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6 The Marine Review March, 1914 THE BRITISH-BUILT STEAMER LEAFIELD WHICH STRUCK THE ROCKS ON ANGUS ISLAND AND FOUNDERED IN DEEP WATER WITH ALL ON BOARD, morning some distance north of Tawas Point on the direct Detour course. The Scott was following a few miles behind the McGean. With a lee shore both vessels were comparatively secure from a northwest gale on this course. It was about an hour after this that the northeast gale struck Lake Huron and undoubtedly both the McGean and the Scott headed into it. What happened to them after that is the merest guesswork. Capt. Charles L. Hutchinson thinks that the McGean may have run on the nine-fathom bank, which is a shoal in the middle of Lake Huron, where fishermen say there is only 21 ft. of water. Vessels taking a generally northeasterly course from the point at which the McGean and Scott must have turned might possibly strike this shoal. If one of them did, of course, with the tremendous seas running it would be broken to pieces at once. Disappearance of Carruthers One of the great mysteries is the disappearance of the bulk freighter James Carruthers. This steamer was built at the Collingwood yard during the present year and was one of the best constructed vessels on the Great Lakes. She had several hundred tons more steel worked into her hull than is usual and for that reason her carrying capacity was greatly diminished, the owners sacrificing earning power for stanchness and seaworthiness. The Carruthers left the Sault downbound at approximately the same time that the J. H. Sheadle did and both entered Lake Huron within an hour of each other; yet the Sheadle came through after a trying experience, but the Car- LEAFIELD WAS BUILT BY WOOD, Steamer Centurion Capt. P. A. Anderson, of the Centurion, passed into Lake Huron about 6 o'clock Saturday evening, Nov. 8, and made the trip across the lake without great difficulty, passing Fort Gratiot light about 2 P. M., Nov. 9. "Going down the rapids, " said he, "was an experience I never had before. Everything close to the river was washed away. The wooden breakwater around the Grand Trunk repair yard was going to pieces when I passed; seas washed right up on the dock and tore off sections 50 ft. long and all, of course, went down with the current. It was 2: 01 P. M., on Nov. 9, when we passed Fort Gratiot, and 20 minutes later I could not see the length of my own boat. The wind was blowing about 60 miles per hour from the north. We slowed down and picked our way as far as Recor's Point, where I came around on the port wheel and let go of the port anchor with 60 fathoms of chain. We could hear by the sound of the chain that we were dragging, so we let go the starboard anchor with 30 fathoms of chain. By that time the wind and current were so strong that a 20-lb. lead was carried right out of a man's hand and we could not tell whether we were dragging or not. When it cleared up at 5: 30 A. M., Nov. 10, we found that we had dragged two miles down the river. " SKINNER & CO., NEWCASTLE, ENG. ruthers has not been heard from since. What happened to her is the merest conjecture. The most plausible theory is that she got into the trough and that her cargo of wheat shifted, causing her to sink. She represents the greatest single loss, as she was insured for $279, 000 and her cargo of grain was insured for $350, 000. Modifications in Structure As a result of the disaster to the Carruthers, the St. Lawrence & Chicago Steam Navigation Co. is having important changes made in their new bulk freighter now under construction at Collingwood. The cargo hatches, 10 ft. 6 in. in size, will be spaced 24 ft. centers instead of 12 ft. Four-inch spruce hatch covers will be fitted in place of telescopic steel covers. The wooden covers arc fitted (salt water style) inside of Tyzack's patent hatch rest bar and will be supported underneath with portable steel strong-backs fitted both fore and aft and athwartships. The after deck-house, texas and pilot house are being built much heavier and will have strong stiffening on the inside. No projection or overhanging deck will be fitted around the after deck house. All door openings will have coamings 12 in. in height and all doors will be of solid teak, 2 1/4 in. thick. With the exception of the pilot house, no windows will be fitted in the deck houses. 15-in. diameter brass side lights being substituted. This company is also fitting steel strongbacks under all hatch covers on the other vessels of the fleet, as well as adopting better means of securing