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THE NICARAGUA CANAL. The Kings of Spain, of France and of England in the re- mote past, and for over a century the Government of the United States, have been endeavoring to find a, method of uniting the Atlantic and Pacific by an inter-oceanic canal, constructed somewhere on the isthmus of Panama or across Central America or Southern Mexico. More than a quar- ter of a century ago the Commercial News took up the fight for a canal at Nicaragua, and has never since ceased to urge its construction. In an article printed December 1, 1875, this paper said: The. sagacious policy evinced by the English in ‘obtain- ing control of the Suez Canal will, without doubt, have the effect of inducing Congress to look with favor upon the recommendation which it is said will be made to them by the President in his next annual message, in regard to the construction of an inter-oceanic canal by the Nicaraguan route, this route being pronounced by the most experi- enced engineers to be the most feasible one in every respect. The United States should not-fail to take advantage of the opportunity they now ‘have offered for the construction and control of this future marine highway, which is des- ' tined to be of equal importance to the commerce of the world as the Suez Canal Should the project be carried to a successful issue, it will, by giving us control of the immense carrying trade of the far East, go far towards re- storing to the United States the supremacy of the seas, which, before the late war, we were possessed of. To the people of this Coast the opening of a new and rapid means of communication with the Atlantic will be of incalculable value, as to them would accrue in a few years an amount nearly equal to the cost of its construction. The grain trade particularly would be benefited in the saving which it would effect in time, interest and the many risks incident to the present long passages. If the people of the State understand their true interest they will not depend.upon the acquisition of adjacent territory for an. increase of their prosperity, but will use every possible means towards hav- ing this great enterprise carried to a successful termina- tion. The fight for a canal began if earnest with the discovery of gold in California, was laid aside during the Civil War, and renewed during General Grant’s term as President. From that time on no President’s message has been with- out a recommendation of this project, no Congress has been without a canal bill, and with almost as much regu- larity a bill has been adopted in one house, only to be de- feated in, the other. Apparently to postpone the inevitable, when. success seemed assured, a commission was devised that, at a cost of over a million dollars amd several years’ work, made exhaustive surveys of each route, with the result, if the public press can be relied upon, that the many previous competent surveys were approved, and the Nicaragua route stands pre-eminent as the most advantageous one. Further, the Hay-Pauncefote treaty has been signed, sweeping away the political obstacles in the path of the canal. Beyond question, more than three-fourths of the voters of this - country want the canal built, and doubtless a majority in Congress are instructed to work and vote for it, but there is still a powerful interest, adverse to the canal; that has” great influence, particularly in the Senate, and it is by no means safe to predict a victory for the canal when Congress’ meets. Every interest, every private individual and public body in the United States, and particularly here on this Coast, in this State and in this city, should bring all possi- ble influence to bear upon Senators and Representatives to assist them in standing firm for the canal. Every military and business interest requires the immediate construction at eee an “American canal under American con- trols Referring to the treaty just signed by Great Britain and this country, the Chronicle says: | Both countries would seem to be well out of an entan- glement in which they unfortunately became engaged a half century since. And now we shall get the canal; andvit will be built on the Nicaraguan route. The Examiner says: There is nothing left now but to dig the canal. All the pretexts for delay have been exhausted. There is no oc- casien to wait for another treaty, or for the appointment of another commission or for another offer from the Panama company. The report of the Isthmian Commission has been filed, and it shows that,.the Nicaragua Canal can be built for over $60,000.000 less than it would cost to buy the Panama Canal and finish it. There is money enough in the treasury to do the work. Let it be under way before Congress adjourns. eae - COAST SHIP BUILDING. The Townsend & Downey Ship Building and Repair Co, of New York, have contracted to build in their ship- yard at Shotters Island, Borough of Richmond, N. Y., two steel freight ships of the following dimensions: Length, 360 ft., width, 50 ft., depth, 20 ft., with a cargo. capacity of about 6,000 tons. These two ships are to be completed in 1902, and will be much the largest ships ever built in New York City. — OO Oe The Wolff & Zwicker Iron Works and Shipbuilding plant, in Portland, Ore., have been sold by the receiver to Drake C. O'Reilly for $42,000. The establishment is one of the best equipped in the Northwest. Two torpedo boats and the famous destroyer Goldsborough were construct- ed by Wolff & Zwicker. THE MARINE RECORD, | ‘CORRESPONDENCE. 8@-We do not hold ourselves responsiblein any way for the views or opinions expressed ‘by our correspondents. It is our desire that all sides of any question affecting the interests or welfare of the lake ma- rine should be fairly represented in THE MARINE RECORD. ‘ioe SAILORS’ WAGES. en SHEBOYGAN, WIs., Nov. 24: Editor of The Marine Record: I shipped on a schooner to get on board of her on, Wed- nesday afternoon at 4 o’clock at the time she was going on the lake, and I was paid off at 10,0’clock in the morning, the captain only counting half a day when he paid us off for the six hours from 4 one day to 10 0’clock when he set-. tled with us in Buffalo. He said-that we were only at work four hours outside of meal times, and that was a half a day according to law. I want to know if we can’t make the owner. pay us for the two days, as our time was used anyway and we couldn’t seek work on another vessel after 10 o'clock, as I tried to and didn’t get a job until the next day. Will I have to take the half day’s pay or can I col- lect from the owner, although I signed the wages sheet ralther than to kick up any fuss? James P. DUNLAP. There ‘is no law on the subject as far as we are aware, but it appears that only one-half day’s service was renderd to the vessel, and that being paid no further claim can. be substantiated.—Ed. a). OO Ol OO SHIPPING OFFICES. Cuicaco, Itt., Novy. 25. ' Editor of The Marine Record: I would thank you to advocate the installation of govern- ment shipping offices on the lakes so that we won't be im- posed upon any more by the owners’ agents, who take the right of shipping anyone they please and taking the best money offered. Cleveland is bad enough and lots of men are shipped there for a consideration, but we don’t want the system to extend to Chicago, and if organized labor can buck against it I warn you that we will do it. Yours truly, JAMES RoBErTS. ——$—_—$_—_$—<———————— a a BREAKERS AHEAD. ASHLAND, Wis., Noy. 20th, 1901. Editor of The Marine Record: I have a grievance I wish to express through your col- umns. I see breakers ahead, and want to give warning to my fellow pilots, so they may keep a sharp lookout for the. future. I have served thirty-nine years on fresh and salt water, have held a-first-class pilot license for fourteen.years. To-day I am second mate on one of the Pittsburg Steam- ship Co.’s steamers; she is a craft of the first class and carries a passenger license. As the U. S. government in- spection laws require such steamers to carry two first-class pilots, I have been employed ‘since spring as one of them. The wages have been advanced lately to wheelmen, watch- men, firemen and deck hands, would it not. seem just to fair-minded people that those who are guarding their prop- erty with vigilance day and night be advanced accordingly? We have on our boat men:;who have not served six months on any boat in any capacity, and to-day I receive five cents per day more wages than such, because we pilots have not the necessary armor for protection. One year ago last October the Brotherhood of Marine Engineers de- manded an advance of 20 per cent. in wages; and it was granted them by the Lake Carriers’ Association; that body then advanced to every employe aboard their boats his wages in that proportion, as a proof of good feeling and just treatment between. man and man, This spring an- other difficulty arose between engineers and owners which caused us about five weeks of lost time before matters could be adjusted satisfactory, and finally ended in another ad- ‘vance of wages to the engineers. in order to meet that demand without loss to themselves, the so-called steel trust made a cut in our wages of $12.00 per month 'from the regular scale of wages established this spring by the Ves- sel Owners’ Association. Does that seem like good prin- ciple to hit the weak because you are afraid of the strong? When thinking of the welfare of our families, don’t it make us dread the future when such a monster as that so- called steel trust has risen in our midst as an enemy to our welfare? I would ask what can be done in the future, by fair means, so that we may maintain our- rights? Respectfully yours, Celera Huron, O. —$ $$ rr Chairman J. R. Ellerman, of the Leyland Line, whose $6,000,000 of common stock was acquired last spring by J. P. Morgan for $8,750,000, has bought 60 steamships from six lines, amounting to a tonnage of 202,767, thus! making Mr. Ellerman seventh in the list of British shipowners. As there are 277,400 tons in the Leyland Line, he directs more than 480,000 tons, a greater tonnage than is managed by any other company. The Ellerman interests are to be incor- porated with the Liverpool and:Ocean Steamship Co., and the name changed to Ellerman Lines. wee. NOVEMBER 28,. 190) NOTES. T'u« experiments recently made by the Russian imperial government in raising sunken ships by means of inflated waterproof sacks, proved successful. By means of six such sacks a barge of 16 tons was raised from a depth of 22 feet in 35 minutes. Air is pumped into the empty sacks after. they have been placed in the submerged vessels. Assistant SECRETARY of Navy Hackett, who soon retires from office, advocates a strong national naval reserve, ine his report just issued. He says that it is but the simple — ‘duty to declare that there are but few duties more pressing than that of providing the — country with some practical plan of beginning and main taining a naval reserve. 3 For the care and preservation of the numerous light- houses, buoys, and other purposes connected with the ad- ministration of the U. S. Light-House Board, there are required 34 steam tenders, 11 steam launches, 2 sailing tenders, 1,420 light-house keepers, other employes, includ- ing crews of light ships and tenders, 1,428, and laborers in _ charge of the port lights, 1,574. Tu Navy Department has been informed that, the tor- pedo boat Goldsborough, built by Wolf & Zwicker, of Portland, Ore., 15, and will require considerable repairs. the Goldsborough, had gone out to sea for an official trial, and owing to a fog, she lost her bearings and ran her bow into the dock, with disastrous results. upon the attention of Congress Turn Pintsch system of car and buoy lighting has re- ceived gold medals and the highest awards for excellency and efficiency at ,the World’s .Exposition at Moscow, Vienna, St. Petersburg, London, Berlin, Paris and Chi- cago; also at Atlanta and the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo. This svstem of lighting is controlled in the United States and Canada by the Safety Car Heating and Lighting Co., 160 Broadway, New York City. Tur foreign shipments of the American Steel & Wire Co., through Eastern ports made drtring October, amounted to 7,500 tons. This is the record monthly shipment for this year and exceeds the shipments made during the month of September by 40 per cent. Australia was the biggest buyer 2,616 tons of wire products having been sent to this island. ‘The exports to Europe amounted to nearly 1,000 tons. ‘The export shipments of nails amounted to 1,226 tons. TE new program for naval construction is engaging the attention of the British Admiralty. While some provision is expected for adding to the cruiser fleet, the new con- struction estimates will probably be curtailed, owing to the war expenditures, and attention will be largely devoted to clearing off the arrears of construction, now aggregating in the neighboorhood of 20 war ships, money for which has already been voted. It is hoped that the arrears will be cleared off by the end of 1903. Tur question of improving the navigation of the St. Lawrence to Montreal has again been brought before the Dominion Cabinet, by a deputation representing all the large steamship companies doing business by the St. Law- rence. It was urged that St. John, Halifax and Sidney be’ made the winter ports of Canada instead of American ports, to which end it was suggested that the Inter-Colon- ° ial route be shortened. It was shown that it cost shippers via the St. Lawrence $5,000 a vessel more instirance than it did via United States ports. _A REMARKABLE project is receiving attention among Rus- sian engineers. It is proposed to construct a tunnel under the main chain of the Caucasus mountains from a point 40 miles south of Vladikavkas. The tunnel will be 23 miles long and cost $75,000,000. As soon as the Trans-Siberian Railway is finished it is believed this Caucasian tunnel, which has the warm support of the Czar, will be com- menced. From a military and commercial point of view the work will be of. vast importance, as the only direct com- munication with trans-Caucasia from Southern Russia at present is by an ordinary road from Vladikavkas to Liffls. A HANDSOME silver service was presented to the battle- ship Illinois, on Noy. 16, at Newport News, Va. Assist- ant Secretary of the Navy Hackett, representing the Navy, accepted the gift in the presence of a large crowd. Among those present was Kear Admiral C. S. Cotton, of the Norfolk Navy Yard. Senator Mason of Illinois presented the service to the ship on the part of the people of Illinois. Capt. Converse, U. S. N., commanding officer of the Illinois, accepted the gift on behalf of the battleship after Mr. Hackett had spoken. The silver set presented to the battleship contains ten pieces, handsomely engraved and lined with solid gold. It is valued at $10,000. _ Tux London office of R.G. Dun & Co.,reports that there is unexampled activity in shipbuilding work in the United’ Kingdom, and this tends to offset the depressed condition of other trades. All the shipbuilding yards are working ‘night and day on new tonnage, despite the fact that freights are just now at a point which many regard:as well below that beyond which no profit can he taken. One reason for this activity is the fall in prices for this class of work, ship- owners who had held off during the period of inflated prices now fearing that a re-action in trade may find them with a dearth of tonnage. In consequence the iron and: steel trades are being kept fairly busy, and the number of pig iron furnaces in blast shows a material increase as com- pared with the preceding quarter. was badly damaged at Seattle on Nov.- It appears that —