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May 23, Igor. LAKE ERIE LEVELS. Lieutenant Colonel W. P. Anderson, Chief Engineer of the Department of Marine and Fisheries, Ottawa, Canada, who has just returned from a tour of inspection on the upper lakes, reports that the waters of Lake Erie are lower than ever before, due to a series of dry seasons, the decline made by the power development works at Niagara Falls, and the fact that dredging in Tonawanda canal has made it easier for water to escape from the lakes. “ Colonel Anderson thinks it is imperative upon the United States authorities to adopt some remedial measures at an early date, otherwise the towns will experience a serious ob- struction to navigation. In this connection we quote the views expressed by Col. Anderson relative to the projected Lakes’ Erie-St. Clair canal, in which he says: “There is no question that a canal of this kind would have a tendency to lower the levels of Lakes Huron and Michi- gan, and any such lowering would bea serious calamity to the shipping interests. I think nothing but good can come of the appointment of Col. Lydecker to report upon the project from an engineering point of view, but I feel that something ought to be done. I believe that a joint com- mission of engineers from both countries should be ap- pointed to consider the general question of lake levels. The power canal at the Sault, the Chicago drainage canal and the deepening of the channels in the Detroit and Niagara rivers, are all improvements that are calculated to affect the levels of the lakes,and where every inch of water is a consideration to the large freight vessels now employed, steps should be taken to prevent any further lowering of ‘the lakes. This can only be attained by the co-operation of both governments, and after a great deal of engineering in- ‘vestigation has been done.”’ As an offset to the foregoing, we quote from an interview with Major W. Ll. Fisk, Corps of Engineers, U.S. A., sta- tioned at Detroit; when shown Col. Anderson’s latest state- ment, the Major said: “Mr. Anderson has failed to take into account the fact that the ice jam has held the water back from the lake and prevented it assuming its normal level. The water has been simply held in check in Lake Huron and I believe conditions in Lake Erie will be at their normalin a short time. “All the water that goes out through the Tonawanda canal and the power development works at Niagara has to go over the Falls anyway, and this makes no difference, I think, with the level. I do not think Lake Erie will be lowered in future seasons, unless the rainfall becomes markedly less.”’ oo Se oO AFTER A SUPERVISING INSPECTOR OF STEAMBOATS. A movement is said to be on foot in Ohio to depose Maj S. R. Crumbaugh, Supervising Inspector of Steam Vessels of the Pittsburgh and Cincinnati district, says the Pittsburg Chronicle Telegraph. Nothing is known about the matter in Pittsburg except the rumors that are being circulated. It is said that the charges made by Ohio politicians are that Maj. Crumbaugh is not acompetent man, but this is laughed at by Pittsburg rivermen. . The other charge made against Maj. Crumbaugh is that he is not a residentof the district over which he has control. The last charge rivermen admit is true. Some time ago the pilots and Maj. Crumbaugh had some differences, but gen- erally Maj. Crumbaugh is liked. The boat owners speak in the highest terms of him. Maj. Crumbaugh, however, is not a practical steamboatman and never followed the rivers for a living. He wasa teacher ina Kentucky school when he received the appointment. It was the first time that a supervising inspector was ever appointed to fill that place who did not reside in the district. At the time his appointment was announced, some dissatis- faction was noticeable, but as the man became acquainted with the rivermen, this dissatisfaction disappeared. It is thought that if the Ohio politicians are after Major Crum- baugh’s scalp, they are going after it in the interest of some Ohio man. The position pays $3,200a year, and there is little work attached to the office:—The Waterways Journal, St. Louis. ne Rights of Charterer and Owner of Tug to Salvage.—The charterer, and not the owner, of a tug is entitled to the sal- vage earned; the charter being one of demise, under which ‘the charterer received the bare boat, and agreed to return her in as good condition as received. The Kaiser Wilhelm Der Grosse, 106 Fed. Rep. (U. S.) 963. THE MARINE RECORD. WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY FOR LAKE BOATS. W. L. Mercereau, superintendent of steamers of the Pere- Marquette Line, is‘ planning to install wireless telegraphy on all the steamers: of the line, seven. in number. He wil watch the race between the steamers City of Erie and Tash- mooin June, where itis said wireless telegraphy is to be used.in reporting the progress of the boats. Mr Mercereau will locate the land stations for his line at Milwaukee, Lud- ington and Manitowoc. This wireless telegraphy will supplant the carrier pigeon service which had been planned for the boats, and will be the first practical use of the Marconi system on the lakes. That is, providing it eventuates in due course.’ oo or oo MAKING LAKE AND LAND. A report from Two Rivers, Wis., says that for the past fif- teen years the beach along Lake Michigan in that locality ” has been ‘‘making’’? more each year and has added at least several hundred feet to the land. About three miles south of Two Rivers, at what forms the bay near Manitowoc, the land has been washed away gradually and it begins to appear that the soil which is being carried away from that stretch is being washed upon the shore at Two Rivers. The MR. ROBERT LOGAN, C. E. AND N. A. The twin serew, steel, railroad car ferry Pere Marquette 17, and the steel cargo steamer Frank H. Peavey, launched on Saturday and Wednesday at Cleveland and Lorain, respectively, were built under the superintendence of Mr. Logan in the interests of the owners. lake shore has been carried away to such an extent at the little Manitowoc river that the whole strip of land, which was more than 300 feet from the water’s edge, has been washed away and the waves from the lake strike the bridge crossing the river. It is a question of but a very short time before a south-east gale will cause waves sufficiently large to carry the bridge away, unless something is done to retard the erosion. ee THE report of the Trial Board on the recent performance of the torpedo boat Bailey, in Long Island Sound, is in the highest degree favorable. The vessel made an average of 30.2 knots for two consecutive hours, and the machinery and boilers operated in the most satisfactory manner. No trouble was experienced with machinery or auxiliaries. The Bailey was built by the Gas Engine aad Power Co., Morris Heights, New York. The speed for which the Bailey was designed is 30 knots, and the horse-power necessary to drive the boat at this speed is 5,600. All of these anticipations have been exceeded in some respect, and the boat will be at once prepared for transfer to the Government. This is the first of the 235-ton boats tobe completed, and considerable jubilation is being indulged in in consequence. LAUNCH OF THE FRANK H. PEAVEY. The steel cargo steamer Frank H. Peavey was successfully launched from the Lorain yards of the American Ship Building Co. on Wednesday. The new craft is the first of a fleet of four steamers build- ing at Lorain for the Peavey syndicate. The event was witnessed by a large crowd. The launching party which left Cleveland on two special cars over the C.eveland-Lorain electric line, was one of the largest that ever visited Lorain to witness a launch. Mrs, George W. Peavey performed the christening ceremonys. She was accompanied on the stand by Mr, Peavey, Robert Wallace, Gen’]-Manager J. C. Wallace and R. C.. Wetmore,:secretary and treasurer of the shipbuilding company, © The new steamer is 450 feet over all, 430 feel keel, 50 feet beam and 2834 feet deep. She will have quadruple expan- sion engines, cylinders 15, 2334, 364 and 56 inches, with a common stroke of 40 inches. Steam will be furnished by two Babcock & Wilcox water-tube boilers. She is fitted with the ‘‘Providence’’ windlass and capstans, the Alley & Mc- Lellan steam steerer (Scotch patent), furnished by the Detroit Ship Building Co., an electric light installation and a series of six independent pumps of the Blake type. She has steel pole spars, a limited passenger accommodation and will carry 7,000 tons on a draft of 18 feet. Mr. Robert Logan, Cleveland, superintended her construction for the owners. It is expected that the Peavey will be ready for service early in July. Estimated cost $350,000. Among the invited guests at the launching were: Mr. and Mrs, Frank H. Peavey, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Raymon, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Chamberlain, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Prince cof Minneapolis, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Wright of Des Moines, Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Brown, Mr. J. M. Steudebaker and daughter of Chicago, Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Wolvin of Duluth, Mr, and Mrs. W. E. Fitzgerald of Milwaukee, Mr. A. IL. Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Talbell, Mrs. Garrett, Mrs. Charles 1. Hutch- inson, Miss Clara LaMarche, Mrs. EK. EK. Sanders, Mrs. James C. Wallace, Mr. R. L. Ireland, Mr. William Sutten, Mr. Bert Dericx, Mr. Robert Logan, Mr. F. C. LaMarche, Mrs. Robert Wallace, Mr. and Mrs. James H. Hoyt, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Newman, Mr. H. G. Dalton, Mrs. Wilbert Bailey and Mr. Edwin S. Mills of Cleveland. After the launching the guests were banqueted by the shipbuilding company. The second of the Peavey boats will be launched in three weeks, and will be christened George W. Peavey. OO Os TO CHRISTE.N THE MAINE. The governor of Maine hes been invited to select a lady to christen the battleship Maine which is to be launched from the Cramp shipyards in Philadelphia on Mey 30. Among the ladies suggested for the christening are the daughter of Capt. Sigsbee, who commanded the original Maine when she was destroyed in Havana harbor; the daughter of Lieut. Blundin, who was officer of the deck on that occasion, and ladies of the families of the other officers who were attached to the ill-fated vessel, including some of those who lost their lives in the explosion. OO OS LETTERS AT DETROIT MARINE POST OFFICE. MAy 22, I90I. To get any of these letters, addressees or their authorized agents will apply at the general delivery window or write to the postmaster at Detroit, calling for ‘‘advertised”’ matter, giving the date of this list and paying one cent. Advertised matter is previously held one week awaiting delivery. It is held two weeks before it goes to the Dead Letter Office at Washington, D. C. Brant Aug., Geo. Stone Nelson Chas., Sitka Callisson Geo., Miami Ryan H. W., Sacramento Cooper Florence. Snowden John C. Conner Alfred, Lindsay Simmons Dora J. Gibson Chas. Sutherland D. Johnson A. Simpson D. T., Tampa Jessen Gus. Wallis Rolla, Roby Kelley Geo. Williams C. M., Quito Wilds Jno. W. F. B. DICKERSON, P. M. OD OOO Bemer S. Pague, appointed local forecast official of the Weather Bureau in Detroit in March, 1900, has been assigned to duty in Washington. Mr. Pague’s promotion from Detroit to the headquarters of the Weather Bureau comes as a reward for 19 years of faithful service in which he has madea record of accuracy in his forecasts that is excelled by no other manin the service. For a number of years he was on duty at Portland, Ore., where, in a contest held by the Government in 1894, he led every forecaster in the United States in the percentage of correct forecasts that he made during a given period. Neigebauer Gus. 2, Hanna