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4 THE MARINE RECORD. Ghe Marine Record. Published Every Thursday at 144 Superior Street, [Leader Building.) ; A. A. POMEROY, Editor and Proprictor, — TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION: @ne year, postage paid... Six months, postage pa’ Invariably in advance. : The MAKINE RECORD can be found for sale at the following places: G F Bowman, corner of Pearl and Datroit sts., Cleve- land, Ohio. Joseph Gray, No.9 West Randolph street, Chicago. C. Rohmer, Michigan street. Swing Bridge, Buffalo, New York. Cc. F. Johnson, 117 West Superior street, Duluth Minn. D. McMasters & Co., Sarnia, Ontario. Wm. Godley, Escanaba, Michigan. J. E. Somerville, Manistee, Michigan. “articles, letters and queries.on all subjects are solici- ted. 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. Entered at the Post Office at Cleveland as second- class mail matter. 3 THE SHIPPING BILL. In passing Mr. Dingley’s shipping bill the lower house of Congress tacked on to it an amendment that will be very apt to ride it to death. Mr. Dingley’s bill was intended to relieve ship owners of certain burdens. It abolished the marine hospital tax, re- duced the three months’ extra wages to one month’s wages, abolished consular fees, re- duced the tonnage tax, etc. Its provisions were simple. ‘Ihe bill effected wholly in- digenious enterprise, was satisfactory to American vessel interests, and generally considered to be a good thing. If it had been allowed to pase as originally drafted it would have accomplished its purpose and worked harm to no one. Consequently it had no enemies and was pretty sure of plain sailing. It was too much, however, for the mischievous nerves of free trade Sam Cox to stand. He no sooner saw the buoyant shipping bill ready to start off on her pros- perous cruise than it occurred to him that she would be a splendid craft on which to float some ot his dogmas. She was not go- ing his way, he knew the load would find no purchasers at her port of destination and that her master recoiled with natural Amer ican instinct against carrying such a cargo; but he had the opportunity and he could not resist the chance ef deciding definitely a question upon which he secretly had the greatest doubts, namely, whether an Ameri- ean ship could possibly keep from sinking with a cargo of free trade theories aboard. So he freighted her with an amendment pro- viding that foreign built ships of not Jess than 4,000 tone burden, bought and owned by citizens of the United States, may be ad- mitted free of duty. Our readers can read- ily see that this amendment ia to permit the buying of ready made foreign ships, built with cheap labor and material and bringing them into this country without paying the duty the Jaw now imposes alike upcn foreign ships or foreign material of which they are made. In other words, it is a flat-footed free trade mensure. We have stated our purpose many times not to discuss the free trade interest except where it affects the maritime interests, when it would be our object to do so impartially, and always for the greatest good to that industry. The vexed questiou now is. why did Congress- man Cox attach that issue to the shipping bill? It-is in no way related to it. There would bave been just as much sense in tack- ing it on to the bankruptcy act, more, in fact, for free ships means bankruptcy toa pretty large class of citizens. But che fact is he wanted to see what would become of his free ship dogma when it reached the Sen- ate. He is loaded down with these free trade theories and it is doubtless an instinct with fling him, like a boy with a handful ot burs, to them wherever he thinks they will stick. It is purely mischievous, however, and the Sen- ate has seen it in that light. Atall events it is notto be allowed to remain a part of the Dingley shipping bill. It turns that in- to a curse which would have been a blessing to ship owners. Even if free ships were a | good thing, this amendment is out: of place | attached to the shipping bill, for the reason that the shipping bill does not touch the question of tariff in the remotest way, while the free ship clause is purely a tariff ques- tion. ‘The free ship amendment permits free entry to toreign built ships of over 4,000 tons burden, when purchased by Americans. Ou: tariff laws impose a duty on lumber aud iron, the wateriaul which compose these for- eign ships, and also on foreign ships them- selves, and along comes Mr. Cox, who, know- ing that the turiff laws are intact, and are likely to remain so, inserts a proviso to allow ships to be brought in free of duty. It is a tremendous breach he would make by throwing this bomb through the tariff wall. Under the present law, if an American pur- chases a foreign ship he must pay a duty on it to protect our shipbuilders; if he wants to evade that he must pay a duty on the ma- terial, and thus give our shipbuilders the work of constructing it. This free ship clause sweeps away every one of these guards atonce. It gives permission of free entry to ships built by the cheap labor of foreign countries, and would bring down the wages of American workmen to a corresponding figure, which would wipe the industry out of existence. Neither would its eftects stop at the shipbuilding industry. They would ramify the iron and steel interest in all its -various forms and branches and work ruin to a now slowly recovering branch of busi- ness. ‘1here can be no sound argument made in defense of this tree ship scheme. If our tariff for protection is pernicious let it be proceeded against honestly and system- atically. Let the people be convinced that it is pernicious and it will be eradicated.: But the task of convincing them will be of such duration, and the evolution from pro- tection to free trade so gradual, that our in- dustries can accommodate themselves to the change without serious detriment to any one. We can not, however, believe in any .such theory of evolution that involves a leveling process. We believe in an upward grade not a downward. We do not see for Amer- fea any future good in a scheme that seeks to bring her workmen down to the condi- tion of European peasantry. We are still more firm in the opinion that the public will not upbold Mr. Cox’s sneaking way ot destroying the tariff laws by tacking his tor- pedoes to the tails of beneficent measures introduced in Congress. ? THE DULUTH CUSTOMS DISTRICT. A bill introduced into the Senate by Senator Beck of Kentucky provides for the| reconstruction «and consolidation of the customs districts of the United States, and virtually wipes out a number of them.’ We will not now question the wisdom ot this measure only so far as it concerns the facilities for the transaction of business on the lakes, viz. : ‘he removal of custom houses from the proper grographical location and establishing them in inland towns, whereby acity is constituted a port of entry which in reality is no port and has no harbor, no navigation interests, and no national boundry line. Itis possibly true that some of the customs dietricts on the Atlantic coast should be consolidated, on the ground of economy so that they may be self sustaining, which they are noe now, but as regards the merit of some other changes considered by the measure under discussion we can not comprehend, one of which involves the transfer of the customs offices, with all the business pertaining thereto, from Duluth, a city of much population, many mari- time intereste, and a natural port of entry, situated at the very head of lake navigation, witha long national boundary line, and clear ing and entering during a single year (1883) vessels of the largest clase, representing a tonnuge of over 800,000 tone, to St. Paul, an inland city, without any of the above ad- vantages, and no marine commerce what- ever, presents itself to our mind as a reversal of the eternal fitness of things, as the tail wagging the dog, or as another “Villard blind pool,”’ wherein the Oregon Navigation Company gorged itself with the Northern Pacific Railroad Company the connecting link between Duluth and the Pacific sea- board. In case this measure is passed without necessary amendment, gross injustice wily be done to Duluth in favor of St. Paul, Minn. It will appear to all who are ac- quainted with the relative merits of the cities above mentioned that the Kentucky Senator bas madeu very wild discrimination, either by reason of the poor logic he has brought to bear on the advantages of the grographical location of the cities to be affected by the proposed changes in that dis- trict, or the influence of the counsel he has had trom representatives of the latter city» who are watching with uneasiness the rapidly growing importance of Duluth. We can not adapt the situation of St, Paul to our detinition of a port of entry, a port or town where foreign yoods first enter our territory and become subject to customs duties. Hence we consider the ground oceu- pied by a committee, appointed by the Du- luth chamber of commerce, well taken, viz.: “I, St. Paulis an inland city 150 miles trom the nearest. mooring. grounds of any marine vessel and has no commerce that requires customs reports and vlexrances, In explanation of this assertion it is hardly necessary to say that inland river steamboats, such as run toand trom St. Paul, are not required to report and clear at any custom house. River steamers are in this. reapect the same as railway trains or canal boats, absolutely free from customs surveilance, except at points where they cross to.or from foreign territory with which we are not in an absolute state of reciprocity, and as St. Paul is not located at any such point said city cannot be in fact a port of entry for the proposed district. ae “IT, St. Paul is situated. some 250 miles from the International boundary line, and the fartherest removed of any city of the ‘pro- posed district for the transaction of the actual customs business of a port of entry. She is in a position where she can only have dutiable goods shipped to her in bond for delivery and appraisal; hence can never be, either in the meaning of the word or asa matter of. fact, the proper place for the principal port of entry for a custome district that has naviga- pe lake coasts and an international boundry ne. It also seems unreasonable that such a va-t area of territory, comprising the states of Minnesota, Montana, Idaho and Dakota, should be included in one customs district, covering as they do twelve hundred miles of international boundary line, when the bill in all other instances provides for one to eight districts in 2 single state, the higher number applying to New York, and Texas on the southern — border, occupying the same relative position that Minnesota does on the northern, is honored with five distinct customs districts. We take it, that in case the territory above noted is included in one customs district Duluth, the principal port, should be made the port of entry and the seat of the government offices; that the collector ef customs should have his residence there, not 250 miles from the nearest boundry line, and 150 miles from the nearest marine port, as would be the fact if he were resident at St. Paul. We also consider Dulvth the proper place for the location of the United States civil engi- neer, now located at St. Paul, that the needs ot the harbor may be attended to without delay in ofder to accommodate the ‘deep dratt vessels now plying into that port; and that the United States inspectors ot hulls and. boilers, instead ot being located at Marquette, should be centered at Duluth on account of the greater shipping interest there and which requires their closer atten- tion. We must say that Duluth, fancying hereelf strong in her natural commercial im- portance at the head of lake navigation, has let many advantages slip by her and is but now awakening to the Importance of assert- ing herself, The bill in question has passed its second reading in the Senate and is now in the hands of the committee on commerce. We deem it the duty of Hon. Knute Nelson, representa- tive ot the Duluth Congressional district, and of all the lake shore representatives in Congress, to advocate before the committee and in the halls the true interests of thei constituents, which will include the in- terests of navigation, an amendment to the section which applies to the Duluth customs district 80 that it may continue Duluth, a growing and prosperous city and the princi- pal shipping polut of an enormous grain area, ar the port of entry, and thereby save the annoyance and vexation to the vessel Interest that would be experienced with the port of entry 160 miles inland. THE annual regatta of the Northwestern Association of Oaramen, will be held at St. Clair, Mich,, this season. The Farragut boat club, of Chicago, will contest the honors, PATENT APPLIANCES. We have recently examined a ye voluminous printed copy of testimony taken before the Circuit Court of the Unitéd States, District of Maine, in the equity case of the American Ship Windlass Company yg, Thomas W. Hyde, a case which involves in. fringements on valuable appliances or ma. chinery invented and owned. by the above company, and which would have been de. cided at the spring term of said court but for the resignation of Judge Lowell, but which will again come up for hearing at the next term of the court, at Portland, Maine, In the meantime, Mr. Hyde, recognizing his liaBility, has discontinued the use of the locking gear involved in the cage and gives public notice to thatseffect. In order to insure itself of the full benefits and ad- vantages accruing from the use of their many valuable inventions to the ship windlass, the Providence company has been to much ex. pense and has complied with every letter of the patent laws and purpose to institute fur- ther proceedings against other firms who are infringing on this and other patents be- longing to the company. ‘The patent act of 1836 provides that whenever any action for damages tor infringement of or tresspass on the rights of a patentee a verdict is rendered for the plaintiff, the court may render judge. ment to any sum above the amount found by such verdict as the actual damages snstained by the plaintiff, but not exceeding three times the amount thereof, according to the circumstances of the caxe, ‘with costs, and which may be recovered by the persons legally authorized in any court of competent jurisdiction. Infringement may also be remedied, as above, by a bill in equity for an injunction and an account. or REPRESENTATIVE CONVERSE’S amendment to the Morrison tariff bill will include a sec- tion providing for u reduction of 10 per centof duties which now are, or hereafter muy be, provided by law on all merchandise imported into the United States from any foreign country in vessels of American reg- istry -for a period of not less than ten years, but which shal! not be operative until notice ‘has been served upon foreign governments under treaty stipulations. Tue Aquatic Monthly for April, a maga- zine which has already become authority in its field of information, contains much valu: able matter for lovers of aquatic sports, in- cluding an article from the pen of Charles E. Chase, entitled *Down the Ohio in a Ca- noe,” and ‘*Hints on Rowing”’ by Robert B. Johnson. THE National Association of American Oarsmen has decided the fine point at the recent meeting, that a junior oarsman is one who bas never pulled in a senior race or won a junior rave except in a regatta of the club to which he belonged. ———__— A GENERAL provision was made in the river and .harbor bill before Congress to pre- vent obstruction to navigation by bridges. [Concluded from Ist page.} : DULUTH. Special to the Marine Record, DuLurtH, May 5. Navigation opened at Duluth with the de- parture of the tug T. H Camp at 10a. m., May lat, for ‘I'wo Harbors on the north shore. She was followed by the steamer R. G. Stewart at 2 p. m., for the same place. At 3 p. m., the same day the barge Osceola, Captain Murch, of Ward’s Detroit & Luke Superior line, cleared for Buffalo with 8,000 bushels of wheat, and 3,000 barrels of flour, etc., the first clearance of the season for the lower lakes. The Sarnia propeller Quebec was delayed on account of some boiler tubes which did not arrive at the specified time, but she departed for north shore Canadian ports, May 4th, with flour and 275 passen- gers. _ The same day the steambarge Wallula, towing the Newcombe ané Guido Phister, and the D. M. Wilson, towing the Manito- woe, all wheat laden, departed for Buffalo. The Egyptian and Peterson will leave to- morrow, the 6th inst. Meanwhile heavy ice is yet in sight on the south shore, and fears are entertained that it may yet eome back and cause trouble. But lake men seem to think that as long as it does not jam in hard enough to pack there is no danger to an un- interrupted navigation at this end of the lake, B.