Maritime History of the Great Lakes

Marine Record (Cleveland, OH), August 22, 1901, p. 12

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12 THE MARINE RECORD. AUGUST 22, IgoI. A TRUSCOTT BOAT SIMPLE, SAFE, RELIABLE, SPEEDY. It may be possible to build better and safer lighting. boats, but it hasn’t been done yet. We send a completely illustrated catalogue and price list f ee, which tells you all about boats and WHY TRUSCOTT BOATS EXCEL. Truscott Boat Mfg. Co., ST. JOSEPH, MICH. Pintsch Gas Lighted Buoys. Adopted by the English, German, French, Russian, Italian and United States Light-House Departments for channel and harbor Over 1,000 gas buoys and gas beacons in service. Burn Continuously from 80 to 365 days and nights 2. 39, without attention, and can be seen a distance of six miles. ..:.... Controlled by THE SAFETY CAR HEATING AND LIGHTING CO. 160 Broadway, New York City. SUBSIDIZED SHIPPING IN COMPETITION. There is a whole volume contained in the brief and ap- parently harmless item printed this week in the San Fran- cisco Daily Commercial News and Shipping List which may be taken to heart by our subsidy loving advocates. “There are upwards of forty French sailing vessels, all of recent construction, bound to Pacific coast ports, some in ballast and some at nominal freight rates, but in nearly every instance under charter to load grain on this coast for Europe at from 38-9 to 4o-. The reason the ves- sels can take business at such figures is the bounty paid by the French government, which is sufficient to pay ex- penses for the voyage out, and the return, at rates ob- tained, pays a good profit. There is a wide difference of opinion as to the merits of the bounty system, but the people of this coast owe a debt of gratitude to France for enabling her ships to come here. The falling off in the demand for coal, the increased promptness in delivery of merchandise by steamer, and the inroads made by overland transportation on goods formerly sent to this coast by rail has reduced the cargo offering to such an extent that only extreme freights outward will tempt sailors this way. With the bounty, the French vessel can come at a profit when vessels of other flags would make a loss, and that accounts for the rapid increase in tonnage headed to the Pacific that flies the tri-color.” Now, how far is each maritime nation prepared to over- bid other nations in competition for the carriage of over- sea traffic? Furthermore, it should be remembered that a large amount, if not the major portion of the investment represented in this fleet of forty French sailing vessels, has been paid to the Scotch ee -industries jon the Clyde. In this connection we note the evidence being given be- fore the British Subsidy Commission now in session. Mr. Knott, on behalf of the North of England Steamship Owners’ Association, stated recently in answer to a question as follows: “The Germans, from the Kaiser downwards, were doing everything possible to promote German trade. Here, on the other hand, persons in high places turned no sun upon them, but only a cold north-east wind. Our trade was slipping away out of our hands—a little here anda little everywhere—and it seemed to be nobody’s business to: take care of it:’ And’ Mr. Knott related the following circumstance to establish his contention: “Some time ago there was a new railway to be made in Turkey, and there was a lot of railway material to be carried from Antwerp. At that time his company had an arrangement with German owners to run on an equality of rates, but railway material. was not. covered. by the arrangement. He was competing for this railway material, and was in- formed that the Kaiser had himself written a letter in his own hand to the Sultan of Turkey, and that the Sultan had written back that a Dutch-German company was to have the carriage of it.” In dealing further with this portion of the evidence the Shipping World (London) remarks: “Mr. Knott stated that he knew that some ‘owners interested in the American trade had come back from the States, having made arrangements to register their vessels under the American flag.’ That, we assume, was contingent upon the American Subsidy Bill passing into law in such a form as will make it possible for British built ships to receive the American register without time limit as to construction. Mr. Knott knows that according to the bill as it now stands, such trans- fer would be absolutely impossible. And he also knows that American shipbuilders are strenuously opposing any extension of the privileges under this head. It may be that the bill will become law, containing much more liberal clauses in respect of foreign-built tonnage than it does at present; but this will not be done without a fierce struggle. And it will not surprise us if the bill should entirely: fail through a conflict brought about by this question, between shipbuilders, supported by some shipowners who oppose the ‘further admission of foreign-built ships, and some large shipowners who favor that departure.” It is just as well, in view of the intended revival of the shipping subsidy legislation, to have the several views of this important question brought as clearly to the light of day as possible. The most strenuous advocates of the sub- sidy measures are the most righteous and sincere well- wishers in their desires for the upbuilding of the United States mercantile marine, though perhaps going so far as to admit that the advantages offered to the few are for the benefit and great good of the many, also, in the ulti- mate, for the country. ee TREASURY DECISIONS. BOATS AND BARGES UPON RIVERS. Such craft are not to be numbered or documented if ex- empted by the provisions of certain acts from the regula- tions requiring official numbers, etc., for vessels. Treasury DEPARTMENT, BUREAU oF NAVIGATION, Wasuineton, D. C., August 13, Igor. Sir:—In reply to your letter dated the 5th instant, this office has to state that the fact that freight barges and boats do a large business in your district does not affect their exemption from the requirements of law as to numbering and documenting by the provisions of the acts of April 18, 1874, and June 30, 1879 (T. D. 23219). The instructions cited of the 2d instant apply to all dis- tricts upon rivers or lakes of the United States having boats or barges like those specified in said acts, and should be considered as relating to such craft.already documented after the surrender of their papers by reason of expira- tion, or for any other proper cause. Respectfully, E. T. CHAMBERLAIN, Commissioner, Surveyor of Customs, Evansville, Ind. FREIGHT BARGES ON RIVERS. Freight barges on rivers may carry passengers without taking out marine documents. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, BUREAU oF NAVIGATION, Wasuincton, D. C., August 13, Igot. Sir:—Replying to your letter dated the roth instant, this office has to state that in view of the exempting provisions of the acts of April 18, 1874, and of June 30, 1870, freight barges on rivers or lakes of the United States need not be documented as vessels of the United States, although hay- ing passengers on board. Respectfully, E. T. CHampBertain, Commissioner. Surveyor of Customs, Evansville, Ind. OO a Tue Hansa Steamship Co., of Bremen; proposes to es- tablish a line of steamers from New York to South Africa and East India; and with this end in view, nine large ves- sels have been ordered. The promoters of the enterprise believe that they will be able to successfully compete with the English lines running to all parts of India and Africa. NOTES. THE new torpedo boat cruiser Foudes, which was built. by the British Admiralty as an experiment to test. whether a cruiser can carry torpedo boats for launching on the high seas, has been an utter failure. It was found that the torpedo boats could only be launched from the crtiser in a harbor, in smooth water. The Admiralty has ordered that the Foudes be converted into a naval repair ship. Tue British Commercial Agent in the United States has his headquarters at Chicago; his general duties consist in watching and reporting on the commerce, industries, and products of special districts, and in answering inquiries from chambers of.commerce and firms. His salary is £500 ($2,500) a year, and he also receives an allowance of £300 ($1,500) to cover traveling and other expenses. His salary and allowance, as well as those of the other commercial agents, are accounted for under the Diplomatic and Con- sular Vote, subhead “Special missions,” partly under the heading “Collation of commercial intelligence” and out of “Unforeseen missions.” Stk Witrrip Laurier, at a recent meeting with the Quebec Harbor Commissioners, heard their views on the question of improving the St. Lawrence from Quebec to the sea, and in reply informed the commissioners that the im- provements asked for in the memorial presented to the government in April last would be carried out next season. The improvements proposed include the laying down of more gas buoys, the substitution of occulting for fixed lights, the dredging and straightening of certain channels, the erection of piers, and the placing of steam sirens in- stead of fog guns at different points. The deputy minister of marine, who accompanied the premier, stated that most of the improvements were already in progress. THe Superior Gas Engine Co., West Superior, Wis., has put on the market a new launch propeller, for which the following claims are made: No gears, levers, clutches or screws to get out of order or break. Hub is smooth and compact. No projections to impede rotation. Blades are interchangeable, independent and easily removed and re- placed. Blades are built on center line, reversing power is thereby distributed to them with positive evenness, over- coming all tendency to bind or cause friction when in mo- tion.» The wheel can be so pitched by means of the operat- ing lever as to work the boat at anything from full speed ahead to full speed astern, furnishing no power whatever when the lever is on center. Reversing lever can be placed at any desirable point in the boat. One of the highest standard water-tube boilers manu- factured is the Roberts safety water-tube boiler, made by The Roberts Boiler Co., New York. Over, 1,000 boilers have been built by this company in the last I5 years, and not one man has been killed nor has there been any serious accidents caused by their boilers. These boilers combine safety and economy and are manufactured from the best material, especially made for this company, Their boilers are used on launches, yachts, passenger and cargo steamers, dredges, tugs, stern wheel, canal boats, for the navy, war, treasury and the New ack dock departments, Light- house board, and revenue cutter service. The year 1900 will be eclipsed by 1901, although last year was the best business year since the formation of the company,

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