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PTR Marine Becord. Pu’ ed Every Thursday at 144 Superior t, [Leader Building) Cleveland, 0. A: A. POMEROY, EDITOR AND PROP, BRANCH OFFICE: 262 South Water Street, Chicago, Mlinois, THOMAS WIIATAMS, Associnte Editor. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION: One year,*postage paid....... onths, postage paid... hrvariably in advance. ‘BHE MARINE RECORD can ve found for sake by the following news dealers : ‘CLEVELAND, 0,—G. F. Bowman, corner of Peart and Detroit Streets. Evans & Van Epps, Superior street, Cleveland, R. A. Castner. 254 Detroit street, Cleveland. ASHTABULA HARBOR, O.—C, Large. OHFCAGO, ILL.—Joseph Gray, 9 West Ran- dolph Street. CHICAGO, ILL.—H. B. Hansen, 33 West Randolph Street. : BUFFALO, N. Y.—Miss McCabe, Elk Street, near Ohio. DULUTH, MINN.—C. F. Johnson, 323 West Superior Street. MARQUETTE, MICH.—J. A, Vannier. ESCANABA, MICH.—Wm, Godley. ESCANABA, MICH.—George Preston, SARNIA, ONT.—D. McMasters, OWEN SOUND, ONT.—J. Sharpe, Jr. KINGSTON, ONT.—F, Nisbet, corner Brook and Wellington Streets. 1.00 Subscribers and others are respectfully invited to use the columns of the MARINE RECORD for the discussion of pertinent topics, CELLET AAS SE AL eee Entere@rat the Post Officeat Cleveland as second- @assnail matter. CLEVELAND, 0., THURSDAY, MARCH 1. TC RS EN SON CR IE a CLEVELAND VESSEL OWNERS’ ASSN’ ORGANIZED IN 1880. Membership Sixty-five steamers agg ega'ing--.--------67,865 tons. Ninety-five sail and consomt, aggregating.60,089 tons, Maintains shipping offices at Cleveland and Ashta- bula Harbor. Regulates wages, protects crews, and takes cognizauee of all matters in the interest of its members and of the Lake Commerce generally. OFFICERS. HH. M. Hanna, - = = + - President, HP. Laumrmcs, - - - ~- Vice President Penwinefox, - Secretary and Treasurer. mR = hie Sal Counsel ‘ EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, . Hanna, H. P, Lillibridge, M, A. Bradley, Geo. Thomas Wilson, R. K. Winslow, W. D. Palmer. J. W. Moore, W. C. Richardson, i SHIPPING MASTERS. y, 98 dock, Cleveland; Fred Bennet. veland; Wm, Reunick, Ashta- RECORD—OFFICIAL PAPER. R. C. Parsons, re- he ase committee ; a perfect masterpiece in I ke marine statistics, and cre- a splendid impression on his hearers. , notwithstanding these facts, it seems ther doubtful to us whether the full meas- ure of our requirements will be properly rec ognized by the members of the sub-committee who have taken the various measures con_ tained in the petition under advisement. Al- though we will hope for the very best results after a clear and mature censideration of the whole subject, yet we can not banish the idea that when such gentlemen as Clark, of Mis- souri, and Anderson, of Kansas, have to con- sider purely marine eubjects and arrive at in- telligent and requisite legislative conclusions, that there is likely to be a considerable element of pot luck about the ultimate sufficiency of the yarious and necessary portions of the bill being carried through, and we would once again call the attention of all interested in marine matters to the advisability of having a properly qualified and regularly constituted board to deal with, and facilitate the opera- tions of marine legislation. a ee Fripay Mr. Parsons, addressed the house river and harbor committee briefly relative to deepening the channe} from Grosse Point, river. Mr. Whiting, on the same day filed with this committee an application for an appropriation of $850,000, for the purchase of the Portage Lake canals, with a view to making them a free passage way and harbor of refuge, recommended in H. R. Exec. Doc. 105, 49th congress, 2nd session. Tue subject of our wrecking relations with Canada, is attracting considerable attention again. We have furnished to Congressman Nutting, of Oswego, N. Y., and to Congress- men Weber, ot Buffalo, at their request date collected by us in 1886, and Mr. Whiting, is getting from Detroit, and Port Huron, further in ormation as to the present state of affairs. 1 ssessases seseesese $200 | | The M arine Revond. FOG SIGNALS. cellent on this subject, and argue that where Vessels collided ard a great loss of life | advice is necessary it is much better to seek it and property in a fog, is, anbappily, too fre- quent and common a newspaper heading during the period of navigation on the chain of lakes, and with the coming season close upon us it would be a fortunate matter if compulsory safeguards could in some man- ner be Jawfully adopted to weet the large and important requirements of our growing fleet of lake carriers, | from a professional instead of from an ama- teur source, and of course there is a wide dif- ference in the duties and training of the mili_ tary and nayal professions. Todraw a paral- lel case, a person wishing to consult an occu- list, would not go in search of a chiropodist. From our limited experience we should say that there are several reasons why such an ad-| o¢ tig way, and raised the steam to the required | visory board has not been formed long ago, pressure. On arrival at Bay City ihe fireman | Navigating the narrow channels and water | and we shall endeavor to give a few of these | entered a suit against the engineer for damage, of these inland seas and attempting to reach | reasons intelligently. In the first place, al- sary to carry all steam the Jaw allowed, in order to keep the tow from going ashore. On looking at the gauge the engineer saw that the steam was going down, and called the fireman's atieu- lion to it, that individual was ofa rebellious nature, and retorted that he wanted no instruc- j tion from an engineer how to fire a boiler, aud | showing no intention to attend properly to his | duties the engineer juo:ped down, twistedjthe shovel] out of the fellows’ hand, pushed him out assault and buttery etc., the case was tried be- port through the dangerous and insufficiently | though our naval officers are tremendously | fore a jury composed mostly of farmers. The marked entrances, with probably an old and obsolete chart to depend on, no wonder that the mariner is often surrounded with un- foreseen trouble and danger, The shoals and reefs muke his task of bringing bis vessel safely to harbor always an exceed- ingly difficult one. When, however, fogs prevail, the + lready arduous duties of our mariners are multiplied and all the skill und watchfulness required by the ordinary prac- tice of seamen are brought forward only to end disastrously in many cascs. Suddenly overtaken in a fog the mariner, ifcanght in midlake, is placed in a very critical position, and there remains no other alternative but to proceed with caution and to exercise the utmost care and attention, while his vessel is moving over the ground,’ for move she must, thereby lessening the chances of a collision, by having the vessel under command of her helm. Certainly, the vessel) can not be kept stationary in mid lake like an obstruction in the path of others who are vavigating in the vicinity. And just on this identical point a vast diftercnce of opinion exists in the maritime community, for although it has been held by excellent authority, that in fog, mist, or falling snow, all vessels ought to proceed at a moderate rate of speed, yet many of our competent and practical seamen admit that the greater the speed the less the percentage of risks, 7| and to illustrate this principle it is said that if by slowing down you are obliged to re- main in the vicinity of fog for the period of eighteen hourr, when by maintaining the maximum rate of speed the vessel is more under command of ber helm, and moves over the ground in twelve hours, the risk is reduced something over 50 per cent, and we rather reluctantly admit that this showing is a strong argument in favor of speed even under the present system of tog signalling. On the other hand, should the mariner’ be overtaken by fog when close inshore he has the two courses open to him, either of remain- ing at anchor, thereby losing valuable time, or of endeavoring to grope his way into port; and it goes without saying that either of these alternatives entail a certain amount of risk in carrying out. The many calamities occurring through fog and thick weather on the great lakes have suggested discussions in marine circles as to whether disaster on the lakes during foggy weather might not be more effectually pre- vented than at present by a clear and com- prehensive system of fog signals to be used on vessels, The placing of more powerful and extra fog signals at the entrances of our ports, and at lighthouses and stations has been advocated, and a bill is now before congress urgiug the pressing necessity of these additional safe- guards to our lake marine, and although we consider it only our just rights, we would be eminently thankful to have a liberal appro- priation granted for these important and requisite aids to navigation. Whatever the present legislative powers may do toward diminishing the risks along the shores of the lakes, the question of pre- venting the dreadful and frequently recurring loss of life and property on the lakes will have to be met, and action taken on some feasible system of national or international code of fog signals, for versels that are being navigated, and as several experiments and inventions having this end in view. have already been successfully tried, it only remains to inquire into the merits of each of the several systems aad adopt that rule which will answer prac- Lake St. Clair, to the entrance of the Detroit | tically and not only on paper the full and | complete requirements of the service. ell advised legislation on the subject would earn the gratitude of the mariaers, and | we may rest assured that.it would assist in a material way in furnishing the means which will help to prevent the loss of life and prop- erty afloat. NAVAL ADVISORY BOARD. To the Kditor of the Marine Reeord: In your last issue you publish an editorial article on the propriety of establishing a naval advisory board at Washington, having the power to exercise a professional judgment in the preliminary stages of the various maritime bills which are from time to time brought be- fore congress. We think vour views are ex- | patriotic in their views, they are, as a body, to be classed as non-political subjects, for no matter how proficient in their scientific and scholarly acquirements, they are out of the direct pathway, and consequently out of the political groove, and although they start off in life with all of their senses alert, and a good general education such as is given the class of young men who engage in mercantile pursuits, yet as soon us they enter a port they must sink their personal identity, toa certain extent, and learn that their first and paramount duty in the profession, aud consequenty through life, must be ina strict obedience to commands and a constant attention to the proprieties of law and order, so that by the time they are duly qualified they may be depended upon to fill the digniffed positions in their country’s ser- vice afloat. The errors that have been displayed in the faulty construction and repairing of naval vessels, of which we have heard so much at various times, can not be laid at the door of the nayal officers, but have originated and ex- isted in the designers and builders’ plans and specifications, and there is no doubt that had there been a naval advisory board in exist- ence, any faulty plans would have been dis” covered and condemned. There is no question about the professional skill and the eminent qualities of the principal officers of our navy, as witness, the late Lieut. Maury, whose track charts and wind current charts, have become known and relied upon by all maritime nations, as alsc, his work, en- titled “The Physical Geography of the Ocean,” is h ghly valued by those whose business i8 on the waters. It is hard to understand why the making of charts and the location and order of light- houses, the dredging operations and other strictly nautical affairs should be kept under the control of the war department when there is a distinct and prominent national branch that could and ought to be allowed to take a hold of these affairs, and it yet remains to be proved who are to be qualified instructors of our proposed naval reserve forces. Surely, we will not be called upon to suffer the indig- nity of being drilled by a soldier when our lives have been spent in learning and trying to avoid all soldier-like qualities. OcrAN CHILD. A WOULD BE PLIMSOLL DISCIPLE, CHICAGO, Feb. 26. To the Editor of the Marine Record: It would almost seem tobe an undisguised blessing if some law could be } assed in congress to muzzle some of those members, who in the interests of alleged reform, and more, perhaps, froma desire for personal popularity, tackle some eubject they do not thoroughly under- stand, when they desire to pose as philanthro- pists, working for the cause of humanity. It is said, ‘A little knowledge is a dangerous thing,” and some of those “reformers” know just little enough of their hobbies to make them trouble- some, If the newspapers are correct, a case in point, is the billa member from Saginaw has introduced, which if it becomes a law, will make itacrime punishable with fine and im- prisonment, for a ca; tain or owner of a steamer when under way, to ask of his officers at any time, more than twelve hours services out of twentyfour. This if passed, will effectually de- prive the captain of the power to command the services of his crew at any and all hours, in the emergencies which frequently arise, and in which many hours on watch, for c«fliccrs and crew are indespensible tor the safety of ship, cargo, and passengers. Generally speaking, and without objecting, the average steamboat officer, captain, engineers, and mates will be found able and willing to stay on watch twenty- four hours on a stretch, and longer if necessary, if the occasion calls fur it, but sailors like other occupations, have ‘black sheep’”” among them. ‘There are skulkers, cowards, and forocastle lawyers, who would actually rather take the chances of drowning than perform what in their judgment, they might call unnecessary work when they were not on wateh. Those men would avail themselves of any opportunity to prosecute a captain who transgressed the twelve hour limit, The result would surely be the to- tal subversion of discipline on shipboard. Cap- tains as a rule are far from rich enough to stand fine or imprisonment for the effence of exer- cising a little unlawfulauthority. In Congress- man Tarsney’s vicinity some time ago, asteamer with a large tow of light lumber barges was pul- ling around Pvint Aux Barques. A gale of wind sprung up off the lake, making it neecs- prosecuting attorney closed his address to the jury in the folluwing style: “If that steamer was loaded with passengers, and in danger of going over Niagara Falls, toat fireman on watch, and if he k»ew that he could prevent the ca astrophe by strict attention to bis duties, but declined to do so, even in that case, there would be no justification for the engineer, or any of- fice of that boat, to use any unlawful means to make him do his work.’’ The engineer was found guilty and heavily fined. Now, if Mr, Tarsney’s bill becomes a law, what isa captain todo if from any cause, a sturw, or a bad leak for instance, extraordinary service of the crew are required, and some of them claim the privilege accorded them of only twelve hours work in twenty-fovr hours? No captain will force them, eyen 1f able, as he Jays himeelf liable to the certainty of a heavy fine or imprisoument. In the interest of humanity, ac- cording to Tarsney, the ca; tain wust spare the crew, aud let ; assengers, cargo, and vessel take their chances, In bis search for abuses to reform, among sailors Mr. Tarsney has got ‘barking up the wrong tree.’’ Years ago it was thecustom, when cargves were plenty, for steamers to unioad and load up again, without giving the crew any rest to speak of, for two or three days and nights. On leaving port, mates, wheelsmen and watch- men were utterly fagged out and really unable to staud a safe watch, the first few hours out of pert. There may beafew instances occasion- ally «f this old style of doing business. Mr. Tarsney would accom; lish something sensible if he could make it a criminal offense, ete., for any captain or owner, to allow any engineer mate, wheelsman, or watchman, to go on duty, who had been at work for the twelve hours just previons to leaving port, Sometime ago a wag made a wager witha friend that he could get the most sensible men in town to indorse a fool- ish idea, According he git up a paper solicit- ing subscriptions to be used in putting an ele- gant cover over the sun-dial, to protect it from the sun’s rays, he got all the money and names he wanted. It is just so with Mr. Tarsney’s bill, it wont bear scrutiny, but ip the rush of busi- ness at Washington, a committee with lots todo may think it all right, because Tarsney says so, that the Lake Carriers’ Association will see to it, that this misguided Plimsoll, does not get his work in the way he contemplates, which | - can result in nothing but changing the necessary strict discipline ou beard ship, to the worst kind of anarchy. STEAMBOAT, A VALUABLE MARINE INVENTION. ToxEpo, February, 29. To the Editor of the Marine Record. Teledo parties have receiveda patent on a simple device by which the amount of water | Spokane, Wallula, Kasota, Tow a boat is ‘‘making” can be readily told by| Missoula, Sitka. glancing ata guage, similar to a steam guage. A tube or pipe is placed below the floor, and | Mich.—Steamers Fayette Brown, | run to the captains’ room or any other part of | Forest City. the vessel desirable. Inside of this tube isa contrivance which operates the hand on the QSranmene Epeties Havanne, guage. When the vessel begins leaking, the hand on the guage shows how much water is in the vessel to the fraction of an inch. When it reaches twelve inches an alarm bell sounds, which will arouse all on board. On the other hand when the crew begin pump- Moore, Chas. J. Sheffield. ing, the hand on the guage will show the amount being gained on the leak, if any. | Owen. This most valuable machine will cost about thirty dollars. cost more if desired. This is a very useful invention, and we hope the time will come when a captain will no more think of leaving port without one, than he would leave with- | Palls his wire, the fog whistle out a compass or barometer. It will undoubt- edly be recommended by insurance men and marine men, as by it a leak is detected imme- diately and human life and property are and give it their approval. It is to be hoped | Of course it can be got up te | Rhodes, Columbia, Aurora. OBITUaRY. CAPTAIN PERRY GOTHAM. Captain Perry M. Gotham, who was brought home from Detroit, sick with typhoid fever, died at his residence, No. 12 Mixer street, last week. His case had not been considered ex- tremely dangerous but a counsel of physicians left his friends with little orno hope. He, however, rallied in the evening, and at mid- night the attending physician, Dr. Jewett, and his friends felt greatly encouraged, but as the night wore away it became evident that the end was near, and at 4:40 o’clock, with a loy- ing wife bending over him, who has been constant in her attendance, and was recognized by him to the last, he passed quietly and with- out a struggle from life to death. Captain Gotham was the only son of the late Captain A. 8. Gotham, a resident of this country, who died of apoplexy in 1880, while sailing for the same firm, P. T. Ralph & Co., of Detroit by whom the son has been employed as captain ever since. For the past three or fourseasons, é Captain Perry Gothamhas sailedintheschoon- _ er Ishpeming. Captain Gotham was born in Utica, N. Y., November 4, 1854. He was mar- ried to Miss Ava Baker, of Adrian township, February 16th, 1881, who, with a bright little boy of 6 years, a widowed mother, many rela- tives, and hosts of warm friends, mourns his early death. He was a member of Masonic lodge of Adrian, and will be buried by the order. ie Zz THE CHASE FOG WHISTLE MACH INE, — The dangers attending fogs on the lakes are well known to all of our sailor men, and all know that the regulations require that during fogs, a signal shall be sounded at regular inter- vals, Under the old system of fog signals, the service and close attention of a man was re- quired at all times while navigating ina fog, — and this service became so monotonous that Mr. Chase, engineer of the steamer Ohio, devised and patented a machine which, when atiached to the engine, would sound the fog whistle auto- matica ly. t The cut shows the position of the machine and its action on the whistle. During the season of 1887, the following nai steamships ‘thirty in number’? were supplie and equipped with our machines. having given entire satisfaction in each ( | ery case, we refer with pleasure, all those ested, to the owners and masters ers. ee Wilson Transit Line, Cleveland, O. N. Western Transportation Co. Cleveland Transportation — end. : Bradley Transportation Co., Cleveland Steamers City of Cleveland, Henry Ch Superior, E. B. Hale, M. B. Grover, R. P. Ranney. pte, H. H. Brown, Cleveland, O, Owen line, Chicago, I1l.—Steamers: Cambria, Outhwaite, Saml. Mather, The machine is at all times unde: of the captain. That is if it is ni signal shall be given to a passing for any other purpose; the momen out of gear and will not resume i til it is permitted to do so by the Mr. G. C, Barnes, of this cit: Washington to present th rit: whistle machine to the spectors of steamboats, — saved by prompt action. Captain David Kel- | aod is well pleased with the resu ley of the barge Brooklyn is interested in this | *!° invention. Cc. 0. D. ‘Tux bill fora bridge over the canal en- | Inspectors of Steam Vessi trance at Duluth (H. R. 1591) has been re-} Your committee to whic ported upon to congress by Geo. Durane, ; “Chase Fog Whistle ma chief of engineers. He recommends that the entire question be referred to a board of three | being worked b expert engineers for examination, con- sideration and report. ror oe Tue preliminary surveys have been com-| *°?- menced by the United States engineer for the projected improvements of the government canal entry at Duluth. The will cost $500,000. n. Following is the report j mittee. * ve ee To the President and te port: That we ha same and find er blot eo regular and continuous bi; time that may be required mend it or similar de Vessels as an a: stone piers alone Mach