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10 | MARINE REVIEW. Real Cause of Decline of the American Merchant Marine. The sympathy of the whole country is aroused in behalf of the mer- chant marine, and oongress is considering measures by which its revival is expected. The investigation of congress and of the commissioner of navigation into the causes of the decline have revealed the fact, that American vessels have been discriminated against by English under- writers and thus driven from the field of action in free competition. These investigations have further establised the fact, that all other great powers have adopted the policy of Great Britain to open and establish permanent sea routes by subsidizing ocean steamers and thus enlarge their foreign shipping and commerce. So far so well. It is fully correct that the discrimination of English Lloyds is the principal cause of the decline, but the reason for such discrimination— the real source of evil—has not been touched upon by anybody. It is not Lloyds or the English government ; it is the people of all Europe, who have boycotted American vessels on account of their being commanded by unexamined officers. It has been a fight of the educated sailor against the unlettered one. Long before the appearance of the merchant shipping act in 1854, making examination of captains and mates compulsory in En- gland, continental Europe had nautical schools for the merchant marine, and established boards for examining sailors; and it was at the instance, or for fear of these continental powers, that Great Britain had to adopt compulsory examination,too. In the hands of Lloyds and all foreign in- surance companies, examination of officers has become a formidable weapon to ward off American competition and bring the United States merchant marine near extinction. Itis not the American wood or iron that is discriminated against, it is the officers in command of American vessels. The decline of the merchant marine dates back exactly to 1854, when examination of masters and mates was made compulsory in all Europe. By that time American foreign shipping was at its height and American clipperships were renowned the world over—the pride of every seaman irrespective of nationality. All Europe acknowledged the superiority of American vessels then commanding 70 per cent. of American foreign shipping. But despite all these favorable circumstances, American ves- sels have been driven from the ocean by foreigners. It was because Europe had made it the rule toexamine officers, against which American vessels could not holdtheir own. Superiority in building was more than offset by superiority in command, at least in the opinion of European people. This prejudice has destroyed American shipping in foreign trade. It is therefore in vain to expect all good to come from subsidies and boun- ties. A regeneration of the marine service on the basis of the European standard for masters and mates has to go hand in hand with subsidies, else the revival of the merchant marine will prove a failure. The United States being possessed in 1854 of the best merchant marine in the world, which had to succumb to the educated sailor of Europe, it is no use to try “the experiment again under ten-fold increased difficulties. It is for con- _ gress to consider the real cause of the decline and destroy the prejudice ’ of Europeans by establishing a high standard of examination for masters and mates, to be handled without fear or favor. Then, and not until then, the revival of the merchant marine will be a success and American ship- ping will assume the proportions to which it is justly entitled. JOHN MAURICE. Conclusions from the Report of the Light-House Board. The MARINE REVIEw has all along beld that the importance of lake commerce has not been fairly considered in recommend- ations. bearing on legislation pertaining to light-stations and other aids to navigation. ‘This opinion is again justified in the annual report of the light-house board, just issued, but it is to be hoped that the recent visit to the lakes of Rear-Admiral David B. Harmony, chairman of the board, will tend to help matters in the future. With a commerce greater than that of the entire Atlantic sea-coast, the vessel owners of the lakes should not be compelled to pay out thousands of dollars each year for the main- tenance of private lights, especially when the board again renews its recommendation to congress that steps be taken to prohibit the establishment and maintenance of these lights. According to the report of the board, congress during the last session appropriated $1,096,600 for new aids to navigation, and of this amount the lakes received only $75,000, $60,000 being for the Eleven-Foot shoal light-station and $15,000 for a light on the Chicago breakwater. The new light-house tender for the Ninth _ and Eleventh districts was budlt at a cost of $75,000, but this can hardly be included with the lights and fog-signals. Several new light-stations were, of course, authorized with- out appropriations for their construction, and the sanction of the ‘present session is expected on more that have been requested, but it is to be hoped that the light-house board in its recom- mendations, as well as the committees on appropriations will see the justice of assisting a commerce so important as that of the northwestern lakes. Among the light-stations authorized, for which no appropriations were made, the following are on the lakes: Braddock’s point light and fog-signal station, Lake Ontario, act of Sept. 29, 1890, $24,300; Genesee light-station, steam fog-signal, Charlotte harbor, Lake Ontario, act of Sept. 29, . 1890, $4,300 ; Ashtabulta range lights and fog-signal, Lake Erie, act of March 2, 1889, $7,000 ; Old Mackinac point light-station, Michigan, act of March 2, 1889, $25,000 ; Squaw island light- house and fog-signal, Lake Michigan, act of March 2, 1889, $25,000 ; total $85,600. In the estimates of the engineers for special aids that are needed the report of the board shows the cost of such additional works on the lakes to be only $502,400, as against $2,814,958 in all of the other districts. Every one of these light-stations,fog x, signals, etc., are badly needed as the following summary of. them. will show: Bay State shoal and Oak point shoal, Lake Ontario. temporary floating lights, $800; Carlton’s island light-station, Lake Ontario, $8,600; Tibbett’s point fog-signal, Lake Ontario, ~ $4,300; Galloo island fog-signal, Lake Ontario, $5,700; Oswego -— tog-signal, Lake Ontario, $4,300; Genesee fog-signal, Lake Ontario, $4,300 ; Braddock’s point light-station, Lake Ontario, $24,300; Wilson harbor light station, Lake Ontario, $2,500; Buf- . falo breakwater fog-signal, Lake Erie, $4,300; Presque Isle pier- head fog signal, $4,300; Ashtabula range lights and fog signal, Lake Erie, $4,700; Fairport fog signal and range light, Lake . Erie, $4,700; Black River range light and fog signal, Lake Erie, $4,700; South Bass island light station, Lake Erie, $8,600; Wind- mill point range lights, Detroit river, $3,000; Fort Gratiot range lights, Lake Huron, $500; Forty-mile point light and fog signal station, Lake Huron, $25,000; Cheboygan river, (front) range © ‘light, Michigan, (additional land), $1,500; Old Mackinac point — light station, Michigan, $20,c00; St. Mary’s river lights, $30,000; © North Passage light and fog signal, Lake Huron, $15,000; St. ~ Mary’s river upper range lights, Michigan, (moving range lights), $2,000; Simmons’ reef or White shoal light and fog signal station, Michigan, $90,000; South Fox island, fog signal, Michi- gan, $5,500; Point Betsey light and fog signal station, Michigan, $5,500; Ludington fog signal, Lake Michigan, $5,500; St. Joseph © pierhead fog signal, Lake Michigan, $5,000; Ahnapee range lights, Lake Michigan, $2,500; Sturgeon bay canal light station, Lake Michigan, $20,000; Squaw island light and fog-signal station, Michigan, $25,000; Porte des Morts range lights and fog — signal station, Wisconsin, $21,000; Pointe Seul Choix light and ~ fog signal station, Lake Michigan, $9,000; Eleven-Foot shoal light station, Michigan, $42,500; Gladstone light station, Michigan, — $10,000; Escanaba fog signal, Green bay, $1,100; Menasha range ~ lights, Green bay, $500; Depot for the Ninth lighthouse district, $50,000; Eagle Harbor fog signal, Lake Superior, $5,500; Chequamegan point light and fog signal station, Wisconsin. $10,- _ ooo; Bayfield light station, Wisconsin, $5,000; Devil’s island fog : signal, Lake Superior, $5,500; Superior Bay lights, Lake Supe- rior, $1,200; total, $502,400. > eee Water Tube Boiler Figures. = ae Safety Valve furnishes a comparative statement of the work — done by a return tube and the Almy water tube boilers in the eS steamer Queen City, 115 gross tons, speed rr miles per hour ; ee engine 14 by 24 by 14 stroke, 140 revolutions per minute ; wheel : 6 feet in diameter, 8% feet pitch. : RETURN TUBULAR—WATER TUBE, ' Square feet heating surface, 1,000—7o0. oo Sqnare feet grate surface, 30—30. Weight of boiler, pounds, 22,000—12,000. Weight of water, pounds, I1I,000—2,000. Number of trips, 205—248. Length of trip, miles, 71'%4—71 4. . Total number of miles, 14,657 %4—17,732. _ Anthracite coal, tons, 202—163%. uy Bituminous coal, tons, 206—264. ; : Total coal consumed, tons, 408—42734. Se Coal consumed per mile, pounds, 55874892 : anes 13* per cent. saving in coal, 66! tons. ow