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MARINE REVIEW. 4 Another Congress, but no Help for Ships. More than a year ago an organized movement of all the interests connected with shipping in this country was undertaken, at a meeting in Washington, with a view to preparing a bill to be introduced in congress, which should contain provisions adequate to promote the building up of an American merchant marine in keeping with the resources and de- velopments of the country in other directions, and which should at the same time deal fairly with all vessel and ship building interests. The meeting was largely attended by representatives of n:zaritime interests from all parts of the United States, and a committee, of which Mr. Clement A. Griscom of Philadelphia is chairman, was selected to prepare a bill for presentation to the present congress. It was expected that this committee would succeed in framing a bill that would command support from the shipping interests of the entire country, but it is now more than probable that congress will adjourn without action of any kind on the shipping question. The Cuban diffi- culties have, of course, taken precedence over all other matters in Wash- ington, but it cannot be learned that the committee of shipping repre- sentatives above referred to has even yet succeeded in* agreeing upon a measure that would be likely to meet with success. At last accounts they had under consideration a bill prepared by Mr. Eugene T. Cham- berlain, United States commissioner of navigation. This bill proposed 'to place a tax of 50 cents a ton on all vessels entering the ports of the United States outside of a radius of 2,000 miles from the United States. While it would be a violation of treaties for the United States to rebate this tax to American ships, Mr. Chamberlain held that it would be no violation to pay the equivalent of that tax back to the American ships as a bounty. This plan was the main feature of the bill, but it was also proposed to admit to American registry all foreign built ships owned by American How Capt. Folger Lost the Iowa. When "Fighting Bob" Evans of the navy was assigned to duty on the light-house board, some time ago, liberal plaudit was bestowed upon him by the correspondents of lake newspapers in Washington, who pre- dicted that his policy on the board would be to encourage appropriations for the light-house service of the lakes. But alike to several other officers of the board who had become acquainted with the great volume of lake commerce and the need of improvements, Capt. Evans has been trans- ferred to duty aboard ship. The story of his transfer to command of the battleship Iowa, as told by a correspondent of one of the Detroit papers, concerns another officer well known on the lakes, Capt W. M. Folger, who was up to a short time ago in charge of the eleventh light-house district with headquarters at Detroit. Capt. Folger has been given com- mand of the cruiser New Orleans, recently purchased from the Brazilian government. He wanted the Iowa, which is among the finest of the first- class battleships. He made application to the secretary of the navy and had friends working in his behalf. But he had not reckoned with '"Fight- ing Bob" Evans. Capt Evans was engaged in the innocent lighthouse duty when the approaching shadow of the coming event, war, loomed up before his vision. One day he limped into the outer office of Secretary Long and sent in his card. He was soon admitted. "Well, Captain Evans, what can I do for you?" pleasantly inquired the secretary, who had an especial fondness for the doughty hero of sev- eral noteworthy episodes, including the dare-devil lead on Fort Fisher. "Mr. Secretary, I understand that the Iowa is in need of a captain. -- If there is going to be war I want to be in the thick of it: I want com- mand of the Iowa, and I promise you she will give a good account of herself." Just one moment their eyes met. Without the least hesitation the STEEL PACKAGE FREIGHT CARRIERS MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL, OWNED BY ROBERT RHODES AND OTHERS OF CLEVELAND. AS THEY APPEARED BEFORE LAUNOHING AT THE WORKS OF THE CHICAGO SHIP BUILDING CO. citizens, within one year after the passage of the act, and to admit, for all time, any foreign-built ship, on condition that her owners would build equal tonnage to that admitted, in the United States. A further bounty, in addition to the bounty rebate of the tonnage tax, was also to be paid to American-built ships. This bounty was to be 20 cents a ton for each American ship entering an American port distant more than 2,000 miles from the United States, and an additional cent a ton to such ships for each 100 miles of additional distance sailed. Commissioner of Navigation Chamberlain explained that his bill would yield' $7,000,000 in revenue, while now the American tonnage tax yields only about $700,000 annually. He proposed, and the bill provided, that the cost of the tight-house sery- ice, about $3,500,000 annually, should be paid out of this fund, and that bounties should be paid to American fishing vessels and their crews of American seamen, in order to thus create "a nursery for American sea- men." Under this plan, it was suggested, the admission of foreign-built ships would please Democrats, and attract their support, while the bounty pro- visions, it was expected, would command the support of Republicans. Democrats were supposed to be opposed to bounties, and Republicans supposed to be opposed to free ships, so through securing each of these, it was expected that opposition would be stifled and support from both parties secured. Why the bill was not introduced is a mystery. Its suc- cess was probably doubted. , A new river steamer, the Onteora, built for the Catskill and New York Steamboat Co., was launched recently at the yards of T. S. Marvel & Co., Newburg. The machinery and boilers were constructed by the W. & A. Fletcher Co. of Hoboken, who took the contract for the entire boat and sub-let the contract for the hull to the Marvel company. The boat is 250 feet over all, 35 feet molded beam, 62 feet over guards and 6 feet draught. secretary replied: "Capt. Evans, you shall have the Iowa." That's how Capt. Folger was beaten out of the Iowa. But he is to have the New Orleans, a fine, fast, armored-cruiser of the latest type in hull, engines and armament, and there is not the least doubt that when it comes to fighting, Capt. Folger, who also has a reputation as a man who will take back water for nobody, will be found in the hottest part of it. Improved Car Dump Machine for Lorain. Lorain, O., April 20.--The McMyler car dumping machine that has been ordered by the Cleveland, Lorain & Wheeling Ry. Co. for the trans- fer of soft coal from cars to ships at the docks of the company in this port will be in operation not later than June 1. This machine will be an im- provement in many respects over the car dumping machines now in use. The improved machine does not elevate the car, but dunyps the coal from the car into a pan, which is elevated to any height necessary for allowing it to run into the vessel. 'While the pan is being elevated the car is turned back onto the track and passes out of the cage, and another car enters by the time the pan is emptied and returned to its position for elevating the coal. It is thought that with this improvement the new machine will handle coal at least 25 per cent. faster than the old type of machine. The territory traversed by the Cleveland, Lorain & Wheeling road does not admit of this port securing a share of the ore trade equal to that of ports farther down Lake Erie, but the coal business of the road is large, and its dock interests are certainly very ably cared for by the Lorain agent, Mr. E. M. Pierce. Charts of Georgian bay will be required by most of the captains of vessels of the medium class during the coming season, on account of the increasing traffic in that direction. The Marine Review has in stock at all times the best charts of Georgian bay that are made.