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I Ihe Marine. Record. PMlarvine Becord. Published Every Thursday at 144 Superior Street, [Leader Building) Cleveland, O. A. A. POMEROY, EDITOR AND PROP’R TPRMS OF SUBSCRIPTION: One year, postage paid Six months, postage paid Invariably in advance. | THE MARINE RECORD can be found for | sale by the following news dealers : CLEVELAD, O.—G. F. Bowman, corner of Pear] and Detroit Streets. Evans & Van Epps. Superior street, Cleve'and, | R. A. Castner. 254 Detroit s'reet, Cleveland, ASHTABULA HARBOR, O.—C, Large. CHICAGO, ILL,—Joseph Gray, 9 West Ran- dolph Street. CHICAGO, ILL. —August Semper, 345 Noble Street. BUFFALO, N. Y.—A. C. Brideson, Michigan Swing Bridge. Also, Miss McCabe, Elk Street, near Ohio. DULUTH, MINN.—C. F. Johnson, 117 West Superior Street. MARQUETTE, MICH.—J. A. Vannier. ESCANABA, MICH.—Wm. Godley. PORT HURON. MICH.—G. H. Mann. WASHBURN, WJS,—John A. Jacobs. SARNIA, ONT --D. McMasters, ST. CLAIR FLATS, MICH.— McNiff & Son, Subscribers and others are respectfully invited to use the columns of the MARINE RECORD for the discussion of pertinent topics, Entered at the Post Officeat Oleveland as second- class mail matter. _CLEVELAND, OHIO, THURSDAY, JULY 8. ee ie Nr gg Ns ee THE NEW SHIPPING LAW. The Dingley Shipping bill,recently passed by congress, and approved by President Cleveland, after valuable suggestion by way of amendment, has now become a law. The new act will be found in fullon another page. Mr. Dingley has, during his con- gressional life, made for himeelf, while working in the interests of American ship- ping, an enviable reputation, and has, in every instance, demonstrated to the country that he is master of the needs of the mari- time interests of the United States, and so far as those interests are concerned he has become an acknowledged leader in congress, So few of our representatives in congress understand the question maritime that all are willing to let Mr. Dingley devote his energies to working out the problem and all are willing to sustain him in the results of the evolution. The law under discussion is, perhaps, the most liberal in this interest that has ever gone on the statute books. It relieves own- ers, masters, mates, pilots, and engineers of all grades from many vexatious and ex- pensive burdens. It is to the point in every detail, and no case of misconstruction can arise in the mind of any one disposed to evade any of the several sections. The bill abolishes the charges of the government for measurement of tonnage and for certifying to the same, the issuing of license or grant- ing of certificate of registry, record, or en rollment, including all indorsements on the same and bond and oath, indorsement of change of master, certifying and receiving manifests, including master’s oath and per- mits; granting permit to vessels licensed for fisheries to touch and trade; granting certificate of payment of tonnage dues; _re- cording bill of sale, mortgage, hypotheca- tion or conveyance, or the discharge of such mortgage or hypothecation; furnishing cer- tificate of title; furnist i.g the crew list, in- eluding bond, certificate of protection to seamen, bill of health, shipping or dis+ charging of seamen as provided by title 53 of the revised statutes and section 2 of the new law, apprenticing boys to the merchant service, inspecting, examining and licensing steam vessels, including inspection certifi- cates and copies thereof, and licensing mas- ter, engineer, pilot or mate, of » vessel and all other provisions or laws authorizing or requiring the collection of fees for such services, These burdens, taken separately, will ap- pear small, but by the enumeration of the several items and the aggregate expense attached, it will readily be recognized by all that quite a burdensome tax has been raised by this law, which went into effect July 1, from the merchant marine of this country. Not only does this act cover the points enumerated above, but it contains many other equally meritorious sections; for in- stance, the remission of fines for offense, when it can be shown that such offense has not been wilfully committed, asin the case construing common law it is noteworthy that ignorance or innocence of committing | mented in these columns not long since, was | Under the new | the type of a series; and the American Con- | that directing the purchase of the Portage wrong does not excuse. The San Francisco case, on which we com- ANOTHER amendment to rhe river and har- bor bill in the interest of lake navigation is shipping act the owner and master of a ship | aul at Liverpool stated that all the vessels | lake canal by the general goverment. The are dealt with leniently. In the section re- | bound to England from- California carried | bill provides for the purchase of the two ferring to drawback on bituminous coal, | similar articles of agreement. Since the men| waterways known as the Portage lake and used as fuel on steamboats, an equally wise provision is made, and no foreign vessel cau enjoy the rebate. This is but just to American owners for the reason that it is one more step toward reducing the adyan- | tagesof competition that Canadian or other foreign vessels enjoy over those of the United { States, when it is considered that owners of foreign vessels are not compelled to pay local tax on their vessels as personal prop- erty, such tax being levied on American vessels, however. Instances are rife on the lakes where Canadian boats have steamed across the lake for fuel in order that they may realize the rebate, It gives us pleasure to that note there is a representative in congress who is watching the bearing of these things on the American vessel and who has the courage to move legislation in the right direction. Mr. Dingley is gaining for him- self vastly more honor and regard in his own country than would be his meed if he were to adopt the line marked out by the dema- gogues who sit with him, in their efforts to gain popularity before their constituents by burdening the treasury with pension and equalization of bounty bills. We do not derire that our readers will think that it is our purpose to detract anything from what is due the soldier of the civil war, in bounty or penston. They deserve all praise. But we repeat that the congressmen who, like Messrs. Dingley and Frye,direct their energy toward the meksures that will benefit the whole country, are statesmen; that he who directs his energies toward the framing of individual pension and bounty bills tor the purpose of catching the soldier vote is a demagogue, and should have no place in congress, for he is but half-hearted in what- ever he attempts and would deceive the soldier as quickly as he would deceive him- self, Now that congress has taken up meas- ures for the relief of the shipping of this country other bills will be likely to follow, and owners may soon expect to enjoy their vessel property on the same footing as such property is held in other countries. ro ADVANCE WAGES. While this is not a matter that has any great importance to lake sailor men, it will be of interest to analyze the working of the law passed June 26, 1884, Although the Jaw has been a dead letter in this regard since its adoption by reason of the many ways left open for its violation, it was con- sidered, at the time of its pa:sage as cover- ing all the points necessary and all that coald he evaded. Under a strict construc- tion and an attempt to comply with its pro- visions American masters found much dif- ficulty in securing crews, and eonsiderable detention resulted. ‘The law declared that any person paying advance wages or re- muneration for the shipment of a seaman should be punished by a fine and be also im- ‘prisoned for a period not exceeding six months, at the discretion of the court. This law and the penalty attached has attracted much attention in Englaud and the Liver- pool Journal of Commerce of June 22 com- ments on itin a lengthy editoral. It says: The shipping officer is acquainted with the terms on which men engage to serve, but though they sign for a shilling or twenty- five cents per month he is presumed to bein total ignorance as to all other affairs. ‘The men are told that as advance notes are illegal they must not acknowledge having received any cash by way of forestalling their pay. The gratuity is transformed into a debt, which the master manages to ac- count for, Previous to the abolition of ad- vance notes the seaman was protected by Jaw, on board American ships, as they had to preduce their notes. At present the fleecing process can be done under the rose, because the law dves not recognise advances, As regards the shipment of crews for British ships the same kind of hocus pocus prevails, Consuls are not to permit the issue of ad- vance notes; but seamen sign for one shil- ling per month. If advance notes were legal the fact of a month’s pay having been handed over to seamen would appear on the articles, and the eonsul would have to testify to signatures. So far, therefore, as concerns American and British ships the alteration of tbe law has had an opposite effect to that intended, The laws of the two countries have a direct tendency to encour- age crimping and torob seamen of their wages. Men swear they do not receive the sums debited; but it is telerably well known how the money is divided. The crimp bears who were discharged from the vessel in question appealed to the magistrate, another almost identical wages dispute has turned | up, and will itf all probability lead to an ap- peal to the authorities, or to a court of law. It is quite certain we shall hear more of | these fleecing transanctions when the Amer- ican law has had time to operate widely, and tocreate farther demoralisation.’’ This is ‘but one of the many methods adopted to evade the law and it had there- fore become patent to the author of the bill Mr. Dingley that more harm than good was being worked out. The section was incor- porated inthe general shipping bill passed in 1884 and was intended to mitigate many of the evils arising from the old custom of paying blood money, or advance wages to seamen, whereby they could be fleeced by boarding house keepers and others. Mr. Dingley, recognizing that his efforts in behalf of seamen had miscarried because sailor men were not inclined to work with him for their own good, and that they were largely abetted in violating law by officers whose duty it was to enforce the law, has, in his new shipping bill modified the re- sirictions on the advance wages system and it is now limited to $10 per month for each month of the time usually required for the voyage tor which the seamen has shipped, applying only tothe outward voyage. This seems to be a fair system as it allows some- thing for the sailors creditors before he leaves port and yet leaves him part of his wages when he lands. Heretofore, under the system prior to the adoption of the act of June 26, 1884, the sailor usually landed penniless but now, if he has any regard for his rights, he cannot be fleeced to penury. In the treasiry department circular before us the Commissioners of Navigation has pre- pared a schedule showing the amount of advance allowed between certain ports, to- wit: coasting voyages except between Atlantic and Pacific ports, half month $5; voyages in the second and third coasting districts to Atlantic ports in the Dominion of Canada, one month $10; between ports in the second coasting district and ports in Europe, two months $20; between ports on the Pacific coast and ports in China, three months, $30 ete. : The Journal of Commerce in commenting on the evils of the advance wages system says: , “There seems to be a ring at some ports tosecure pickings ont of the wages of sailors. The institution is not by any means of recent origin. It has existed time enough to become aged with a vested interest. Sea- men desert, and then fall into the clutches of those who want to be paid for their services with perhaps board and lodging. A goodly percentage of these free and easy seamen ought not to find fault with their treatment, as they deserve what they get. This does not apply, however, to all; and even if it did the irregularities should be puta stop to. Signing articles before Vive-Consuls is a mere farce in the teeth of late exposures. They should insist upon masters of ships entering on the articles debts due by sea- men, prior to shipment, which are to be de- ducted from wages, What we desire to make patentis that matters are getting from bad to worse through the stupid action of those who did away with advance notes.”’ Cuicago and Milwaukee elevator people have seen fit to lower their charges for stor- age. This is probably due to the action taken by the Buffalo elevator people last year in announcing it as their purpose to receive grain for storage so that they could utilize some of the idle elevators at that port, It is well known that every new elevator built in Buffalo during a score of years has been acquired by the Buffalo elevator ring, nd that every attempt to run a wild eleva- tor has come to naught. During the ruling of low grain freights last season shippers, fearing an improvement in grain freights this season filled up the Buffalo elevators. This had quite an effecton Chicago and Mil- waukee storage business, and Milwaukee especially suffered much in consequence. Now, it does not matter much to the vessel owner what the rate of storage is if the ele- vator people will but deal squarely with him in the matter of weighing in and out of the vessels. While this strake of conscience is on we hope they will adopt some honest convictions for the purpose of limiting the shortages which occur so frequently. Let everything go into the vessel that is charged river improvement company canal, and the Lake Superior ship canal, railway aad iron company canal, being the improved harbor of retuge, and the water communication across Keweenaw bay to Lake Superior, Mich., and to make the same a free passage- way and harbor of refuge, to commerce and navigation ; $859,000, or so much as may be necessary, isappropriated, provided that be- | fore euch money shall be expended the sec- retary of war shall cause an examination to be wade by a board of three engineers to ascertain and report upon the importance and value of the free use of said two harbors to the commerce and navigation of the lakes and the reasonableness of the price, and shall have received from said board a report favor- able to said purchase by the United States and also upon full and absolute conveyance to the United States of said two harbors of refuge, canals, etc., of every nature belong- ing to and connected with them, IN contrast to the action of the Canadian authorities in han, pering bv arbetrary action American vessels in Canadian waters, Col- lector Seeberger has succeeded in bringing about a changein the regulations pertaining to Canadian vessels, which will no doubt, be appreciated by Canadian masters. He has received the consent of Commissioner Patton to permit Canadians to report at Port Huron for permission to enter Lake Michigan, in- stead of Cheboygan. Vessels coming from Lake Superior will, of course, have to stop at Cheboygan, as in the past as that will be most convenient for them. For vessels ar- riving from the lower lakes, however, Port Huron isa better and safer port to enter than Cheboygan and the stop there will not in- volve so much loss of time as at the latter place. THE house committee on commerce has reported favorably the bill to allow the Min- neapol s, Sanit ste. Marie and Atlantic rail- road to build a’ bridge across the Sault ste. Marie river in Chippewa county, Mich. THE STEAMER J. H. OUTHWAITE. One of the staunchest steamers that has ever been turned loose on the lakes will be .. launched at Wm. Radcliffe’s. shipyard on Saturday, the 10th inst., at 2 o’clock p.m. She will be christened ‘J, H. Outhwaite,” and will at once go into a paying business. The J. H. Outhwaite has been built for - J. H. Webb & Company, to take the place of ~ the J. H. Osborne, run down and sunk by the Canadian Pacific steamer Alberta, and we may say the same owners are interested in the newone. The dimensions of the new launch are: Keel 220 feet, over all 240 feet, beam 3734 feet, depth 19 feet. The main keelsons 14 by 16, two sister keelsons 16 by ‘16, two rider keelsons 15 by 15, the floor keelson is 12 by 13, and the bilge keelsons 9, 8, 7, and 6 inches thick to the gunwale. The keel was laid February 10, and the work has been pushed with vigor. The plank on the bottom, sides and bilge is four and five inches, and she has.eight strakes of four-inch plank on the topsides, notched on the frames. The J. H. Outhwaite isa double decker. She will carry three spars, and is a model of strength and beauty. The cabins and houses are spacious and well constructed, the carpenter and joiner work being done by Joe Denney. The boiler house is of iron, however. The machinery is standard, and a duplicate of that in the J. H, Devereux, patterns which have become noted all over the lakes, and was built by the Globe Iron Works, The cylinders, fore and aft compound, are 27.inches high pres- sure and 50 inches low pressure by, 36 inch stroke. - The boiler is of Otis steel, 10 feet 6 inches in diameter and 17 feet long, and is allowed a working pressure of 100 pounds of steam. The wheel, from the Globe Works, is 103¢ feet with 13 feet lead. "The iron work on the boat has been done by the well known firm of Ward & Jackson, the iron and nails furnished by the enterprising firm of Bassett & Presley, the spars and decking by the Cleveland Sawmill Com- pany, and the outfit by Grover & Son. Slt is not necessary at this time to say that the J. H. Outhwaite is one of the best built boats on the lakes when we mention others that have been launched from Mr. Rad- clifte’s yard, this one fully sustaining his | - reputation as a builder. Among his boats we find the Havana, built in 1873; the schooner Genoa, built the same year; the tug Triad, built in 1875; the propeller John N. Glidden, built in 1878; propeller A. Evy- erett, builtin 1879; propeller R. P. Ranney, all the blame, but he could not prosper with-/0n the bill of lading and give us honest | builtin 1880; the tug Dreadnaught, builtin _ of the “New Era. In the usual mode of| out the assistance of others whom he bribes, | draft out and deserve a future reward. ] 35 1881; tug George R. Paige, built in 1882;