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The Marine @ecord. SS Published Every Thursday at 144 Superior Street, (Leader Building.] A. A. POMEROY, Editor and Proprietor. eee TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION: $2.00 . 1.00 One year, postage paid... Six months, postage paid. Invariably in advance, The MARINE 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. C. 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 live, 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. BILLS OF LADING. Our laws regarding bills of lading are very slack at the present time and it is, there- fore, a matter of congratulation’ that the James Dill regulating these. marine docu- ments is likely to pass the National Congress. Only one thing stands in its way and that is its importance, for it seems as if a maritime act of any kind produced upon the average legislator a violent. attack of somnolence with varying effects, according to the pon- derance of the measure. ‘The House com- mittee has, however, reported, with amend- ments, the James bill regulating the forms of international bills of lading, and prescrib- ing the duties of ship owners. Under its provisions vessel owners can not issue bills of lading which do not specify the exact voy- ages and intended ports of entry. All reasonable detentions, such as storms, er- randa of’ mercy, and the like, form excuses for deviating from the course laid out. Clauses lessening the obligations of the own- ers to equip, man and render the ship in every way seaworthy can not be inserted in the billof lading, nor can they be inserted to exempt theowner from liability tor neg- - ligence, fault, or failure in proper storage, custody and care. All goods and merchan- dise are subject to the conditions of the act, and should the agent or master refuse to issue a bill of 'ading conforming with its provisions, clearance shall be refused by the custom house authorities until the bill of lading is granted, and the vessel shall be lia- ble to an action in rem for damages to ship- pers. In case of dispute as to the terms of the bill of lading conforming to the act, » clause may be inserted in it declaring that it is intended to conform to the law, and any thing it may contain contrary to it may be null and void, which shall be sufficient au- thority for the granting of the clearance. It will be seen that the bill is intended to do away with the great variety of bills of lading, consequent upon almost every steamship having one of its own, and make them uni- ferm. So far there can be no harm in the “act. Its other and more prominent features lie in the tact that it obliges owners to as- sume risks that are now imposed upon ship- pers. In many cases owners of vessels are now not even liable for damages or loss ot freight resulting from theirown negligence, Of course the wrongs in such cases should be righted, but the new act may go much fur- ther than this when it attempts to specify the shoulders which shall bear the burden _of risks. The shipper and owner may at present have a full and mutual understand- ing on this point, and if such is the case it would not be strict justice to interfere with their contract, as the bill of lading may for the purpose be called. Compliance with a third purty, the behests of the law, would certainly oblige the owner to xssume the risks and give the two first parties to the contract no voice inthe matter at all. Possibly this muy be right, but the consequences almost sure to result would nor be lost sight of. underwriters who insure, brokers who wake advances on bills of lading, and carriers and shippers. wonld all tall upon the carriers. That this would compel a readjustment of the rates of freight proportioned to the cost of increased liabilities seems altogether rea- sonable. , It would also make a difference with underwriters, and, at last, the shipper Would have to pay tor all the advantage the new law would give him in this particular. THE RIVER AND HARBOR BILL. A week or two agothe committee having it in charge endeavored to call up the river and harbor bill, but Hon. Sam Randall, chair- man of the committee on appropriationa, an- tagonized it with the legislative, judicia! and executive bills, which he wanted to have disposed of before the excitement of the. pres- idential conventions began. ‘The members of the river and harbor bill think this makes the passage of their bill impossible this ses- sion. ‘hey charge Randall with being op- posed to its passage. He denies and says he is merely looking out for the best interests ot his own~bills, We are willing to acquit him of all animus, but the tail end ot his disclaimer sounds very bad for the prospects of the river and harbor measure. ‘The house has barely time to dispose of the regular ap- propriation bills. It has just lost a week by one convention, and it will hardly recover its equanimity before the next one meets. After that there can be no more legislation this summer to speak of, for Washington will hardly be habitable in July, especially yunder the increased hext induced by the nomination of Blaine’s opponent for the presidential chair. Whenever the House does yet down to work, which occurs at odd spells, much of its time is wasted inthe most ridiculous manner. As an instance: it spent a day and night considering the legis- lative bill recently. During the proceedings an amendment, proposed a3 a joke, to pro- hibit clerks of the House. cominittee from performing private clerical service for mem- bers of Congress, and fixing as a penalty the dismissal of the clerk and fine and imprison- ment of the member violating its provisions, was adopted by a voteof 91 to 23. ‘This prank was played in committee of the whole and the House had to undo it after rising. The same playful inember offered an amend- ment, which was ruled out of order, to allow each member of the House a private secreta- ry to be paid out ot the contingent fund, We do not wonder that lookers on conclude that the time for adjournment will find the calendars of the House still loaded with im- portant bills, The friends of the river and harbor bill believe it will be among those lettover. But the House is an erratic body, and there is no telling what it will do. CUSTOMS CONSOLIDATION BILL. THE MARINE RECORD. There seems to be something in the customs consolidation bill, now before con- gress, and which effects Duluth so vitally that makes it important in some quarters to have it passed in any shape. Duluth busi- ness men, though her chamber of commerce and her board of trade, have done all that in their power lies to avert the threatened danger to her port and shipping by respect- fully but vigorously memorializing Con- gress and exposing the unjust descrimina- tion of the measure, both generally against the Northweast and particularly against Duluth, and as the exposition has been generally circulated among members of Congress it seems probable that it has made the position of the friends of the measure in the Senate untenable. What is the result? These same Kentuckians, who, from their situation in an inland state might be sup- posed to know and care least about customs arrangment, have now tacked substantially the same bill onto the tail end of the legisla- tive bill in the House in the shape of an amendment. We quote from the proceedings of the House In committee of the whole, on the legislative bill, Mr. Cox of New York in the chair: “Mr. Thompson offered an amendment providing that from and after June 30, 1884, there sl all be no more than forty-three in- ternal revenue diatricts. It further atthor ‘zed the president to consulidate and reor- ganize the customs collection districts of the United States on or before October 1, 1884, so that the same shall not exceed in number sixty-seven, “Mr. Kasson made a strong speech upon the unwisdom of acting upon a proposition which upset the whole system ot the customa service without proper zonsideration by the The risks that are now distributed umong | Ways «nd means committee. “Mr. Randell said the proposition had been substantially recommeuded by the secretary of the treasury. ‘I'he amendment was agreed to,’’ his is not so bad as the Senate bill, as it leaves the matter to the descretion of the president, who, having been in the customs service himself, may be supposed to know how to locate ports of entry without entire disregard to geographical impossibillities» which gives Duluth one more chance. But, considering that the measure will be tadical in its effects on the whole country and has not yet been considered, as Mr. Kasson pointed out, by the committee of ways and means, it looks suspicious and we cannot help asking why this unseemly haste gentle- men? LAUNCH OF THE PAVID WALLACE, ‘The fine barge, the keel of which was laid in January at W. H. Radeliff’s shipyard was launched yesterday in good shape in the presence of a large audience, and when she settled drew 5 feet 8 inches forward and 6 feet 8 inches aft. She is owned by Wallace Brothers, at. al., and will go as consort to the steambarge Robert Wallace. She is 226 feet over all 210 feet keel, 36 feet beam and 18 feet depth of hold. She has double decks ot three inch white pine, a centerboard box thirty feet in length and four masts. Her main keelson, sister keelson und two ruders are 16x16 inches,- floor keelsons from 14 to 10 inches, and bilge keelsons 8 inches; ceiling to lower deck six and to upper deck six inches. Her- frames are 17 inches at the bridge, 15 inches at the bilge and 7 inches at the top, and her outside planking four inches in thicktiess. She hasa round stern and is a very. handsome barge. She is furnished with three capstans and windlass trom the American Ship Windlass Company of Providence R. I. through their agents at this port, Messrs. .Upson, Walton & Company. Her. cabin is convenient and roomy and supplied: with,all accessories for comfort. Her cost to her owners is about $55,000 without much margin to Mr. Radcliff, her builder, considering the extra good ma- terial and workmanship that has been put into her. Captain Henry Wallace, who sailed the Thomas. Gawn the past eleven years, will be her master, | We do not hesitate to say that Mr. Rad- cliff’s reputation as a builder of staunch and servicable ships will be fully maintained by this fine barge. Among the boats Mr. Rad- cliff has put afloat we find the propeller Havana, built in 1873, 1041 tons, classed A2; the schooner Genna, the same year, 780 tons, classed A2; the tug ‘Triad-in 1875, 31 tons classed A2; propeller John N. Gliddon in 1878, 1110 tons, classed Al; propeller A. Everett, in 1879, 1089 tons, classed Al; propeller R. P. Ranney in 1880, 1392 tons, classed Al*; the tug Dreadnaught in 1881, 31 tons, classed Al; the tug George R. Paige in 1882, 34 tons, and classed Al, and the propeller Robert Wallace in 1882, 1189 tons and classed A2, PATENT RUDDER HOLDER Charles A, Richardson, of Alpena, has in- vented a rudder holder and support which can not fail to come into general use when its merits for durability and excellence are knewn. Judging trom the drawings , we have seen it is both simple and inexpensive, and as applied the rudder cannot break loose, being held to the vesrel even if the shoe is carried away. It consists of but few parts, namely, a bed plate fixed to the vessel and a collar fixed on the rudder post, said bed- plate and collar being tongned and grooved together to insure a firm hold of the rudder to Its place, nnd permit easy move- ment of the rudder in steering the vessel, whereby also the rudder post and its casing are protected from wear, and leakage around the post is prevented, and the lower bearing shoe of the rudder is or may be relieved of downward strain by the weight of the rudder. One of these holders and supports has been placed on the steamer Flora,of Grummond’s line, and Captain Jones speaks very highly of it. here is also one on the tug Ralph and the steamer Golden Eagle, both of which give great satisfaction. Steam. boat and vessel men who have seen ft ap- plied pronounce it a great success in every respect. ——_— Customs officers have been notified to issue no return tickets to Chinamen bound for China by way of foreign porte, a8 these certificates have been misused. —$$$<S Page.) ( Detroit—Continued from Ist being made reacy at this port for the Quebeg market, thence shipped to Glasgow and Liy. erpool, McArthur Bros., of ‘Toronto, are largely engaged in the enterprise and haye several vessels employed. The propeller Jay Gould, ore laden from Escanaba, arrived here disabled on Friday, some parts of her machinery giving out, The tug Sweepstukes passed here on Sun. day morning witha large raft in good or. der from Lake Huron, and the Mocking Bird had one also of large dimensions. The schooner New Dominion was libelled the other day at this port for $3, seaman’s wages at that. Sooner than pay poor Jack she gave bonds, The barge Mears, of this port, a few days since stranded at Point Edwarda, and atter q great deal of pulling was got afloat. It seemed like a small aftair and hardly worth reporting. ‘The outcome, however, exceeded $1,000. The life saving crew at Point au Barques pieked up a quantity of lumber on the beach which had. been thrown overboard from a vessel in order to prevent shipwreek. The tug Kate Williams is doing good ser- vice at South Manitou in releasing the steambarge Monitor, sank at that place. The S. D. Caldwell, at one time one of the finest of lake propellers, is being dismantled at Port Huron to become a tow barge, Dwight Scott, her former owner, lies at the bottom of Lake Michigan, having been lost with the entire crew of the propeller Equinox during a terrible storm in the fall of 1875, with four- teen, all told, going to the bottom. The Cald- well was built at Cleveland by Stevens & Pressley in 1862, and for a time plied to Lake Superior, Paul Pilky, master. a Five million feet of lumber passed this port to-day within five hours, three million feet being in one tow. The schooner L. S. Hammond was the first vessel at Tolodo to unfurl the Blaine and Logan banner to the breeze on Sunday. It is much to be regretted that our lake seamen should be denied the privileges of a lubber on shore. ‘This was practically illus- trated a night or two since at this port. A vessel had shipped a crew at going wages, no inquiries being made as to whether they were republicans or democrats, Baptists or any other denomination, union or non-union. Yet they were compelled, after going on board, to leave the vessel at midnight, sim- ply. because they did not belong to the league that is causing more or less bloodshed and fights at intervals in various ports. It has been generally supposed that this was a free country and each citizen privileged to exer- cise his own discretion as to how he shall manage his own affairs. The steamer Oregon, a few days ago, bound up, passing through Point au Pelee Passage, discovered the body of a man float- ing with head partially above water, and ac- cordingly reported the same at this port. Now it would seem that if the Captain had been on the lookout for the remains of a relative or friend he would have stopped and picked itup. But as such was not the case his humanity did not extend in that di- rection. Charters continue down to hard pan and rates are ruling as follows: Lumber from French river to Amherstburg, $1.75; cedar posts trom St. Joseph Island to Detroit, 5c each; ties from same point to Sarnia, 9c each ; lumber, Oscoda to Detroit, $1.50; dry lumber, Detour to Detroit, $1.50 on rail; cord wood, Rogers City to Detroit, on p.t» say $2. ; The steambarge Energy, built at Wallace- burg the past winter, capsized in Lake St. Clair last night, about tive miles above the lightship, and lies sunk with a portion of her mast out of water. She was laden with hickory wood and had in tow two barges, both of which lost their deck loads. No lives lost. A heavy northeast gale set inon Monday noon, and extends throughout the luke re- gion. Of course the usual routine of casual- ties on the lakes may be looked for. The announcement came last evening that the propeller California, laden with corn, had struck a reef one mile north of Sand Beach, Lake Huron, and was faring badly. ‘The tug W. A. Moore was sent to her relief, with two steam pumps, but a there is a heavy sea on and the steamer