The morning news., 1898-12-24
MARINE INTELLIGENCE.
LEGAL AND GENERAL NEWS or
SHIPS AND SHIPPING.

Winter Load Line Adopted by Brit
fsb Board of Tradc-MerchRnts ana
Miners steamship State of Texas
to BE Repaired-List of Vessels in
POrt-ArrivnIs and SaiIinEs.
Shipping circles az Baltimore have been
advised by cable from Liverpool that the
British Board of Trade had finally adopt
ed the new winter load line for vessels
trading a North Atlantic ports, and that
the British Board Of Trade and Lloyds
officials had been intrusted to carry it out
immediately, says the Baltimore Sun.
This decision ends controversy which
has been going on for several years. New
York and Philadelphia commercial inter-
ests have been harping upon the advant-
age which Baltimore was given, according
to their belief, in the exemption from the
same load line restriction which was in
force at those ports The British Board
Of Trade, which regulates such matters.
was appealed to and asked to place Bal
timore on the same basis as the other
North Atlantic ports. This application
was resisted by the Chamber of Commerce
of Baltimore, but he New York and Phil
adelpha interests at last won out. On ac-
count of the distance of about 100 miles
to be traversed by ships from Baltimore
TO reach the ocean track of vessels bound
abroad,a deeper load line was permitted at
that port. Under this concession. vessels
could load on an average about five inches
deeper than at more northerly points.
This advantage was not, however, regard
ed as responsible for the growth of Balti-
mores grain trade, although the rival
ports made feature of their plea for its
abolition that il was enabling Baltimore
to take away their trade.
Capt. John johnson, who commanded
the Merchants and Miners Transportation
steamer Fairfax when she stranded in the
late storm off the Massachusetts coast,
has taken command of the steamer State
of Texas, bought by the company from
the Mallory line Capt. Johnson's officers
and crew have also been placed on the
steamer. Capt Avery, who has com
manded the steamer since she was bought
by the Merchants and Miners Company,
has gone to New York. The State Of
Texas will be laid up for some necessary
repairs and changes at Baltimore
The United States coast survey steamer
Blake, Capt. w. c. Hodgkins, at Balti-
more, was reported ready or sea Thursday,
and wall soon leave for Porto Rico, where
she is to make survey of the coast of
that island.
The famous tug Dauntless towed out the
transport Michigan yesterday with the
Texas Regiment aboard bound for Cuba.
The work of fitting the steamship Folsjo
with pens for cattle is nearly competed.
She is lying al the Georgia Lumber Com
pany's wharf The Folsjo is to be used
in the cattle trade between Cuba and
Texas.
Among the vessels in port is that rarity
on the seas, an American square rigger,
the bark Fred +. Litchfield of New York
The British steamship Dora Forster,
from Genoa, arrived yesterday consigned
to the Georgia Export and Import Com
pany. She is chartered for a cargo of
cotton for Liverpool
The United States revenue cutter Colfax
arrived at Wilmington last night.
The pilot boat ]. H. Estill came up to
the city last night.
The Kansas City, delayed in sailing from
New York, is expected to arrive to-day.