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4 THE MARINE RECORD. | Fhe Marine Record. | ESTABLISHED IN 1878, Entered according to the laws of the United States at the Post Ottice at Cley and as second-chiss matters Published weekly at No. 2 South Water street, Cleveland, Ohio. A. A. POMEROY, Eiitor and Proprietor BRANCH OFFICE, 244 SOUTH WATER STREET, CHICAGO. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION: . O10 year, postage paid... dix Months, postage paid Invariably in advance, ‘the MARINE RECORD can be found for sale at the following places: No. 2 South Water street, Cleveland, Joseph Gray, No. uth Water street, Chfcago. D. MeMasters & Ce nia, Ontario George Preston, Escanaba, Michigan. Wm. Godley, Escanaba, Michigan, J. E. Somerville, Manistee, Michigan. ADVERTISING RATES, Ten cents per line, nonpareil measurement, or $1.20 per inch, each insertion; tour weeks $4.00; with a liberal discount on orders amounting to $40.00 or over. Articles, letters and queries on all subjects are solici- ted. s@r-The Editor assumes no responsibility for the opinions of correspondents. To insure notice, contributors must give name and address, and write on one side of the paper only. THE MARINE RECORD has an Agent in every port on the Lakes and Rivers, and will consequently. circu- Jate more or less in all of them. Asa medium for advertising it has uo superior, as it circulates among a class of people-that can be reached in no other way.. EDITORIAL NOTES, WE are glad to see that the President has disapproved of the sentence of dismissal in the case of Lieutenant James F. Simpson, Third Cavalry, who was tried by courtmar- tial on a charge of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman in having married a woman who had been his mistress. OccaSIONALLY a sign of increase in ship- building is met with. ‘The one here noted is all the more important because it shows a greater demand for staunch steel and iron vessele. Ex-commander Gorringe, who re- signed his commission in the navy to con- duct the enterprise of the American Ship- building Company, launched his first ship recently, and has nine others upon the ways. He has contracts for eleven more, and says the demand is growing. There is no doubt put that the building of vessels out of iron and steel will be a great benefit all around. A REport is current that Secretary Fol- ger intends to recommend to Congress the consolidation of customs districts, of which there are, under the present law, one hun- dred and forty. The Secretary will advise the abolishment of seventy-one of them, which would involve a reduction of four thousand in the customs service of the country, and a saving in cost of fully $6,000,- 000 a year. ‘The changes proposed apply principally to the Atlantic coast, where the districts were created about fifty years ago, and some of which have entirely disappeared, Maine, for instance, bas fourteen districts when five would be sufficient. This re- trenchment in the customs service is an item of much importance, but can only be ob- tained through the votes of Congressmen from districts not directly interested. It is essentially our province, to present to our readers intelligence of the building of new engines; engines to be placed in new vessels under construction. It is the mission of our paper, and itis but natural that we should think that the public, especially the marine public, should desire to know of every event of this kind that we can, as newsgather- ers, lay before them. We, perhaps, give a more technical account of the construction of an engine than the great dailies, but at the same time we are writing for a technical class of people, the mariners. Woods, Per- ry & Co. are now building a new hull at St. Clair, Mich., which is to accommodate a compound engine now being constructed at the Globe Iron Works, the two cylinders to be respectively 24 and 50 inches with 36 inches atroke and a steam reversing motion, The boiler is to be of steel, ten feet in diam- eter and sixteen feet long to carry a steam pressure of 100 pounds, There will also be a pony boiler and deck engine, which will complete the whole engineering department, and whieh will be finished in the spring, ready to be set up in the hull, which will be ready to receive them by that time. About a twelve month ago Messrs, Woods, Perry & Co, had manufactured at the Globe lron Works an engine which was placed in the Ogemaw, and which has always given such good satisfaction that this second order has been made with confidence. a ee THE BULGE ON WHEAT, According to all human calculations, America has it. It is not always safe to rely upon indications for the department of agri- eulture at Washjngton may not be infallible coucerning its own territory, and many cir- cumstances may step in to upset those con- cerning Europe and Asia, two countries which are no light factors in the bread-pro- ducing cereal; but so far as human ken goes, we stand at the top. The returns of the wheat yield to the department, in our own country, indicate a production of about two and one-half bushels to the acre less than last year, but it must be borne in mind that last year’s crop was largely above the aver age. The aggregate this year may exceed four hundred millions, and may reach four hundred and fifty millions. Adding to this the fifty millions of bushels carried over from last year, gives a round total, allowing for over estimate of still four hundred and fifty million bushels. Last year the hbme con- sumption reached two hundred and eighty millions, and assuming that it will be the same this year, we still have an overplus of one hundred and seventy millions bushels. Whether we shall find a foreign market for this overplus depends upon the production abroad; and here, again, the question rests on estimates ‘probably not as -reliable as our own. The Vienna congress estimates the total crop of eighteen countries at nine hun- dred and fitty millions bushels, which is fif- teen per cent. below the average crop, leav- ing a shortage of not less than one hundred and sixty millions bushels, to be made up by our one hundred and seventy millions. It must be conceded that this state of aftaire bears anything. but a discouraging look for this branch of American commerce the cotn- ing year, and we have no grounds for un- easiness. STEAM NAVIGATION. The twelfth annual meeting of the Na- tional Board of Steam Navigation wil! be held in New York City on the 24th of this month. The class of men who compose this board, and those who have not thus far taken an active interest in its workings, could, if they should concentrate their efforts, so di- rect legislation in regard to steam naviga- tion that it would have a permanent basis and prove a lasting benefit to all concerned. Surely a great interest like this, of steam navigation, involving upward of $600,000,- 000, and giving employment to thousands of men, should have a head and system, and should use its best endeavors to ward off un- wise and detrimental legislation, and in pre- yenting various patented appliances from being forced upon steam vessels, without regard to their merit, by unwise ruling, thus depriving the master of his confidence in be- ing able to save the precious lives and the property entrusted to his care; it should be able to assure itself that all proper measures were taken to foster and forward it in all its details, that proper means are being taken for the improvement of harbors, of rivers, a signal code to be recognized by all nations, of improved landings on rivers, and, in fact, everything that may prove beneficial to the interests of navigation, As the Nautical Ga- zette says, “All other branches of industry have their organized association, their treas- ury and their working force,” then why may not this great industry, the backbone of commerce, steam navigation, combine inter- ests and work for general good. The Na- tional Board is an old organization, as the number of the call amply shows, but at the present time needs the infusion of new blood, the influence of young and popular vessel owners, many of whom can be found on the great lakes. KE, W. Gould, the president of the board, stopped in Cleveland, on the way east, on Monday, and had conference with a number of vessel owners here, we trust with good results. President Gould went from here to Detroit, where he will probably meet with a warm welcome, after which he will go to Buffalo, COAL MINING. Coal mining matters in Pennsylvania are becoming interesting. The miners of bitum- inous coal in the low-grade region, not far from Dubois, are paid ten cents per ton less than the Rochester and Pittsburg Railroad Company is paying its men directly in the neighborhood of Dubois, and they have, in consequence, been on a strike for some- thing more than a week. The railroad men are satisfied, but the low-grade men are making demonstiations bordering on hostil- ities to get them to quit. Last week the strikers, one thousand strong, came and camped close to the mines of Beech ‘Tree, Dubois and Punxatawney. paraded with a band, visited the homes of the miners and succeeded in making many converts. ' For two or three days no violence was attempted, but on the 11th instant, the strikers sta- tioned themselves at the mines, and by flr- ing pistols and making loud threats, pre- vailed upon the men who refused to strike at their demands to leave the mines. ‘The railroad managers have since brought twenty or thirty detectives, strong met. in citizens dress, and heavily armed, in charge of one of the Pinkertons, into the neighborhood to preserve the peace, protect property and secretly arrest the leading disturbers. It fs teared a riot will result, but the strikers will probably get the worst ot it. In consequence of this disturbance, the dally average of ship- ments of coal from that region of three hun- dred cars, is reduced to almost nothing. THE INTER-OCEANIC CANAL. We take pleasure in noting the extension ot American enterprise. ‘I'he Pound Manu- facturing Company, of Lockport, N. Y., has recently finished a set of dredge and der- rick for the Franco-American Trading Com- pany and which has been set in successful operation near the Panama end of the Inter- Oceanic canal. The American Engineer says the fourth set of dredge and derrick is rapidly approaching completion at the com- pany’s works at Lockport, and will proba- bly be ready for shipment by the 1st of No- vember. ‘The digging of the canal is now beginning to take a vigorous aspect, and during the next six months, which con- stitute the dry season, it is expected to ac- complish considerable work. Preparations have been made for pushing the work active- ly, the workmen are well taken care of in suitable howges erected by the company, the health and hospital arrangements are as good as practicable, and with a fair amount ef good luck, the end of April should record a decided advance in the actual construction. Thus far the work accomplished has been mainly of a preparatory character, BOOK NOTICES. The November number, coneluding the sixty-seventh volume ot Harper’s Magazine, is very rich in illustrations, and its articles are timely and entertaining. The trontispiece, illustrating Austin Dobson’s poem, “At Last,” is from a drawing by E. A. Abbey. Herbert Tuttle contributes an artiele entitled’ “A Vacation in Vermont,” beautifully illus- trated with views of Green Mountain scen- ery. ‘Some Glimpses of Artistic London” are given in an article by Joseph Hatton, illustrated by fine portraits of Leighton, Fildes, Millais, Boughton, Alma-'T'adema, Pettie, and Herkomer, and views of their studios. Montgomery Schuyler contributes a timely and capital paper on the new met- ropolitan opera house, profusely illustrated, Henry P. Johnston contributes an article apropos of the centennial anniversay of the evacuation of New York by the British, with illustrations by Howard Pyle. An in- teresting biographical sketch of Sir Moses Montefiore, the Jewish philanthropist, now entering on his one hundredth year, Is con- tributed by Mrs. Z. B. Gustafson, with a por- trait and other illustrations, ‘‘A Castle in Spain” is concluded. “Dunluce Castle,” a poem by Sarah Orne Jewett, is accompanied by a beautiful illustration. Mr. William Blakie’s article, entitled “Our Children’s Bodies,” strikes vigorously at some defects of our home and school training, and his suggestions will command general attention, Francis E. Prendergrast contributes a timely and comprehensive article on transconti- nental railways, with a map. Dr. H. 1. Kane describes a “Hashish House in New York,’’ and “the curious adventures of an individual who indulged in a few pipefuls of the narcotic hemp.” Julian Hawthorne con- tributes a thrilling All Ilalloween story, en- titled “Ken’s Mystery ;’’ and Mrs. Lina Red- wood Fairfax an interesting character sketeh, entitled “Cesar and his Fortunes,’ Poems are contributed by Mrs. E. W. Lati- mer, Austin Dobson, Miss E. C. Bradley, Herbert E. Clarke and Edgar Faweett, The editorial departments are full of en- tertaining and useful matter; and the pub- lisers’ special announcement of the forth- coming Christmas number—the regular issue for December—and of the leading at- tractions of the Magazine for 1884, indicate their purpose not only to maintain the high position already gained for this periodical, but also to still farther advance its standard of literary, artistic and mechanical excel-, lence. The November number of Abbott’s United States Monthly, issued October 14th, con- tains “Our First Sculptor, Hiram Powers,’’ by Maria Elizabeth Abbot, profusely illus- trated by Roger Cunningham, containing « portrait and autograph of the great sculptor, and autograph poem addressed to him by John Quincy Adams. when President of the United States, “Ye Sommere Daye,” a poem, illustrated by George E, Colby. “A Strange Doctor,” by Jane Grey Swisshelm, an article of intense psychological interest. ‘lhe ‘Tragedy of One Life,” one of Ella Wheeler’s best stories, “Splendid Strategy; A Story of Woman’s Wit,’? by Rev, Wm. M. Baker, author of “His Majesty Myself,” “Blessed Saint Certainty,” ete., ete. “lhe Golden Dream,” a poem by James G. Clark, author of “Meet Me by the Running Brook,” “Le- ona,” ete. “A Granted Prayer,” by F. A. Conant. “The Primeval: Gardener,” by Charles Morris. ‘Sentiment-and Science,” by Siddartha. “Restraints, Cures and Sub- stitutes for Drink, by Professor Austin Bur- bower. ‘I'he Pigeon Hole,,’ a collection of: short articles with illustrations, “The Sanctum.” “Kickshaws’’ with illustrations, besides a most liberal premium list that would astonish anybody. Subscription price only $2.00 per year. Single number 20 cents. Sample copy sent on application for 10 cents in postage. Size of page is same as Harper’s or Century. It is now in its fifth volume. Published by Wyllys 8. Abbot, 232 Wabash avenue, Chi- cago. INSPECTION OF STEAM. VESSELS. The following circular, pertaining to the measurement of steam vessels, has been issued to the chief officers of customs by the Secretary of the Treasury: In order to prevent the occurrence of dis= crepancies between the statements under the steamboat inspector laws of the chief officers of customs and the inspectors of steam vessels, the following regulations are published for the guidance of chief officers of custome: 1, ‘The fees provided tor by section 4,458, Revised Statutes, as a compensation for the inspection of steam vessels will be computed, in each case, on the basis of the register ton- nage as expressed in the stexmer’s marine documents on the particular day on which the inspection was completed, and a certifi- ente made and subscribed by the inspectors of steam vessels. 2. In case the certificate of inspection re- turned to the custom house contains an erroneous tonnage, the inspectors should be notified of the fact, so that they may be enabled to make the appropriate correction. In no case will an officer of customs make changes in an inspection certificate. 3. The register tonnage of a vessel re- ferred to ab ve is the net tonnage as de- termined under the act entitled, “An act to provide for deductions from the gross ton- nage of vessels of the United States,’ ap- proved August 5, 1882: (published in depart- ment circular No. 95, series of 1882,) in the case of steamers admeasured under that act, and the gross tonnage as determined previoue to the pasenge of said act in the case of steamers not so admeasured. : 4. In reporting the tonnage in the state- ment of transactions under the steamboat in- specton laws, form 240a, the gross tonnage of all steamers whose inspection fees have deen collected should be reported in the column gross tonnage, and the net tonnage, as determined by actual admeasurement under the act of August 5, 1882, should be reported in the column net tonnage. The tonnage of steamers not admeasured under the new law should be reported in the column gross tonnage only, since their net tonnage has not been ascertained. . 5. In the abstract of moneys received tinder the steambont inspection laws, Cat. No. 69, the register tonnage, as above de- fined, should be reported in the column ton- nage, 6. The gross and net tonnage reported in both the statement and abstract must be the tonnage as it existed on the date of the inspection, and not that determined on a subsequent date. 7. In the case of steamers exempt from admeasurement by the regulations and not admeasured, an estimated tonnage must be reported as basis for the computation of the fees, the figures given being preceded by the abbreviation ‘Est,” to indicate that the ton- nage, is an approximated tonnage the vessel not having been admeasured,