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

6 THE MARINE RECORD. VARLOUS KINDS OF FOG SIGNALS. Connected with the light-house service is the system of warnings by ‘fog signals,” which comes in use in what the sallors call “thick weather’? that is, when mist or fog prevents the lights and landmarks from be- ing seen either by night or by day. The principal fog signals used in this country are the siren, the steam trumpet, the steam-whistle, the whistling buoy, the bell boat, the bell buoy, and heavy bells rung by clockwork. ‘I'he siren is sounded by driving steam through a flat, circular disc, containing a number of slits, the disc being fixed in the throat of an immense trumpet. Behind this is a revolving plate, having in it a similar number of openings. ‘Phe plate is revolved by steam 2,400 times each minutes. Whenever the slits in the plate coincide with those in the dise a jet of steam escapes through each opening, under great pressure, into the trumpet, If there are 10 openings there will be 24,000 screams each minute. ‘hese combined in the tram- pet give a single shriek in deatening volume and of great range. ‘The sound can generally be heard ata distance, of 20 miles, aud can readily be distinguished from all noises at sea, ‘The siren is the furthest reaching fog signal yet produced, but itis the most ex- pensive to build, the most difficult: to rur, and the most costly. to keep going. One of these mazhines was on exhibition at the Centennial Exposition in 1876, where it made such a nuisance of itself that it: was restricted trom sounding except at the open- ing and closing hours, and then ic was heard all over Philadelphia. One of the largest; size sirens is connected with the lighthouse at Cape Henlopen, at the mouth of Delaware bay, vpposite Cape May where in fog it ‘gives a blast six seconds long, atter an inter- val of 39 seconds. ‘hese instruments have done’ so well on our coasts that outher countries have procured numbers of them. Great Britain has more than 20 of them now in operation on her shores. The Daboll fog cumpet is made like a monster clarionet, and is sounded by air condersed in a reservoir by machinery driven by a hot-air engine. The largest trumpet is 17 feet long, with a mouth 33 inches across and a throat 314 inches in di- ameter. Its reed of steel is 10 inches long, 244 wide, an inch thick at its fixed end, and half that at the other. ‘I'he Ericsson engine that drives it has a 32-inch cylinder, which, at 20 pounds pressure, can give a five-second blast every minute. ‘Che Daboll trumpet is, however, going out of favor because of its ability to accident and the difficulty of getting it repnired. The nearest one to us is in Long Island Sound, at Execution Rocks Station. 'The moet frequently used fog signal of this general class is the locomotive steam whistie, with a diameter varying from six to eighteen inches, operated by an ordinary boiler, under a pressure varying from 50 to 100 pounds. By intervals of blast and silence it can be differentiated trom neighboring tog signals and these intervals automatically pro- duced by having an engine take steam trom the same boiler, and open and close its valves at fixed times, when the steam is cut offor let on as desired. These instruments do not easily get out of order and they are readily operated.. ‘he whistles are used -on. light- ships as well as at lighthouses. ‘There isa 12-inch whistle on each of. the lightships on Five Fathom Bank, off the Capes of the Delaware. The power of these fog signals can be ex- pressed in proportion thus: Siren, 9; whistle, 7; trumpet, 4; and as to cost of running them they stand as follows: Siren, 9; whistle, 3, and trumpet, 1. ‘There are 66 fog signals now on our coasts operated by steam or hot air. The bell boat, which is at best a clumsy contrivance, liable to be upset when most needed, costly to build, hard to handle and difficult to keep in repair, has been super- ceded by Brown’s bell buoy, which was in- vented by an officer of the lighthouse service. 'The bell-is mounted on the bottom section of an iron buoy, which is decked over and fitted with a frame-work of 3-inch angle iron, 9 feet high, to which a 300-pound bell is rigidly attached. A concentric grooved fron plate is made fast to the frame under the bell and close to it, and acannon ball is allowed to roll on this plate. As the buoy rolls on the sea the bell rolls on the plate, striking one side of the ball at each roll. 'The signal is always at work, and the heavier the sea the louder tha sound ot the bell. ‘There are 24 of these bells now in use in this country, one of which is on Brown Shoal, Delaware Bay. ‘They cost, with their mooring, not far from $1,000 each. The “whistling buoy” consists of an iron pear-shaped ball, say 22 feet in diameter, with a tube 20 inches across and 40 feet long running through it. ‘he water in the tube acts as a piston to draw in the air through a hole covered with a retaining valve, and to expel it through a 10-inch whistle, making a sbrill moaning sound, which can be heard several miles. Its dimensions have recently been reduced, without decreasing its power. As its action depends on rough water, it is only used in open water, They now cost, with their moorings, about $1,200 each. There are 25 of them on our coasts, five of which are in oar immediate waters, The whistling buoy recently placed on the outer Hatteras shoal, just off the pitch of the cape, is of the greatest use to our coasters. The bell fog signal most in use is the bell ‘They weigh trom 300 to 3,000 pounds each, though not many weigh more than 1,000.— Philadelphia Ledger. WHY THE PILOTS SHOULD UNITE. “The scheme proposed by some of the pilots, who have filed at Albany a prelim- inary certificate o fincorporation for the ‘Sandy Hook Pilot Bout Company,’ is one which I do not fully understand,” said one of the Sandy Hook pilots yesterday. ’Here is the prospectus. I suppose it was only in- tended for pilots to see, but you may look at it if you wish.” ‘The first page of the pamphlet calls atten- }tion to the “unremitting and persistent efforts of foreign steamship companies and others to reduce our rates, to impair and ultimately destroy our pilot service, prejudic- ing the public, intluencing commercial bodies, and cajoling merchants, captaing, and others of our friends to enter the lists with them against us, until itis painfully apparent that we, being the weaker, must go to the wall.” Attention is also called to the folly of hoping for a cessation of these attacks and it is asserted that it would be better to be pre- pared for the next Legislature. It is also declared that the interest of the 133 New York and the 37 New Jersey pilots are coequal, and to make the scheme a success all must join the organization. The total number ot boats now owned and employed by both bodies is 23, and it is proposed to reduce the number to 12. The next four pages are filled with state- ments of the present revenue and cost of the service, compared with what would be the figures with twelve boats, including the deduction ot commission fees, collection tees dividends on boat property insurance, etc. Of the average of $700,000 collected annually for pilotage, deducting all expenses, the net income of each pilot under the present system is $2,461.76. With twelve boats under the proposed system it is estimated that the net individual income would be an increase of $538.24 annually. The cost of maintaining the service would also be reduced from $167,- | 440 to $78,960. ‘The capital proposed is $250,- 000, divided into shares of $100 each. It is proposed to organize the company under the Limited Liability act, and a meeting will be held in a few days to organize by electing nine directors, a secretary and treasurer, and to take the necessary steps for a com- plete organization of the company. STEAM VESSELS UNDER CANVAS. We recently treated of “Modern Shipbuild- ing” and we took the liberty of pointing out that all the science and engineering talent applied to our steamships have thus far only succeeded in producing a very imperfect machine for the objects contemplated in her construction, viz., to carry crew, passengers and cargo with speed and safty to their des- tination, and to accomplish her voyage un der any circumstances, while the vessel her- self remains afloat and undamaged, whatever may happen to her machinery. The great shipbuilding fraternity have no doubt got into a groove of construction from which it will be very difficult to’ dis- lodge them. “All they have todo is to pro- duce vessels of great speed and magnitude. People who have to go. to sea know they must run some risks, and the ship that will carry them quickest to their destination, and is, from her mighty proportions, more likely to run down anything she comes in contact with than to be herself seriously damaged by the collision—that is the ship for them. Sail is too slow to be thought of, except as a small auxiliary force, with a strong and fair wind.” This, no doubt, is their style of argument; but let it be remembered that a sailing ship, properly appointed, is, after all, handier at sea than the present style of steamship, and that some of our China tea clippers have ac- complished their voyages with a rapidity that would have been very creditable to a very powerful steamer, which would have had to carry some huudred tons of hard coal, with so much less of merchandise to enable her to do it as quickly. And it will proba- bly be found by and by that wind power has been prematurely and imprudently dis- pensed with in the appointments of the larg- est and most powerful steamships. Nor is it unlikely that the yachting community will give a clue to the solution of the problem how to bui'd a ship that shall be a switt steamer and a good sailer too; for what isa a modern passenger ship but a steamyacht magnified? and in a_ week’s regattas at the Isle of Wight the experiment has been successfully tried of racing steam yachts under sail alone. A very interesting match took place, and the result is likely to show proportionate dimensions can be relied on without detriment to speed unde steam, to be manageable under sail in case of accident to boilers or steam machinery. ‘The sole cause of the unhandiness under sail of the present stvle of steam passenger ship is her great length in proportion to her breadth; eight, nine, and even ten times their breadth being no unusual dimensions. The Aurania is only eight times us long as she is broad, 485 feet long. 57 broad; but with such proportions it has been found that no system of masting and rigging yet at- tempted has any controlling power at sea in bad wenther to enable the crew to handle the ship successfully, The trial at the Isle ot Wight, on Monday last, was made in comparatively rad winds, by three steam, yxthte, Chazalie, Zarina, and Palatine. ‘The tonnage and dimensigns are not given in the report, but the Palatine seems to have been the most unhandy, us she was about half an hour in getting under way, and at the end of the match wag no- where, ‘The race was for £150, over the old “Queen’s course,” trom Cowes to the Nab light, back to Cowes, thence to Yar- mouth, Isleof Wight, and finishing at Cowe, a course requiring to be sailed by handy craft, on account of the many sharp turns to be executed, and the vessels were strictly limited to the use of sails only, just the same as it they were ordinary sailing yachts. The contest was between the Chazalie and Zarina, which finished almost close to- gether, the former, though second vessel by something less than a minute, gaining the prize on account ot time allowance. We are all so much interested in the per- fection of steam navigation that no apology is needed for our returning to the subject so soon, the incident of the steam yacht race, under sail, having given occasion for it. We have before explained that great speed, right ahead, is more easily obtained by in- creasing the size of vessels in the direction of length than in any other way, but it is done at a eacritice of other qualities that are even more necessary to be maintained for the safety of the ship and all she carries; a very swift steamer may be obtained on clip- per-ship lines, and a noble sailing ship, if need be, produced at the same time, without much top hamper, in the way of standing rigging to affect her speed materially, un- der steam, ina strong wind right ahead. But in that case disproportionate length must be abandoned.— British Timber Trades Journal. THE YANKEE BLADE. When the crew arrived at Petoskey, Cap- tain O’Donnell went before a notary and made the tollowing statement, as required by law: Srate or Micuiaan, Country or EMMErt, ss.; John O’Donnell, master of the schooner Yankee Blade, being duly sworn, deposes and, on his oath, says: ‘That he left Point St. Ignice on the afternoon of August 31, 1883, at+4 o’clock with the said schooner Yankee Blade with a cargo of 507 tons of iron ore consigned to the Elk Rapids Iron Company, of Elk Rapids, Mich.; that the vessel was perfectly seaworthy and equipped for the voyage to Elk Rapids, and the weath er being favorable started at the xbove time and sighted Waugoshance light at 9:30 p. m. The wind was light from the east, and at 12 o’clock midnight rounded the light, and the wind hauling more to the south, at4 o’clock a. m. passed Skillagalee light.) The vessel was making water so as to keep the after-pump going freely. At7o’clock a. m. were on our starboard tack with the wind about south, standing in for the main land heading southeast by east, about eight miles due east south of Skillagalee when I noticed that the vessel was settling down in the wa- ter, and immediately had the pumps sound- ed and found that she had nine inches of water in her. ‘hat did not satisfy me, so when the mate came on deck, which was immediately after the pumps had been sound- ed, I told him (the mate) to go down for- ward and look in the fore peak and see if there was anything wrong. He immediately came running back and said the water was nearly up to the forecastle floor. I then ran forward to see for myself and found the wa- ter as high as the mate had reported. In the meantime both pumps were going, but the water gained so fast on them that I or- dered the men to stop pumping and get their things and put them inthe boat. In the meantime I ordered the helm down, so she would come head to the wind, to lower the. boat, and all hands in her. I went for- ward and found the water about two feet over the forecastle floor. I then jumped in- to the boat and was only there about three minutes when the vessel went down, the crew being there about ten minutes before me. She went down head foremost in fif- teen fathoms of water. She blew out the main rigging aft, and when she disappeared both masts came to the surface; also the decks and parts of her side. We remained atthe wreck about ten minutes and then pulled for Cross Village, which we reached after two hours, and got passage on the steamer City of Grand Rapids, arriving here at Petoskey, Mich., at 1 p. m., this first day of September, 1883. JOHN O’ DONNELL, Master. Subscribed and sworn to before me this 1st day of September. A. D. 1883. Ezra C. Barnum, Notary Public in and for Emmett County, Michigan. The crew all heard and read the statement of the Captain and took oath before the no- tary that the same was correct. ‘Their naines are: Daniel Mitchell, mate. Christopher Tallon, steward. Edward Lee, Henry Swanson, William Heath, Thomas EK, Newland, seamen, ‘The Yankee Blade was a very successful vessel, and in her time has earned several comfortable fortunes. She first came out in 1855. She had been rebuilt several times, and at the time of her Joss she rated Bl, Captain Comerford, now in the F. L. Dan- forth, used:to make race-horee time with the Yankee Blade, notwithstanding she was a canaler, NEW RULES FOR INVESTIGATING STEAMBOAT DISASTERS, TREASURY DPPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, WasHinaTon, D. C., Sept. 3, 1883. To United States Supervising Inspectors of Steam Vessels: “GENTLEMEN—in view of well grounded complaints of the impropriety of local in- spectors investigating disasters to hulls and boilers of steam vessels after certification by themselves that such hulls or boilers are safe, you are hereby directed whenever accidents occur to steam vessels through alleged de- tects to either hull or boiler, to conduct such investigation personally under the authority conterred by section 4,409 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, as follows: “Each supervising inspector shall have full power * * #* * * in any district where from distance or other cause itis inconvenient to resort to the local board, to inspect any steam vessel and the boilers of such steamer, and to grant certificates of approval, and to perform all the duties imposed upon local boards, ; “Section 4,409 Revised Statutes requires that if the supervising inspector has good reason to believe that through negligence or other cause, a failure of the board which in- spected the vessel. to do its Cuty, he shall re- port the facts in writing to the Secretary of the ‘I'reasury, * * * ‘ “The question of supervising inspector as- suming original jurisdiction in investigating the conduct of licensed officers of steam ves- sels and revoking and suspending licenses of such officers, independent of the provision of sections 4,450, 4,452, Revised Statutes, were submitted to the Solicitor of the ‘lreas- ury by the Supervising Inspector-General of Steam Vessels, August 8, 1881, and on Aug- ust 27th following, the Solicitor rendered an opinion in writing (copy inclosed) affirming the proposition. “You will be governed by the terms of this circular letter In the case of accidents to steamers such as’ referred to herein, in all cases where such accidents are to be investi- gated within the jurisdiction of the local board of inspectors who inspected and cer- tified the steamer. Very respecttuliy, “Jno. C. NEw, Acting Seeretiry.”’ $$ a STEAM AND SAIL. The Cincinnati Commercial Gazette, in an article on Lake navigation, bas the following about towing consorts: Vessels of heavy burden, called barges, are lightly sparred. for the use of sails as auxiliary or in case of emergency, for which also they have ground tackle. A screw steamer, herself carrying perhaps 75,000 bushels, takes three or four of these barges or of full-sail schooners in tow, making the time of the trip certain, and getting much help from their sails. The steamer and her tow may carry in the aggregate from 150,000 to 200,000’bush- els and upward. ‘The lumber, coal and ore carrying show the same auxiliary combina- tion, At Detroit and in the St. Clair river some conception of the magnitude of this shipping may be got in the sight of these tows. Here passes in sight a shipping which is probably greater than the entire sea-going and sea-coasting shipping of the United States. It seems to have reduced the econv- mies toa base point, and this is shown by the freight rates. ‘The. ornamental features and top-hammer of the old-fashioned steam- boat have disappeared from these propellers. Their bolds are full of grain and their decks of coal, and they have no great upper cabin to catch the wind. Their tows have the like appearance of business without orna- ment. ry THE PORTCH-LELAND. COLLISION. March 26, 1882, the schooner E, M. Portch was @n down by the propeller Leland be- tween Manitowoc and Sheboygan and sunk. The collision occurred at 8 o’clock in the evening during the prevalence of a heavy fog. ‘The schooner was owned by Jacob Johnson, of this port who sent two different wrecking expeditions to try and raise the wreck, After many hard days’ work, at an expense of $5,200, the schooner was towed as far as the piers at Sheboygan, where she soon went to pieces and became a totul loss. Mr. Johnson then commenéed suit against the Elk Rapids Iron Company, owners of the Leland, to recover damages. Com- missioner Proudfoot rendered judgment against the defendants for $18,250, damages and interest, besides the costs. It was decid- ed that the propeller was not only short handed and running at a great rate of speed, but that her whistle was defective and locat- ed behind the funnel, contrary to law.—Chi- cago Tribune. —— _— RARE INDUCEMEN'. A fretty Wisconsin schoolmarm, to en- courage promptness, promised to kiss the first scholar at school, and all the large boys took to roosting on the fence at night. A greater inducement is held out by Dr. Swayne, in offering his ointment (for itching piles and all eruptions of the skin,) to the world at large. It is said that a stiteh in time saves ninety-nine, and a box of Swayne’s ointment kept in the house ready for use, may save you years of misery. Put not off until the morrow that which should be done to-day. Delays are dangerous,