favor of the cargo itself, and does not extend to agreements in the charter party which do not relate to the cargo. The Ripon City, 102 Fed. Rep. (U. S.) 176. Lights Between Decks.—It being the custom for steve- dores, employed in loading a ship, to furnish their own lights, the master and crew were not negligent in not keep- ing the between-decks lighted, to enable the. stevedore’s gang to reach their sleéping hammock in safety. The Nikolai II, 102 Fed. Rep. (U.S) 174. Shipping—Charges for Reloading.—An item of general average charges, based on the estimated cost of reloading cargo discharged on account of injury to the vessel, is not properly allowable where, by reason of the fact that the voyage was not resumed, the expenditure was not actually made. The Eliza Lines, 102 Fed. Rep. (U. S.) 184. Ascertainment of Contributory Values.—Although, under the circumstances of a case, salvage is a matter of particular averages against the vessel, cargo, and freight severally, yet where such average arose out of a peril which renders a general average necessary, they are to be deducted in ascer- taining contributory values for the purpose of the general average. The Eliza Lines, 102 Fed. Rep. (U. S.) 184. Legality of Provision of Charter.—A provision of a charter which would authorize the charterer, as the ship’s agent, in case of her taking fire, to assume entire charge of her, and of the matter and means of extinguishing the fire, the unloading and reloading of cargo, and otherwise performing the duties which under the maritime law devolve on the master, is void, as against public policy. The Ripon City, 102 Fed. Rep. (U. S.) 176. ; Maritime Liens—Breach of Charter—Refusal to Permit Rendition of Services —Under the general maritime law, there is no lien upon a ship for damages resulting from a breach of a provision of a charter making the charterer the ship’s agent for the adjustment of general average, and, in the absence of an express provision for a lien in the charter, asuitin rem cannot be maintained against the ship to re- cover such damages because of a refusal to permit the char- terer to act as such agent. The Ripon City, 102 Fed. Rep. @U.'S:) 176. General Average Adjustment.—In computing contribu- tory values for the purpose of a general average adjustment itis not necessary that they should be taken at the same time and place, but, according to the custom of Boston, the value of the vessel is obtained by taking her value at the port of refuge, and adding to it the benefit she received from the general average, while the value of the cargo is taken according to the place and time of its arrival at the port of destination. The Eliza Lines, 102 Fed. Rep. (U. S.) 184. Shipping—General Average—Rules for Adjustment.—Al- though a court directs that contributions to general average be made on the basis of the completion of a voyage, inter- rupted without right by the charterers, it may also properly direct the adjustment to be made in accordance with the customs of the port where the voyage actually terminated, and where the adjustment is in fact made; the question of what custom shall be adopted being one of convenience, rather than of theory. The Eliza Lines, 102 Fed. Rep. (U. S.) 184. Shipping—Construction and Operation of Charter—Provi- sion Making Charterer Ship’s Agent.—A charterer had no interest in the cargo, and his only interest in the voyage was in the excess of freight earned over the amount of the hire stipulated for in the charter. The charter contained a provision that, in case the ship was in general average, ‘‘the agency and the settlement thereof’’ should remain with the charterer or his agents. After the ship had loaded and started on her voyage she took fire, and returned to the port of sailing, where, the charterer not being at such port, and having no agent there, thé master employed another agent, who took charge of saving the vessel and cargo, and continued to perform such services as were required on be- half of the vessel resulting from the disaster. Held, that the master was justified by the emergency in making such employment, and that he did not violate his duty in refus- ing to discharge such agent when the charterer appeared two days later, and demanded that the ship be placed in kis charge, as the result of such action would have been to fast- en double liens on the ship for one set of services. The Ripon City, 102 Fed. Rep. (U. S.) 176.