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THE MARINE RECORD. GREAT BODIES OF FRESH WATER. Geographers claim that there are 25 rivers on the globe which have « total length each of over 1,000 miles. Of these, two, the Mississippi from the source of the Missouri in the Rocky Mountains to the Eads Jetties, and the Amazon from the source of the Beni to the Isle ot Marajo, are over 4,000 miles in length. To be exact, the former is 4,300 and the latter 4,029 miles froni the source io the places where their waters’ are mingled with those of the ocean. Four claim a totai length of over 3,000 and under 4,000, They are the Yenisei in Asia, length 3,580; the Kiang, Asia, length 3,900; the Nile, Africa, 8,240, and the Hoang-ho, Asia, which is 3,040 miles. Seven streams on the globe are under 3,000 und over 2,000 miles in length, the Volga in Russia and the Amoor in Asia, each being 2,500 miles in length; two are 2,800 miles long, the Mackensie in British America and the Platte in South America, The Rio Bravo in North America, the Rio Madeira in South Amer- ica, and the Niger in Africa are each 2,300 miles from end to end, The Arkansas river just comes inside of this 2,000-mile limit. Ten of the great rivers of the world are over 1,000 and under 2,000 miles in length. Three of these are in North A- merica, the Red river 1,520, Ohio 1,480, and the St. Lawrence * 1,450. South America has also three in this list, the Rio Negro 1,650, Oronoco 1,600, and the Uruguay 1,100 miles. Asia has three in the same list, the Euphrates 1,900 miles, and the Tigris and Ganges, each of which is about 1,300 miles. In the group of great rivers, the St. Lawrence is the most remarkable. It constitutes by far the largest body of fresh water in the world. If we include the great lakes and tributary rivers, with the St. Lawrence system, as they cover about 73,000 square miles; the aggregate represents not less than 9,000 solid miles of water. The unthinkable size of this mass may be better comprehended when we consider the figures of Professor Cyrus C. Dinwidde, who says that it would take over forty years for this entire mass to pour over Niagara at the computed rate of 1,‘ 00,000 cubic feet per second. $$$ $e oc VESSEL TRANSFERS. The following vessel transfers in the district of Port Huron, Mich., have been recorded at the customs house since the close of navigation: CO. C. Henning to A. Still, steamer Wm. Cowie, $1,400; E. C. Recor to T. C, Laster, 1-12 of steamer F. W. Fletcher, $4.166; J. Hall to J. C. Garry, et al, } of barge D. H, Keys, $1,000; J. C. Garry to K. M. Hawley, 1-12 of schooner Conrad Reid, $400; Alfred Mitchell to Edward Gey, one fifteenth of schooner Angus Smith, $1,000; James Reid to Wm. H. Keenan and W. H. Gilbert, the whole of barge L. W. Drake, $3,000; The Jenks Shipbuilding Co. to H. E. Runnels and D. M. Sinclair, the steamer O. O. Carpenter $26,000; Frank A. Hubbard to N. Barkell, the schooner Mon- tana; E. E. Bradley to Michigin Log Towing Co., tug Maud S., $4,000; A. Meswald to F. Kirker, } of schooner Wm. Brake $1,590; Marry Web to Taoomuis Fish, one-half of schooner Margaret R, Goffe, $1,000; H. G. Barnum to W. F. Botsford, one- eighth of steamer Colorado, $2,500; H. Howard to T. R. Wright, one-fourth of steamer Colorado, $5,000; F. P. Ches- brough to Calkin & Stickney, al of tug Grayling, $2,000; G. K. Jackson et al to H. N. Loud, eleven-twelfths of schooner Montgomery, $9,166; Sitley Land Co. (Chicayo) to Jumes J. Lynn and C. D, Thompson, tug F, H. Stanwood, $1,200; W. Anderson to M. P. Scott, one-fifth interest of steamer Tempest, $3,000 i sired, so that it occupies no dock or deck room whatever, ger or to facilitate the movements of vessels. While Ihave had but brief experience in this lighthouse district and have been unable to become familiar with the exact conditions and ne~ cessities for exch location for which additional aids are indi- cated in Senate bill No. 1627, yet in view of the reports and study of the charts in connection with representations from the Lake Carriers’ Association and the Cleveland Vessel Owners’ Association, I am unable to concur in the restricted recom— mendations submitted by Commander Woodward and am, therefore, constrained to submit separate reports.’’ The report recommends duplicate fog whistles, an outfit which is highly necessary and customary in all cases on the sea coast, concurs with Commander Woodward’s report in sey— eral instances and makes alterations and improvements in others, asks for a lightship of suiiable model and equipment to replace the private lightship maintuined at Bar Point, for range lights at the Lime Kiln Crossing, and makes an excel- lent departure in advocating a red sector to show over certain ranges, a8 follows: On Grosse Isle, Detroit River—Range light to center of channel from the foot of Fighting Island to Mamajuda light. “The middle of the channel from Ballard’s reef to the south end of Fighting Island isnow marked by a range on Grosse Isle. The Mamajuda light is but about a mile above the point where that range leaves the middle of the channel. It is my opinion that a suitable ruby panel introduced in the lantern of the Mamajuda light would sufficiently mark the turning point and avoid the necessity for the new range pro- posed.’’ On the north end of Mamajuda —A light to range with the present light on Mamajuda Island to mark the channel be- tween Grassy and Mamajuda islands. ‘‘La this instance, as in the one already mentioned, the distance to be marked is short, and I believe that the introduction of a narrow ruby panel in the lantern of Mamajuda light would sufficiently mark the shoals between Grassy and Mamajuda islands, It is understood that the proper range lights above Grosse Isle are not in this district.” Colonel Smith has had a wide experience both on the lakes and sea coast, his recommendations are well timed and to the point, and being strictly conservative in his eati- metes it is to be hoped that the Lighthouse Board will en- dorse all that is asked for in his report. $< + ELECTRIC HOISTING ENGINES. NE OF THE MOST RECENT DEVICES USED for hoisting purposes has just been placed on the mar- ket by the American Electric Elevator Co., 15 Cort- landt street, New York, and, as is shown in the accompanying illustration, the hoist is simple in its construction, efficient and durable, and a ten horse power hoist can be assembled upon a bed plate five feet ten and one-half inches by two feet nine and one-quarter inches, and from the bottom of the bed plate to the highest point on the machine (the switch lever when in a vertical position) is but three feet seven and one- half inches. It may be placed on an overhead platform if de- The operator can reverse the hoist when loaded and each action of the machine is. positive in hoisting, stopping and lowering. The hoists may be fitted on every vessel carrying an electric light installation, and it is expected thata large number of the machines will be fitted at an early date on docks wharves, warehouses, steamers etc, The transmission of power by electricity has called into THE statistics of new tonnage built in 1890 showed for the whole country 294,122 tons, for the Great Lakes 108,525 tons and for the city of Cleveland 39,095 tons. That is, Cleveland built 13 per cent of the tonnage of the whole country, and over 36 per cent on the Great Lakes. Cleveland outranks both Philadelphia and Bath, Me., which are known the world over as shipbuilding ports. use these special engines for all hoisting purposes, and their adaptability is demonstrated before leaving the works of the manufacturers, It is but a few years since horses were supplauted by steam and now comes this powerful well controlled sys- tem of utilizing electricity to supersede in a m2asure the direct use of steam and its attendant mechanism, care andskill, as it is announced by the builders-of these en- ginesthat even a boy may safely control all its movements. Tue side-wheel steamer Cambria, tween Owen Sound and Sault Ste. liquidators of the Dry Dock Co., company composed of Messrs. Thomas Marks, 8. W i ley & Co., William ©, Dobie, and others, She will uw thorough overhauling and repairing, after which she will be formerly on the route be- Marie, has been sold by the her owners, to a Port Arthur Notes. Tue report of Surgeon-General Wyman, of the M; pital Service, shows that during the fiscal year 1891 physi examinations were made at the request of the Life Sayi Service, the Steamboat Inspection Service and the Reyen Marine, amounting to 2,558, and for 174 seamen of the M chant Service. Out of the latter 27 were rejected. ‘ o Collectors of customs are directed to report, after January 1, 1892, to the Supervising Inepector-General, Steamboat | spection Service, on a separate sheet of blank form, Catalog : No. 240, all foreign steam vessels whose certificates haye b filed in their office during the quarter. Special inspectors of foreign steam vessels will also report to the Supervising In. spector-General at the end of each quarter, on blank form 2117, the names of all foreign steamers inspected during the quarter, with other data required ip the blank form referred to, The Boston, Mass. Commercial Bulletin, in a recent issue giving a review of prominent American industries, had the following to say regarding a well-known manufactory of mar- ine appliances: ‘‘The demands made upon the American Ship Windlass Co., Providence, increase so regularly that they are obliged to enlarge their facilities almost yearly. The latest addition is a solidly constructed shop 112 x 64 feet, which will — be used for erecting heavy work. It is supplied with « twenty ton electric overhead traveling crane, the power being fur- nished by the Thomson Houston system. There is aseventy- two inch engine lathe thirty feet long, a seven- foot radial drill, but there is very little machinery in the room. The floor ig specially solid, the timbers being placed on a concrete bed, — and on three-inch boards is laid a flooring of inch and a quar. ter rock maple, making a splendid surface. The building is heated by the Sturtevant blower system, is well lizhted through. out and is complete in all its appointment:. This company is now making fifteen windlasses for various vities on the lakes, as well as for the ‘New York’ and ‘No. 12? and ‘No. 13,’ now — being constructed by Cramp & Sons; the second named ig — planned to be the fustest war vessel afloat. They are also making windlasses for the battle-ships ‘Massachussetts’ and ~ ‘Indiana,’ and for the United States monitor ‘Amphitrite’. Thirty two of the 184 pages of their fine catalogue just issued is devoted to an enumeration of the ships, yachts, ete., using their windlasses. The book contains a large fund of infor- mation of interest to ship owners and builders. For twenty years Cramp & Sons have used no other work, and for nearly the same period the remark is true of the Morgan Iron Works. They have work enough on hand to last them iu the neiyhbor- hood of six months, notwithstanding the enlargement of their facilities, | THE prospects of the passage of the Revenue Transfer bill are becoming less and less encouraging as the session progresses, — With a portion of the Navy opposed to any change whatever, another portion against the feature of the bill which contem- plates an amalgamation of the officers of the two services, and the Secretary of the Treasury opposed to the proposition in its entirety, it is hardly reasonable to expect favorable action, not to speak of the difference in the political complexion of the two Houses. In response to a House resolution, Acting Seeretary Spaniding states that the Department considers that the present system affords better protection to the revenue — than would be possible if the admistration of the Revenue M. rine Service should be divided between the Navy and Treasury Departments. In view of the opposition that has thus dev oped, the Senate Naval Committee has delayed final action in” the bill, with the view to framing some measure that will pro yoke Jess antagonism than the pending bill. The testimony taken before the committee is being printed, and will be fully read and digested before any actionis taken.—Army @ Navy Journal. ; Tue Bucyrus Stenm Shovel and Dredge Co. will remo there extensive works from Bucyrus, Ohio, to Milwaukee, Wis, about July Ist. The firm are just now crowded with ord 8 including some large contracts from the United States Gov ment. LT A A SS AIDS TO NAVIGATION. Lieutenant Colonel Jared A. Smith, United States Engi of the Tenth Lighthouse District, has completed his repo the Lighth: u e Board on the proposed improvements in on Lakes Erie, Ontario and Detroit river. Colonel Smit agrecs with Commander Edwin T. Woodward, of the | States Navy, inspector of lighthouses in the Tenth di several important cases, His recommendations are mo! eral, and he found it necessary to make a separate rep cases mentioned in the report are propositions embo lied Senate Bill No. 1627, 1t was referred to the Lightuot andthat body referred the matter to ColonelSmith for hiso] on January 19, He had a conference with Comman ward and received a statement from the Lake Carrie ciation. Colonel Smith’s} judicious recommend: doubtless be received with favor by the Clevel Owners’ Association and others interested in secur aids to nayigation, ; In the report Colonel Smith says: “In vie commerce which traverses lakes Erie and Ontari of vesséls, and of the methods necessarily @ placed on the route f, P f i a eaop td rom Port Arthur to Duiuth, The price gation, it appears to be more than desirable aidss hould be provided at various points eil