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within said hull, extending from said nose above the water line, down into the hold of the vessel to a point below the water line: and one or more guns movably mounted up the same, so as to point the muzzle of said gun, out of the nose, substantially as set forth. Third--The means of handling and firing guns on ships, provided with an open nose, which consists of an inclined track or tracks extending from said nose above the water line, down into the hold to a point below the water line, adjacent to the powder and shot magazines; and one or more guns, movably mounted on said track or tracks, substantially as set forth." Stocks of Grain at Lake Ports. The following table, prepared from reports of the Chicago board of trade, shows the stocks of wheat and corn in store at the principal points of accumulation on the lakes on June 24, 1893: Wheat, bu. Corn, bu. CHica gO ents sre onesioteoniges: « 19,497,000 1,687,000 Bp ah ta beret snes oes rents as ach Ti FAO OOOT iat -vehen Malwa kee: cesvsncinsiaade: i tae: 1,485,000 9,000 DStroiteccpusess. <a pajadies dae 1,183,000 8,000 Toled G taiis swetied gitectee cen 2,147,000: 230,000 Buthtalo xs. cst setae eee ee 1,676,000 487,000 Potall. .twétotues omer 33,728,000 2,431,000 At the points named there is a net decrease for the week of 2,027,000 bushels of wheat and 106,000 bushels of corn. Electric Plant of the Cruiser Machias. The cruiser Machias,recently tested by the United States naval board with such excellent results regarding speed is equipped with | an incandescent lighting plant furnished by the Fisher Electric Company of Detroit, Mich. 'The generating apparatus consists of two twin direct connected engines and dynamos. 'The incan- descent lamps are all enclosed in water-tight globes. But two sizes of wires were used in wiring this cruiser; one size for the mains or feeders and one size for the branches. Each lamp is taken from the feeder or main by means of a junction box and is © controlled by a water-tight switch and receptacle, located ad- jacent to the fixture. This system of wiring represents the very latest method in marine incandescent lighting, and while it is very much more expensive than the usual method, it is abso- lutely safe. All the safety devices are enclosed in water-tight bronze boxes and the fuses are placed in glass tubes and applied without the use of screw-heads, and it is, therefore, a very easy matter to renew the fuse. The cruiser is also equipped with a 30 c. m. Mangin search lamp supplied with diverging lenses. The Fisher Electric Company's apparatus successfully passed the preliminary test and final inspection test of the naval board. Decline in Canadian Shipping. Since 1880 the average yearly decrease in the tonnage registered in the Dominion of Canada has been about 25,000 tons. Shipbuilding has, of course, deceased accordingly. The decrease was more noticeable last year than in previous years. In the List of Canadian Shipping, issued by the department of marine, William Smith, deputy minister says: " The total number of vessels on the register books of the dominion on Dec. 31,1892, including old and new vessels, sailing vessels steamers and barges,was 4,007, measuring 964,129 tons, register tonnage, being a decrease of eight vessels and a decrease of 41,346 tons reg- ister,ascomparedwith1891. 'Thenumber ofsteamers ontheregis- try books on the same date was 1,502, with agross tonnage of 234,- 7i1 tons. Assuming the average value to be $30 per ton, the value of the registered tonnage of Canada, on Dec. 31 last, would be $28,923,870. 'The number of new vessels built and registered in the dominion during the last year was 255, measur- ing 28,773 tons, register tonnage. Estimating the value of the new tonnage at $45 per ton, gives a total value of $1,294,785 for new vessels." The following tables show tonnage owned in all parts of the MARINE REVIEW. as dominion on Dec. 31, 1892, and the totindge built and registered during the year ending with the same date : MERCHANT VESSELS BUILT AND REGISTERED IN THE DOMINION OF CANADA DURING THE YEAR ENDING DEC. 31, 1892. , , Net Nn met Number ti Gross tonnage PROVINCE. OTT De seOuok onnage of sailing ships and : of . steamers, | S#¢amers. steamers SO eeeas : "| steamers. New--Brunswiekeorenwredoneeeserresarerers 21 4 162 1,873 NovaiScotiay.:/stirc.siaponpsieansaeadt 105 7 321 16,446 QM Ot ere? cca iui Son gd tore earner 34 11 389 2,620 Onntanlon.... do. .s0e «<1 k spevee elite SRE 34 31 4,662 3,684 Prince Edward Island ............0.-+» 9 4 95 967 British: Columpiatecscteemenseesrcdet 46 it 1,937 2,887 Manitobays) Assists eeeeaeee. eee 6 4 384 296 Totals, cisoedtessontties tietecet aoe 255 78 7,950 28,773 MERCHANT VESSELS OF ALL KINDS OWNED IN THE DOMINION ON DEC. 31, 1892. se fs Net PROVINCE. ites sen en moe of. (Of, sailing steamers. sheammens. steamers. SPAUSeeae steamers, New Brumswicksit:.c.1.tits.cedecencesee 946 101 8,950 181,779 INVA) SEO) ;cocdacsesoosrioavaticososodco9008 2,731 123 18,743 425,690 Quebec sivas idee csecoaiecctuaanshasocouee 1,408 275 75,884 | 162,638 Ounttariogs sc: 4oe ets: aap addons eee 1,347 759 96,497 | 141,750 Prince Edward Island .................. 196 21. 4,896 22,706 British Columbia..................+.sc00e 298 173 © 23,607 23,448 Manitoba 2.5 th: itch eta bekt ctiret ect 81 54 6,184 6,118 otalis. cheswic jaesovsees seseeee ooee 7,007 1,502 234,711 | 964,129 As showing the decline in shipping and ship building the following table, covering twenty years, will prove interesting : Comparative statement of vessels own- || Comparative statement of vessels built ed in the dominion on Dec. 31 of and registered in the dominion dur- each year since 1873. ing each year since 18738. Year. | Number. Tons. Year. | Number. Tons. 1892 7,007 964,129 1892 255 28,773 1891 7,015 1,005,475 1891 312 52,145 1890 6,991 1,024,974 1890 285 52,378 1889 7,153 1,040,481 1889 280 34,346 1888 7,142 1,089,642 1888 264 25,130 1887 7,178 1,130,247 1887 224 22,516 1886 7,294 1,217,766 1886 229 32,207. 1885 7,315 1,231,856 18°5 240: 43,179 1834 7,254 1,253,747 1884 387 72,411 1883 7,374 1,276,440 1883 374 74,090 1882 7,312 1,260,777 1882 289 61,142 1881 7,394 1,310,896 1881 336 74,060 1880 7,377 1,311,218 1880 271 65,441 1879 TA 1,332,094 1879 265 74,227 1878 *7 469 1,333,015 1878 340 101,536 1877 7,862 1,310,468 1877 432 120,928 1876 7,192 1,260,893 1876 420 130,901 1875 6,952 1,205,565 1875 480 151,012 1874 6,930 1,158,363 1874 496 180,756 1773 6,783 WOTS FASE sail itse<s sieP Dl). Tee Advocating Winter Navigation. Eprror Marine Review: Why can we not keep our lake channels open for navigation throughout the winter, as well as the railways keep open their thousands of miles of track? This is a question that does not seem to receive the attention that it demands. Expenses attending the laying up and fitting out of vessels would go a great way towards the cost of keeping channels open. Wooden boats could not engage in this winter service, but the big iron boats would probably be at little disadvantage on account of ice forming about them, as this could be prevented by heating their water ballast with steam. Channels through 300 miles of connecting waters could be kept open by ice breaking boats fitted to carry and care for a large force of men, and located at such points as the St. Clair river, Straits of Mackinac and St. Mary's river. This cost would be light as compared with the cost of keeping open 1,000 miles of railway, for which fully 1,000 men are required. Even five boats daily of 100,000 bushels capacity each, would be equal to seventy-five trains of ten cars each. Then, too, there would be the advantage of increased rates of freight during the winter months. Iam a Canadian, but I admire your system of steam-boating on the lakes. Is not this subject worthy of attention from some of your ship owners. Sudbury, Ont. T. M, Kirkwoop,