The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

6 LIFE-SAVING INVENTIONS. One of the London papers says: “In the opinion of Mr. Priggs fox-hunting was an ‘image of war without its guilt, and only five and twenty percent. of its danger,’ That unconscious humorist and adipose sportsman apparently intended to infer that a group of mounted men iu red coats, chas- ing a little cunning beast over hill and dale afforded him the kind of excitement he im- agined would attach toa cavalry charge in battle, only with « much more remote chance of being killed. Similarly, it may be said of the display of marine life-saving appliances, under the auspices of the Commissioners of the Fisheries Exhibition, on the Serpentine, yesterday, that was to be viewed there about as much resembled, in point of excitement and alarm, the dreadful scene of shipwreck as a quiet county meet on the squie’s lawn resembles the actual horrors of war. Staid gentlemen on steady cobs, enjoying their in- vigorating ‘morning park’ must have been surprised at the extraordinary bustle visible in the neighborhood of the bathing-place on the south side of the Serpentine. A short wooden pier had been built out into the wa- ter, and to.the west of it lay a brand new life-boat named the Arab, intended for the sea-side place called Padstow. ‘The vesse was held fast by a hawser bound round a huge elm tree, which served for a temporary capstan. Near to the tree wae a tent, and close by lounged some two dozen of the crew of the famous Eastbourne life-boat, wearing bright red woolen nightcaps, bright - blue jersey, cork jackets, all ‘as fresh as paint.?, Ouker men in other bright red new nightcaps strolled in and out among different kinds of appliances, intended for the pur- posewf saving life at sea; spread out upon the grass. A crowd of moderate dimensions filled the inclosure und lined the water’s edge, and upon the water were several row- - Doats, some of them containing ladies and gentlemen associated with fashion and phi- “Janthropy. But for the shade cast over the proceedings by the rumor that a man had been drowned on the spot early in the morn- ing, the affair would have suggested the mild grilety which is supposed to distinguish ariparian regatta rather than the howling tempestuous ovean and the foundering ot some ill-fated ship. Bits of blue shone in the rifts of a clouded sky, afew drops of rain fell at intervals; the trees. heavy with their mid-summer foliage, tluttered slightly, moved by a light wind, and the gently stirred surface of the stream had a zlassy sheen. “First of all the lifeboat was allowed to lide quietly into the water, and having en rowed up and downin front of the crowd for the distanze of afew hundred yards, was brought to at the end of the pier and again made taut, this time to a practical capstun provided for’ the purpose. The Arab appears to be ag gooda craft as any of the 266 similar vessels stationed round the coast. That she will not capsize except. by foul means goes without the saying, and when turned over that she will right herself is equally a matter of course. It happened, however, that the little crowd upon the bank and in the inclosure eeemed not well ac- quainted with the ways of life-boats—and, as inland folk, how should they be ?—so that whem her crew, resplendent in-new night- caps and jerseys, preseed to one side of her until the water came in and went out again, it appeared to them as if by magic, they set up a little gleeful shout. No one was there to tell them that water resting on the deck of a lifeboat is sbove the level of the water in which the hull is immersed; and their gratification was made yet more apparent when the Arab, with tha aid of a derrick, was turned keel uppermost and made to right herself, so to speak, with a dry deck. The sight, so far, was pretty, and were it re- peated every day during the season in the gaine place would doubtless bring much grist qo the mill of that well deserving corpora- tion, the National Lifeboat Institution. What happened was, however, by special favor of the Ranger, anc must not, it iswhis- pered, be erected into a precedent. Such events are only permissable at rare intervals of time, bringing, as they might, and proba- bly would, curious anomalies in their train. Only yesterday a four-wheeled hack-cab had been stiffered to pass as far beyond the jealously guarded lines as the banks of the Serpent n:; an@ a velocipede—though a wa- ter one—was seen in Hyde Park. “‘When the crowd grew tired of staring at the life-boat they turned their, attention to Mr. Copeman’s admirable invention, which, like the famous article of furniture that ‘Contrived a double debt to pry—a bed by. night, a chest of drawers by day.’ can be turned from an ordinury deck seat intoa servicable sea raft. Mr. Copeman’s contri- bution to yesterday’s festivities is no novelty. Tt has been approved by the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and the Board ot Admiraltygand is in use on board the vessels of the Peifneular and Oriental and other first-class steam navigation companies, The raftis formed of acouple of buoyant wocd sn Denches, fitted with spars, masts, ail, oars, water, provisions and signals. Yesterday it waa quickly launched and made to sail about as handily and easily asa well con- structed open boat. What the jurors ap- pointed by the Fisheries Exhibition will ray of Mr. Copeman’s patent remains to be seen, Their awards will shortly be made public. Rafts were also exhibited by J. and A.W. Birts. Mr. Mater and Captain Drevor.” Anc* atone time there were in the water mat- tresses, pillowe, belts, swimming plates, oil skin dresses, and ship’s furniture, all con- structed with the object of saving life at sea. “Next to Mr, Copeman’s rafts Mr. Will- iam’s portable pontoons were the most elab- orate and ambitious appliances on view. ‘They consist of a series of oblong iron troughs, which pack one within the other like so many Chinese or Japanese laequer cups. Mr, Williams claims that ten men ean in the space of 15 minutes fix together and launch 20 rafts capable of accommodat- ing 1,000 shipwrecked persons. Messrs. Birts’ double-mess table raft was invented with the idea of saving soldiers in troop- ships for whom there may be no room in the boats, and torms one of a collection of -ar- ticles which gained the gold medal of the Sociely of Arts in 1879, Sexton’s buoyant deck seats are ingenious in construction and would prove useful in case of emergency. They can be easily freed from the deck, aid on being loosed, would float out in three parts, each separate and distinct from the rest, and fitted with lockers for stores. Messrs Pocock Brothers’ cylinder bed, Mr. Holmes’s life-preserving mattress, and Mr. de la Sala’s canvas boat are all designed witha view to portability and cheapness combined. Nothing could, however, be more simple of its kind, or probably more effica- cious in the moment of danger, than Captain Cressy’s bed-cot frames, made buoyant with cork and fitted with corrugated wire netting, except in the middle, where is an opening for the body to pass through. : “By the time the row «nd drive were full of people on horseback and in carriages the Serpenine seemed alive with men and youths, as if trying their hardest-to drown. Lads on ye banks, out'of. sheer love of mis- chief, plithged into the water, swimming and paddling about at haphazard. ‘They were, however, quickly seized. upon and saved by the numerous inventors and their assistants, on the lookout to do good, though not by stealth, and who made no pretense at blushing ‘to find it fame.’ ‘The middle-aged gentleman trended his water velovipede with an energv worthy of a more practieal method of locomotion; the ancient Briton in a-calico coracle kept afloat with surprising agility; the solitary mariner ina tub, with the aid of his paddle, proved how easily, in smooth water, he could wash himself ashore, and men of all sizes, ages and‘ complexions, bobbed up and down, assisted in their flota- tion by belts and buoys to suit all tastes and purses. It did not transpire if a representa- tive of the Marine Department of the Board of ‘Trade was present officially. The jury seemed satistied and the public amused. But whether the show can-be considered in the light of a test of the practical value of the articles exhibited isa question for experts to decide.” CATPAIN JONES’ THANKS. The Detroit Post and Tribune has the fol- lowing: Captain V. Jones, of the steamer Boston, who recently exhibited extraordinary sa- gacity, courage, and presence of mind in preventing a collision with the Idlewild on the St. Clair river, has just received a hand- some gold medal as a testimonial from the passengers of the Idlewild on that memora- ble trip. ‘I'he medal is of very fine quality and artistic Jesign, and bears the following inscription: “Presented to Captain V. Jones of the propeller Boston, by the passengers of the Idlewild for preventing a collision July 2, 1883.’" The following letter has been received at this office from Captain Jones: BurFFaLo, July 20, 1883. To the Editor of the Detroit Poat and Trib- une: Dear Sir: The enclosed paragraph, cut from the Buffalo Evening Republic, will ex- plain to you that some well disposed per- sons whoare strangers to me, some of whom I believe to be residents of your city, have seen fit to present me with a very beautiful gold medal as a testimonial of their -appre- ciation of my ¢fforts in preventing a collis- ion between the steamers Boston and Idle- wild on St. Clair river some time since. Not knowing the address of the parties named, [ am prevented from acknowledg- ing the receipt of the gift personally, and therefore have toask that you will do me the favor to convey to the ladies and gentle- men through your columns my_ sincere thanks for their beautiful gift, and kind ex- pressions accompanying the same, anc assure them for me that I highly appreciate and shall ever preserve it 18 a memento of their friendship und kindness. Yours very truly, VALENTINE JONES, Maater of Steamer Boston, AN OASIS IN THE DESERT OF COR- RUPT, MANAGMENT, From the Phiradelphia Ledger. Next to prevention nothing is 80 desirable as cure. Never was prevention better ex- emplified than it ia at the Eastern Poniten- tlary. So exceptionally excellent is the managemnnt in regard to health that of the 1,032 prisoners there incarcerated not three are tu the hospital. If humanity io general were as careful of itself that painful evil-- itching piles—-would not be so prevalent and there would be no necessity for the manu- facture of Swayne’s ointment, the only cure for this itehing and eting..ig disease. THE COMMERCIAL LINE, From the Inter Ovean. A Buttalo paper thus explains the trouble in the Commercial Line of steamers (which ply between Chicago and Buffalo): “The referees in the Ensign-Holt case have filed their report with the Clerk of the Superior Court. Judgment is.given for Mrs. Cornelia Hamilton, »8 administratrix of Elisha W. Ensign vs. George W. Holt as survivor of himself and Charles Ensign for $613,763, and $4,085 costs. ‘I'he referee’s fees are $3,- 450. An execution was made by the Clerk of the Supreme Court: and placed in_ the hands of Sheriff Koch. The steamer Cuba and it is understood one other boat of the Commercial Line were levied on. The Commercial Line of steamers ineluding three iron propellers—the Scotia, the Cuba, and the Russia, ench worth about $100,000, ang the wooden propellers’ Colorado Roanake, and Nebraska, worth about $40,- 000. It is understood that valuable ware- house property in this city, a8 a part of the estate, is also subject tothe execution. ‘The action grew out of a business relation be- tween the late E. W. Ensign and G. W. Holt, their business embracing the operation and management of the Commercial Line of propellers on the Jakes. The action was brought by the defendant for the balance of an account claimed to be owning to the estate of E, W. Ensign, ‘The late E. W. Ensign was a large contractor, among the contracts there being several for the construction of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway. It was claimed by the defendant. that Charles Ensign was a partner in this contracting business, and_ this, it is understood, was the, principal point which the defendant sought to establish. From 1865 to the time of the death of the late E. W. Ensign in October, 1877, he and his brother-Charles, both of Buffalo, were en- gaged. in alleged partnership in varions public works, not only in railway construc- tion, but the erection of buildings, bridges, government lighthouses, and the execution of other large contracts of like nature. Among them was tlie Cleveland viaduct, the estimate tor the work being $438,074.06. The work was done under the name of E. W. Ensign. Charles Ensign was engaged with Mr. George W. Holt, the business em- bracing, as above stated, the operation of the Commercial Line of propellers. Charles Ensign died in December 1880. Since the death of E. W. Ensign Charles had ‘been the executor of his estate. At the death of Charles George W. Holt was left as his ex- ecutor, and Mrs. Cornelia Hamilton, sister of the Messrs. Ensign, was made ad- ministratis ot E. W. Ensign’s estate.’’ The Colorado, with a cargo from Chicago, put into Port Colbourn (a Canadian port) and is lying there. She cannot be. seized while in a Canadian port. Other boats of the line are now outside, bound up and down. The Scotia left here a day or two ago. Oo ON FOG SIGNALLING. The Marine Engineer published at London Eng., in reviewing a pamphlet by Pablo Percy Sevane, under the above caption, says: ‘ “The: pamphlet submitted toJus on this important question deals most ably and comprehensively with a subject on which opinions differ very widely. The enormous loss of life that annually occurs, not only at sea, but sometimes when lying quietly at anchor, owing to fog, is something alarming. Many are the inventions which have been put forward to lessen this great danger’, but still the fog seems to set every human agency at defiance, and the question appears as un- settled as ever. The author altogether dispensed (and we think very wisely) with the idea of localis- ing the position and course of a vessel by means of sound. Suppose, for instance, that ten or a dozen steamships were enveloped in a fog in close proximity to each other, the babel of sounds produced by their steam whistles, fog-horns, sirens, and other ap- pliances, would be most bewildering, anda calamity or series of calamities would un- doubtedly ensue. The author very properly remarks that steam vessels possess the means of issuing thundering warnings by means of their steam fog signals, but sailing vessels are entirely deprived of this privilege, and he puts forward asystem of signaling by means of an arrangement of powerful side lights. He proposes that every vessel will have on each side, and.on plans parallel to its di- ametral one, three lights, forming among them on. each side,'a rectangle, triangle, whercof-one of the sides will be versical and the third vertex, lie atore the opposite side, ard atits lower end height; this triangle will be equal ‘in every ship; the places now ap- poe for the lights at present in use, may e supposed, proper for the vertex afore in each triangle; the lights are to have the gate luminous power, and their scope is to be tor each of them, the semi-circle around it, outside of the ship; the lamps afore will be made ao as to project a red ‘light, within all its semi-circular scope; those on the vertical side will project a green light within the quadrant afore, and a white light with- in the quadrant abaft; if it is feared that the brightness of the luminous rays can in any way Interfere with the good management of the veseel, or the comfort of the passengere, 'ploye. the scope abaft in all the three lights, wild be shortened the same few degrees in each, but in this case, it will be necessary to place aft another light, to illuminate only the sector of some few degrees left in darkness. by the diminution above suggested, M. Sevane then proceeds to give: an. ex-- planation of the penetrating power of various- coloured lights through a fog, and argues on this system is far preferable to whistling; ete. His reasoning and explanations are-welb worth the study of all seafarers interested in fog signalling, and we can recommend this limited work asa genuine attempt at solving one of the most difficult and import-- ant marine problems of the present day,’” SEA AND LAND CASUALTIES, The Maritime Register contains the fol-- lowing: Disasters on our railroads do not seem to- have decreased proportionately te the many great ‘iwprovements that have been intro- duced upon them of late years. ‘I'he loss of life and property at sea during the stormy season is usually followed up on land by the railroads in summer when travel is greatly increased on them. In the latter case the: accidents often result from the cupidity of the railroad corporations, who, asa rule, overtask theiremployes, thereby rendering them unfit to give proper care and watch- tulness to the duties assigned tothem. ‘Il'he- comparison, thercfore, of the disasters to life from this cause on land and from the. dan-- gors of the sea do not appear to beso very unfaverable to the latter... The loss to prop- erty in the aggregate is, however, very much greater, Yet in both cases inefficiency— whatever may be the reason for it—enters. largely ‘nto the‘causes which contribute to- these disasters and many are what nny be- termed preventable accidents. All are not however of this class, and so long as it is im. possible for man to attain ,perfection in this. life, accidents will-happen. But that they may be very greatly decreased through the- aid of science and quite as much throuety attention tothe qualifications of the men. employed both on our railroads and on ship- board cannot be doubted.” Little fault can be found with railroads in that respect. A man with them generally has to undergo a. long and tedious and perhans sévere train-. ing before he is given a position‘of any very great responsibility, and this oftentimes. only after he lias passed a critical examina- tion as to his fitness for the position to be- filled. ‘These -corporations recognize the- fact that a man must be educated in his call- ing to perform his duties understandingly and with a due regard for the interests en- trusted to his care. The fault with them. does not, therefore, lie in this direction, but in the excessive amount of labor generally required of the men in their employ, 'Thie in consequence, puts a very great strain up- on the physicnl as well. as the mental strength of the men, thus rendering them more liable to commit errors than otherwise. would be the case. On the sea, however, it is somewhat different. While the suilor un- dergoes many hardships, yet, except in case ot disaster to his vessel, he is not overworked and the responsibility resting upon hiin ig not greater than that upon the railroad em- The officers of the vessel are the responsible ones, but they are equally free in this country with the sailor in respect of the labor required of them, or of their ca-- pacity to performit. In some instances the former is the more capuble of the two. . Of- tentimes long years of preparation are not necessary in order to enable them to get command of a vessel, ‘I'he buying up of a few shares of the vessel property, or a little influence will, most unfortunately, very often do all that for them. Old and triel seamen are often set aside for these on this account, to the very great detriment of the service. Itis probably owing to -this thet so much property is annually destroyed at sea, There is no excuse for this state of at- fairs and no reason why the officers of our merchant navy should not be required to pass ag critical an examination as to their qualifications as are the railroad employees Both ars entrusted with the lives and prop- erty of our people and public poliey de- minngs that oa should be equally well qualified properly to perform their posittons, y Pp the duties ot $$. CHANGES IN CANADIAN CUSTOMS LAWS. The following letter, in regard to changes in the Canadian customs laws, has been received at the Department of State from the United States Consul at St. John, Ney Brunswick : } . “The Parliament of Canada, at its last session, made changes in the cuatoms lawe which will seriously injure if not Cestroy, the trade between our American importrand the Canadian buyer, “The sixty-eighth section ot ! reads as follows, to wit: SW ae ue ad valorem is imposed on any goods ine ported into Canada the value of duty thall be the fair market duty thereof when sola for consumption in the principal markets of the country whence and the time when the same were exported directly to Canada? _ ““Phis act went Into operationon July Ist after which date the dutiable value in the Dominion of all merchandise purchasi da abroad in bond will be the market value when duty paid at place of purchase,” 5