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THE MARINE RECORD. Notes. A Carn Vincent dispatch says that Congress will be peti- tioned to build a breakwater at that port. The gales from Lake Ontario now sweep right into the harbor. A breakwater would prevent this, and make there an excellent harbor. With a ship canal around Niagara and a suitable breakwater, Cape Vincent might become cuite a port. We are pleased to call the attention of lake shipbuilders to the advertisements of the Treasury Department on page 11, for bids to construct a revenue steamer. All of the recent contrasts for similar class tonnage have come to the lakes, and although our shipyards are now enjoying a fair patronage, we hope that a brisk competition will ensue if only to hold up the prestige of the Western Shipbuilding Industry. We have received from T.S. & J. D. Negus, 140 Water street, New York, their finely illustrated catalogue of nauti- cal instruments of 1892, Binnacles, compasses, sextants, baro- meters, taffrail logs and all instruments in use on shipboard ure found fully illustrated in all sizes and devices, they also are pleased to forward their literature to all firms interested in marine industries. A RncENT notice in our columns stated that the Continental iroh Works, Brooklyn, N. Y., had made a large sale of their celebrated coriugated furnaces to J. T. Ryerson & Sons, through Messrs, Fraser & Chalmers of Chicago, This we are later informed is partly incorrect. The furnaces (there were eight of them,) were for Messrs, Fraser & Chalmers of Chi- cago, and the order was placed through Messrs, J. T. Ryerson & Sons, who are agenis of the Continental Iron Works for their well known specialty. Tue Scventijic Americ in is responsible for the following: When a gun is fired absolutely in the vertical, the ball will fall a few inches to the south and west from the gun, in north- ern mid-iatitudes; due west at the equator, and north-west in southern mid-istitudes. This deviation of the return ball is caused by the angular displacement of the vertical or radiant line from the earth’s axis, at the point of discharge; the verti- cal line swinging on the earth’s axis as a center by virtue of the earth’s revolution to a measurable amount during the upward and downward flight of the ball. Tux North Atlantic Pilot Chart, for January, is one of the most instructive and best got up chart which has come to hand for some time. In addition to the usual valuable data there is issued a supplement of “instructions in case of ship- wreck”’ giving the mcdus operandi between the life saving station and the wreck with other general information pertain- ing thereto. Much credit is due the Hydrographic Office for the manner in which the chart is compiled and the excellent information which it places in the hands of navigators. The North Atlantic Pilot Chart has now become a necessity where formerly it was regarded as an auxiliary. Liaur is being thrown on the mystery of the “open winter.” Sir William Thompson has informed the Royal Society of Eugland, that the axis of the earth is altering its direction. Just how she points now is not stated, but Berlin is consider- ably forther north than is marked on the map, and the Sand- wich Islands have moved a like distance to the south. To this the scientific sharp of the “Detroit Free Press’’ adds the state- ment “Geographers decide that the axis of the earth must be changing its angle to the ecliptic, and if the progression is very rapid, the United States is liable to be gradually transferred to thetorrid zone. This may account for our not having more sleighing.’’ To which the “‘Buffalo Courier” adds that ‘so long as we get our torrid weather in the winter, when we need it, itis all right; but it is to be hoped that in summer the axis will take a slant toward the Arctic Circle. Yet, with all this seeming aberration, the seekers after the North-west passage, north-pole expeditions and Antarctic explorations, still find the same freezo weather to contend against in the old latitudes and longitudes. Ix painting ship it would be found a convenient guide if some approximate could be obtuined, giving the amount of paint required for a given surface, It is impossible to givea rule that will apply in all cases, as the amount varies with the kind and thickness of the paint, the kind of wood or other ma- terials to which it is applied, the age of the surface, ete. The following rule has been computed and is offered as a general guide for mariners, and those outside of the trade. Divide the number of square feet of surface by 200. The result will be the number of gallons of liquid paint required to give two coats; or divide by 18 and the result will be the number of pounds of pure ground white lead to give three coats: To mix paint for tints. Red and black makes brown; lake and white makes rose; white and brown makes chestnut; white, blue and lake makes purple; blue and Jead color mukes pearl; white and carmine makes pink; indigo and lamp black makes silver gray; white aud lump black makes lead color; black and yenetian red makes chocolate; white and green makes bright green; purple and white makes French white; light green and black makes dark reen; white and green makes pea green; white and emerald a makes brilliant green; red and yellow makes orange; od yellow makes straw “colur; white, blue and black arl gray; white, lake and vermillion makes flesh color; | fe and yenelian red makes drab; white, yellow and CUYAHOGA CUSTOMS DISTRICT, Collector of Customs Marco B, Gary, of the Cuyahoga dis~ trict, shows one of the most complete and prompt annual re- ports ever kept by a lake custom district, through the efficient assistance of the marine clerk of the district, Captain George R. McKay. The report for the year ending December 31 shows the total vessel tonnage for 1891 as 212,788.52, that for 1890 was 205,855.64, a gain of 6,932.88. The tonnage of new vessels for the district built at the Cleve- land shipyards was not as heavy as the year 1890, caused mainly by certain vessels being well advanced in construction though not being completed in time to enter the lists of 1891, they will be accounted for in the year 1892, which will pro- bably, in consequence, show a phenomenal record for ship building. The district has held its own in the importation of foreign manufactures for the year 1891 as against 1890. The report shows a gain of over $18,000 as against the year 1889. The difference of entries and clearances is accounted for by the late commencement of the season. Six large new steel propellers averaging upwards of 2000 tons each were put afloat luring the season from Cleveland yards. Two handsome passenger steamers, one steel and the other wood, and a steel steam yacht costing nearly $20,000 with twenty-three new vessels of smaller tonnage including five rebuilt vessels shows the com- ; pleted shipyard work, The total tonnage for the district as per enrollments was 274, with a gross tonnage of 212.788.52; net tonnage 178.- 833.14, The total number of steamers inspected in the district of Cleveland during the year was 300 having a gross tonnage of 163,512,49, net tonnage 129,672,98. Total clearances in district, foreign and coastwise: Sail vessels 1,835, tonnage 955,857; steamers 3,068, tonnage 3,070,- 456; total 4,903, tonnage 4,026,313. Total entries in district, foreign and coastwise: Sail vessels 1,828, tonnage 951,380; steamers 3,045, tonnage 3,029,699; total 4,873, tonnage, 3,981,- 079. Total clearances and entries in district, coastwise, sail vessels, 3,663; tonnage, 1,907,237; steamers 6.113, tonnage 6,100,155. Total craft, 9,776; total tonnage, 8,007,392. foreign and + oe CANADIAN SAULT STE MARIE CANAL. It is now stated on excellent authority that the Government has decided on making some important changes in the canal now being built at Sault Ste. Marie, which will greatly in- crease its facilfties, and render it able to accommodate any vessel which can use the American canal, The depth of water in the lock sills of both canals will be the same, 21 feet, which will take the largest steamers used, or likely to be used, on the lakes. The present contract for the lock to the Canadian canal is for a lock 600 feet long and 85 wide. This, it is un- derstood, has been changed so that the lock will be 900 feet long by 60 wide, with gates the full width of the lock. This will admit of three of the large propellers being locked up to- gether, Thejlockis so arranged that if at any future time greater accommodation is needed, it will be a very easy matter to con- struct a twin lock adjoining the one to be built, so that the lockage capacity would be more than doubled, and vessels could be locked up and down at the sametime. One of the contractors says that work on the canal will be continued all winter, and that it will be ready for use by the opening of the season of 1894, ec A NOVEL PRINCIPLE. A wrecking tug, working upon a noyel principle, has been brought out by a coast wrecking corporation of New Bedford, Mass. The prominent features of this tug are a steam windlass winding up a 2-inch chain and a steam capstan for using heavy hawsers. Both windlass and capstan were furnished by the American Ship Windlass Co., of Providence, R. I. In operation, a yery heavy anchor is thrown out, ani the chain and hawser being drawn taut, the swell of the water on the bottom of the tug acts as a force for pulling off a stranded yes- se]. The engiaes, of course, take up all that can be gained as fast as it is gained. It will be perceived that this action is very much like that of pulling laterally upon the middle of a long cord, attached at one end to a fixed support, and at the other to an object to be moved, the strain upon the suppurt tending to draw them toward each other being immensely greater than that of the static force of the pull applied. Ac- cording to the principle of virtual velocities, the static force of the swell upon the bottom of the tug multiplied into the dis- tance it is raised by the action of the water will be equal to the much greater pul! upon the stranded vessel multiplied into the much shorter distance through which the vessel is moved. This action being based upon a sound principle, we predict that the new wrecking tug will prove a success.—Marine Journal, —$§$£@—,— Saues of vessel property recorded at the Milwaukee Cu:tom office during December were: Schooner Experiment, John Larson to Thomas Peterson of Milwaukee, one half, $400; steamer Colin Campbell, Olaf Anderson to Ole Hanson, of Milwaukee, one fourth, $6000; tug H. M. Van Elis, to Theo~ dore Pellen and Andrew Martin of Milwaukee, the whole, $2,500; schooner L. A. Burton, atauction, to Ben Scheftels, one third, $1,409, Literary Notices. Pearson’s Diagram for the conversion of compass errors is pronounced by Com. A. W. CcCormick and Prof. J. H.C. Coffin, U. 8, N., as being superior to Napiera method. This diagram is published exclusively in ““A Manual of Navigation for the Lakes.’ Readers of TH» Recorp are requested to write to the publishers, Bissell & Scrivens, Cleveland, O. We have received from Captain James F. Trowell, ex- harbor master at the port of Milwaukee, a pamphlet contain- ing a report of the lake commerce of the City of Milwaukee for 1891, besides valuable custom house statistics the booklet contaias a correct list of winter moorings at that port. Seaboard, of New York, has evidently capped the climax of journalistic enterprise in the matter of a New Years edition, as all those who receive a copy cutside of its large circle of permanent subscribers will candidly admit. It is an old and trite saying that nothing succeed: like success and we wish our class contemporaries lots of it. “Machinery Pattern Making,” by P. 8. Dingey, practical pattern maker and mechanical draftsman, is the title of a hand- somely bound, 12 mo. cloth book which we have just received from the hands of the publishers. ‘The work contains full size profiles of gear teeth and fine engravings on full page plates illustrating manuer of constructing numerous and im— portant patterns and core boxes. The author of the work in his preface candidly admits that pattern making can not be taught throngh a book, but nevertheless a discussion of meth— ods now in use is considered valuable. To those who are studying the rudiments this work should be of great arsist- ance and the man of practical experience may surely garner some useful suggestions from the twenty years experience of its author, Pattern making has not yet reached the acme of perfection and those to whom a knowledge of the art would prove useful we should say procure a copy of “Machinery Pattern Making,” price $2.00, John Wiley & Sons 53 E. Tenth street, New York. By referring to our advertising columns, particulars of a work entitled ‘‘Key to Steam Engineerinz”’ may be found, and in gen- eral furtherance of this interesting booklet we take pleasure in quoting a review of the volume from our esteemed contem- porary, The American Machinist. That journal states: ‘* ‘Key to Steam Engineering’ is the title of a neat little handbook of 90 pages, issued by the Mason Regulator Co., manufacturers of steam regulating specialties, 10 Central street, Boston, Mass. This isan excellent litle book, written in the plainest lang- guage possible, and the computations are given in their sim- plest form, making the book extremely valuable to the practi- cal engineer who cannot comprehend other works of a more technical character. The book is divided iato two parts; the first treats on air, water, fuel, steam, boilers, engines, belts and shaiting, speed of pulleys, etc., and contains tables. This part of the work is composed of short questions and answers, such as are likely to arise in the mind of an intelligent and practical engineer. Part second treats on the combustion of coal, chemically and practically considered. It is written in an interesting manner, and a careful study of the subject, as it is here presented, cannot fail to be of benefit to those who wish to become familiar with the nature of combustion. This book does not contain any advertisements; in fact, not one of the steam regulating specialties made by the company is once men- tioned; but it is full of interesting and profitable matter for steam engineers, and it is worth more than the price asked. It is sent out by the Mason Regulator Co. for 30 cents. With reference to our ‘‘Common Sense in Making and Us- ing Steam.”’ the ‘‘American Machinist’’ says: ‘‘The author of this excellent little book gives the results of his experience and observation in the line of steam engineering during a practice of more than thirty years, in which he has visited hundreds of steam plants in different parts of the country, and made num- erous tests of boilers, engines and other steam appliances. He presents facts, data and his conclusions, in a clear, simple and interesting style, conveying much useful information to per— sons contemplating the erection of steam plants, and also to those who have the management of boilers. engines and steam appliances. The book treats on the location of steam plants, arrangement of its parts, boilers, furnaces and fuels, feed wa- ter and apparatus, botler compounds, skimmers and automatic attachments, engines, lubricants and lubricators, duty of en- gineers and firemen, convenient rules, tables and facts, and concludes with brief items of useful information. The book contains 53 pages of useful reading matter, a complete index, and no advertisements. It is the second in a series which the Mason Reguiator Co. intend to publish on different subjects, and of which the ‘‘Key to Steam Engineering.” previously noticed in these columns, was the first one, It should have a large sale, and be in the hands of every one who has charge of or who owns a steam plant, and those seeking information and facts relating to making and using steam, The buok is pub- lished by the Mason Regulator Co., manufacturers of steam regulating specialties, 10 Central street, Boston, Mass, The price of the book is 25 cents, post paid. EEE eae tls Our thanks are due to the Ashton Valve Co., Boston, Mass., for a very handsome calender, having a heading of the ‘Dawn of the New Year’? in artistic form, Gentlemen, we will keep — our weather eye lifting towards the appropriate salle Seckones . for some time to come,