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4 THE MARINE RECORD @ecord. Ghe Marine Published Every Thursday at 144 Superior Street, (Leader Building.) A. A. POMEROY, Editor and Proprietor, TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION: One year, postage paid,... Six months, postage paid.. Invariably in advance. Subscriptions will be continued until ordered stop- ped by a written order, or at the publication office’ The MARINE RECORD can be found for sale by the following news dealers.: CLEVELAND, OHIO—G F Bowman, corner ef Pearl and Datroit, streets. : CHICAGO, ILL.—Joseph Gray, No. 9 West Randolph street. BUFFALO, N. Y.—C. Rolfmer, Michigan street Swing Bridge. DULUTH, MINN.—C. F. Johnson, 117 West Supo- rior street. ‘ SARNIA, ONT.—D. M. McMaster & Co. EsCANABA, MICH,—William Godley. MANISTEE, MICH.—J. E. Somerville. Articles, letters and queries on all subjects are solici- ted. $2. « 1,00 ADVERTISING RATES. Ten cents per line, nonpareil measurement, or $1.20 per inch, each insertion; four weeks $4.00; with a liberal discount on orders amounting to $40.00 or over. All checks and drafts should be drawn to the order of A. A. Pomeroy. Entered at the Post Office at Cleveland as second- class mail matter. i CLEVELAND, OHIO, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16. ASHLAND AS A SHIPPING POINT. Although the ore farms near Ashland, Wis. have not yet been developed, sufficient is known regarding their extent and the qual- ity of the ore, to warrant us in saying: that they are of immense value to commerce, and that Ashland, as a shipping port will soon become important, and, to that end the Mil- waukee, Lake Shore & Western railway has let a contract for the building of their ore docks at that place, which will be the largest ore docks on the Jakes, consequently the largestin the world. The extreme length of the docks over all will be 1400 feet and they will be forty-six- feet wide and forty feet high, containing 234 pockets with a capacity for 25,000 tons of ore. ‘I'he contract for build- ing these extensive ore decks hus been secured by Mr. C.C. Smith of La Cross, Wie., who has commenced work, the con- tract calling for their completion in July, 1885. Suid docks will be located in twenty feét of water, which will permit uccess to them by the largest vessels that can get into Lake Superior. The above mentioned railway will be finished. to Ashland by the first of June, next, and the Northern, Pacific will be com- pleted at Ashland, (from Superior City) sixty miles, by the first of December, inst.; in fact twenty-seven miles of the sixty have already been ironed, and the grading and bridge work on the remaining thirty-three miles nearly finished. ‘l'his will make four railroad’s terminating at Ashland by July, 1885. The Wisconsin Central has located a railroad to run parallel with the Lron Range from Penokee a point on their main line thirty miles southeast of Ashland, run ning east from Penokee, sixty miles, with which to transport iron ore to Ashland, from their own mines, which have been developed with good measure of success during the past year. With all these new sources of supply, or feeders for lake navigation, open- ing up to view, and a good demand for the produce of the mines and fields of the Lake Superior region in perspective, the outlook of the marine interest next year is not so gloomy as it has been during the present season, especially as our agricultural and mining resources are very attractive flelds for e employment of both labor and capital and will be worked to their full capacity. In- deed itis the intention of owners of one of the ranges referred to to bring down a cargo of this ore the present season, not from Ash- land however, to analyze and experiment with In order to be able to act with con- fidence and dispatch early next season, The fact that Washburne and Bayfield are both good coal receiving points makes the cer; talnty of getting up cargoes for a great num- ber of our carriers assured, THE OCTOBER GALES. The recent gales throughout the lake re- gion have been short, though spiteful, and the number of casualties have been much leas thus far than in former years. In short, the month of October is not to be included as notable for heavy gales, and, as our readers have already been informed, 'that of 1848 is without a precedent. A very severe storm passed over the lakes in October, 1838, yet the loss of life and property was by no means as destructive as in the former year, In the gale ot 1888, there are many yet liv- ing who will remember the loss of the fine brig Manhattan, wrecked near Point Abino, on Lake Erie; and at various other points |, the loss was very severe, ‘That of 1844 was far more destructive on all the lakes, and natably so at Buffalo. ‘I'he west side of the harbor at that port was without any protec- tion whatever, and with the sudden rise of water, made a clean sweep of everything portable. Residences, with their inmates, were swept out into the luke. Upward of thirty houses were washed away, «and over fifty lives lost. Steamers and, veszels were driven high and dry into some of the prin- ciple streets and the destauction ‘of property was upward of halfa million dollars. Tne Liverpool, England, Cotton Circular in a recent issue has the following pertinent comment on the effect of the United States tariff laws: ‘This country: has suffered severely of late years from the increasing stringency of foreign tariffs. ‘There.has been a growing tendency evinced in most countries to protect their own industries, and in every such case we are the -chief sufferers, for we live, us already said, by ex- changing our manufactures for necessaries of life. ‘The United States was at one time alarge customer for our iron ware and textile fabrics; but the hostile tariff she has enforced since the civil war has nearly driven us out of her market, and has built up avast system of manufactures, which completely. supplies her own wants and leaves something to spare to compete with us in foreign markets... The fact is that their market is almost ‘ost to us, and we, on the other hand, are constantly more dependent upon her food and raw material. For this we have no meane of paying except by money or bonds, or indirectly by our credit with China, Brazil, ete. Our colonies all follow in the wake of the United States, and do their best to stimulate their own manu- factures by closing their markets against ours.”’ THE Bureau of Statistics has added many valuable facts and figures to the advance re- port of our foreign commerce for the fiscal year ending June 80, 1884. During the year the value ot domestic merchandise exported was $724,964,872, andin the exme period there was exported of foreign merchandise $15,548,757 making a total value of exports for the year $740,518,609, which figures ex ceed the value of merchandise imported, $72,815,916. This excess is about $28,000,000 below that for the preceding year and is the smallest balance in our favor during the past nine years, excepting the years 1876 and 1882. A PETITION has been in cireulation at the various lake ports, to the government light- house board, for the construction of a light off Grosse Point, Lake St. Clair, for the guidance of veszels entering the Detroit riv- er, and the prevention from stranding on Peche Island. It has already the signatures ot upward of 375 prominent ship owners and masters, and the importance ot such a atruc- ture is almost incalculable. Heretofore there has been a temporary light, which has not proved reliable in all sorts of weather and was not properly located. SURPRISE SHOAL. Notice is given that Staff Cothmander Boulton, R. N., has reported Surprise Shoal, situated between Cape Crocker and Cabot’s Head, in Georgian Bay, Ont., and consisting of boulders and rocks, with eight feet of water on it, as lying three-fourths of a mile eastward of the position assigned it on the present charts, From the recks the right or northwest en- trance of Barrier Island (MelvilleSound) is touching the left, or southeast extremity of Cape Dundas, bearing south southwest, three-quarters west. Griffith’s Island light. house is twice its apparent height, open northeast of Cape Crocker, bearing south routheast, one-quarter east. OBITUARY. Captain Marshall Capron, an old and ex- perienced like navigatoy and shipbuilder, died at his residence in Conneaut, Ohio, on Tuesday, the 7th inst., after a brief illness, at the age of 68 Captain Capron’s history is well known to many of our readers and is one of peculiar interest, involving, as it does, the struggles of « poor and friendless boy to attain position and wealth, which, after having been secured and enjoyed foratime, ia speedily swept away, the former by the dread destroyer, and the latter by the ever varying tides of business. From boyhood the love of a sailor’s life was his one great passion, and led to its early adoption as_ his Mfelong profession. In the fall and winter of 1831-2, in company with H. C. Walker, of this place, the schooner J. B. Skinner, 100 tons was built, and young Capron as her commander sailed proudly out of the harbor with his first vessel. In 1847 Captain Cap- ron was appointed to the command of the brig Banner, which came out new that year, and which sailed until the year 1859, when he practically retired from active life on the lakeg, but continued to build and fit out other vessels, among which was ‘the scow Times, sixty tong, built during the winter of 1859-60, ‘This was followed by the bark Monitor, 500 ‘tons, in the years 1861-2,.a splendid vessel in those days. ‘he schooner Ann Maria, 450 tons, followed during 1868-4, and then the bark Valentine, 800 tone, and ‘I. B. Rice, 300 tons in the years 18684. His last ventures were the schooners Conneaut, 39 tons, and M. Capron, 169 tone, built dur. ing the years 1873-5. The building of the last two proved disastrous to him finan- clally, coming out as they did, during the years of commercial depression that fol- lowed. He struggled along with that iron will go characteristic of the man, but in 1877, through force of circumstances, was com- pelled to make an assignment for the bene- tit of his creditors. At one time he was one of the largest individual vessel owners on the lakes, and was considered to be worth fully one hundred thousand dollars. The panic of ’73 had however, swept this away, leaving him but little for declining years, Captain Capron was a man of large heart, liberal and very kind in disposition, a man of very decided views and set in his ways. Perfectly honest and straightforward, he won the esteem and confidence of all with whom he came in contact during his busi- ness life. He was an ardent Mason and Knights Templar. The funeral services, which took place on the 12th inat., were conducted by the Masonictraternity, and hia remains interred in Center cemetery at Con- neaut. ; ABOUT PROPELLERS. Editor of the Marine Record: A correspondent in your last issue, over the signature of “Chip,” makes some extraor- dinary statements about screw propellers. If he will give the origin of the law he has discovered, or upon what fact it is based, he will oblige me, and doubtless, other engi- neers. I have had some familiarity with this propelling instrument in the last thirty years but would be glad to know more. HeEtix. A HORsE’s power, in machinery, as a measure of force, is estimated equal to the raising of 83,000 pounds over a single pulley one hae pen which is equal to 650 pounds raised one foot a second or 1,000 pounds raised 38 feet a minute. CHANGEOF LIGHTS. Notice is given that the description of Cherry Island light in Lake St. Francis, river St. Lawrence, published in the “List of Lights” (No. 145,) must be changed, In consequence of a new lighthouse apparatus having been erected last winter, Latitude, 45° 8. north; longitude, 74° 22\ west. The light is fixed white, elevated forty-three feet above the water mark, and should be seen eleven miles all around the horizon. The illuminating apparatus is dioptric of the sixth order. The tower is a hexagonal wooden building, forty-one feet high from its base to the lantern vane, and is painted white, with the lantern red. By order of sighthowss Inspector N. M, Dyer, tenth district, the white lantern light heretofore exhibited at the east end of Cleve- land breakwater will, for the future, be dis- played from a mast on the erib, about forty feet Inside of its former position. ‘SCIENCE APPLIED ‘10 SHIPBUILD.- ; ING. Lockroat, N, Y., Ovtober 11, Editor of the Marine Record. { notice a eprint of one of my contribu. tions to the American Aquatic Magazine, in your issue of the 2d inat. I also notice, in your issue of the 9th inst., sarcastic com- ments made by a person signing himself j“Chip.”? I have Deen writing and publish. ing on points ard principles of safety for a sea-going vessel for over thirty years, and hold myself open to meet any arguments that may be advanced against the points I raise. In fact, I solicit them. But such comments as Chip’s do not furnish argu- ments or give information, and, of course, there is nothing to meet. But some of the questions that he asks are pertinent, and it may be beneficial to answer them. In one he says: ‘‘For are not all our shipbuilder groping in the darkness of ignorance for want of light trom those known principles of science?’ I answer, yes,they are. One would naturally infer, by reading Chip’s letter, thatshe was “Sup” in naval architect- ure, and that it was, according. to his idea, a sclence. But I will eay for hia information that there is no such science, and the best that can be said for the shipbuilders is, that they are experts, and of the system, that it isa craft. At one age astrology was considered to be a science, and one of the highest order, notwithstanding no science was then in ex- istence. But light has been thrown on it by known science, und it has dissolved the dogma. ‘This celebrated science ot naval architecture has been practiced the same as it now is from the earliest times, and known science has had nothing more to do with it than it had with astrology. But when it tukes it in charge it will dissolve tt, as it did the other. Sone shrpbuilders have learned their craft by having been apprenticed to it, as I was myself, in my youth, or theoret- ically, by reading such works as Scott Rus- sell’s,* now a standard. But le says, in closing up one of his works, ‘’Lhat some people believe that naval architecture can be reduced to science, but that is not so. But if it was possible to be so, a person poss sessed of a fine mathematical mind could be far better employed than in a shipyard.” ‘The most positive. proof that it is not a sci- ence is, that there are no classical works on it, nor is it taught in any of our schools. Scientists of known science know that the motions and forces of the ocean are caused by natural laws, and are disturbed equilibrium. They aleo know that there are other counter laws which restore the equi- librium, or obviate its force. The little ves- sel that I have described has in her form the last mentioned natural law. There are no miracles in her motions and powers, nor have any of the motions and forces to be suspended. My article alluded to by Chip is plain common sense, and the de- scription ot the performances of the Future are to the point, and plain to be understood, and can be proved in the clearest manner. There is no one thing beter known by the public than that the form of a vessel has been for ages back constantly mooted; also that no two from different builders are alike ; also that not far from three thousand are annu- ally wrecked, and about three hundred are never heard from in the eame length of time, and no one knows what has become of them. Sometimes persons are picked up at sea, and from them we learn in what manner their vessel foundered. ‘I'wo such cases in the last past summer are reported. The last one, the sad story told and fllustrated in the New York Graphic, of September 30th, of the lost yacht Mignonette, which foundered In mid-ocean on July 5th. If Chip would read that account it would afford him an opportunity to illustrate his ideas of science in her form to meet the forces of the ocean. Yacht builders are ranked as the best of ex- perts, and there can be no doubt but this one, had in her all the science that is now practiced by the craft, Buoyancy is the life of a vessel, but it can not be.so un- less it Is 80 placed in the form of a vessel.as to be active at all times, and in all positions that a vessel may be in, also to be 80 securely protected from injury that the vessel could not lose it, This was not the case with this little vessel, as she went down in five min- utes after she had been injured by the blow of 2 wave on her side, ‘The inmates had no time to secure provisions and water, and