The sun., 1892-12-23
CANADA,s LAKE CUTTERS.
The Dominion Hns Set us an Example. ma
We Should Better tho Instruction.


We should Better tho Instruction.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 22-The three new rev.
enue cruisers. Constance. Petrol. and Curlew.
recently put by the Dominion Government on
the great lakes. seem to be causing n world OF
trouble to tho alarmists. although an nmple
offsetto them Is In our power. We have only
to put efficient revenue cutters OF our own on
the lakes: and our right to do SO under tho
treaty OF 1917 cannot very well he question ed.
Instead OF raising hue and cry against Cana
da for an alleged violation OF that compactthe
more sensible course will he to accept hor in
terpretation that armed revenue vessels are
not included in its provisions, and proceed TO
build such vessels at tho Michigan and
Ohio shipyards. There is. In fact, Il bill now
pending in Congress for constructing two
lako service craft for the Treasury Depart
nent: and, II the pres ent pothe- about
CanRdas conduct should induce Congress TO
attend to its own business Of authorizing
these much needed vessels 1t will have been
OF some service.
The complaint made against the three now
Canadian cruisers Is that they nre really gun
bouts under the Gnise OF revenue vessels. and
violate. therefore. the Rush Baeot treaty.
which fixes narrow limit on tho number.
Size. and battery power Of tho war ships to be
maintained on the lakes.
These three sister ships have been built by
the Poison Iron Works OF Owen Sound. on
Georgian Bay. The Constance the pioneer OF
the trio. has length OF l2j feet. a breadth OF
lo4s. and a draught OF t;. She is schooner
rigged. has curved deck. and coal bunkers
arranged to protect the machinery. and steam
gear for raising the anchors. Her compound
vertical engines should give tho little craft a
fair speed. Tho two others are built on the
same model. the Petrol having been launched
4 hS, Nle O.,
about four weeks ago. The Constance is fitted
to carry three Nordenfeldt rarid.nre guns 1t
Is said that the Petrol will carry 4.7-lnrh gun
The Petrol is intended Tor the fishery pro-
teetiye @ service o! Georgian Bay. Lake Huron.
similar service in Nova Scotia watcrs and to
guard against smuGglinG in the lower st.
stance is now laid up for III. winter at owen
sound sound and the Curcw at Hamilton. while tho
rH Tretre Il also romnnting at the former nont.
hre al. 1t VIII be seen. small craft, but modcrn
they are armed cruisers. like our own three
ievenue cutters. the Ferry. the Ioh: son. and
hy the Treasury DepartSent tefy YETI naeS mso Iise
ea ny %nes sH IN cssa
esnS"ia,ly cs1S. II the retrels battery should
sh%aid continue; wha:evers Iih'HH shirbuiinS F'nS
permsa t" I'll. nna? sy the tFTeay
long time there has been more or less crum
bling TINT the treaty of lSi does not allow
our country to put gunbnats on the lakes But
Sanad. gives us the opportunity to build rcv.
enle vessels which can easily be converted
,n'n m th, hGuntoats. and are very much like them
sired. We need waste no criticisms on tho
| course taken by Canada.
| The three new Dominion vessels belong to
me fishery protective service. and. as has
been said one is intended for maritime work
and second for the lower 81. Lawrence. But
with al three. AS at present. on the inland
Mk es, TWO new revrnu. cruisers Of our own
with armament AMI speed little better than
the PetreIs. would, with the Michigan at once
rsS1 restore tho superiority t. our side. i has
withdrawn nj the Bancroft sWI.titute,l AS our
war vessel, The latter i. we'll known To- i" too
for which she was designed. and that She
could lie got through the Dominion canals
without her Eunsand stores. may be presUm ed
gan yard and take her through the canals and
the 81. Lawrence to Annapolis. Her four four
akes B BE9ns WoH th SG III
Is. our LAX o merchant marin" contains vessels
that could quickly he armed and fitted out as
cfriL"rs provided the guns were kent in ock
the hnlls provided. At Toledo. during the
present year. two railroad transport steam.
:3,,i7 feet, beam OF 81, n iranght Of II. and n
displacement Of 2.55O tons. They are very
rrr ssr%nG hnve great at coal "spacty and could
While these nre exceptional! vessels. our lnke
marine could furnish other craft capable Of
| being fitted IN with lighter batteries.
| Our Goysrnment may wei! stand by the
| tho invasion of the lakes ~ the scores OF en-
listing british gunboats, and torredo boats
capable Of entering. and yet evidently does
not prevent us from building and nrminC ell
| clent revenue cruisers. as Canada has done.