The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

1901.] MARINE REVIEW. 19 GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY CO.’S LINERS. The two steamships which are building at New London, Conn., for the Pacific trade of the Great Northern Railway, are attracting considerable atten- tion abroad. The English papers take it kindly that the vessels are being built upon the Thames, for that is the name of the little stream that flows through New London. The English papers say that they resemble somewhat the latest steamships built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast, for the Atlantic intermediate carrying trade. ‘The vessels have considerable free board, four masts and one funnel, well located and harmoniously arranged,” says one of the English trade journals. “For cargo carriers and money-earning vessels they are shapely, handsome craft.” These two large ships were thoroughly described in the last issue of the Review, so that it is only neces- sary to say that they are the largest in the world and have a dead weight carrying capacity at normal draught of 20,000 tons. They have a displacement of 33,000 tons. As.a matter of comparison it is only necessary to state that the great Deutschland of the Hambureg- American line has a displacement of 23,000 tons, or 10,- 000 tons less than the Hill vessels. Of course these vessels are not as long as the ocean greyhounds, but they have great beam and greater depth and are de- signed more for profit than for speed. They. will draw 33 ft. of water, for that is all the ports they touch will allow, but if ever the harbors are dredged the draught can be greatly increased. They will be great additions to the Pacific fleet. CHARTS OF THE GREAT LAKES. BY LIEUT COM JAMES H. BULL, U.S. NAVY. For the safer navigation of the great lakes the navy department is proceeding with measures in keeping with the increased depths required by the fast-growing commerce of the day. In the earlier period of water communication on the lakes the light-draught vessels then used could safely navigate the different channels connecting the separate bodies of water, using ordinary caution. But today, with the heavier vessels, carry- ing enormous and valuable cargoes, a close investigation of certain lo- calities is being carried on gradually to the end that unknown dangers may be discovered, their positions determined and proper safeguards be taken to avoid damage from them to shipping. To be understood prop- erly the subject of charting the lake system and the application in its best form to the uses of the mariner, it must be considered somewhat in detail. In the first place, there was, in 1855, an appropriation for the survey of the northern and northwestern lakes. The work was intrusted to the United States engineers under the war department and so continued until 1895, a period of forty years. The results of this work were pub- lished in sections, which were very large in scale and very awkward for the use of the mariner. Beside, they contained only a plan of the Ameri- can shore line and adjacent water, as the survey did not extend beyond the international boundary. Later the war department provided charts on a smaller scale, comprising areas including each lake, and giving an out- line, without soundings, of the ‘Canadian shores. These charts were all constructed on what is known as the polyconic projection, in which the meridians are straight lines, diverging from pole toward equator, and the parallels are sections of circles. To explain more definitely, suppose a drawing were made on the surface of a frustrum of a cone, with parallels and meridians at equal distances, and a cutting be made along one of the meridians. Then when laid out flat, the surface would be practically the chart of the polyconic projection. The name obtains from the use of many cones, the development of which for each parallel of latitude forms the projective. Second only in importance were the charts made of the Canadian shores, under the direction of the dominion government. The data ob- tained for these were sent to the British admiralty in London and the charts were there constructed. Although very useful to the American mariner on the lakes, it was not without some difficulty that he could obtain them. The necessity of these to American shipping interests was recognized by the hydrographic office of the navy department, which has placed the data within easy reach. : Third, the surveys of the U. S. S. (Michigan during the open seasons of the last ten years, under the direction of the navy department in locali- ties which have required special attention owing to discovered dangers not heretofore plotted. The work of the Michigan has been confined principally to the channels and western approaches to the Straits of Mack- inac, where the bottom is covered with boulders of varying size, a serious menace to the deep-draught vessels now plying those waters. During the last season the Michigan was at work within a small triangle in the Gray’s reef passage. It was in this section that the steamer Pathfinder struck an unknown rock and afterward, last season, the Malietoa also found it, much to the damage of both vessels. The (Michigan's surveys have been charted and issued in eight sheets, in complete form, for navi- gation. To combine the to the lake mariner has been and office of the navy department. T Mercator’s projection, the gen long em regates, at the present time, forty-seven. : L Prarts on the Wecctor projection was not received with favor by, the -Jake-steamer captains. But since they have found the method of straight lines, for the meridians and parallels, as well as for laying the course direct, and the system of measurement in either sea oF statute miles as desired, they would not give up the present charts. Their advantage Is recognized in their simplicity and the avoidance of chance of aud in their use. Of the forty-seven charts, four are prepared from meteorologi- cal data, combined in shape for practical navigation as regards ponding: of storm, fog and ice. Eight have already been mentioned as complete se different surveys and to make them of practical use is now the work of the hydrographic he number of these charts, issued on ployed for deep-sea work, ag- At first the advent of the navy surveys by the ‘Michigan, while twenty others are republished from British admiralty publications of the Canadian shores of Lake Huron, Georgian bay, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, thus being placed within the reach of the American seaman. Six other charts are of harbors, republished from drawings made under the appropriations for rivers and harbors, and in- cluded in the publications of the war department as illustrations of the work done by the army engineers. These not being available to the sea- man, they were made so by the hydroghaphic office issuing them in regular form. Six more are general charts of the different lakes and of the St. Clair river, compiled from the results of the surveys of the United States and Great Britain, and supplemented by the data obtained by the officers of the U. S. S. Michigan. The remaining three charts are transformations from those made by the office of the survey of the northern and north- western lakes. The hydrographic office made two of them, that of the Straits of Mackinac and that of Green bay, on Mercator’s projection, be- side reducing the scale and limits, while that of Eagle harbor was simply changed in size for convenience in use. sie In his annual report made last November, the chief of bureau of equipment, under whose authority is placed the hydrographic office, dwells upon the necessity of the navy assuming control of all surveys on the lakes, as he believes that it is more familiar with the needs and re- quirements for safe navigation than any other department of the govern- ment. To quote from his report: “Whatever decision may be reached with reference to the work of providing aids for the safe navigation of merchant vessels, the navy must provide accurate charts for the use of its own ships on the great lakes. The waters of Lake Erie are historic in the annals of the navy; upon them was won one of the most brilliant naval victories in the history of the country. Who can say when another naval action may be fought in these waters or how soon it may be necessary to transform peaceful merchant vessels into fighting ships? Whenever it may come, or even if it may never come, the navy must, at all times, be able to provide accurate means for the safe navigation of the ships oi war now there or that may be there hereafter.” In order to assist the mariner in his selection of a chart for immediate or future use, a “Chart Index” is issued. This on one side represents the lake system and shows by an arrangement of numbered rectangles the spaces covered by the charts similarly numbered. For instance, if a steamer captain wishes a chart of Lake Erie, he looks upon the “index” and finds that the hydrographic chart No. 1665 suits his purpose. This he knows to be an issue by the hydrographic department, as it is marked by black lines—to distinguish from those of the war department, which are in blue, and the British admiralty, in red. On the other side of the “in- dex” is given a list of charts with their numbers and general limits, and the prices for which they are sold. The navy department has arranged for such sale by establishing agencies at different places (among them the Marine Review Pub. Co. of Cleveland), and has fixed the purchase prices at regular figures. These have recently been reduced about 50 per cent., making the purchase of many charts a trifling expense to those who are obliged to use them. In addition to this, the branch hydrographic offices in the lake cities have a full set of all charts of the world for reference purposes, so that anyone can obtain information regarding the deep sea, as well as the changes pertaining to the navigation of the lakes. The branch offices also distribute, without charge, weekly “Notices to Mari- ners” and anyone interested can have his name put upon the list of ad- dresses. These publications of the hydrographic office give all particu- lars relating to alterations in buoyage and lights, as well as descriptions of all dangers to navigation. Its usefulness will undoubtedly increase as the commerce of the lakes grows in size. The Chicago Nautical School Alumni held their fifth annual dinner at the Sherman house last week and a very enjoyable time was the result. Capt. Walter D. Hamilton presided and took occasion to congratulate Mr. Wilson, principal of the school, on the marked change in public opinion among the lake captains and others in regard to the necessity for better and more exact knowledge of their profession. The school now has sixty pupils of all grades and includes many captains who, although they hold master’s papers for the lakes, are acquiring the deep water course.