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“IRVING B. SMITH. _ CAPT. JOHN SWAINSON. ~ Qne copy, one year, postage paid, : . a ie Marine Record, ublished every Thursday, at 144 Superior Street ~ (Leader Building,) CLEVELAND, O. } - - Proprietors. BRANCH OFFICE, Curcaco Iut., - - - 35 Franklin St. THOMAS WILLIAMS, Associate Editor. SUBSCRIPTION. ‘One copy, one year, to foreign countries, - . . Invariably in advance. ADVERTISING. Rates given on application. = CLEVELAND, O., SEPTEMBER 1, 1892. With this issue of the MARmNE Recorp we launch out an enlargement of four extra pages, making a twenty- page paper of that which a decade ago contained but four pages. This record of steady advancement is due the increasing importance of the mercantile marine of the great lakes and we are enabled by our increasing patronage to enlarge and improve the favored organ of the lake marine fraternity to its present proportions. In taking this step we hold that the kind support and con- sideration which we have always received at the hands of our subscribers, the manufacturing marine interests and advertising patrons will be more firmly cemented, and our efforts to keep THE Recorp in the front ranks of marine journalism be duly appreciated. To our lake friends and the maritime interests at large we desire to say that we are grateful for numerous favorsreceived; and to our contemporaries we offer a tribute of thanks for the many sharp corners which they have permitted us to steer clear of during our years of pleasant cruising in the ways of journalism. Pa DD OO Oe LAKE LEVELS. It is now a generally admitted fact that precipitation alone rules the level of the Great Lakes, and consequent- ly the rise and fell, or the synonymous terms of ebb and flow, are not recognized features in the level of the lakes. Tides, in the true acceptation of their meaning, do not exist, as the supply but reaches a certain level, when it is drawn off by the uatural outlets; therefore, it is sheer nonsense to speak of spring and neap tides on the lakes. There can be no doubt, however, that a certain, though almost imperceptibie fluctuation exists in the several lakes, the direction, velocity or causes for which has neyer yet been properly determined. This horizontal, as opposed to a vertical movement, is due to a regular and steady trend of currents in certain directions, which flow, no doubt, in accord with the economy of the uni- verse, though modified, perhaps, by the enormous con- sumption of lake water used for artificial purposes, and by the natural process of evaporation continually going on, and itis probably this movement alone, which dis- turbes the surface equilibrum and induces an apparently yertical displacement outside of the atmospheric causes which from the barometrical readings is known to affect the levels. The entire system of surface currents, in connection with the physical geography of the Great Lakes, is now being inquired into hy the U.S. weather bureau, and although the laws which govern the currents and meteorological conditions may not be clearly defined within a year or two, yet, praiseworthy efforts are being made in this direction. oO oo COLLISION TACTICS. The recent serious collision case between the North German Lloyd steamer Saale, and the Norwegian bark Tordenskjold, off the port of New York, calls forcibly to mind the collision tactics, or theory, pursued by some of the most experienced and skillful navigators. In the case just cited, the master of the steamer, find- ing that a collision was inevitable, altered uis course and speed, so as to bring his vessel head on, and with good force agaiust the approaching vessel, realizing that a large steamer might ram into a wooden vessel and sus- tain less injury than by making the contact in any other way. Whatever objections the weaker vessel might have to such a proceeding, the manoeuvre is fraught with less danger than might be considered possible by the casual THE MARINE RECORD. officer of another steamer in the same line was catled upon to exercise similar tactics in the case of the ship Fred. B. Taylor, in collision with the Traave, last July. Many steamboat officers maintain that this is the only safe course when a collision is inevitable, and such would appear to be the correct mode of reasoning, providing, that both vessels were of unequal strength and propor- tions, and especially as between steam and sail; for if the sailing vessel should collide with the steamer, or strike her in the wake of the machinery, the probabilities are that both vessels would be seriously damaged, and in the case of a passenger steamer, a large number of lives might be lost, as well as property sacrificed. By working full speed ahead, and hitting end on, the steamer, by her superior weight and nomentum, can cut her way througn to comparative safety; and as we have said, in the case of passenger steamers, the officers generally understand that it is safer to run into a vessel than be run into, and no doubt the majority stand ready to act accordingly The international “Rules of the Road” gives a free license in imminent cases of collision. QUARANTINE REGULATIONS. Every possible precaution and safeguard should be brought into force to prevent the importation of the dreaded cholera scourge now epidemic on the continent of Europe. Already there are rumors to the effect that the pestilential influence has reached these shores, and it is only by the closest scrutiny and circumspection of all transportation companies, ably assisted by the govern- ment officials, that the scourge can be kept from spread- ing. The Secretary of the Treasury, as well as the Do- minion authorities have issued special quarantine regu- lations for vessels carrying passengers from infected lo- calities, and while no undue excitement or scare need be indulged in, it behooves the officials of all passenger lines to watch closely for any indications of the disease. It is to be expected that those who are blessed with a share of this world’s goods, will try by all means in their power to get away from the infected districts, and their attention may be directed to the United States as a place of safety. Insuch an event the quarantine regulations on our eastern seaboard can not be too strict. As far as the lake ports are concerned, it is question— able if any quarantine regulations exist in a majority of the ports, so that few, if any minor safeguards can be thrown around the transportation of passengers on the Jakes, nor is it probable that any quarantine regulations need be enforced, yet, such ports as have not already embodied preventive measures in their city ordinances, should take advantage of the present warning and frame such laws as would be applicable in the event of a fu- ture epidemic becoming prevalent nearer home, It is possible that some action may be taken regarding freight from the infected districts, and especially from Hamburg, consigned to lake ports, as Prof. Huxley’s protoplasm, or any of the other germ theories, not to mention the everyday term of common infection, may just as easily import a contagious disease through par- cels of general freight being handled, as if it was carried here in the human system or on the apparel of infected persons. This feature ought to claim the attention of collectors of customs, and goods arriving from even suspected districts should be disinfected before being al- lowed to be cleared on the bills of entry. ee A STATION FOR REPORTING PASSING VESSELS. The United States Weather Bureau is now engaged in connecting Thunder Bay Island, Lake Huron, with Al- peua, Mich., by submarine cable, an appropriation of $15,000 haying been granted at the last session of Con- gress to enable the Bureau to establish display stations at Middle Island and Thunder Bay Island for the benefit of commerce. These stations will receive telegraphic news of warnings andstorm signals from the Weather Bureau observer at Alpena. This service, when perfectly organized, might be fur- ther utilized by authorizing the operators of the new tel- egraph line on these islands to telegraph hourly or semi daily reports of all passing vessels bound up or down Lake Huron. Further than this, we may state that as the rules of the lighthouse establishment already require keepers to fur- nish a quarterly abstract log of the number of passing vessels, the extra duty of reporting daily passages in the event of the display men ignoring this public, duty would not be onerous considering the vast amount of good the information might encompass. With the co-operation of the life-serving service at these important points, and a proper display of storm- warning signals, there is an opportunity for much good to result to the mercantile marine of the lakes if the ser- vice is intelligently operated, and without undue friction arising between the departments. In any event, over thirty miles of an exposed and much traveled coast line observer, though it is somewhat remarkable that the | will be thoroughly covered by the life-saving service and assistance to any extent may be promptly summo vessels in distress in that locality. Such a service is now in existence on the A Coast. At Point Jupiter, Fla., aud Cape Henry, and there can be no good reason advaneed for not t out of this important Lake Huron connection ev commercial and maritime facility which the service j capable of rendering, and to do this any attempt at m: ing a private arrangement with the service at Alpena: should be strictly discountenanced, so that the ‘entire lake marine may receive the full benefit of the official report of vessels passing the stations, which, as we have pointed out, may be rendered by either of the three di partmental offices stationed there, although the Weathe: Bureau, having instituted the service for the express purpose of facilitating commerce will no doubt furnish all possible information from the Alpena station, yet, there is no provision made, nor, in so far as we are aware of, has the idea yet suggested itself, to make of these outlying stations a point for reporting vessels, such as is done at Brow Head, on the coast of Ireland, and other places. Through the multiplicity of advantages, and without the special duty being assigned, the oppor-_ tunity for reporting vessel passages at Thunder Bay Island may be lost sight of, and, like the man sitting on the floor, with ample seating capacity unutilized alongside of him, the three essentially marine departments may move along without exercising a due vigilance over their sur- roundings in the matter of recording vessel passages, unless energetic steps are taken to seek for and dissemi- nate the reports by either of the well qualified sources by stationed there, and itis on this account that we would. suggest the exchange of departmental courtesies, so that the best interests of the services might obtain coneur- rently with the securing of information of direct import- ance to the entire lake marine. ro or THE TWENTY-FOOT CHANNEL. It is not the intention of the Chief of Engineers U. S. A. to take any active stepsin the twenty foot channel project authorized by the last session of Congress until early next spring, ‘The specifications for the work are rather more extensive than is usual in ordinary river and harbor projects, and for ‘this reason more time is required in their preparation. Major Adams, acting a chief of engineers, is quoted as saying “that the speci- fications when prepared will be submitted to the engi néer in charge of the district, and that the advertise ment inviting proposals will probably be published for a longer period than usual owing to the fact that a con- tract to the amount of nearly $3,000,000 is authorized. ‘This will preclude the possibility of any work upon this much needed improvement this year, but the contract can and will be awarded so as to have work begin as soon as the ice breaks up next spring.” ae 9 6 cm THE PASSENGER STEAMER CHICORA. (ILLUSTRATED.) The large photo-gravure supplement showing a night ‘ scene of the new passenger steamer Chicora, presented to our subscribers with this issue, is taken from a paint-_ ing by Howard Sprague, exclusively for THe MARINE RECORD. - The Chicora is a handsome wooden passenger steamer, built by the Detroit Dry Dock Co., to the order of the Graham & Morton Transportation Co., of Chicago, for service on Lake Michigan. Her general dimensions are 217 feet over all, 40 feet extreme beam, and 15 feet mold- ed depth. Her engines are of the triple expansion type; diameter of cylinders, 20, 33 and 54 inches, by 42 inches stroke; boilers of the Scotch type, 14 feet in diameter by 12 feet long. The reputation of her builders is synonymous with ex- cellent work in iron, steel, wooden or composite ship- building, and the construction work of the Chicora is fully up to their usual standing. She is diagonally steel strapped, and carries the strong steel arch along the head of the frames, placed on all the wooden tonnage : built by the Detroit Dry Dock Co., and which the com- pany first originated, patented and now collect royalty on wherever used in the United States. ‘The new steamer is fitted with a patent steam wind-_ lass and capstans, and all modern appliances to expe- dite the handling of the vessel, besides being schooner : rigged, with a fair spread of fore and aft canvas. Her 7 interior fittings are superb, and no expense has been E spared in making her the most handsomely fitted boat — in the trade on Lake Michigan, the decorative part being . on a par with the excellence of construction. The main saloon is a commodious arched chamber 190 feet in — length and 30 feet wide, finished in mahogany, and abundantly, yet elegantly furnished with tapestry, car-_ pets and Turkish rugs. She has state room accommo- dations for 250 saloon passengers, and a total passenger — license for 1,200 persons. She has already been placed — on the route between Chicago and St. Joseph, maki: daily trips between those ports with the same company oa