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MARINE REVIEW. wot, 111, CLEVELAND, OHIO, THURSDAY, MARCH 65, 18or. No. 10. One Long Whistle or Four Bells. The following communication from James A. Dumont, supervising inspector general of steam vessels, explains itself: ' Proprietors MARINE REVIEW, Cleveland, Ohio :— . Gentlemen :—I am in receipt of your letter of the 28th ultimo, in which you inform me that, at a recent assembly of vessel masters at Cleveland, one-half of the representatives admitted “that they blew four short whistles for the signal known as the strong signal ;” and you ask if ‘the use of such signal violates Rule V, Section 24. I would say, in reply, that there is no authority for the use of the signal indicated by you, and its use is, therefore, clearly a violation of the rules of the board, which re- quire for a “ strong” signal, one (1) long blast of the whistle or four (4) bells. Any other signal than this last, for the purpose indicated, would, in my judgment, make the vessel liable to a penalty; and, in case of acci- dent between two vessels, when the wrong signal has been given by one of them, I think the courts would hold the vessel using such unlawful signal as prima facie in fault. Uniformity in signals is, without ques- tion, absolutely requisite to guard against accident. Andifitis,as the masters represent, that one-half of them use one system of signals in the matter referred to and the other half use another, it would seem obvious that that half that use the unlawful signal should call a halt, and get into line with those who obey the law. Ifaconsensus of opinion of the lake masters should determine that the unlawful signal used now by a portion of them is the better signal, the proper course for them to pursue, it would seem to me, would be to ask the board of supervising inspectors at its next meeting to change the rules to correspond to their wishes, which I have no doubt the board would do, at the request of a clear majority of the masters. Very respectfully, JAMES A. DUMONT, Supervising Inspector General. Washington, D. C., March 2, 1891. Work of the Ship Yards. Great ceremony will attend the launch on Saturday, the 14th inst., of the first of the two boats building at the yard of the Chicago Ship Building Company for the Minnesota Steamship Company. She wili be the first jron boat launched on Lake Michigan and the builders will unite in mak- ing the event memorable. The interests of the steamship company as well as the big Minnesota mine are well represented in Chicago, and a special train will be run to South Chicago where the boats are being built : F With the opening of navigation seven new ships will leave the yard of Capt. James Davidsoz, West Bay City. A steamer is to be built at the Montreal Transportation Company’s shipyard during the spring. She will be modeled after the style of*the Minnedosa, but her dimensious will be slightly larger. The length will be 200 feet, beam 40 feet, depth of hold 18 feet. Triple expansion engines will furnish the motive power. The new boat is calculated to carry 60,000 bushels of wheat. The government light-house tender Marigold, built by the Detroit Dry Dock Company, was formally turned over to Commander Oscar F. Heyerman, U.S. N., by Secretary Gilbert N. McMillan, of the dock com- pany, Saturday, after a final trial trip attended by fitting ceremony, ‘The test of the boat was eminently satisfactory. She developed a speed of fourteen miles, running through ice from two to four inches in thickness. Her boiler furnished steam power 0 150 pounds to the inch. The engine succeeded in making 152 strokes to the minute. The Marigold is built after the style of a steam yacht, full schooner rigged for sailing exigen- cies. She is 159% feet long and 27 feet beam. The hold is 12 feet 4 inches deep and is divided into eight water-tight compartments. Her engines are of the triple expansion pattern and were built by the Detroit Dry Dock Engine Company. The cylinders are of 24 inch stroke and are 14%, 22 and 36 inches, respectively in diameter. The boilers are cylindrical, 10 feet 6 inches by Io feet 10 inches. A great future is predicted for the Marinette Iron Works, of Duluth, as it is claimed that the concern is to build engines for the McDougall barges and will shortly be thoroughly equipped for that purpose, having secured the services of an experienced builder and having already begun work on designs. A big trade in saw mill machinery will aid the enter- rise. Z The new boat on the stocks at Holland’s shipyard will be launched next week. Another will be put on the stocks soon after. Work on the steamer Cherokee and barge Chippewa, at Curtis & Brainard’s yard, will be completed in a few days. Each has been given a double deck this winter. As soon as they are completed a new boat will be commenced under the supervision of M. P. Lester. She will be larger than the St. Lawrence. W. B. Morley has the frames up for another large steamer. Appropriations for Lake Lights are Secured. After a great deal of hard work on the part of Secretary Mc- Kay of the Cleveland Vessel Owners Association, Congressman Burton, Secretary Keep and several others, in the matter of lights and fog signals, for which the house had refused to appro- priate asingle dollar forthe important commerce on and above Lake Erie, some assistance has been secured from the senate and there will be a partial relief in the expense of maintaining private lights in the future. THe lakes did not get what was due them, but this feature of the matter may be more appropriately discuss- ed at some future time. The sundry civil appropriation bill which now awaits only the signature of the president to become alaw contains the following items for the lakes: Application of $60,000 already appropriated for light station at Simmon’s reef to the building of light ships; new revenue cutter for Lake Michigan, $90,000; five gas buoys,$10,000; Genesee, Lake Ontario, fog signal, $4,300; Braddock’s point, Lake Ontario, light station, $20,000; Ashtabula, Lake Erie, range lights and fog signal, $4,- 700; Fairport, Lake Erie, range lights and fog signal, $4,700; Lorain, Lake Erie, lights and fog signal, $4,700; Point Betsey, fog signal, $5,500; Squaw island, light station and fog signal, $25,000; Mackinac point, light station, $20,000; Windmill point, ranges, $3,000; Gratiot, ranges, $500; St Mary’s river, lights, $30,000; Devil’s island fog signal, $5,500; St Mary’s river, patrol steamer, $4,000; Ahnapee, range lights, $2,500. The bill also contains a clause empowering the suspension of the “line projectile’ for one year, during which the secretary of war is to make an investigation into the advisability and utility of compelling vessels on the lakes to carry “line projectiles.” ‘The light-house board has shown friendliness to the impor- tant lake interests in connection with these appropriations. The item in the bill substituting light ships for the » light station at Simmon’s reef is of special importance, and the: board, antici- pating favorable action on the bill, has already called for propo- sals for building the vessels. This was done in order to hasten the construction of the boats, so that they may be placed in posi- tion before the heavy gales of next fall set in, and great credit is due the board forits action. ‘The lightships will be placed on Simmon’s reef, Gray’s reef, and White shoal. They will be under the direction of Col. William Ludlow, engineer of the ninth and eleventh light-house districts, stationed at Detroit. The bids will be opened on the 16th inst.