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‘6 ROU'TE FOR CALIFORNIA GRAIN, From the Maritime Register. 'The merchants of San Francisco and sail- ing ship owners must feel very gloomy. Their implacable enemy the railway has dealt them another telling blow. At least that much is claimed by the friends of the Sonth- ern Pacific railroad. ‘They state that Cali- fornia grain is to be sent to European mar- kets by way of the Southern Pacific road to New Orleans, and thence across the Atlan- tic by steamer, For a time the sailing ship may find freight at San Francisco, but the superiority of the railroad route will soon become so manifest that the sailing ship cannot compete with it. This means, of course, that the ship not having the grain trade to depend upon will depart entirely from the San Francisco route, and that even the domestic lines between New York and the Pacific coast will have to go. ‘This is a bad, a very bad outlook for the sailing ship owner. Those gentlemen owning the big ships on the stocks at Bath must, on this showing, grieve for their want of foresight in investing in property which is thus to be shut out from a very important trade, and this too, at a time when steamers are becom- ing successful competitors with sailing ships in other long voyage trades. But it is not the ship-owner only who must view the matter gloomily. The San Fran- cisco merchant is to see his port relegated to an inferior position, owing to, the loss of its, most important trade. ‘The railway can col- lect the grain throughout the State and practically ignore the great port. Much of the banking and other business which at- tends upon the movement of exports will be transf« rred to New Orleans and that port will to all intents and purposes be the chief feu for the shipment of California wheat. This outlook cannot be overpleasant for the shiv owner and:San Francisco merchant. Yet it is the one that the railway managers pre- sent tothem. ‘I'hey may be soothed by the statement that San Francisco will no doubt control an important local trade, but there it will end, “Even that dream. of the Cali- iornian, control of the trade.of the Orient through San Francisco, is not.to come true, for it appears that the Northern Pacific rail- road claims that this trade will enter the United States by way of that road’s Pacific port. Visions of future greatness for the chief Pacific port, visions of an uninterrupt- ed trade for the ship-owner disappear before the rising sun of the railway. A great trade ronte closed, a great portshorn of its grand- eur, simply by opening another route. Ver- ily, San Francisco commercially rests upon a bank of sand. : . Calitornia will become great by reason of her grain which is more valuable to her than all her gold. But California is to turn her back upon that Pacific which was her pride and glory, and send her cereals by the iron track to an eastern port. ‘This predic- tion is put forth by the railway company in such a way backed with statistics that many persons are quite convineed that the move- ment of California wheat is forever turned toward the Gulf. Other people more skep- tical, can see no profit to the railway unless it has large return freights, but this doubt has now been removed by the statement that much of the Pacific bound goods from the Eastern States are now shipped by steamer to New Orleans and thence over the South- ern Pacific road. But predictions and facts do not, fortunately always agree, and in this case we have thus far chiefly predictions. The railway will naturally do all in its pow- er to control freights, and as it is: built and must have work, it will become a formidable competitor for the transportation of Cali- fornia grain. The managers understand fully—none better—the art of puffling, but they will have to work remarkably cheap in. order to control the California grain trade. They will get a certain proportion of the business, but that it will be the greatest por- tion we do not believe. ‘"he views set forth by the railway people are bighly rose col- ored, but as tested by harsh experience they do not look so bright. ‘The chief factor in their favor is the saving in time. But that they can transport profitably to themselves at a cheaper rate, or even as cheap as that offered by the ocean route is not yet made evident. With them at present all is experi- ment. ‘Thus fur two extensive shipments only, we believe, have been made, and judg- ing from these the prospect tor the railway is not the best. Mr. Crocker, president of the Southern Pacific Railway Company, svys that his road ean carry grain from San Francisco to Liv- erpool for 42 cents per bushel. ‘his is allow- ing very low rates for the railway haul of 2,600 miles to New Orleans. It is about six- teen dollare per ton. This is equal to about sixty-five shillings per ton ocean freight. On the thirtieth of June ocean freights were quoted at San Francisco for Liverpool direct by iron vessels at 52s. 6d., for Cork, for or- ders, at 55e,, for Liverpool dir :ct by wood 47s. 6d. bid und 65s, asked, ven allowing a large increase on these rates they will still be far below that by the railway. ‘This dif- ference in favor of the ocean route will more than counterbalance any saving that the railway may offer in interest and insurance, We believe Mr. Crocker calculntes upon a acarelty of t(nnage at San Francisco. He is robably unaware that there is a supera- undance of tonnage and that the least de- mand at San Francisco will attract an im- mense fleet there. On the above date there THE MARINE RECORD. were ut that port at least fifty disengaged vessels, representing a tonnage of over sev- enty-five thousand tons, Mr. Crocker should remember that the ocean is trackless and that the only monopoly in shipping ig that of working the cheapest. In addition it must be remembered that with such an article as wheat and with such a quantity as will be sent from California, reccivers are not always anxious to have it landed at the earliest possible moment. ‘hey are just as willing to have a part of it at sea on mie: bourd, where storage expenses are saved. It can be dealt in just as well by the cargo load as by warehouse lots. We do not be- lieve therefore, that San Francisco will be greatly injured by this new route, or that the sailing ship will be out-rivaled by the railway. There has been nothing yet done to show this. One point too much over- looked in this discussion is the fact that the ee trade of the worldis changing. India is becoming a formidable competitor. Cheap- ness of transportation will enter more large- ly than ever into the cost of our grain, and California, by meané of its ocean route to England will always find vessels, either steamers or sailing ships, anxious to carry its grain to that market cheaper than by any other means of transportation. _—_—_—— OS eo IMPORT OF SPANISH ORES, Philadelphia Record: Nine vessels load- ed with Bessemer ores from Spain, each carrying from 1,800 to 2,000 tons, are ex- pected to arrive at this port. An old iron broker of this city, in commenting upon the fact yesterday, stated that this was an un- usual occurrence, ‘Three years ago it would not have been considered so unusual, as the arrival of that number of ore laden vessels in this city was a frequent occurrence. Phil- adelphia in those days ranked first in prom- inence asa port of entry for vessels with cargoes of that kind. This prominence, he contended, had been transferred to Balti- more... ‘The reasons given for the diversion of this traffic from this city to another were numerous. First,-he thought there was more competition in the business at Balti- more. ‘That there was more speculation in this clasg of merchandise and that greater risks were encountered in making sales. It was aleo his belief that treight discrimina- tions had operated against Philadelphia as a centre of distribution for foreign iron ores, and that in consequence distant would-be purchasers in this market had. been practi- cally barred out. Shipment of these ores to any port would be even smaller hereafter than now, as the. present tanff makes a difference of at least 40 cents per ton in the cost of importation. Edmund Smith, a leading iron broker of Philadelphia, said that the diversion of the iron ore traftic trom Philadelphia to Balti- more was because of the inducements offered vessel owners to send cargoes of ore from Mediterranean ports. ‘They are assured of cargoes of grain, and owing to the competi- tion in that market there are quicker sales for theore. ‘he Pittsburg manufacturers were, in years gone by extensive purchasers of foreign ore in this market, but now _prefer- ence is given to the native ores, which are | to be obtaived at lower tigures because of greater proximity to point of production and the discovery of new veins of the native ores, the yield of which ia as good as that im- ported. The principal native or lake ore is the Republic, and the next in grade is the Menominee range of ores. ‘These are mostly used in Pittsburg, where for some time they came in competition with the foreign ores. ‘The native ores are put down in Pittsburg from Cleveland, the point of distribution, at $9.50 per ton, against $8 per ton for a 60 per cent Bessemer foreign ore. ‘The advant- age in paying the advance for the native ore ‘is that the manufacturer can purchase it in any quantity he pleases, while in buyiny the foreign ore he must take an entire cargo. The ores coming to Philadelphia are altogether from Spain, the shipments trom the north of Africa having stopped entirely, for no reason at this time known, but possibly en account of the arbitrary tariff imposition. Cargoes arriving at this port are distributed altogether among the Eastern manufactur- ers and at reasonable figures, as the quota- tions are abnormally low. ‘The Bethlehem Iron Company and the Pennsylvania Steel Company have purchased mines in Cuba, where they are mining their-own ores. Among -the canal schemes in the East is one to make a through water communication between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea along the depressed gorge of the river Jor- dan and the dead Sea. ‘The canal, which is to be for ships of the largest size, would ex- tend eastward from the Bay of Acre, on the Mediterranean, then down the Jordan to the Dead Sea, and from there southwad to the Abukan Gulf, on the Red Sea. ‘Che north- ern canal would be twenty-five miles in length, across the plain of Esdralon, and the highest elevation is only 108 feet above the level of the Mediterranean. So far no pa difficulties are in the way, but the fill- ng of the depression in the Jordan Valley to the sea level is what puzzles the engineers, They believe that it can be done, and a rec- ommendntion has been made to the British Parliament to give encouragement to the projectors of the enterprise.—Jnter Ocean, oo There are twenty-five deaths daily from yellow fever at Vera Cruz. ‘The victims are most all sailors. VANDERBILT From the Boston Herald, William H. Vanderbilt has gone so far into yachting as to have plans drawn for a pleasure steamer of great proportions. and unprecedentedly luxurious appointments. The deceased commodore haudled vessels purely as a matter of business, and his travel for pleasure was by fast horse power. ‘lhe son has pees of the same way of sbisieings except that he dropped boats out of his deal- ings and devoted his attention to railroads, while exceeding the old man in the posses- sion of swift trotters, But William H. is less sturdily individual in his tastes. He likes to have such things as other millionaires enjoy. ‘'herefore he has at length concluded to seek some diversion afloat. His yacht will not be built before next summer, but the keel is to be laid immediately. He does not much like steaming on the water, and therefore the vessel will be primarily asailor, with engines to use only when he is in a hurry to get somewhere. In keeping with his earnest desire to drive the fastest horses, however, the yacht will be intended to make unequalled speed by wind or steam. But it isa question whether all the skill that money can command will insure that quality. “here is something beyond calculation in the speed of yachts,” suid, one of John Roach’s experts, in talking about Vander- bilt’s projected vessel; “two-boats may be built simultaneously from the same model, with every effort to make them precise dupli-- cates as to shape and machinery, and yet one will prove faster than the other. Why this is so no man can tell. ‘The steamer Mary Powell has for 15 years been the swiftest on the Hudson river. During all that time she never has been beaten. Time and again an exact counterpart has beei built, with every- thing copi@d to a hair, as nearly as_ the best mechanics and facilities could do it; but none of these have turned outas good as.the original. As the reputation of unrivalled speediness is a valuable advertisement fora passenger boat, you can see the object in trying to build a second Mary Powell. Ex- perience has been the same with yachtsmen. They order copies of the swiftest craft, or combine the supposed good points of several, and nine times out of ten are disappointed in the result. Jay Gould did not particularly care for great swiftness, and is not crest- fallen because his yacht is rather easily beaten. He did not contemplate racing, but safe and luxurious sea trips. It is different with Vanderbilt. Besides all possible con- venience, he insists on speed. _Whéther he will get it or not remains to‘ be seen. We ean only guarantee up toa certain poine, and beyond that he must trust to luck. It is possible that.a trial trip willbe ordered ag soon as the machinery isin, so that the boat need not be finished up in case it fails to cut the water satisfactorily. In that case it would probably be devoted to other uses, and another one constructed fur Vanderbilt.” RELICS OF THE REBELLION. From the Washington Sunday Herald. Of the five field generals of the Confeder- ate army, J. E. Johnson and Beauregard survive. General Johnson is the general agent of a prominent New York insurance company, and General Beauregard is the ad- jutant-general of the State of Louisiana (where he has created the finest body of militia for its numbers in America.) He is algo one of the commissioners cf one of the old Louisiana State banks, besides which he has other important business connections. ‘There were twenty-one lieutenant-generals in the Confederate army, from first to last, and all of these were from the United States army but four, viz., Richard Taylor, N. B. Forest, Wade Hampton and John B. Gor- don. Of them the following are. living: D. D. Hill, whois in North;Carolina; Steph- en Lee, Early, Buckner, Wheeler and A. P. Stewart, besides the two not from the old United States army mentioned above. Qus- tavus W. Smith is the ranking major-gener- al living, and is State commissioner of insur- ance in Kentucky. W. ‘I’. Martin lives at Natchez, and is a railrond president. C. W. Field and L. L. Lomax are in Florida, and both are in the employ of the United States Corps of Engineers. Marmaduke Johnson is in St. Louis and is wealthy. William Preston lives in Kentucky, and hasa fortune he inherited. Humes lives in Memphis, Tenn. Wirt Adams is an agent for Missis- sippi, and lives at Jackson. Frank Adams lives here and in St. Louis, and is connected with the Gould system of railroads in the Southwest. Churebill was governor of Ar- kansas, and lives at Little Rock. Colquit was governor of Georgia, and is United States Senator-elect from that State. Colston has returned trom Egypt and is living some- where in Virginia. Dibrell is a member of Congress from ‘Tennessee. Lyon, who com- manded one of Forest's divisions awhile, lives at Eddyville, Ky. I do not know what Mackall, who was a Helgadlor-gensrel and chief of General Bragg’s staff is doing, but I believe he lives in Georgia. McGowan is a member of the Supreme Court of South Car- olina. Miles, W. R., ts a ee Dee magnate, on the Yazoo river in Mississippl. Roger A. Pryor is a prosperous lawyer in New York, and mirabile dictu, I hear he is an enthusiastic advocate of Governor B. F. Butler for the Presidency. Ripley, ‘Old Rip,” as he was called, is in London, the agent of an American rifle company, and AS A YACHTSMAN,| Rodd is there with him, John G. Walker is in Mexico, and is getting rich in silver mining, and Holmes is his partner. William C. Wickham is a prominent railroad man and Republican in Virginia, Of the three- Lees who were generals, Curtis, who was Mr. Davis’ chief-of-staff, is the president of the Washington and Lee College in Virginia; William Henry Fitzhugh Lee, generally culled “Runey,”’ is a planter and is ar po ous on a fine estate; and Fitzhugh Lee, cousin of the others, and a famous eavalry officer, owns the “Ravenswood” estate on the Potomac, about 50 miles below Wash-- ington, where he is living like a fine Vir- ginia planter of the olden time. Robert Lee,. the General’s youngest son, who served in the ranks a greater part of the war, lives on: the James river, and owns a handsome es-: tate there. Longstreet lives at Gainesville, Ga.,and is United States Marshal. General Early practices law at Lynchburg, Lieu- tenant-General A, P. Stewart is president of the University of Mississippi, at Oxford, and Lieutenant-General 8. D. Lee is president. of: another Mississippi institution of learning.. R. H. and Patterson Anderson are dead.. General D. Frank Cheatham is the superin-- tending commissioner of the ‘Tennessee pen-- itentiary. General Bate is Governor of ‘Ten-- nessee,-and W. H., or **Red” Jackson, one- of Forest’s Division commanders, is living. near Nashville on a magniticent plantation. General Wheeler, who commanded all of° General Johnston’s cavalry, isa planter in North Alabama. General Lawton, the quarter-master general of the confederacy, is a leading member of the Savannah, Ga., bar, and General Gorgas, the Confederate- chief of ordnance, died in Alabama the other: day.. Cockrell, the ranking Contederate- general from Missouri, is » United States. Senator. SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL. The first cotton mill of California is soon: to be built at Oakland. The -southern-part of the State is regarded as favorable to cottom culture, Visitors find in some of the older houses of Nantucket tall Dutch clocks, with - holes. in the cases where screws had been takem out. This was done in order to banisty wicked ornaments of brass and steel. 2 Shrinkage in lumber varies according to- the tree from which itis made. Oaks wilk shrink in drying a half inch to the foot, while the redwood of California show no- perceptible change, and the Leavy Eastern or South American woods lose but little.—-. - Scientific American. Cottonwood lumber seems to be coming into large use, and for dry goods cases, starch boxes, and similar purposes it is said to be well adapted. One establishment in Ohio, it is said, works into boxes as many as two milliom feet of lumber annually. For- building purposes it ie not well. adapted, as. itis apt to swell and shrink with the con- dition of the atmosphere, It is hoped that the new section for- mechanics of the American association tor the advancement of science will reseive the earnest co-operation of all interested, who may find it convenient toattend. The meet- ing now being held at Minneapolis is the the second held by the section. Circulars pans to the meeting may be obtained of he permanent secretary of the as F, Ww. Putnam, at Minneapolis: pice During the coming year, experime be made at the physical laboratory arden Hopkins university with a view to aid in establishing an ‘international unitof electri- cal resistance. ‘he experimente will be carried on, under the direction of Professor Rowland, with appropriation from the gov- ernment of the United States. The results will be communicated to the InternationaD commisaton of electricians, meeting in aris, Recognizing the demand for thoroughly trained engineers conversant with electricak science, at the beginning of the next academic year (Sept. 18, 1883) the trustees. of Cornell university will receive students. who desire to fit themselves to enter this new and constantly extending tield. While the general studies are mainly those of the departments of civil and mechanical engi- neering, the special studies of the course embrace the theory of electricity, the con- struction and testing of telegraph lines cables, and instruments, and of dynamo ma- chines, and the methods ‘of electrical measurement, electrical lighting, and the electrical transmission of power, : The Charybdis is reported to have h sold to a Nova Scotia vessel owner, who ine tends converting her into a merchantman, Up at Point Edward, near Port Huron the sportsmen have had some difficulty in distinguishing the water rail and snipe from the mosquito, and the network hammocks are used as mosquito bars, The Red Star line steamer Westerland, the largest vessel ever built on the Mersey, 6,000 ll heeebeenaee 460 feet long, and to ‘carry 350 passengers was launched at Liver on Saturday. Perrot Bebriel, the professional swim rival of Captain Webb, announces ile titer tion of attempting to swim the Niagara Falls whirlpool. He says he belleves he can safely breast the pool, and believes Webb could have done it if he had gone hbout it right.