The Republican journal., 1881-03-17
The Steam Marine.

oeen naue IN the science OF steam navigation dur
ing the last quarter of a century was forciby IL
Illustrated Twenty years ago the steamship Persia
was the crack boat of the Cunard line, and in size.
speed and other respects equal If not superior
to any steamship then ahoat But Mr. Pearce
points out that the highest rate of speed of the
Persia l3 knots an hour and that in a passage
across the Atlantic she consumed six and one
third tons of coal for every ton OF cargo she could
carry. In opposition to the Persia he places the
Gallia OF the Cunard line and the Arizona of the
Gulon llne, as being instances not OF what may be
accomplished by vessels in process of con
struchon, but Of what has been done by ships that
have been year or more ahoat, The speed that
the Gallia has made on a transatlantic voyage is
fifteen and one half knots per hour, and this has
been done at consumption of one half ton of
coal for every ton of cargo on board But still
more favorable exhibit has been made by the
Arizona, which has made voyages at the rate of
sixteen and one-quarter knots to the hour, anu
this, from larger carrying capacity, with a CON
sumption Of only 450 pounds Of coal for eacl ton
of cargo in her mold. To bring the comparison
down to simple ratio ton of cargo can be
thlrtleth the outlay in coal required when the
same service performed by the Persia and
this, too, at greater degree Of speed But this
is by no means all the saving made for by this
decrease IN consumption the number Of coal heav-
ers and tlremen employed has been materially re
duced. Mr. Pearce points out that these savings
have been largely due to impro ed machinery. and
m a1ei in tt,a
has not advanced in anything approaching sinl
lar proportion. 1t is the reduction of coal con-
sumption and consequent increase Of freight ca
pacity, which has given steamers so great an ad
vantage over sailing craft, and practically trans
ferred the ocean carrying trade to the steam ma
rlne. Now steamer clears rom New Orleans
with a cargo of G,00O bales of cotton which in
former days would have given two or three of our
first class ships handsome treights Nor is it
probable that sails can ever again compete as sue
cesstully with steam or wood with iron or steel
as they have done in former years An iron ship
has greater carrying Capacity than wooden one
of the same tonnage; and with the constant IN
provements In machinery and probable improve
ment In the construction of merchant steamers
they will doubt retain the trade they now
have if they do not encroaeh still further upon the
business Of our sailing vessels We do not be
!leve, as some do, that the DAYS of wooden ships
are numbered, but it is evident that the ield for
their profitable employment has been decidedly
narrowed, and it is likely to become further re
strlcted There is no reason. however why we
could not compete as successfully with other ma
tions the construction Of iron ships is We did in
wooden vessels If this government should adopt
liberal policy as that which England has
maintained with regard to her shipping interests
FISH AND FISHING. Prof Baird is said to be of
the opinion that the only retributvc remedy we
can apply to Canada for cheating us in the fish
question is to refuse TO admit Canadian fish to our
markets free of duty after the expiration of the
Treaty ia 1885 He suggests that we impose a
heavy tax on fish imported from the Dominion as
soon can do without violating the treaty.
A retaliation by the Canadians III the form OF the
exclusion Of our fishermen from waters within the
three mile limit will not he thinks be serious
matter. Our fishing craft seldom 90 within the
three mile limit except to get bait. and the use Of
the gill net will make bait unnecessary .-.. Fish
Commissioner Stanley says that the commission
ers have made arrangements for placing a large
number Of fish in Maine waters this season Mr..
| stllwell has 5000 salmon eggs at Bangor that
will hatch very soou. These are designed for the
Penobseot and tributaries. At Norway are l5O,
900 IN charge OF Clarence Smith that will go into
Crooked River for the Presumpscot waters At
! Moosehead Lake the proprietors of the kineo
House have l500u0 young salmon, and 10000
! land-lockod salmon. The Oquossuc Association at
Rangeley have 100000 salmon, 30 900 land locked
salmon, and million white fish from lake Miehi-
gan. MIR. Stanley thinks the salmon hatched III
the lakes will not go to sea The salmon placed
in the Androscoggn, several years ago. at
Brunswick last year, and will probably get up TO
Lewiston this season .-.. 1T Is only fun now fish
ing; no waiting for bait. no batting travis We
draw our nets in the morning, and set them again
at once If good weather. we stop on the grounds
if there are signs of blow we run into the near
est port and carry in good fare. The foregoing
is the substance Of statement made by an expert
enced Massachusetts fisherman who commenced
his a hand liner and kept it up as trawl-
er until recently, but who for time past has
been sailing in one of the net using schooners.---
Several weirs are to be built at Mlllbridge this
spring to catch herring for the Saraine factory
Boothbay fishermen are fitting out for the South
ern fishery The Portland Press says the Port
land Mutual Fishing Insurance Co, insured 5000,
600 worth of property the past year at 4 cost of
about $500, The fishing vessels sailing from
Portland in future will use seines as general
thing A sardine factory is to be built at Sails
bury Cove, Nit. Desert. =. Hereafter fish will be
baked, instead Of fried at of the Eastport sar-
dine factories ..-.. The Southern mackereI Aeet
have already commenced fitting away, a fortnight
earlier than last year, and some six weeks earlier
than usual