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f ke — MARINE LAW. Judge Billings, of the United States Court, at New Orleans, delivered the following opinion in the case of V. H. Gill ve. S. B. Packard, brought to recover the value of a vessel destroyed while laid up for lioel : 1. That it appears that the vessel, which is alleged to have been the property of the plaintiff, for the destruction of which dam- ages are sought to be recovered, had been seized under a proceeding in rem,, and that the claims of the libelants and the in- tervenors in said proceeding, which were asserted in and upon exid vessel, were largely in excess of the value of 3aid vessel as stated by the petitioner; and that itis not stated in said petition that there was any value to said claims, so made and binding; nor is it denied that all of said claims were valid. 2. That where a res is seized by a judicial process for a debt, which carries with it a jus in re, as between debtor and creditor, the maxium domino pertitres means that the destruction of the seized property, without fault of the debtor, works a payment of the debt to the extent ofits value. Where third parties voluntarily join the seizing creditor ~ in his proceeding and unite, eo to speak, in the seizure, also asserting claims which carry with them liens, the destruction of the property without fault of the debtor works a payment of their respective claims to the; extent of the value of the property destroyed in order of the priority of their claime; that the destruction of the debtor’s property under such circumstances operates as a pay- ment up to its value precisely as would its sale and the application of its proceeds, 8. And, consequently, that unless there was a residuum of value over and above the valid claims rightfully interposed against the res it furnished for the owners of them, and its destruction worked .no injury and gave no right of action tothe plaintiff. It is therefore ordered, adjudged and decreed that the said peremptory exception is good -and valid in law; that it be maintained and that the petiton herein be dismissed at the cost of the plaintiff... , IMPROVED PROVIDENCE STEAM WINDLASS. Herman Winter, the well-known engineer, and Frank S. Manton, agent of the Ameri- ean Ship Wind!ass Company of Providence, have jointly invented and patented-a very useful improvement in power windlasses, intended to remedy some of the difficulties which have heretofore existed, from the want of a single, unyielding bed, common to the engine and windlass. Heretofore the Windlaes has been usually located upon the main deck, and the engine for driving it bolted to the under side of the upper deck. Sometimes, however, the wind- lass has been located upon the main deck and the engine bolted tothe under side of the main deck, in which position it is necessarily inconvenient of access. Under either plan there Is great liability of the disarrange- ment of the worm-gear which connects the windlass and the engine, as the result of the springing of the deck from the various acvidents to which sea-going’ vessels are ex- posed. Besides, too, the strains to which the whole apparatus is subjected to in working are irregularly distributed, from the fact that the two machines—the windlass and the engine—are not constructed and put together as an entirety. The characteristic feature in the construc- ticn of the improved power windlass is that the windlass and the engine which drives it are mounted upon the surface ot and securec | toasingle bed-plate which is common to both, and also the worm-shaft which is driven by the engine and which connects the windlass with the engine is located ina horizontal instead of in a vertical position, so that the axis of the worm-shaft is parallel, or nearly so, with the line in which the anchor-chains pull in passing over the wild cat to the hawse-pipes when the anchor is being hove, instead of being at right angles, or nearly so, therewith, as under the former arrangements referred to, Another feature of the improved construc- tion fs that the worm-shaft is journaled tn the pawl-pit, or in an equivalent stardard connected with the common bed-plate, so that the strain upon the worm-shaft in the direction of ite axis in working the windlass is transmitted to and distributed throughout ‘enables them to carry a large amount of the common bed-plate of both engine and windlass; and the improvement further allows the pawl-pit itself, which is always u necessary adjunct of a windlass, to be util- ized for resisting the strain upon the worm- shaft, whether the same is mounted on the bed-plate or not, and also the pawl-pit itself! can be made hollow, and the hollow space | serve as a housing for a portion of the ratchet gear for the holding-paws and other gearing adjacent thereto, whereby great economy in the space occupied by the engine and windlass is obtained, The improved windlass has already been applied to several large steamers, and has proved to be all that inventors have claimed for it.— Nautical Gazette. ‘TRIPPLE SHIPS. An improvement relating to the construc- tion of vessels, by which the inventor claims to attain greater speed, stability and safety than is obtained in vessels of ordinary con- struction, is patented by Mr. William Cop pin, of London, England. ‘The: invention consists of a compound ship, composed of | three ship hulls united as one vessel, the two outer hulls being longer than the central, and the whole being decked over. ‘he outer hulls are of narrow beam and equal length. The three hulls are rigidly connected in such a way as to form .complete decks, and su as to leave considereble extra spaces be- tween the hulle; the center hullis witha propeller at each end. ‘This arrangement brings the screws well toward the longitudi- nal center of the outside hulls, and prevents the pitching motion of the vessel from lift- ing the propeller out of the water. All of the hulls are tapered vertically and come to a rounded point at both ends, so as to enter the waves and reduce the pitching motion, the roiling motion being done away with by: the exter t-of the water spaces between the hulls. ‘These improvements are especially applicable to. war ships, as their stability armor plating, and their bredth gives’ an extended battery platform, and complet protection is given to the engines, propeller and steering apparatus, and the construction is such that one of the vessels might be com- pletely riddled with shot yet be supported by the other two. The light draught gives greates facility for manovering and for enter- ing harbors.-—Maratime Reporter. TRAGEDY OF THE SEA. A message from adoomed ship captain comes ashore six years after he is lost, if an Ocean Beach dispatch of June 2 is reliable. In 1877 Captain Brewer, of Point Pleasant, sailed south In his schooner, and off Hatteras he was overtaken by a terrific storm and the vessel went down, Nothing whatever was | found of the vessel or heard of its crew until Thursday evening, when a bottel was picked up here containing a scrap of paper on which a few lines were scrawled. ‘The paper was old and wrinkled and it was signec by Captain Brewer, and said that the vessel was in imminent danger of foundering and that in case the vessel was lost, and bottle found the message therein should be conveyed to Mrs. Brewer, Point Pleasant, Ocean Grove County. ‘The writer sent his love to Mrs. Brewer and exhorted his boys to take good sare of their mother. Mrs, Brewer and one of her sons recognized the writiag as that of Captain Brewer. ‘The strange part of it is that the bottle should have been butteted by seas for six years, travelled over 7C0 miles in that time and cast up within seven miles of the writer’s home. — — BRIGHTON BEACH. This is the name C. A. Ward proposes to give his new summer resort on the shore of Lake Huron. ‘The Port Huron ‘Times thinks the lake shore north of Port Huron, and the | St. Clair River front as far south as a point | four miles below St. Clair, offers facilities and attraction for summer resorts hardly sur- passed in the United States. The vast volume | of water in Lake Huron, pouring southward | through St. Clair River, so tempers the sum- | mer heat that it is nearly always cool, while | the facilities for boating, bathing, fishing etc., are unsurpassed, The accessibility of the lake and river front is also greatly in their favor as a popular resort. ‘The location of cottages at Brakeman Park, now generally called “Idlewild,” was the first movement teward popularizing this section as a summer resort. Huronia Beach followed, and then came the Oakland se at St. Clair, which is to-day unsurpassed as an elegant and well supplied hotel and health and summer resort. Now Brighton Beach is to follow, with many new attrac- tions, and afew years, we believe, will see the lake shore many miles north of Port Huron, and many parts of the river front south as far as Recor’s Point, lined with cottages, hotels and elegant residences. IKON vs. WOODEN SAILING SHIPS. ‘The Maritime Register has a timely articla on iron and wooden sailing ships. The builders of wooden sailing ships must bestir theinselves, or else their iron rivals will have the whole field. Although many good judges maintain that the wooden hull is the best and safest in the end, ship owners and underwriters have come to the con- clusion that the iron hull is the best and cheapest. Asan investment it pays better than the wooden one, and-as an insurance risk, it is considered safer, judging from the length of time given in the classifications. What few sailing ships the English have built of late years have been iron, But on this side of the Atlantic, wool has been the material used because ships can be built of it much. cheaper here than those of iron. The iron ship building yards on the Dela- ware, however, are now giving attention to iron sailing ships, and. now comes Mr. Gor- ringe of the American Ship Building Com- pany, with the statement that his company can build an iron clipper ship for about what a wooden one would cost. An iron sailing ship is to be built by this company anda contract is to be made for building an iron schocner, the owner saying that the dif- ference between the bids of the iron ship builder and the wood ship builder: was not over one hundred dollars. This will bring the Delaware yards into active. competiton with the Maine builders, and unless there is muctr difference in rates, the largest numn- ber of orders will certainly be given tor the iron vessels. It is well known that from the time a wooden ship goes into commission her repair expenses or what may be called deterio.ation begins, but beyond some paint and oil the iron ship is comparatively free of expense for two years atleast. This is de- barring accident in both cases. Under such circumstances, a little increase in first cost still leaves the iron ship comparatively a much better investment than its wooden rival. The course of the competiton which will assuredly arise between the two classes will be watched with much interest, for it will be fraught with great consequence to the future of our shipping. aa ance BOAT BUILDING. The following facts ‘and figures with ref- erence to boats und tonnage will be interest- ing to those engaged in Lake commerce: “There were built on the northern lakes during the’ year ending June 30, 1882, 254 vessels, steam and sail, measuring 58,369 tons. Of these, 23 vessels measuring 13,186 tons, were built at Detroit. The iron vessels built during the same time numbered four, ; and measured 6,248 tons. Cf these Detroit | furnished three, aggregating 4,077 tons, | The shipping of the northern lakes in 1877 was composed as follows * No. Tonnage. 201,885 394 Steamer: Sail.. Barge: Total. s The tonnage of the northern lakes in 1882 was as follows: Steamer: Barge: ‘Total ... ddssdaddeusiancsenasstanece BONE 68 The ine in tonnage from 1877 to 1582 averaged less than 5 per cent. per annum, ‘To this, however, should be added as_ much for the increased draught of water now as compared with five years ago. | The average tonnage of vessels in 1877 as above was 209 tons. The average in 1882 | was 242 tons. —— LOST OVERBOARD. The scow Essex arrived at Cheboygan June Sand reported losing a man by the name of John McGinnis on Lake Huron last Thursday, He was knocked overboard by the foreboom. | | contrivances SOME INGENIOUS SUBSTITUTES ON STEAMERS IN CASES OF AC- CIDEN'TS. The old saying holds good that necessity is the mother of invention, An exchange furnishes the following illustrations. There has lately come under our notice two instances on steamers, where the skill and energy of the officers in charge have substituted ingenious contrivances to over- come the difficulties occasioned by accidents to rudder and machinery. ‘l’o the landsman they will be found most extraordinary and will bring from him a tribute to the men who are able to respond so quickly to de- mands which call tor a speclal class of talent. These cases are another evidence of the versatility of the eailor. ‘The first class is that of the British steamship Amethyst, Captain Bennington, which arrived at Havana February 14, from Cardiff, with the loss of ber rudder and outer stern post broken, having run aground on Dry Salt Bank. Ske was steered safely into the port of Havana by the ingenions jury rudder con- structed by Captain Bennington. ‘This rudder was composed of two large cargo derricks 30 and 29 feet in length, respectively, fastened together much in the form ofa triangle. ‘The apex of the angle, or where the ends met, were fastened with iron bunker doors screwed tast to the wood. ‘Io these derricks were then fastened crosswise, with chains, planks, and shifting boards and’ the whole then set upright with the broad end outward and made fast by the apex or small end with two ends of mooring chains, run throngh the rudder trunk to the stern of the vessel immediately above the broken rudder post. ‘To prevent the rudder from sinking and to keep it in an upright position, a wire rope was made fast to the base of the triangle or outer uppermost end, then run through a block fastened to the mizzentop and subse- quently to the deck of the vessel. Guys were then fastened to this span to keep it amid-ship. Better to control the rudder and to decrease its buoyancy, thirty fathoms of moorirg chain were fastened to the outer bottom part of it. ‘The steering of this im- proved rudder was apparently done with great ease. At about three-quarter distance of the length of the rudder on the starboard and port sides of it were fastened wire ropes * which passed through blocks fastened to < outriggers on each side of the stern of the vessel, and thence through blocks placed in the mizzen head frem which they decended to their respective steam winch on the deck. The second case was that of the British steamer Ardenrigh the propeller blades of which were broken at sea. ‘This steamer left Fernandina, Florida, on the 19 of May for Falmouth, England, under command of Captain Ewer. When about one hundred and fifty miles out she broke her propeller blades, rendering her motive power un- available. Chere was no wird, and her sails were useless. In the dilemma Captain Ewer set about arranging a plan by which he could reaeh land, and succeeded in con- structing one of the most novel devices ever used in propelling a vessel. Openings were made in the iron sides of the vessel immedia- tely above the forward decks, through which n wooden shaft made from hoisting spars was placed. On each end of the shatt paddles of heavy plank were fastened, and the whole was then connected with the donkey engine by means of cog-wheels and bands. The engine was started, and to the great gratific:- tion of officers and men, the improvised side-wheels revolved, and the vessel moved off. The vessel, had, however to be taken in tow, but the rudely constructed paddle wheels were an advantage for a time and demonstrated what could be done with such in an emergency, Captain Bennington and Ewer deserve great praise for their work- CANADIAN STEAMERS. Wasnincton, June 9.—The Treasury De- partment to-day received a communication from the Collector of Customs at Detroit re- | monstrating against the action of Canadian steamers in carrying passengers between American ports on the Northern lake prejudicial to American interests. The de- partment will take measures to stop the practice complained of as far as thelr power extends. aS