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26 MARINE REVIEW. NAUTICAL SURVEYING. From Syren and Shipping, London. Charts and sailing directions are not less necessary to ships than lights and anchors, if safety of life and property be deemed of the highest import. The old-time mariners managed to get*round the world without mishap, although almost destitute of such desirable aids. It is well to bear in mind that a few days did not count for much in a passage before the marine engineer and his black squad became such important items in a crew list; thus leaving a ship master plenty of opportunity to shorten sail at night, navigate along a parallel of latitude, knowing full well the land was somewhere to east or west of him, and keep a good lookout while going slow. Steam has introduced a boldness in cutting off corners which occasionally proves fatal, for the very best of charts are not always absolutely correct when issued, while at the same time, in certain parts of the world, where coral insects abound more especially, the bottom of old ocean is ever becoming less distant from the surface. Moreover, there are quite large areas-of water which are either not surveyed at all, or very imperfectly indicated on navigating charts. Charts and sailing directions should form part of a ship’s outfit; not, as is too often the case, the private property of the shipmaster, who, in order to save himself ex- pense which he can ill afford, endangers the safety of all hands by pre- venting the navigating officers from having free access to these absolutely necessary aids to a successful voyage in all sorts and conditions of weather. Quite recently, the Suffolk, with a costly cargo of horses from the Cape to Algoa bay and 129 of a crew all told, came to grief while proceeding without a large scale chart of the coast or a copy of the ad- miralty pilot chart relating thereto. Findlay’s directory, cautioning as to current, was on board; but, so far as the officer of the deck’s acquaint- ance therewith was concerned, it might just as well have been at the bot- tom of the deep blue sea. A similar steamer, the Ailsawald, went ashore near Perim, and the court of inquiry felt constrained to express profound surprise at finding a modern vessel sent to sea, and her master called upon to navigate an unbuoyed and unlighted waterway such as the Red sea, wee possessing the latest charts and books of references relating thereto. England is easily first in the highly important matter of nautical sur- veying, and the war navies of other nations ungrudgingly award the palm to the British hydrographic department. It is often well to see ourselves as others see us, and the recently issued annual report of Com. C. C. Todd, U. S. N., the hydrographer at Washington, affords an excellent op-~ portunity. The United States now possesses a war navy of first-class ships—the old wooden curiosities having been relegated to museums or to training purposes—and is straining every nerve to resuscitate its, mori- bund mercantile marine. Yet, curiously enough, our near kindred do not take a hand in the interesting game of nautical surveying. Com. Todd points out that three-fourths of the sailing directions used by United States warships have to be purchased abroad, although circumstances might arise that would prevent purchase from foreign sources of these aids to safe navigation, thus ensuring disaster at a critical moment. Eng- land has a goodly fleet of surveying ships, under the control of her hydro- a never disappoint. “Little Giant’’ Drill in Close Quarters. MADE IN SIX SIZES. 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There is plenty of this class of work to do, and the need therefor increases every day, so that this country cannot do better than add a few such ships to the royal navy, fully remembering that peace has its victories no less than war. A big sailing ship, or a palatial pas- senger liner, for example, saved from the merchant-marring rocks in con- sequence of information supplied by the hydrographic department, White- ae would go far to recoup the nation for monies expended under this ead. Nautical surveying, like every other walk of life, requires for its proper performance a special aptitude and training in those who carry out the duties. The United States spends thousands of dollars per annum upon a shore weather bureau in order to protect the lives and property of farmers and agriculturists, yet practically does not lay out a single cent in perfecting charts and sailing directions away from its own coasts. “This anomaly is costing the United States dear. More than one of her war vessels has been totally lost on uncharted dangers of late, and many others have grounded. England has at least been true to herself under this head. She has not extended her territory in far off climes and left her seamen to grope about for years without reliable aids in the shape of charts and sailing directions. Cuba and the Philippines simply bristle with unchart- ed dangers; and it behooves the United States, for its credit’s sake, to have these waters, as well as the Hawaiian islands, thoroughly surveyed by ships sent out specially for that praiseworthy purpose. Battleships and cruisers under the starry flag certainly do attempt to mend matters by carrying out surveys when possible, but they are better employed on duties connected solely with the destroying, not the saving, of ships. That the United States hydrographic office is eager for, and capable of, such nautical surveying duties on the lines adopted over here, needs no demonstration. If any were wanted, it is afforded by the pilot charts of — the North Atlantic and the North Pacific issued each month by that of- fice. Com. Richardson Clover, U. S. N., now the naval attache in London, during his term of office as hydrographer, brought these much- sought-after guides for navigation up to a high state of perfection from which they have not been allowed to fall short one iota. Ships under every flag co-operate with the Washington hydrographic office by furnish- ing observations taken at sea every voyage; and, of the 1,703 merchant ships thus gladly assisting, not fewer than 1,101 were British! Nearly 38,000 of these pilot charts were given away to shipmasters during the twelve months embraced by the report. At Boston, New York, Philadel- phia, Baltimore, Norfolk, Savannah, New Orleans, San Francisco, Port~ land and Port Townsend, and at several points on the great lakes, there are branch hydrographic offices, presided over by an officer of the United States navy, where every information relative to making a passage, or dangers in the track, is supplied without charge to any shipmaster who troubles to call during office hours. “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,’ and England is just bringing out similar North Atlantic pilot charts. Nevertheless, that care taken by hydrographic offices is wasted in a great measure if shipmasters will proceed to sea with charts and sailing directions which are not corrected up to date. It is the only Piston Air It has no vibration, can be run in a bath of ou for every service. They save ‘Little Giant” Long Stroke Ask for Catalog “E” and study it for profit. NEW YORK OFFICE, 141 BROADWAY.