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THE MARINE RECORD. SEPTEMBER 26, I9OI. i THE HAMBURG-AMERICAN LINE. A German writer gives an economic history of the Ham- burg-American line, a concern which owns more steam ton- nage than any other organization in the world, save, of course, the navy of one or two maritime powers. Its begin- nings were modest in the extreme, forits original fleet in the year 1848 consisted only of a couple of sailing vessels, whose cabin capacity was limited to some 30 berths each, and three round trips to New York inthe twelve months was considered good work for them. | Additions were soon made to the fleet, but these at first were also sailing vessels, and it was not until the year 1854 that two steamships, the Borus- sia and the Hammonia, were ordered froma British yard. In 1856 the service to New York was established on a regu- lar monthly basis, increasing in 1866 to a weekly service in summer. ‘The following year saw the company carrying the German, British and United States mails.. Then came the institution of the line to Havana and New Orleans, The ab- sorption of the rival Adler line was accomplished in 1875, and in 1881 branch services to the St. Lawrence and Boston were established. In 1887 the determination to start an ex- press service to New York was reached and two years later the first of the big fast twin-screw steamers appeared in the Augusta Victoria, built at Stettin. In 1891 a Philadelphia service was started, and the following year saw the employ- ment of the express steamers in a united service to the Med- iterranean, whereby the traveler is afforded an opportunity of touring in the Levant. In 1896 South America was brought into the scope of the company’s activity with a ser- vice to the River Plate. In 1898 the Eastern Asian service was established. This at present is maintained by the Ham- burg line in conjunction with the Nord Deutscher Co., both the partners striving to excell in the class of ship appointed for the duty. About this time the Kingsin line was pur- chased. Then last year the ports of Northern Brazil were brought into the range of the company’s operations, and ar- rangements for harmonious working of the South American trade was made with other large German companies. The last achievement has been the recent acquisition of the 7 steamships of the Atlas Co., a Liverpool line with a well- known connection with West Indian, United States and Central American ports. But through prosperous times and times whith have not been prosperous the policy of expan- sion and absorption seems to have been adhered to with Teutonic tenacity. Thus in 1850 we find the Hamburg-American line with a capital of $1,500,000, owning 4 steamers and carrying 1,420 passengers in 11 voyages. In 1900 they had 98 ocean steam- ers with a capital of $20,000,000 and a reserve of upwards of $2,000,co0, carrying 167,000 passengers in 419 round trips and showing a working profit of $6,000,000, declaring a 10 per cent. dividend. The tonnage of their ocean steamships is now placed at about 424,000, having ‘a book value of up- wards of $25,000,000. PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT’S VIEWS. A more liberal and extensive reciprocity in the purchase and sale of commodities so that the overproduction of this country can be satisfactorily disposed of by fair and equitable arrangements with foreign countries. The abolition entirely of commercial war with other countries and the adoption of reciprocity treaties. The abolition of such tariffs on foreign goods as are no longer needed for revenue, if such abolition can be had without harm to our industries and labor. Direct commercial lines should be established between the eastern coast of the United States and the ports in South America and the Pacific Coast ports and Mexico, Central America and South America. The encouraging of the merchant marine and the building of ships which shall carry the American flag and be owned and controlled by Americans and American capital. ‘The building and completion as soon as is possible of the isthmian canal, so as to give direct water communication with the coasts of Central America, South America and Mexico. . The construction of a cable owned by the government, connecting our mainland with our foreign possessions, notably Hawaii and the Philippines. The use of conciliatory methods of arbitration in all dis- putes with foreign nations so as to avoid armed strife. The protection of the savings of the people in banks and in other forms of investments by the preservation of the commercial prosperity of the country and by placing in positions of trust men of only the highest integrity. ICE BREAKER AND CAR FERRY. Messrs. Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co., of New- castle, England, have completed the building of a vessel to the order of the Dominion Minister of Railways and Canals. The craft is named the Scotia and has been built for the car- riage of railway trains across the Straits of Canso to and from Port Mulgrave, in Nova Scotia. The vessel is at the same time constructed as an ice breaker, as during a consid- erable portion of the winter months the straits become con- gested with large masses of ice that drift in with the tides and winds. The steamer is capable of taking over a load of nine Pullman cars, 84 feet 6 inches long, or a corresponding number of box cars. She is also specially strengthened to take over an express locomotive and tender, weighing not less than 118 tons. The vessel has been tried on a measured mile at the mouth of the river Tyne with equivalent weights to her working load on board, when she proved herself able to carry out her contract speed, and developed the power necessary for ice breaking. The vessel is built with two sets of triple expansion engines of 1,200 h. p. each, with four large cylindrical boilers, all working at a pressure of 160 lbs., and the shafting is continuous from end to end of the vessel. There is an ice-breaking propeller, and she has also rudders at each end, which admit of the ship being handled in either direction. 5 —————— i ie LOSS OF THE FEDORA. The steamer-barge Fedora, Capt. W. W. Brown, Cleve- land, managing owner, burned to the water’s edge at Red- cliff, Lake Superior, on Friday night last. A lamp explod- ed in the engine room, and before the pumps could be started the fire reached such headway that the engineer was compelled to leave the engine room. Capt. F. A. Fick and the crew of eighteen had a narrow escape, but reached shore safely. Nothing was saved but what the crew could carry. The boat was bound to Ashland from Duluth, light. The lumber yards and mill owned by the Redcliff Lumber Co., of Redcliff, had a narrow escape from burning. The cap- tain and crew of the burned vessel reached Bayfield and left for Cleveland the next day. The boat is practically a total loss. The Fedora had a gross tonnage of 1,848 and an AI’ Inland Lloyd rating. She was built at West Bay City, Mich., in 1889; was 282 feet long, 41 feet beam and had a depth of 20 feet. She was valued for insurance purposes at $70,coo, —$— i a a STATEMENT OF THE VISIBLE SUPPLY OF GRAIN. As compiled by George F. Stone, Secretary Chicago Board of Trade, September 21st, IgoI. CITIES WHERE WHEAT.| CORN. OaTs. RYE. BARLEY STORED. Bushels. | Bushels. | Bushels. | Bushels. | Bushels, Buiale ic.6) oes case I 510,000 994,000 307,000 61,000 165,000 4 7,103,000] 1,828,000 233,000 21,000 , 64,000 127,000 196,000 24,000 h, 62, 647,000 532,000 469,000 299,000 Fort William, Ont.. 996.000 Me aa a Tae aaah: eS Pears Rane pw Milwaukee.......... 128,000} 270,000] 564,000 28,000) 58,000 Port Arthur, Ont.... BOIOOO| cis See ases eth os haa hy iolatel| dle sebenatUe ts aiptencceta Toledo.......+.- ..[ 726,000} 668,000! 1,171,000| 355,000 8,000 Toronto.... TOLOOOI pee eke gol oe cmatepeg ace law anne sets 25,000 On Canals.. ea 398,000 224,030 TS-OOO | avere cee vas 155,000 On Lakes.....:..... 1,535,000] 1,154,000 95,000}... - seers lees eee ee On Miss. River......Jeseeseecee] cone cece deere ireisecrail vase mie stateeg |acatonecte Grand Total..... 32 625,0C0] 12,930,000} 8,747,000] 1,644,000] 1,416,000 Corresponding Date, 1900. .6esecesievercite 54,993,000] 7,322,000] 11,659,000] 869,000} 784,000 Increase for week.. 1,753,000 428,000 272 000 26,000) 291,000 Decrease ‘ While the stock of grain at lake ports only is here given, the total shows the figures for the entire country except the Pacific Slope. rr a LOSS OF THE CITY OF CLEVELAND. The large wooden steamer City of Cleveland, was lost on Sunday, Sept. 15, on Perseverance, near Fitzwilliam island, Georgian Bay, bound from Lake Superior to Midland with a cargo of 2,300 tons of iron ore. The Cleveland went on the rocks in the early morning during a hard gale. The weather was very thick at the time. When she first struck Capt. R. M. Thompson immediately sounded and found that she was making water. He attempted to turn, but in the attempt grounded. The hold filled rapidly and in a few minutes the steamer had settled in 30 feet of water. The crew had barely time to lower the boats, in which they reached the shore in safety. The City of Cleveland was a wooden steamer of 1,610 tons gross, built for and owned by the Bradley estate in 1882 and rated A 134* with an insurance valuation of $55,000, DEADWATER. Among the Scandinavian, especially the Norwegian sailors they often speak of a curious phenomenon, which they call ‘‘dodvand”’ (literally translated, deadwater). It appears near the coasts, especially in the neighborhood of great river- mouths, and most frequently it is sailing vessels in light wind or ships in tow that are exposed to it, but sometimes also steamers. When a ship gets into deadwater itis nearly _ helpless, it looses its speed and does not answer the helm. At the same time, peculiar changes are to be observed in the surface of the water. An important example of the astounding effects of the deadwater is given to us by Dr. Fridtjof Nansen’s voyage with the ‘‘Fram’’ along the coasts of Siberia at the beginning of his polar expedition. Inthe Taimyr Sound, namely, the ship three times got into a very strong deadwater, and Dr. Nansen has described this event in his popular account of the expedition. Though the engine worked at full speed, the ‘‘Fram’’ hardly moved from the spot on account of the deadwater, and “‘it swept the whole sea along with it.” This event has caused a scientific investigation of the phenomenon of the deadwater, which is now nearly finished and will be published in the general account of the scientific results of the ‘‘Fram’’ expedition. It is, however, of im- portance to learn what experience they have of deadwater in different countries, and the undersigned therefore appeals to the readers of this paper with request of kind information in regard to the following questions : 1. Is the phenomenon known by American sailors, and, if so, by which name? 2. At which time of the year does it usually appear, at which places and under what circumstances? Please de- scribe the phenomenon as completely as possible. Especially the undersigned would be much obliged for any account of particular cases of deadwater, which have happened. Please make the description as complete as possible (also state time and place) but do not include any facts except fully reliable ones. (Signed) V. WALFRID EKMAN, Doctor of Philosophy. Stockholms Hogskola, Stockholm, Sweden. —_—— rr Oe LAUNCH OF THE W. S. MACK. The steel steamer William S. Mack, built at the Lorain yards of the American Ship Building Co. tothe order of W. H. Mack et al., Cleveland, was successfully launched on Saturday. os The launch was one of the most exact ever witnessed at the Address: yards, the steamer leaving the ways onan even keel. The’ honor of christening the boat fell to Miss Annabelle Mack, daughter of the late Capt. William S. Mack, for whom the boat was named. The ceremony was the customary break- ing of a bottle of champagne over the vessel’s bow as she started down the ways. The launching party from Cleve- land was made upasfollows: Mrs. W.S. Mack, Miss Anna- belle Mack, Mrs. W. S. Bailey, Misses Nellie Thomas, Mar- guerite Tuttle, Jeannette Wellman, Mrs. Knowels, of Roches-— ter, Misses Martha Clark, of Marquette, and Hazel Buck, of Chicago; Capt. John Mitchell, Capt. Henry Parsons, Mr. Oliver Upson, Mr. W. H. Mack, Mr. O. T. Weaver, Capt. Henry Peterson, Mr. Max J. Wells, Mr. E. Nicholson, Capt. John Corrigan, Mr. L.. Wallace, Mr. J. Lee Wallace, Mr. Robert Logan, Mr. F. C. Lamarche, Mr. Daniel Abery, of Detroit, Mr. John Walsh of Pittsburgh, Mr. W. Whitney of Norwalk, and General Manager J. C. Wallace of the Ameri- can Ship Building Co. The new boat will be ready for service in six weeks, and will be sailed by Capt. Henry Peterson, formerly of the Harvard and Griffin, and one of the most experienced masters on the lakes. The Mack will carry about 4,5co tons. over all, 346 feet keel, 48 feet beam and 28 feet deep She will have triple expansion engines with cylinders 20, 33% and 55 inches by 4o-inch stroke. Steam will be furnished by two Scotch-type boilers, 12 feet 10 inches in diameter and 13 feet to be allowed 175 pounds. i oO Se Shipowners at New York are crestfallen over the exceec ingly low freight rates and scarcity of cargoes, and there seems to be no relief insight. Long time charters are being offered by owners at very low figures, which adds to the gloomy outlook. Steamships are leaving that port with tons of vacant space in their holds, rather than accept the prevailing rates. She is 366 feet