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oy ESTABLISHED 1878. oer . sit —— fished every Thursday, at 144 Superior Street, (Leader Building) CLEVELAND, O. Bites. irvine B. SmitH. Carr. JOHN Swainson, * BRANCH OFFICE, Cu1caco, In18., - - - 252South Water St. =v "ater THOMAS WILLIAMS, Associate Editor. Proprietors. ‘SUBSCRIPTION. ‘One copy, one year, postage paid, - ¥ : One copy, one year to foreign countries, - Invariably in advance. a ADVERTISING, Rates given on application. sa- Subscribers and others are respectfully invited touse the coluinns of TUE MARINE KECURD for the diseu sion of pertinent topics and all matters relating to the welfareof the Lake Marine. N. B.—We do not hold ourselves responsible in auy way for the views expressed by our correspondents. Contributions must in every e1sc be accompanied by tho full name and address of the writer, and bo at this office not later than Wednesday morning. Putered at the Post Office at Cleveland as second class mail matter. * CLEVELAND, 0., MARCH 17, 1892. [i Tue friends of the deep waterway will be pleased to Jearn that the river and harbor committee are disposed to deal liberally with the measure and it is likely that half a million will be voted by this Congress to begin the work. The bill to report cargoes at intermediate ports intro- duced by Mr. Lind, is also favorably considered though its support is chiefly derived froma statistical stand- point. oo A SPECIALLY eonstructed steamer for transporting railroad cars across the waters of the Great Lakes has been designed and patented by Captain Murch, Cleve land, O. Hitherto it has been found practicable to trans- port these cars only on one deck. This ingenious method of transportation consists chiefly in the movable stem which Captain Murch has successfully introduced in the construction of this noyel type of railroad transfer ferry steamers, sil os Tux action of the Buffalo Board of Councilmen in res- cinding their former decision reducing the salary of the harbor master to $800 per annum, was, no doubt, the re- sult of a commendable agitation on the subject by vessel- men. A good harbor-master is well deserving of good pay, while an indifferent or ignorant one is dear at any salary. There are qualified and experienced vessel mas- ters hailing from each port on the lakes to whom these offices should be given, and the election of such a man at the port of Buffalo is putting the right man in the right place at a just and fair living salary. Other lake ports would do well in adopting similar measures. re In a private communication received at this office from Chicago, complaint is made of the loose methods of issuing licenses now in vogue on the lakes. The ex- aminations are conducted entirely viva voce and no stand- ing of the efliciency or otherwise of the candidate is re- corded, simply one man says all right and all right it is, and after lunch is p’raps a good time to get this all right humor on, As no two local inspectors are alike in their disposition and qualifications it is not to be wondered at that no two ports ask for the same requirements in can- didates, hence, the suggestion of our correspondent that it is high time to put a stop to these “paper made steam- boat masters and officers” at least on the Great Lakes. EE Tur permanent and variable currents gliding along from shores to mid lake, both as surface and under-cur- rents, are no doubt responsible for many a vessel being stranded in thick weather. No other probable reason can be assigned for the many strandings which occur when vessels steer the same course that has carried them clear before. The Weather Bureau has now devised a means for determining the set and drift of this insidious enemy ‘to the lake navigator, by means of bottle papers, and each shipmaster ought to take a personal interest in this mat- ter, as it is only by their voluntary assistance that such information may be obtained. A letter sent to the Marine Agent at Cleveland asking for observation blanks and bottle papers, will, we understand, be promptly attended to, . rr oe Tne House Committee on commerce haye reported favorably the bill authorizing the construction of two revenue cutters for the lakes increasing their cost how- ever, to $150,000 each. One of them is to have 450 tons dis- placement and to have a speed of fifteen knots an hour THE MARINE RECORD. and all this for a $150,000, we had oceasion to note that the amount originally asked for, viz. $275,000 for both yessels, was inadequate to meet the demands of strict specifications in the construction of this tonnage, the ad- dition of $25,000 should be augmented by another recom- mendation requiring $50,000 more. Shipbuilders cannot be expected to impoverish themselves to obtain the honor of building even Government tonnage and it would be a matter of regret to see a repetition of the John Roach in- cident. Ordinary freight carriers may be built for much less money than special tonnage and where the latter is required liberal financial stipulations should obtain. ro ee SPECIAL voting privileges ought to be extended to all those men whose occupation removes them from their native State during the pendency of an election. Not only are thousands of bright intelligent men sailing on the Great Lakes dis-franchised for this reason, but the same results obtain to a greater or less extent on the coasts of both the Atlantic and Pacific. The evil however is pro- bably stronger on the lakes than elsewhere, as the ma jority of citizens sailing are compelled from the nature of their calling to lose their votes in elections, the out- come of which are of vast importance to their well being. Itis not for us to devise a plan to obviate the existing conditions affecting the political leanings of the lake marine fraternity, yet, it is quite within our province to point out the injustice of barring out from the result of local, state and national elections so im- portant a factor as the active sailing members of the lake marine community, and to others we leave the ques- tion of devising a means to overcome the unrepresenta tive method at present in use. ia ace oa 5 epieL A MAMMOTH FREIGHT CARRIER. The Detroit Dry Dock Co. besides holding their high reputation as lake shipbuilders, lead the United States in the dimensions of freight tonnage. A glunce through the last official list of United States tonnage given in the blue book, fails to reveal a vessel under the Stars and Stripes of such Jengthy dimensions as the Detroit Dry Dock Co. have just closed a contract to construct for the Shaw-Eddy, firm of Bay City, Mich., 362 feet 6 inches, 42 feet beam and 24 feet depth of hold are dimensions to open the eyes, of the world to the volume and impor- tance of lake commerce, and figuring is now being done on asister boat for another firm. All hail to tne ship builders, owners and the commerce of these inland seas which permits of so gratifying a showing as the above. —————— an aa WRECKING PRIVILEGES. It is gratifying to note that even at this late date the Dominion Government has concluded to accept recipro- cal wrecking privileges on the great lakes. We have pointed ont from time to time the barbarity of the laws enforced during the past decade in this respect, and we may add that never a se:son has passed without an ob- ject lesson having been taught both nations. It matters not what chain of circumstances brought about the strict enforcement of the boundary question a dozen years ago, the influences at work then have passed away, and as all the older vessel men are acquainted with the ancient history, a rehearsal of the facts would serve no good purpose. The spectacle of a vessel driving ashore in a hard gale, and assistance could not be ren- dered by willing hearts and hands to either vessel or erew until permission had been granted from the seat of government, was a feature highly derogatory to the comity of adjoining nations, and worthy only of a com- parison with the history of the dark ages On shore, a stranger within our,gates commands that the ordinary courtesy of humanity be extended, and yet for years the United States and the Dominion of Canada have refrained from lending assistance to a vessel in dis- tress, simply because the ground under her bottom was either one side or the other of the boundary line, and, further, this assistance or relief was denied the property and lives placed in jeopardy, by the laws of the country placing pains and penalties upon the offender thereof, All this, it is pleasant to say, may now be spoken of in the past tense, as by the recent action of the Dominion Government reciprocal wrecking, towing and salvage courtesies will now be extended to vessels of each na— tionality. There are no doubt those who still affirm that the re— ciprocal effect, so far as dollars and cents are concerned is all on one side, on account of the citizens of the United States who are engaged in the business; having thor- oughly equipped plants in readiness for all emergencies, thus virtually making over to these firms the interna- tional towing, wrecking and salvage work of the lakes but this is true only in a measure, and until Canadian firms place capital in the enterprise. inna nies le nitarian principle the most carping critic can haye little or nothing to offer in argu- ment against the beneficent measure, and only in the interests of Canadian wrecking firms can a dissentient tress. : It was simply a relic of the barbaric age t to drowning mariners until their nationalit ascertained, and apart from the wreeking court combined with it,as the case now stands, endorsed by the Canadian law-makers is and humane legislation. er oe NOTICE TO MARINERS. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA—NORTHERN AND Ni WESTERN LAKES. ; Two Harbors Light and Fog-Signal. Notice is hereby given that, on April 15, 1892, a fix red light of the fourth order will be exhibited fro! structure erected on the point of land separating and Burlington Bays, entrance to Two Harbors, Lake perior, Minnesota. The light will illuminate the entire horizon. The focal plane is 78 feet above lake level, and the may be seen in clear weather about 13 statute miles. The light will be shown from a black lantern, mounting a square red brick tower, 4314 feet high base to focal plane. The tower forms a corner ofa story red brick dwelling, the roof of which is painted The approximate geographical position of the lig house, as taken from Chart No. 36 (Lake Superior, N of the United States survey of the Northern and No western Lakes, is: 5 Lat. North, 47° 00/ (53’7.) Long. West, 91° 39 24”, Distances and true bearings of prominent objects are approximately as follows: Headland N. of Burlingt Bay, N.E % E.(N.5t° E.) 124 statute miles. Granite Point, 8. W. 1g W. (8. 47° W.) 796 statute miles. =) During thick or foggy weather a 10 inch steam whistle wil) be sounded, giving blasts of 5 seconds’ coral + with alternate silent intervals of 17 and 33 seconds, thus: 7 . . { 3 Silent _ Silent Blast, interval, Blast, interval, 5 sec. 17 see. 5 sec. 33 sec. "e The fog-signal house, located about 100 feet S. W. from the light tower, is a corrugated iron structure painte dark brown. By order of the Lighthouse Board: James A. GREER, Commodore U. S. Navy, Chairman. — Office of the Lighthouse Board, Washington, D.C. ~ $$ : SARLY NAVIGATION. : Special to The Marine Record. CuicaGo, Irus.—The first arrival of the season was the steamer City of Marquette; Captain Edward Stine from St. Joseph, Mich., with freight and thirty passen-— gers on ‘Tuesday March 15th. The little steamer was badly iced up, but made the trip in good time and with- out a casualty of any kind, leaving again the same eyen- ing at 11 o’clock with passengers and freight for St. Joseph. She is a steamer of 300 tons, built by H. B. &G B. Burger, of Manitowoc, in 1890 and is a staunch well — built, handy vessel. Sr oo eo x A MEETING OF UNDERWRITERS. £6) Special to The Marine Record. ans New York, Thursday, March 17.—A meeting of col panies interested in lake underwriting is now ip session in New York. The following companies are represented: n Atlantic Mutual, Insurance Company of North America, Greenwich, Aetna, British and Foreign, Union Marine, Standard Marine, Mannheim, Reliance Marine, Mar ; Sea Insurance Company, New York Marine Und 2 writers, Security, Detroit Fire and Marine, British Amer- ica, London Assurance, Cincinnati Underwriters, Insurance Company, St. Paul Fire and Marine, Mant facturers and Merchants, Providence Washington, | r wnen’s Fund, Northwestern National, Exchange ] Western Assurance, Orient, Michigan Fire Marine. The feeling seems to be general _ harmony should prevail amongst the ¢o) and the reckless cutting of rates will not peated this year. Some slight changes will b the hull policy, and adjustments will be passed u competent board, which will convene semi-weel this purpose. ‘Che tariff will be taken up at n pamed for the twenty-second of March in Det: outlook is gratifying, and the prospects assured ¢ ing of all differences and the conducting of la writing on business lines. a DEEPENING THE CANALS. Toronto, Ont., Mareh Special to The Marine Record. There is not much chance, after all, of the Do ernment making a twenty-foot channel, which has been brought partially about by the action of the ( Marine Association, ‘Chey, knowing that would move for deeper water ways—sent Ottawa to state to the Government that all th would be served by a uniform fourteen-foot | Colonel Denison moved yesterday in the J mons that