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THE MARINE RECORD. 9 es PERSONAL. pt . Alexander McDougall and Mr. Mather left for § _ Superior in company on Wednesday night. _ Capt. Watts has been spending the week in Cleveland, he left for Detroit on Wednesday night in answer to a telegram desiring him to return at once, Capt. Johnson, of the Hand & Johnson Tug Line, and Mr. Beattie, of Buffalo, N. Y., spent Wednesday after- noon in the city, leaving again in the evening for Toledo. Hon. James Ash, of Buffalo spent Wednesday in the city visiting yesselmen, we were pleased to meet one of our staunchest friends and supporters and to find him looking in such perfect health, energetic and as full of business as of yore. Capt. Henry, manager of the Lehigh Valley Line, and Capt. Kalleran, commodore of the Line, visited Cleve- Jand on Wednesday and inspected the bottom damage on the steel steamer Cayuga, both gentlemen are looking and feeling first-class, the common enemy “la grippe” being carefully avoided. Mr. F. H. Pell, representing the American Ship Wind- lass Co., Providence, R. I., favored us with a call Wed- nesday. Mr. Pell has covered the western country dur- ing the past three weeks and is now on his way East, spending Thursday in Buffalo. We were pleased to learn that his company had secured orders for the windlasses on nearly allthe new tonnage now under construction on the lakes, and on his arrival in Providence on Satur- day next an extra turn will probably be given to the hurry-up end of the large works so that all contracts may be got out punctually on time. me oe A SYLLOGISM. The Local Inspectors of the several lake districts have been duly warned to enforce Rule 7 of the pilot rules for lakes and seaboard, hitherto held in abeyance. Before quoting the rule we desire to verify our caption by say- ing that we question the use of the rule, its applicability, and per se, its conclusive enforcement is derogatory to the best interests of the service which it was ignorantly formed to facilitate. The rule reads as follows: All coasting steam-vessels, and steam-vessels other than ferry boats and vessels otherwise expressly provided for, navigating the bays, lakes, rivers, or other inland waters of the United States, except those men- tioned in Rule 6 , shall carry the red and green lights, as pre- scribed for ocean-going steamers; and, in addition thereto, a central range of two white lights; the after light being carried at an elevation of at least fifteen feet above the light at the head of the vessel, The head-light shall be so constructed as to show a good light through twenty points of the compass, namely: From right ahead to two points abaft the beam on either side ef the vessel; and the after light so as to show all around the horizon* The Jight for ferry-boats shall be regu- lated by such rules as the Board of Supervising Inspectors of Steam-Vessels shall prescribe. Vessel-owners, masters and pilots should clearly under- stand that the foregoing rule is ordered to be strictly earried out and local inspectors are specially charged to see that the steamers are fitted out in such a manner as to enable them to comply with the requirements of the law. a -g A PLEASANT SURPRISE, The stockholders of the Lorain Steamship Co., arranged a surprise party in honor of the managing owner of their floating property, Mr. David Wallace, on his sixtieth birthday, Janu- ary 23rd. Owing to the sickness of Mr. Orville Root, presi- dent of the company, Rev. F'. P. Sanders, pastor of the First Congregational Church, ina few brief remarks in behalf of the stockholders of the Lorain Steamship Co., presented him with a beautiful and costly gold watch, chain and charm, Mr. Wallace, although very much surprised, replied in an appro- priate speech, thanking his friends for the beautiful’ token of their friendship, and it was then found that Mrs. Wallace had ~ provided ‘‘a shut in the locker’’. oe _THE BOSTON MARINE INSURANCE COMPANY. This company has issued its statement for December 3lst, _ also an account current for the year. It has a paid-in capital of $1,000,000. The amount insured covered $69,436,413 and “premiums received $1,282,068. The income was $1,328 023.85, and deducting losses and contingent expenses of $1,157,293.11, an increased surplus was left of $170,730.74. Losses paid since orgapization have been $13,465,160.90. Ransom B. Fuller is president, Herbert Fuller, vice-president; Charles A. _ Fuller, second vice-president; Thomas H. Lord, secretary; - - Ward Williams, assistant secretary. It has offices in Boston, _ New York and Baltimore. _ EE ee Rieboldt, Wolter & Co,, Sheboygan, Wis., will build a new tug this winter for Henry Van Ells & Co., of Milwaukee. She | be 65 feet oyer all, with 14 ft. beam and 6} foothold. Her ill have a cylinder 14 inches in diameter, with a 16 stroke, and the boiler 5ft. 6 inches by 10 ft., allowed 130 nds of steam, They will also build three 200 yard dump for the Racine Dredge Co., and two for a Chicago Work on the new steam barge is progressing ling is all on, and the steel girders are now * hig Correspondence. 4a5- We do not hold ourselves responsible in 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 marine should be fairly represented in THE MARINE RECORD. A FEW REMARKS. ASHTABULA, January 26, 1892, To the Editor of The Marine Record. Iam pleased to read the valuable technical articles contri- buted to your columns «nd note that wide experience and knowledge comes boldly to the front with the good intentions of assisting readers to a knowledge of so much of the science of navigation as may be applied on the lakes, and to clear up the cloud of uncertainity which hangs over certain every-day problems. Several very intelligent thinkers has replied to our practical friend Capt. Pearsons, yet I am sorry to say that the problem still remains unanswered, at least, it is not fully explained to my satisfaction, One correspondent ‘‘Novice’’ makesan enquiry, to his question I would say that a vessel in steering to the westward from Buffalo is constantly decreasing the variation and the tendency is to carry the ship to the north, secondly in steering to the eastward from Toledo the variation is con- stantly increasing which also has a tendency to carry the ship to the northward of her course. Now to demonstrate Capt. Pearsons problem as I understand it, I will for instance sup- nose a ship to be placed due east of Toledo, that is on the same parallel of latitude and in the longitude of Buffalo. Now at Buffalo the variation is 5° W. and at ‘Toledo 0°. On leay- ing the meridian of Buffalo to make a due west course it would be necessary to make a correction for the variation of 5° W., now if the ship continues to steer that course until she passes the meridian of Toledo she would then pass some eight miles to the north of Toledo so that the tendency of the varia- tion is constantly to carry the ship to the northward steering either to the westward or eastward as shown clearly in the foregoing. I think that the question which ‘‘Novice’’ pro- pounds is well taken, There is one more question deserving of the consideration of your readers, and that is how to find the deviation of the compass and apply it correctly. I have read much on the subject in the columns of Tur Marine ReEcorp, but I do not remember one problem being solyed in a manner to be understood clearly by the large bulk or ma- jority of your readers, so I quote an example: Being on Lake Superior October 11th, 1891, in the afternoon when the correct altitude of the sun’s lower limb was 4° 50’, latitude 47° 01’ N. sun’s correct declination 7° 09/ S, at what point of the compass did the sun bear at that time. This question I would like to see answered in your columns as there has re cently been so much said on the subject of deviation and how to apply it, I may state further that the answer should be reckoned from the north, BrGInnER. REMINISCENCES, By Caprain CHar.es GALE. It has been stated and widely published that more lives were lost on the lakes during the past season than at any time since the lakes haye been navigated, but I beg to differ with that statement. In looking back over my log I find that in 1854, 8 steamers, 6 propellers, 3 barques, 8 brigs and 30 schooners, making a total list of disasters of 384, though some were light, still the cash loss amounted to $2,225,000 and the loss of life reached the long figures of 119 persons. In 1852, 296 persons lost their lives on the lakes and 81 in 1853, The loss of property for the three years 1852-3-4 was as follows $992,659, $894,143 and $2,125,000 making a total in three years of $3,091,882, somewhat alarming figures for nearly forty years ago are they not. Again, to carry out the well authenticated reeord a little further I find that in 1855 there was a total of 600 disasters causing a loss of $2,821,592 with a loss of 118 persons, the money valuation of losses for 1856 reached the snug sum of $3,038,875. According to published re- ports there occurred on the lakes in the season of 1857, 400 casualties to sailing craft, involving the loss of 221 lives and $1,902,000 worth of property and the decennial list of losses up to that date aggregated $13,821,253 so that we were not running ‘Scot free’’ even in those days of pioneer work, I further desire to state that there was no Marine Record in those days to publish a list of losses, to show the world, our world at least, the volume of lake tonnage, or tell of the winter moorings the same as you do now, wonderful strides have in- deed been made and looking back over half a century I keenly appreciate the changes, especially when I look across my farm to the St. Clair River and see the continual stream of 3,000 ton iron and steel steamers chasing along at a 12 mile gait all through the season of navigation. There were but few collisions in the old days and I think that perhaps there was a much better lookout kept then, also that vessel men exercised a trifle more caution in meeting and passing other craft, Among the last season’s losses I was sorry to see the last of the schooners Frank Perew and David Steward they were like old acquaintances to me as I had the pleasure of drafting the standing rigging and sails of both vessels and fitted them out in a well found liberal manner. I was master of the Perew from 1867 till 1873, when I got warning to leave, in this way. On October 18th 1873 we beat out of Escanaba, (I may mention that the Frank Perew was never passed by a sailing craft dur- ing my time in her, also a note that may prick up the esrs of my younger readers, and that is, the Perew loaded ore from Escanaba to Erie at $5.50 per ton, how is that for your dollar rate of to-day,) with a light easterly wind, before midnight she was reefed down and had all she could stagger under, with a nasty sea running and heavy snow we could not see our own length and wallowed at it with the decks full of water until she began (o make water freely. It soon became a question of pump harder or sink, as the water gained on her quite lively and the northwester had scoffed our mainsail and mizen, at 5 a.m. South Fox light was sighted and an anchor was got down in four fathoms, where she soon became what you head a columa of THe Martner Recorp with, flotsam, jetsam and lagan all in one, as when the anchor was let go the water was some inches deep on the cabin floor, we barely got into the yawl boat when she found the bottom, it was still dark and we found ourselves in the surf, boat filled with water and in im- minent danger of swamping and all hands nearly frozen. The terrors dread of that merciless gale Will depart from my memory never And those now living to relate the tale But dwell in our bosoms forever, It was a loud and close call, yet the Perew was a good yves- sel and during her first season beat the record by making the trip from Chicago to Buffalo in 3 days 12 hours and 32 minutes, sailed through the Rivers and never lowered her canvas be- tween the two ports. Captain Frank Perew telegraphed to Chicago for the time of her leaving as he could not believe it was possible to cover the ground in so short atime. She was then owned by R. H. Harman, T. P. Handy and John Martin having an insurance valuation of $36,000, after she was aben- doned Captain Wilson bought her and she earned many a good dollar since that time. USE THE MEAN VARIATION. Dunvru, Mrxn., January 25, 1892, To the Editor of The Marine Record. Mr. “Novice’’ of Buffalo, in your issue of January 14, thinks that my statement that the change of variation from Buffalo to Toledo diverts ship to the right, or to the north of her chart course, is ‘‘misleading’’,—that he cannot ‘‘agree’’ with me in that statement. Now it does nut matter whether ‘‘Novice’’ agrees with me or not in that statement, the fact remains the same, confronting us for consideration in shaping course. His trouble comes from the fact that he has not yet discern- ed the difference between the ‘‘change’’ of variation, and variation proper. Variation alone, without correction, or without ‘‘change’’ would lead us to the south of Toledo 5°. But in that run, the card swings to the right 5°, diverting ship to the right, or north of her nominal course 2}°, thus reducing our error of 5° to the south, to 24°, i.e. the change of variation has divert- ed ship to the north, or perhaps it would be better to say, the effect of the ‘“‘change’’ of variation is to divert ship to the north. As our critic appears to be in an inquiring mood, it affords us pleasure to offer any light we can in the matter, to the end that he may’apprehend the difference between variation and change of variation. In the example before us, we see that without the change of variation, we would have been diverted 5° to the south of our objective point; but by the change, which has diverted us to the north, we are left and only 23° in error to the south. Ob- serve too that our run, or traverse, is towards the agonic line, i.e. the line where the magnetic card corresponds with the chart, Again, from Grand Haven, variation 1}°, to Milwaukee, 4°, both BE, i. e. the card being to the right of the chart, the change is 2}° to right, increasing the variation to 4° E. Observe too, that in this run, we go from the agonic line. But, we have seen that the change of variation diverts ship tothe north, whichever way we go. Also that this change diminishes variation when going toward the agonic line, and increases it when sailing from that line. Thus are these two elements shown to be different factors, change of variation always taking us to the north, while vari- ation proper takes us to the north when going from the agonic line, but to the south when going towards that line. ‘The understanding our friend has of the application of vari- ation is correct. His confusion, as before stated, arising from confounding the change of variation with that element. But he must use the mean variation. eae The lukes are probably the only place in the world where the mean variation of two places between which it is desired to sail, must be taken into consideration at each end of the route, ‘ r This being done, the effect of the change on the course be taken is diminished. We will try to consider the observa~ tions of “Observer” in our next letter, H, C, Pearsons. oo A The assistant secretary of the treasury has made the ing appointments for light keepers: Joseph Font of the light-station at Seul Choix point; Thomas R. keeper of the light-station at South Manitou, and Nelson sen, keeper of the Beacon island light station.