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THE MARINE RECORD. HOUSES. e test of a new flash light designed has just been for use in light-houses at the testing house of the ht-House Board on Staten Island, under the direc- on of Major D. P. Heap, United States Corps of Engi- neers and Captain W. S. Schley, United States Navy. ‘The apparatus which produces the flash light is the ; ention of a German named Schirm. And the test "was in accordance with an order from the Light-House Board. . ‘The light is controlled by a clock-work attachment and _ amelectric device. The electriccurrent sets in motion a ‘complicated piece of machinery that operates a bellows and forces a jet of naphtha gas through a recptacle filléa _ with powdered magnesium. A portion of the magnesium is carried through a tube by the voliime of gas toa constantly buruing flame that ignites the gas as well as the magnesium, producing a very brilliant light. The flash is said to be of 400,000 candle power and in brilliancy it resembles a flash of lightning and the in- ventor claims that it can be seen as far away as the horizon will permit. At the conclusion of the test neither Major Heap nor Captain Schley was prepared to say what the report to the Light-House Board would be. Major Heap, who = has been experimenting with the new light for several weeks, said that it had several advantages over other lights now in use. The principal drawback he has dis- covered is the fact that the burning of the naphtha =" fas and the magnesium produces fumes which he thinks will settle on the glass windows of the light-houses and obscure the light. _ — With the new light the intervals of darkness between the flashes are much longer than the flashes. Major Heap favors a light in which the flashes of light are longer than the intervals of darkness between them. But further tests will be made before a report is sent to the Light-House Board. ~ -Besides the test of the flash light a test of a new revolving alternating red and white light was made. Doe oe NATIONAL RESOURCES TO AID THE NICARAGUA : CANAL. | The Nicaragua Canal Bill, which has held the atten- tion of the Foreign Relations Committee since the begin- ning of the second session of Congress, has at last been - completed and favorably reported by Senator Sherman, who gave notice in the Senate that he ‘would call it up at an early date and endeavor to secure prompt action \ upon it. The new bill included a proposition to guaran- tee bonds of the company to the extent of $100,000,000 to aid in the construction of the canal. The new bill, however, contains some additions which increase the obligations of the company as well as the security of the government. For instance, in the second action, the real and personal property and franchises of the company are included in the liabilities. In the third section it is provided that all of the stock heretofore sub- scribed for or issued shall be called in and canceled; that all bonds issued shall be redeemed and canceled, and that all outstanding obligations shall be satisfied before the act takes effect. The dates are changed so as to make the bonds issue Jan. 1, 1893, and to make them mature in 1953 instead of 1911, as is proposed in the orig- inal bill; and they are also made redeemable at the pleasure of the United States after 1913. The section requiring the company to execute a mortgage to the United States as security for the guarantee is amended by the addition of a clause requiring the mortgage to contain a provision for a sinking fund for the payment of the bonds at maturity. In addition to section 6 of the old bill, it provides that if the company default in the payment of interest or in other respects before the canal is put into operation the right of foreclosure shall at once attach in favor of the United States. Perhaps the most important changes in the bill are those made in the ninth section relative to the issue of stock. In the new bill this is limited to $100,000,000 to be retained by the company; the amount stipulated to be delivered to the government of Nicaragua and Costa Rica according to the concessions; and the remainder to be issued to the United States, full paid, and not subject to assessment; to be voted by the President of the United States or his proxy at stockholders’ meetings, . and but three directors are to be selected from holders of the stock other than that owned by the United States. In the last section an amendment is made so that ten instead of six of the fifteen directors shall be appointed by the President of the United States, not more than five of whom shall be appointed from one political Oe tie event of the reconstructed bill being passed by Congress, the United States will be in a much better J position in relation to the Nicaragua Canal than Great Britain bears in the national and executive control of the Suez Canal. This all-important waterway to the United States but connects our coast-line from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The Suez is Britain’s route to India. CHASING ACROSS THE ATLANTIC. The Inman Liner City of Paris, which vessel, with the City of New York, will, when she comes out in the spring fly the stars and stripes, has just had a race across the Atlantic with the Cunard Liner Etruria and was Somewhat badly beaten on the passage. Both vessels left New York December 17th, the City of Paris leading over the bar by about twenty-five minutes. On December 24th the Etruria passed the Old Head of Kinsale at 4:50 a. m. and the City of Paris at 8:40 a. m. Considering the difference of time in the departure, the Paris was beaten by four hours and fifteen minutes. If she does no better next spring the blame will be placed on her American officers, so we record this event for future evidence. eee Do THE WELLAND AND SAULT ST. MARY’S CANAL TOLLS. Secretary of the Tredsury Charles Foster says the Canadian government has shifted ground on the canal controversy. Under the treaty of Washington naviga- tion of Lake Michigan was accepted by Canada as ample equivalent for the navigation of the St. Lawrence by the United States. If it was so in 1817, it must be so now, when operations in Lake Michigan have increased many fold. But every attempt to bring about a better understanding of the question of the canal tolls has been met by the demand of Canada that the free navi- gation of the Hudson river shall be thrown in by us as the price of Canada’s fullfillment of the simple terms of the treaty of Washington. Mr. Foster points out that even if the president was inclined to make such a valuable concession, he has not the power. + THE U. S. S. MICHIGAN. It is not generally known, even on the lakes that the U.S. S. side-wheel steamer Michigan is the oldest iron vessel in the United States Navy. She was built by the government at Erie, Pa., in 1844, from Pittsburg iron and notwithstanding her ocean and coast service, the hull is in a perfect state after forty-eight years’ wear. This is certainly enough to warrant the opinion ex- pressed by many regarding the anti-corrosive qualities of fresh water, and to give an iron ship built of good material, a class fora century, subject only to periodi- cal or special survey, after stranding, etc. The Michigan is now at the Union Dry-dock Co’s yards in Buffalo, receiving two new boilers from the Lake Erie Boiler Works, and on the early opening of naviga- tion will be dispatched to the World’s Fair to do duty at that sure-to-be-crowded wonder of the world. The Aigprecest of the Michigan is 685 tons, capacity 450 tons, ength on keel or between perpendiculars 163 feet, 3 inches, beam 27 feet, 114 inches, draft 9 feet. She is barkentine rigged, engines, 3051. H. P. and is rated to steam 10.5 knots per hour, with a bunker capacity of 135 tons ef anthracite coal. NAVAL SECRETARY OF THE LIGHT-HOUSE BOARD. Commander Robeley D. Evans, U. S. N., the new naval secretary of the Light-House Board, succeeding Commander Coffin, was born in Virginia in 1846 and entered the Annapolis naval academy in 1860, He has twice been detailed as Inspector of the Fifth Light House District and once before appointed as naval sec- retary to the Light-House Board. Commander Evans will be remembered as the officer who made such an excellent showing in Valparaiso harbor during the recent Chilian imbroglio resulting from the outrage committed on the seamen of the U. S. S, Baltimore. It was during this period that the nicest diplomatic discre- tion, coupled with the necessary courage to uphold the national honur at any cost, was necessary. ‘Then it was that people began to recall the sobriquet of “Fighting Bob.” Their confidence in him dnd the reliance of the government were not misplaced, He declared that the refugees, once on board his ship, would be protected if they all went to the bottom together. The insult to our flag through'the stonihg of the commander’s boat was promptly gesented by the demand on the part of “Fight- ing Bob” gor Suitable apology from the Chilian vessel of war. » This demand he enforced by notification that if it were not granted by a certain time the guns of the Asherican ship of which he was the commander would be'trained upon the Chilian man of war and redress exacted at the cannon’s mouth. And by his courage and discretion in that emergency Commander Evans did more for the American navy than any statesman who ever lived. When there was no further need of his services in Chilian waters Commander Evans was ordered to the patrol of the Bering Sea and there he carried out the instructions of the government in an able and efficient manner. Unlike many of our nayal officers Commander Evans has no,taste for life ashore and less taste for society. He looks forward to the growth of the new navy with great interest, and the ambition of his life is just now in the direction of one of the new battleships and active service at sea, If he lives many years he will doubtless command a fleet of them and Midshipman “BKighting Bob,” or the present Secretary of the Light-House Board, will have become “Fighting Bob,” the Admiral. — ee ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CLEVELAND FLOATING BETHEL. The Floating Bethel and Chaplain Jones, the hearty, one-armed ‘‘sky pilot,” is known to almost every seaman who has traded to the port of Cleveland during the past quarter of a century. The ‘Floating Bethel” is not the Associated Char- ities, and is quite distinct from the Bethel of the Western Seaman’s Friend Society. The Floating Bethel isthe “light” to bear up for in an extremity of body or soul. If dunnage or sustenance will help a sailor keep along on a straight course, Chap- lain Jones, (through the medium of his friends, and they are legion) will beat dead to windward té obtain the needful for extreme cases, and this too, at any time, blow high or low, rain or sunshine. He is only happy when hustling for the good of others, and, if the soul- case is losing its bearings, he’ll labor to spend himself in consolation until a light breaks on the horizon; but, with all this energy of goodness, woe betide the fraud, turnpike sailor or guzzler when discovered playing upon the credulity of honest people as they not unfrequently are in the course of his ministrations. At the same time, men of all creeds, ayes and stations in life, after sighting the Chaplain regularly and watching his work for twen- ty-five years, can not say that a worthy case brought to his notice has ever been neglected, or even Slighted through an indiscreet judgment of the degree of want, worthiness or destitution. From the annual report of the Floating Bethel before us, the following facts are gleaned, demonstrating that this worthy institution has done good work during the year now drawing to a close. Chaplain Jones has held 415 Bethel and funeral ser- vices. He has preached at the Euclid avenue, Madison avenue and Park Congregational churches, at Bethany Presbyterian church, Glenville M. E. church, Acad- emy of Music, Doan Mission, the Alliance church and camp-meeting and the Tabernacle. He has led two of the Mills’ Union converts’ meetings, and assisted in forty-one other meetings, making a to- tal of 467 services. He has done all the investigation in cases brought to the notice of the Floating Bethel, and collected the funds. His assistant, Harry Turney, has held over 153 Bethel services and conducted 11 ser- vices at Doan mission, 7 at the Carl street mission, one at the Friendly inn and one at Everybody’s mission. He looks after the chapel and reading room, and doesa hand to hand mission work among the men. Mrs. J. F. Reese still presides at the organ, keeps the journal of the services, and visits the Invalid’s home. Highteen thousand, seven hundred and ninety-six persons have attended Bethel services, 1,677 have risen for prayers and 700 inquirers have attended the after meetings. This we opine is a good rendering of a year’s work, yet, to further show how the mission is tended we quote from a letter contained in the annual report as follows: CLEVELAND, O., October 10, 1892. Dr. J. H. Lowman, City: ‘The bearer is a very worthy woman whom I have be- friended in times of trouble during the past twenty-four years. Her first husband had his head badly jammed between the pier and a vessel entering our harbor in a gale of wind, as he wasrunning a line in a boat. His wife during his long sickness supported him by doing washing. hilé answering one of her husband’s calls to his bedside her little child fell into a tub of hot water; after a severe spell of suffering the child died. The hus- band, seeing that his good, devoted wife was breaking down under the cares and labor that she was compelled to bear up in, left his bed before he was able and went to work for the city at the water works crib, having charge of the small boats engaged in the work, Ina gale of wind, while attending to duty in his weakened state, he fell and was killed and left his widow with one child. In the course of two years she again married one of the best sailor men out of this port, who soon rose to the position of first mate, and who would long ago haye commanded one of our best steamers but for a stroke of paralysis that he suffered, which disabled him and de- stroyed his prospects of future success. His faithful wife was driven back to the washtub; her eldest son took sick and died, and a child born in the second mar- riage, being then about three years old added to her cares. She has been compelled to bear the burdens till she has began to break down. Her husband, with his eyesight defective, driven by the needs of life to do all he can, with the help of his seventeen year old son, shipped for $20 a month on a lumber barge. While at work he fell and broke two of his ribs, and with his~ other afflictions added to this he will probably never be able to do any more hard work. His poor wife is sick and I write to ask you to add to your free list of patients this most worthy case. Neither laziness, intem: erance nor any other vice has had a hand in this family’s afflictions. I feel it is due you thatI give you these de- tails as you have taken so hearty an interest with me in my mission work for years. I will see that their rent is paid, and coal and other necessaries furnished. Your friend J. D, JonxEs, Chaplain Floating Bethel. The foregoing letter is characteristic of the Chap- lain’s work and thoroughness and is but one of man: similar vouchers contained in his annual report, whic! closes with the honest, brief, seaman-like query : “If can do better service for God and man, tell us how Lee AS a :