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JULY 25, 1901. THE MARINE RECORD. 13 nnn ANOTHER ESCAPED METEOROLOGIST. A Swiss scientist has written the Commercial News a letter, the following of which is a literal translation: Cuitton (Suisse) June 13, oor. To the Editor of the Journal Commercial News, 34 Cali- fornia Street, San Francisco, U. S. A. Dear Sir :—Would you have the kindness to request some ship captain sailing between San Francisco and Honolulu, Auckland or Sydney, to note the Fiji Islands, Caledonia and New Hebrides as being visited by violent atmospheric disturbances on the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and oth of July, and on the 18th, 19th and 20th of the same month. The toth particularly, is an extremely critical date for the meridians 155 to 165 east from Paris, the 27th parallel of latitude south. The 26th of July is also a date to be feared, as be- ing likely to produce a cyclonic center on the 155th merid- ian east from Paris, 21st parallel of latitude south. You will oblige me very much if your intermediary a ship cap- tain, would be induced to note these indications and verify them in case he should happen to be in those vicinities at the time indicated. These prognostications are based on the lunar declination of the 16th of June and that of the 26th of July. By means of information published in your paper, under the article “Memoranda,” I have been able to establish the fact that each time that the ship captain ob- served the hurricane it conincided with the lunar declina- tion analagous to those of the dates above given. I have therefore reason to believe that as the same causes pro- duced the same effects, the violent atmospheric disturb- ances will take place on the dates I have indicated, and on those meridians situated between Australia and the Samoan Islands. I thank you very sincely for your paper and hope soon to reciprocate by giving you the weather predictions for San Francisco during the entire year 1902. You know that if you like you can make wagers, with the incredulous upon ‘this subject. Thanking you again, I remain, (Signed) Ee JULES CAPRE. THE FLORIDA SHIP CANAL. The project of cutting a ship canal across the peninsula of Florida has been talked of for many years, as all great undertakings are discussed for years before they are taken in hand and finished, says the Jacksonville (Fla.) Times- Union. The renewed interest that is now being taken in this project gives promise that the time for its execution is near at hand. It is not a vast undertaking. The canal would be an unusually long one for a ship canal, but it could be run through a country but little above the sea level. No high ridges would have to be cut through and no rock-ribbed soil would be found along Jits route.: Florida soil is easy to excavate, and a canal cut across this State 100 miles long would cost less than one of one-fourth of its length acrosss an isthmus with a moun- tain range or range of hills dividing the waters on either side. Such a canal would be easy to cut, and it would be a great saving to commerce. The Florida straits are dan- gerous to navigators; the canal would be safe. The dis- tance through the canal would be shorter, and another of its advantages would be the saving of a long trip through the gulf stream, whose waters, on account of their warmth, prove injurious to certain classes of freight. In the past fifteen years there has been a gain of foreign trade of the gulf ports whose commerce would go through the Florida canal of $161,853,603, or nearly 150 per cent. And it is probable that the gain will be more rapid during the next fifteen years than during the last fifteen, for the oil dis- coveries in Texas will give great impetus to the indus- tries and the commerce of that State, and the iron and steel and coal development of Alabama will vastly increase the shipments from Pensacola and Mobile. we A BRITISH-BUILT STEEL PONTOON DOCK. Messrs. Robert Stephenson & Co., Ltd., England, have just completed what is considered the largest self-docking pontoon dock afloat. The immense steel construction’ is of great strength and built to comply with the requirements of the Spanish Admiralty. These requirements are, that if a ship of 12,000 tons weight, with a length of 328 feet; be placed in the center of the dock, no part of the dock shall be worked to more than 6.33 tons per square inch in ex- tension, and 7.6 tons per square inch in compression. The bottom portion of the dock is built of iron, and is composed of six pontoons, each 74 feet 2 inches long by 117 feet wide by 13 feet 6 inches molded depth. On the top of those are placed the side towers, or girders, securely bolted to the pontoons, and binding them all together. The pontoons are also connected together by junction plates extending across the dock at each pontoon end. The side girders are built of steel on account of their having to take the strain when a ship is docked, and also, as being mostly out of water they are not so liable to corrode. The dock is being towed from Hebburn to the Mediter- ranean by three powerful tugs belonging to: Messrs, Smit & Co., of Rotterdam, who make a speciality of long-distance towing of this description. The voyage is calculated to occupy thirty days. There are two tugs towing, namely, the Zwarte Zee, whose tow rope is of 20 inch manila, and the Oceaan, having an 18-inch manila tow rope. The steer- ing is done by the Zuider Zee, whose check rope is of 13- inch manila.* Seven tugs were employed to take the dock through a stretch of river from the shipyard to the coast. 7 ; RE, Paes *These dimensions are in circumference and not the diam- eter measure as in usual mention on the lakes. ——$—$—$— a a a NOTICE TO MARINERS. DOMINION OF CANADA—ONTARIO. WRECK OF THE “SPECULAR.’——-With further reference to notice to mariners, part 1, of No. 79, of 1900, and part 4 of No. 25, of 1901, Capt. Dunn, of the D. G. S. “Petrel,” reports that he has discovered a spot on this wreck with only 11 feet of water on it. The locality will be examined. and further notice given. Survey Buoys PLAceD TEMPORARILY IN St. LAWRENCE River.—Notice has been received from the Department of Public Works that a number of white spar buoys are to be placed at various points in the St. Lawrence river, be- tween Prescott and Kingston during the coming season by the engineers engaged in surveying that portion of the river. It should be distinctly understood that these buoys are for survey purposes only and are not intended as a guide to vessels. : : Mariners are earnestly requested not to interfere with these buoys in any way. F. GourDEAU, Deputy Minister of Marine and Fisheries. Department of Marine and Fisheries, Ottawa, Canada, 5th July, 1got. SUN’S AMPLITUDES. The following approximate amplitudes of the Sun’s rising or setting will be given each week inthis column during the season of navigation. A second bearing may be taken by compass at sunset, by reversing the east bearing given for the nearest latitude, as the change in declination for a few hours makes but a slight difference in the true bearing of the Sun’s setting. The bearing may be taken when the Sun’s center ison the horizon, rising or setting. The ele- ments which may be obtained by taking these amplitudes are the quantities known as local attraction, variation and deviation, or the total differerc2 between compass and true, — or geographical bearings. LAKE ERIE AND S. END LAKE MICHIGAN, LAT. 42° N. Date. Amplitude. Bearing P’ts. Bearing Comp. July 24....E. 279 N. = N. 55 EK. =N. E. by E. % E. July 28....B. 26° N. =N. 5594 EH. = N. E. by E. % E. July 31....E. 25° N. =N. 53 KE. =N. E. by E. % E. LAKE ONTARIO, S. END HURON AND CENTRAL, PORTION LAKE MICHIGAN, LAT. 44° N. Date. Amplitude. Bearing P’ts. Bearing Comp. July 24....E. 28° N. = N.5% E. =N.E. by E. % E. July 28....E. 27°N. =N. 55% E.=N. E. by BE. % E. July 3r....E. 26° N. =N. 55 E.=N. EH. by E. % EH. , N. END LAKES HURON AND MICHIGAN, LAT. 46° N. Date. Amplitude. Bearing P’ts. Bearing Comp. July 24....E. 29° N. = N. 53% E.=N E. by E. % E. July 28....E. 28° N. =N.5% HE. =N. E. by HE. % E. July 3t....E. 27° N. =N. 55 E. = N.E, by E. % E. : LAKE SUPERIOR, LAT. 48° N. oes Date. Amplitude. Bearing P’ts. Bearing Comp. July 24... .H.s 31° N: = N. 5% B= N: Buby Bey E. July 28.2.-E. 29° N. = N. 5% By = N. E: by EE. July 31....E. 28° N. =N.5% HE. =N.E. by E. % E. With a compass correct magnetic, the difference between the observed and true bearing or amplitude will be the vari- ation for the locality. Should there be any deviation on the course the vessel is heading at the time of taking the bear- ing, the difference between the observed and the true ampli- tude after the variation is applied will be the amount of de- viation on that course. If the -correct magnetic bearing is to the right of the compass bearing, the deviation is easterly, if to the left, the deviation’ is westerly. DOO Ol DE ‘ The folder of the Northern Navigation Co., of Ontario, has some very good illustrations of the scenery to be found amongst the 30,000 islands of Georgian Bay, reached by steamers. It has a fine full-page view of the Canadian locks at Sault Ste. Marie, with one of the company’s vessels locking through. CE Pe SO aay acl EEN gh ae etal ee ae CPO ae a 2 Pe marveLous a "Oh 5 Bis 5 geek N Es THE NEW BAUSCH é LOMB-ZEISS STERE Binocular Glasses. Used by the Armies and Navies of the World. Invaluable for Tourists, Sportsmen and Every-day Use. Booklet Free. Bausch 6 Lomb Optical Co., Rochester, N. Y. New York. Chicago. For sale by all dealers, as na oett pn eae RR Rr SA ra Pow ee ee: ey Eee ss ee epee >} a OE BY lem oD ye ie Rin secAhion. Snare Ciera Gene. Amana. aaBieintl drat eno stt oteon..nmion adi? i5.F. HODGE &C MARINE ENGINES, PROPELLER WHEELS, | ‘ DECK HOISTERS, MARINE REPAIRS. @ sie ATWATER STREET, DETROIT, MICH. . Ga: fea liss LIQUID Girt) COMPASS Made in seven sizes by JOHN BLISS & CcO.,. 128 Front Street, New York, is finely finished sensitive, accurate and durable. Moves quickly and is extremely steady. Is the best Liquid Com: pass ever made in this or any country. For sale’ by ship chandlers generally.