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oy a * MARINE REVIEW. gy An Explanation From Canada’s Marine Department. F -_ Special Correspondence to the MARINE REVIEW. OrTtowa, Ont., Dec. to.—The article in the MARINE REVIEW of Nov. 26, which criticises as barbarous and disgraceful the wrecking laws of Canada and United States, has elicited from Mr. William Smith, deputy minister of marine, the assurance that in the case of the crews of two ves- sels recently wrecked near Goderich, Ont., the officer of the department at that port exercised undue caution in telegraphing to Ottowa for per- mission to allow an American tug to be sent to their relief. “While I agree,” he said, “that the REVIEw’s strictures upon the mutual severity of our wrecking laws is not uncalled for, I am bound to say that in this case there was no occasion for thé officer at Goderich to have exercised the precaution of telegraphing to me for instructions. It was enough for him ~ to know that human life was in danger. The wrecking laws of the Do- minion very clearly specify that in cases of distress the restriction as to the nationality of vessels which may be employed upon our lake coasts does not apply. The provision ‘except in case of distress’ is avery plain feature of that portion of the coasting regulations covering this case. The American tugboat being the only one available for the duty, the offi- cer at Goderich should have or.’ered her to proceed at once to the scene of disaster, without awaiting instructions. I would like to add, however, that as it happened no serious delay resulted, since a reply was promptly dispatched by me directing him to engage the American tug boat, no other being available.” Nearly Fifty Millions of Grain. Special Correspondence to the MARINE REVIEW. DULUTH, Minn., Dec. 1o.—The figures of the season’s shipments sent last Monday need a revision to make them correct. The total shipments of the season were 33,428,063 bushels instead of 32,966,266 as sent last week. November shipments were 10,868,213 bushels and December’s 976,718 bushels. As nearly as figures have been got at the shipments by lake of flour for the season were 2,924,000 barrels, an increase of 485,000 barrels over last year. Reducing flour to its equivalent in wheat the to- tal wheat and flour lake shipments from the head of Lake Superior this year have been 47,586,000 bushels. Course grain shipments were 1,200,000 bushels. : The receipts have fallen off considerably since the first of the month, but at the present movement elevators will be full byspring. Last week’s movement was as follows : : Receipts, bu. Shipments, bu. DGGE ROK cess cuccpipaes sGctoscohone 1,315,788 1,182,874 Previous week 35%... .s-sc0esceees 2,118,688 3,348,729 Corresponding week, 189o...... 613,151 16,700 Capt. B. B. Inman, who has bought the wreck of the Winslow, says he will raise it in the spring and build a barge out of it for the lumber trade. Rehearing in the Armour-Marion Case. Special Correspondence to the MARINE REVIEW. MILWAUKEE, Wis., Dec. 10o.—Counsel for the steamer Marion, in the Armour-Marion collision case, scored an importani point toward the close of last week when Judge Jenkins, after listening to arguments, decided to grant a rehearing on the points embraced in their petition which have been given in the MARINE REVIEW. It can safely be said that counsel for the Armour were hardly prepared for such a conclusion on the part of Judge Jenkins, as it has been arule heretofore in the United States dis- trict court here not to grant rehearings, but to advise appeals to the higher courts. The same practice has also been closely adhered to in Illinois, soProctor Charles EK. Kremer says. Now both sides will have an opportunity to submit new briefs, and Judge Jenkins no doubt will go through the voluminous testimony in the case with great care, which it is absolutely certain he could not have done in the short time that elapsed between the first hearing and the filing of the interlocutory decree. Itis hardly to be expected, however, that he will reverse the original decision ordering a division of the damages. The disappearance of Capt. Eliner W. Craine of the steamer W. H. Wolf from Buffalo with a considerable sum of money belonging to the craftand numerous smaller amounts borrowed from parties in Buffalo as well as in Chicago, has aroused considerable interest here. It is known that he drew $2,050 from the Buffalo agents of the steamer on her bill of lading and it is also known that he drew $2,300 on cargoes of ore delivered at South Chicago just before making the Buffalo trip. He may have used a large proportion of the last mentioned amount in the payment of coal and supply bills, but as a number of minor claims are being forwarded to the home office of the steamship company Com. Wolf mistrusts that the larger ones will soon follow in their wake. Com Wolf said today that the amount of the company’s money appropriated by young Craine would cer- tainly reach $3,000. A money package containing $300, forwarded by ex- press to Mrs. Capt. Craine in Chicago, has been attached by the steamship company. He has been traced to Detroit, from which point he is sup- posed to have migrated to the farsouthwest. Com. Wolf professes to haye been aware of Capt. Craine’s tendency to wildness, but hoped to be able to make a steady-going man of him. His present experience has con- vinced him that missionary work is not his forte and he proposes to leave the field to others whose purses can better stand the strain. The receipts of coal at Milwaukee will aggregate about 1,010,000 tons, againrt 903,659 tons in 1890. Publications. The Practical Catechism, published by John Wiley & Sons, and for sale by the Burrows Brothers Company, Cleveland, con- tains quotations and reliable answers concerning properties of air, combustion, iron and steel, lubrication, strength of materials, temperatures, water and general topics. It is valuable to engi- neers and mechanics, in fact to anybody who does not know everything. The December number of the Engineering Magazine contains several articles of unusual interest, one “Fulton Night with Mechanical Engineers,” by J. F. Holloway, who is well known to those connected with lake marine. ‘The Menominee Iron Range,” by Walter F. Nursey, has just come from the press and presents some interesting statistics concerning mines of that range, embellished with some handsome engravings and quite readable description. The price is 60 cents for paper covered and $1 for cloth edition. Send your orders to the MARINE REVIEw. . : Owners and masters can secure a copy of “Port Regulations in Foreign Countries,” containing a full list of Canadian lights, by addressing a request to the secretary of state, Washington, D.C In General. Ships now under construction at the yard of William Cramp & Sons, are valued at $14,440,000. The total tonnage is 43,696 and the horse power 76,000. Employment is given in this work to 3,000 men. The company earned premiums from the. gov- ernment to the amount of $318,724.50 by excess of speed over that garanteed for the Baltimore, Yorktown, Philadelphia and Newark. The safe arrival of the whaleback steamer Wetmore at San Francisco prompts A. D. Thompson of the American Steel Barge Company to say that the company will spend $3,000,000 in pushing the barge enterprise during the coming year. He says a yard will be established on the Atlantic coast and a line of boats will be built for the trade between New York and San Francisco. Conger & Conger, Washington attorneys, confine their practice almost exclusively to the marine interests of the country. This firm’s representation of the Lake Carriers’ Association during the last Congress betore the different departments and committees, and a representation of many varied interests of commerce since the year 1887, when the senior member began practice in Washington of marine business as a specialty, has kept them in close touch with all officials and members. Although the production of pig iron continues enormous and there are no signs of improvement in prices, a recent circular from Carnegie & Co has the following regarding the iron mar- ket: ‘Ihe demand for steel rails is good; in fact, the best for many years. For a long time the general business condition of the country has been depressed, but there is nothing to com- plain of now, and there is every reason to believe that the im- provement will continue, not alone for this fall or winter, but that the time ahead will be full of prosperity. Indeed there is no reason to doubt from existing indications, that while this year will continue good, next year will be much better. Vessel and Machinery Exchange. A renewed interest has been taken in the Vessel and Ma- chinery Exchange department of the REvIEW on page 12, since the close of navigation. Space under that heading is free to our advertisers and subscribers. Out of the 87 liners used there, only three failed to attract from one to ten inquiries or replies. How many resulted in sales it is impossible to learn. If you have ves- sel property or machinery to sell or want to buy, write a two or three line description and send to MARINE REvIEw.