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e Marine Record. Published every Thursday, at 144 Superior Street, (Leader Building,) CLEVELAND, oO. i 2 i BRANCH OFFICE, Cricaco, I118., - - = 252 South Water St. THOMAS WILLIAMS, Associate Editor. \rvina B, SmitH. Cart. JOHN SWAINSON, Proprietors. SUBSCRIPTION. One copy, one year, postage paid, - . One copy, one year. to foreign countries, Invariably in advance. ADVERTISING. Rates given on application. A ——— ‘THE MARINE RECORD can be found for sale by the following agents and news dealers: AMHERSTBURG, ONT.—George Taylor. ASHTABULA HARBOR, 0.—0, C. Large, 0. M. Kohne. ASHLAND, WIS.—Post Office News Stand. BUFFALO, N. Y.—Miss McCabe, Hk st-; W- H. Boyd, 60 Main st. CHICAGO, ILLS.—Thomas Williams, 252 South Water street. L. P. Ballin, 33 West Randolph street. CLEVELAND, 0.—Cleyeland News Co , 118 Wood street; G. F. Bow- man, corner Pearl and Detroit street; R. A. Castner, 254 Detroit street E.J. Ray, 452 Detroit street; Larwood & Day, 259 Superior street; N- Hexter, 303 Superior street; Taylor, Austin & Co., 116 Publie Square, DETROIT, MICH.—George Abrams, River Reporter. DULUTH, MINN.—Albertson & Chamberlain, 323 West Superior st., Zenith News Stand. DUNNVILLE, ONT.—J. H. Smith. ERIE, PA.—Reed Caughey, W. J. Sell, Moses Dryfoos. ESCANABA, MICH.—John Finnegan, Sourwine & Hartnett. HURON, 0.—Jobn Squires. HOUGHTON, MICH.—F. W. Kroll. KINGSTON, ONT.—John Henderson & Co- LORAIN, 0.—C. C. Knapp, J- B. Tunte. LUDINGTON, MICH.—Fisk & Co. MANISTIQUE, MICH.—W. S. Gilbert. Post Office Block. MARQUETTE, MICH.—Vannier & Bigelow- MILWAUKEE, WIS.—T. 8. Gray Co., 126 Wisconsin street. OWEN SOUND, ONT.—H. P. Adair & Co., J. Sharpe, Jr. PORT HURON, MICH.—D. E. Lynn, Marine Reporter. SARNIA, ONT.—J.G. McCrae, D. McMaster. SAULT STE. MARIE, MICH.—J. P. Haller, Water street. 43- Subscribers and others are respectfully invited touse the columns of THE MARINE RECORD for the discussion of pertinent topics and all matters relating to the welfare of the Lake Marine. N.B.—We do not hold ourselyes responsible in any way for the views expressed by our correspondents. Contributions must in every case be accompanied by the full name and address of the writer, and be at this office not later than Wednesday morning. Entered at the Post Office at Cleveland as second-class mail matter. ALL MAIL MATTER Pertaining to the Editorial and Business Departments of Tux Marine Recor should be addressed, “SMITH & SWAINSON, 148 SUPERIOR ST., CLEVELAND, OHIO.’ CLEVELAND, O., FEBRUARY 11, 1892. FRANCE, Italy and Sweden will act as arbitrators in the Behring Sea dispute. The two latter powers are likely to favor the British rendering of the case, at least, the United States is not in Italy’s best graces at this time on account of the New Orleans fiasco, and Sweden, although having alarge representation of her populace in this country, bas a closer national leaning to Britain. —_—— ED +o aa Ir is a somewhat noticeable feature that there has been fewer transfers in the ownership of floating property this winter than for the past several seasons. This, we believe is an indication that a fair earning season is confidentially looked forward to, even by those who only balanced their ledger accounts last year by writing off a cypher. The shipyards and engine shops are full of work, besides an active inquiry for special tonnage, but there has been little Al tonnage changed hands, or placed on the market since the close of navigation. ee ee THERE is a good opening for an inventive American mechanician to construct a signal gong or telegraph for communicating between the engine room and deck, also for transmitting steering and lookout signals, alarm gongs etc. It appears to us that an English firm maintains a close monopoly on these specialities just now, and the field is somewhat noticeable on account of no American instruments or system being on the market. This is not as it should be, nor do we believe but that more perfect. durable and efficient mechanism might be devised by an American who would turn his attention to this special feature of a steamer’s outfit, and it is foregone conclusion that a large patronage awaits the inventor thereof. Patt “HE MARINE RECORD. ent windlasses and steam capstans, the most perfect in the world, steam-steering engines also electric light installa- tions and automatic fog whistles, have each been per- fected by American skill besides scores of other thor- oughly efficient mechanical inventions; and why nota du- plex gong or mechanical telegraph with electric power if considered advisable, including all other necessary feat- ures Which such an instrument is capable of? An Am- erican patent or invention usually covers the field better than any foreign device, and we trust that we may soon hail an American geng for vessel use instead of meeting the imported article so often as is now done. —$— $$ nn eo ea Tue shipbuilders of the Great Lakes held a Conven- tion last Tuesday in Cleveland, the outcome of which will bea national decision regarding the right of building United States vessels on the lakes. Congress passed an Act in 1864 abrogating the clause in the 1817 treaty with the English, whereby both powers were prohibited from placing armed vessels on the lakes over and above the quota of tonnage then agreed upon. ‘This treaty clause had become so warped that not even a shell or hull might be constructed if destined for naval purposes when com- pleted, and a lake shipbuilder although the lowest com- petitor for a Government contract for the building of a practice vessel was inconsistently told that an abrogated treaty clause prohibited the Department from consider- ing his bid, although admitting that he had distanced his competitors in bidding for the work. It is high time that any law which preyents a citizen from working for his Government, and its best interests, should be rendered null and yoid, and such we trust will be the final action re- solved upon in relation to building vessels for any honor- able purpose on the Great Lakes. ee Tux late Commissioner of Navigation having vacated his office, it would be in order to ask what qualifications for this special office his successor has. The time is now past when an inexperienced or untrained person can efficiently assume the duties of a U, 8. Commissioner of Navigation, and at this time in the history of the mer- cantile marine a special adaptation for the work is a main essential. If such an individual is appointed to the in- cumbency, steady progress and smooth sailing will mark the order of the office, if otherwise, the position will be controlled by subordinates, and decisions which ought to be final, will but court an appeal. There is no denying the fact that Capt. William W. Bates worked in and out of season for the best interests of the U. 8. mercantile marine, according to his own light, and it is perhaps be- cause he zealously worked a little out of season, that the change has been brought about; in any case, his enemies can but admit that he is and has been earnest and dilli- gent in his desire to bring about a rehablitation of the mercantile marine of the country, and if his efforts have not been duly appreciated in high quarters, he has the consolation of knowing that he is not the first individual to suffer official decapitation through, perhaps, a mistaken sentiment of the value of a life’s study. Capt. Bates is still to the fore as the best authority on the mercantile marine of the U. S., and arguments bristling with pertin- ent truths are more than likely to see the light of day through the agency of the press. po Ee ee ON LIGHTS AND RULES. The Kingston correspondent of THe MARINE RECORD evidently appreciates the anomaly now existing in the revised statutes of the rules and regulations prescribed by the United States Board of Supervising Inspectors of steam vessels, and has succeeded in showing the pre- vailing misapplication and contradictions contained in only one Rule, probably not deeming it worthy of the consideration of a thoroughly efficient person to further analyze the code of rules, which we have frequently held forth as being inadequate and misleading. In reviewing an editorial of January 28th on this sub- ject it, is learned that the forward light is frequently car- ried on the stem head a-la-mode of half a century ago, when the only light carried was a horn lantern at the bow-sprit end, hence, if the inspectors on the upper lakes have been remiss in not enforcing the after range light -to be carried fifteen feet higher than the forward light, the inspectors on Lake Ontario have been doubly remiss in permitting the mast-head light to be carried on the line of hull, or as stated by our Kingston correspondent, sometimes fifteen feet lower than the sidelights and range light, this can be readily understood on side-wheel steamers where the sidelights are usually exhibited from the paddle boxes. Rule One, states that every steam vessel whether under sail or not is to be considered a steam vessel. Rule Three, says all ocean-going steamers and steam- ers carrying sail shall carry a bright white light at the foremast head. Not on the stem, or half way down the mast, but at the mast-head. Rule Seven, commands all coasting steam vessels and steam vessels other than ferry-boats navigating the bays, lakes, rivers, etc., to carry in addition to the light at the | collision shall slacken her speed and if necessary stop foremast head—(and there is ni mast head part of it) an after light light at the foremast head to show We read Rule Seven with the light gi and consequently all lake steamers are f an after light at the given elevation, Seven means anything, but it does not, will not forced, and no good reason can be offered forits ¢ ance in the rules and regulations, though the dis proves that a mast-head light brought down is a wide and more dangerous dereliction of th than the absence of the after range light showil around the horizon, to the utter confusion of men know how to locate a light and what it is doin; Given a colored light in any position and the di in whioh it is proceeding may be clearly defined. also known that a mast-head light may only be seen oy, an are of twenty points of the compass, but, this round-the-horizon range guide is misleadirg im the treme and in nine cases out of ten would be mist for a mast-head light, showing from right ahead to tw points abaft the beam, according to the rule. The Board of Supervising Inspectors of steam yé having just been in session at Washington no bet time could be found to call their attention to the m printed diagrams showing the “Rules of the Road,” fi presuming that these diagrams are either meant to in struct, or point the way out of a difficulty or immin danger. If these premises are admitted, then, second and third situations in the diagrams mean simply noth- thing, for in each case, if the vessels stand on, that is hold their course, there is no danger of collision, no poin of instruction and the diagrams are so much paper wasted. . In the fourth and fifth situations the instructions and diagrams are distinctly misleading, as the steamer which has another close aboard on her own starboard side will not port to avoid collision, imminent danger is inyolyed in the diagrams, and instant action is required, or as in the former cases they lose their significance, but, we strong- ly maintain that porting would not solve the problem suc- cessfully, and it is well said, “that the situatlon requires great caution.” Under the use of port helm authorized by the rules and diagrams it would seem to us that cau- tion would be unnecessary, as the impact, or the chase 0 t one after the other under port helm would make an @ citing whirl with caution thrown to the winds. The sixth situation with the mast-head and port light of B close aboard and directly across the bows of A. It would here seem, that instead of porting with confidence, it would be more advisable to follow the course laid down by Article 18 in the Rules approved for high seas and the coast, March 3rd, 1885, viz: “Every steamship when approaching another ship so as to involve a risk of and reverse.” ‘The seventh diagram is a repetition of the | sixth with the starboard side of B to A and A is told 0 | starboard with confidence, this is not in accordance with Rules 4 and 5, for there the steamer to act, is the one which has the other on her own starboard side, in this - case the opposite ruling holds and Article 18 is also an nuled. There is a Government revision of these lights and rules necessary and the most opportune time is the present. : ‘ Owners and masters of vessels on the Great Lal recognizing that the present steering and sailing are inadequate, have endorsed certain supplement rules, which, while they do not conflict in any way wit the rules as laid down by the Board of Supervising In spectors, are framed to meet the exigencies of lake navi- gation, and if these semi-oflicial rules were endorsed bj the Supervising Inspectors a close adherence to th would necessarily ensue, otherwise, they will become @ ; law by custom. & LET LAKE SHIPBUILDERS COMPETE. — In speaking ard writing about the abrogation of nayal clause in the treaty of 1817 relating to the Lakes, it is and has been the general custom to im: that the lake interests desire to fiood these waters ¥ naval vessels. Nothing is wider from the mark than 8 5 a view of the question, for, besides the revenue cutter (one of which ought to the ample for each lake) th not the remotest probability of there being any placed, or required to be placed in commission on waters. * ‘The abrogation of the special clause contained i treaty is simply to permit the construction of sucha of tonnage whenever it may be considered desiral do, but, mainly, to annul the prohibiting clause which lake shipbuilders are forbidden to joi plates together if their ulterior disposition is for purposes. Let it be clearly understood that builders are positively handicapped and distin hibited from following out their business on and the injustice of the treaty clause becomes | The special industry of shipbuilding pros healthy competition, and it is manifestly