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THE MARINE RECORD. Published Every - Pheseaday by ie MARINE RECORD PUBLISHING CO., Incorporated. Cc. E: RUSKIN, - - - - Manager. CAPT. JOHN SWAINSON,~ - - - Editor. _ CLEVELAND, CHICAGO, Western Reserve Building. Royal Insurance Building. SUBSCRIPTION. One Copy, one year, postage paid, - - $2.00 One Copy, one year, to foreign countries, - - $3.00 Invariably in advance. ADVERTISING. Rates given on application. All communications should be addressed to the Cleveland office, THE MARINE RECORD PUBLISHING CO., Western Reserve Building, Cleveland, O. Entered at Cleveland Postoffice as second-class mail matter. ” No attention is paid to anonymous communications, but the wishes of contributors as to the use of their names will be scrupulously regarded. _ GLEVELAND, O., MAY 30, 1901. eS SN ERE CANALS BETWEEN THE LAKES AND NEW YORK. ~The American Society of Civil Engineers contribute this ‘month their full quota of facts in presenting the subject of the economic dimensions for a waterway from the lakes to the Atlantic, or rather the most available point on the Hud- son river, as all points in the discussion tended thereto. The most eminent engineers in the country commented upon.and freely discussed the papers submitted by Joseph Mayer and George Y. Wisner and the facts brought forward amply demonstrate both the feasibility and advisability of constructing an adequate waterway for more modernized : tonnage to carry on the vast trans-continental commerce of the near present and future. In the very able paper presented by George Y. Wisner, _Esq., it is stated that plans and estimates have been made for regulating works to control the level of Lake Erie, and for constructing waterways 21 feet and 30 feet deep through the channels of the Great Lakes and from the lakes to the Atlantic, __ Referring to the estimated cost of 21 and 30 feet water- ways from the lakes tothe seaboard, the latter will cost $100,000,000 more than the former, not including the cost Kot. improving terminal harbors. The difference in expense for operation, maintenance and repairs will be about $550,- 000 per year, making the fixed charges for a 30-foot water- way, including the improvement and maintenance of lake . harbors, nearly $5,000,000 greater than for one of 21-foot depth, It is further shown that, taking the cost of im- provements into consideration, the commerce of the lakes can be transported more economically with channels of 21 feetin depth than with deeper ones, and therefore, what- ever advantages are to be derived from a 300-foot waterway _ from the lakes tothe Atlantic must come from developing , new industries and commerce by direct trade between the "lakes and foreign ports. Since the interests of the steel and shipbuilding combines, also the general commerce, would be equally well subserved » by either waterway, itis difficult to conceive of conditions _ which. would warrant the large expenditure necessary to con- f " struct a waterway of greater dimensions than required for safe and economical navigation on the lakes. ,,. Almost any transportation rate may be deduced for the _ routes of different depths, by varying the assumed speed in _restricted channels and the time lost by detention at termin- _ alports. If, however, the dimensions of the channel be such _as to allow economical speeds for the type of vessel adapted _ to their use, there need be no trouble in establishing these . elements of the problem within reasonable limits, as the _,average speed at which canal barges can be towed is pretty well known and the safe speeds of steam-ships in the re- _ stricted waterways of ‘the Great Lakes and in the ship canals of Europe furnish data from which the ratio of cross-section of channel to that of ship may be determined, which will give a minimum rate of transportation and in this connec- tion itis estimated that a 21 foot waterway, having a cross section of 5,500 square feet area or about six times the mid- ship section of a ship would allow safe speeds of 8 to Io miles per hour with the same consumption of fuel required in open water; furthermore, it has been found from actual observations of the speéds’ of steamers on the lakes that a vessel capable of averaging 12.5 miles per hour in the. deep water of the open lakes is retarded about 16 per cent. or 2 miles per hour, when steaming with the same boiler pressure and only 2 feet of water under her keel. When the lake channels are improved so as to allow the passage of ships of 19 to 20 feet draft, the cross section of the St. Clair Flats canal will be about six times that of a loaded vessel, and the mean back flow due to the movement of the ship about one-fifth of the speed of the steamer. It is apparent, therefore, that where the cross-section of the waterway is less than six times that of the passing ship the speed will be retarded at least one-third of that which could be maintained in open water. OOO SO COMPASS DIAGRAMS IN DEMAND. With the advent of the second proposed improved form of compass card diagrams emanating from the Hydragraphic Office, U.S. N., Bureau of Equipment, having in view the adoption of numbers instead of letters, as relating to courses and bearings, now comes along a Capt. Brinkworth, dock- master at Gloucester, England, with another system of fog signaling by compass terms, according to the old and pres- ent readings. Unlike so many other things, it is so easily demonstrable (on paper), that course, direction, speed, audibility and even intentions can all be assured, that we are not at all surprised at the latest freak (of which we have’ seen several) brought forward on this subject, and we are quite prepared fora strenuous advocate to spring up any day with the assurance that there is nothing to beat the old time calliope as used on Southern rivers and more markedly so at present in circus parades. Now, as regards this latest plan of conveying important intelligence during a dense fog between moving bodies, under varying weather and geographical conditions, Capt. Brinkworth’s system seems to beat least well worked out and shows very clearly, also perhaps nicely, in the compass card diagram. In place of. simply drawing attention to his signals in the ordinary way, he has introduced a compass card of the usual type, having on each of the 32 points the signals to be made by blasts, long or short, on the fog horn, whistle, or syren, to represent the particular point. The signals are shown very conspicuously in the black of the compass point as white bars, long or short, according to the length of the blast required. No mistake can be made, and if the mark. ing of the card is carried out on all compasses, it is assever- ated that confusion would be avoided. The number of blasts vary from two to five, but there is no sequence so far as numbers are concerned, in the quadrants, or cardinal points, and in this feature the new idea varys to some extent on what has been brought forward previously. We leave it to the average reader to imagine how the adoption of a steam calliope would further the safety of life and property at sea when vessels were enveloped in a dense fog. At the same time we give the assurance that not column upon column but volume after volume has been printed and circulated regarding sound system of signalling during thick weather, the aberration of the audibility of sound, the penetrative power of different tones of sound as well as volume, as well as the best method of controlling or directing same. OO oOo eee LIFE-SAVING medals for heroic acts of personal bravery are now being clamored for on all sides, and the Act of Congress empowering the awarding of same is likely to be brought to light if the efforts of Congressmen representing lake districts are to count for anything. These medals certify to a national recognition as opposed to the glorifl- cation of a departmental individual of note. It’s so long though since any act of heroism on the lakes has been recognized that but few know whee the several grades of awards are like. — OO oe oe THE thanks of the RECORD are herewith tendered the Board of Trustees of ‘‘Webb’s Academy and Home for Ship- builders’’ for their kind invitation to be present at the Fifth Annual Commencement on Thursday afternoon, June 6, at the Institution, Fordham Heights, New York City. MAY 30, Igor. SAILORS’ PRELIMINARY PRACTICE. “Sailorizing,’’ as formerly known and practiced, apart from the navigational art, is now, asis well known, in its decadence. By the foregoing term we mean more especially the preliminary practice acquired by all youths endeavoring to obtain the ‘‘guts’’ of a sailor, not necessarily that he should chewa bundle of rope yarns and drink a pint of Stockholm tar before reaching that enviable stage of ‘‘savee”’ wherein he can manage to do as he is told, but as an essen- tial to the settling of his mind and aspirations to excel in that walk of life which he has voluntarily chosen and mapped out for himself. Time was when all youngsters, after the service of a year or so, made it a pride to be able to make ropeyarns almost speak, that is, to assume any form they desired, on the principle that no knot or bend should ever be made to jam, as also that all forms of fancy work were chiefly based on a manipulation of walls and crowns, and that a perfect uni- formity must be shown in all styles of plaiting, as for in- stance, round, square, flat, semi-circular, or rat-tail, corkscrew French, etc., sennets, these to the former youthful sailor were of common knowledge, as were also all sorts of decora- tive knots on bag and knife lanyards and bell-ropes, while the acquisition of a knowledge of Turk’s heads of three or any other number of ‘‘strands’’ was considered worth spend- ing hour after hour to gain. Having now an ambitious and enthusiastic crowd of © juveniles, eager to excel in all of the attributes of thoroughly qualified naval reserve men, and in view of the several prom- inent lake ports hiving their own naval reserve drill and practice ships, it should not be out place to give the aspiring ~ eweys a few lessons in the old time drill, so as to develop a patience of spirit, a feeling of skill and competency and a general handiness in taking hold of a rope, as if they knew ° what it was composed of and conid be made to do as well as to know when it was being punished. In this connection we note with some degree of interest that adaily newspaper published at an English seaport cffers prizes to each competitor who can spl.ce a waterlaid rope with a nine splice, make a four-strarded cringle, rope a sail, and work a becket on a harpoon. It has also been suggested ‘ that in addition to. the foregoing the test might becarried along as follows: Make a Flemish eye in a hawser; a man-rope knot; a bucket knot; a double-rase knot; a becket on a clothes-line, if required; a short splice, right-handed or left-handed; a short long splice, right-handed or left-handed; a long short splice right-handed or left-handed; point a rope, etc. of course, scores of other things to be made, but the maker of the foregoing can be trusted to handle a marlin- spike ” well enough to pass upon his ordinary efficiency. This system of sailorizing drill is not absolutely necessary to accomplish the ordinary make up of a naval militiaman — but we should imagine that the young aspirant for naval reserve honors would be put to the blush at confessing his inability to twist ropeyarns or strands into any of the fore- going forms as also would the world renowned Admiral Dewey, U. S. N., just as much as a Nelson, in the older days would have sunk through his boots at a ‘‘I can’t do it, sir’’, © when told to twist up a few nettles. It is quite apparent, in these days of steam, clinker chas- ing, paint washing, brass cleaning, etc., that some prelim- inary line of study and practical application is essential for the well being and esprit de corps of the naval reserve service, and perhaps a greater development of rope handling including the more modern wire rope, would prove of great advantage to those aspiring to be called a sailor, and this too, without reference to the more inclusive term of seaman- ship, involving the handling of ships, regarding which space forbids us from even touching upon at this time. Oa REPRESENTATIVES of the world’s most influential daily newspapers are off on another all-around-the-world race. There are seven competitors in all including Le Matin, Paris, the Journal and the World, New York, Chicago Amer- ican, San Francisco Examiner, one London and one Berlin paper with two reporters sent out by La Presse, Montreal, representing Canada. ord time for a trip around the circle, and not, as Jules Verne had it, 80 days. a — — ee Tux difficulty existent in connection with fog signalling has always been the inability of one steamer indicating her course to another vessel in her vicinity. Schemes have’ been drawn up for removing this trouble, and very excellent series of sound signals have been presented, but so far with-. out effect. There are,’ About 34 days is considered the rec-- eos