~*S£t THE MARINE RECORD. LIPK-SAVIKO\lN VENTIONS. One of tho London pnt*st» »uya: "In the opinion of Mr. I'llRKe fox-lhwtlng wits 1111 'linngo of wnr without Its gum, nnd onlv flvo njid twenty por^ont. of Its dungcr.' Thut uncoiiBolom hiimorlHt nnii\AUlpo«p nporWmnn nppurently intended to Infer thut ft jroiip of mountud men-In led coiitsyoluiH- liiK a-littlo cunning beaut ovorhllljj«d dido ftllordcd him the klntl-of-exctToTnent ho Im¬ agined would nttiicli to n cnviilry olmrge In bnttlo,only with 11 niuuli more renjoto chum:* -~of being klllod. Similarly, It nny bo »nlil of tho display of murine llfo-wivlng nppllimcea, ■undor tho nunpleoB of tho Comniltailoiioisiof tho Fisheries Exhibition, on the Soi pontine, yofltoidny, thnrwim to bo viewed thoionboiit tie much resembled, In point of excitement mid nlnim, the dreiidlul scene of aliimvrcck us n quiet county meet on the nquiie s lawn rOBombleB tho nctwil horrors of war. Htnld gentlemen on steady coup, enjoying theli In¬ vigorating 'morning park' must have been surprised at the cxtruordlimry bU6tle visible In tho neighborhood of tho Imihlng-placeun tho south Bide of the Serpentine. A short wooden plerhnd been built'out Into tho wa¬ ter, artd to the west ot It lay a brand now life-boat named the Arab, intended for the Boa-Bldo placo called I'adntow. The vesso was hold fnt)t by a hawser bound round a huge e|in tree, which sorved for a .temporal y capstan. Ntar to the tree wiib- n tcnl, and cIobo by loiingcd somo two dozen of the crew of the lumouB Eastbourne life-boat, ■woarlngblight red woolen nightcaps, bright blue jersey, cork jackets, all 'as fresh us paint.' Other nun In other bright red new nightcaps strolled in and outamong dlflerent kinds of applliim ps. Intended for the pur¬ posed! saving life at sea, spread out upon tho glass. A crowd of moderate dimensions tilled the inclosuie .ind lined the uiilei'i edge, nnd upon the water were several row- boutB, some ol them coiituitdng ludleH and gentlemen nerocliiti d with (million and phi¬ lanthropy. But foi the gjiade cast over the jiroceedings by the minor that a man hud been drow neil on the spot early in tho morn¬ ing, the affair would have suggested the mild gaiety whic.h Is supposed to distinguish ailparian legitltu rather than thediowling tempcBluous ocean and tho foundering bl sortie Ill-fated ship. Bits of blue shone In the rlftB of n clouded sky, a lew drops of rain fell at intervale; tho treea. heavy with their mid-summer tollage, fluttered flllfchtly, moved hj »light wind, and tho gently Btlrred surface of the stimuli liiid a glnssy sheen. "First of all tho lifeboat was allowed to Slide quiutlv into tho -witter, und having eon rowed up and down in front ol the crowd for the dUtanoo ot* a few hundred yards, was brought to at the end of thq pier and again wide taut, this time to a practical capstan pro\idcdfoi the purpose. 'J ho Arab nppSnrs to bo as good h craft as any of the 2011 similar vessels Btmloiicd round the coast. Tlintshc will not capsize except by foul means goes without tho saying, nnd when lurried over that she will right herself Is equally a matter of course. It happened, however, that the llttloorowd upon tliebink und In the Inclosurs feemed not well ac¬ quainted with the ways ol life-boats—and, as Inland folk, how .should they be ?—so that when her crew, resplendent In new nighl- CBpB and jerseys, pressed to ouo side of her until the water came In nnd went out again, It appeared to them as if by magic, they set up a little gleeful shout. No one was there to tell them that water resting on tiio deck of a lifeboat Is above the level ol the water in which the hull Is immersed; nnd their gratification was made yet more apparent when the Arab, with tho aid of a derilck, was turned-keel uppermost nnd made to right herself, ao to speak, with a dry deck. The sight, bo fur, was pretty, and wcro It re¬ peated every day during the season In the same place would doubtless bring much grist 10 the mill of that well deserving coipora- lion, the National Lifeboat lualliuilnu. at one tlmo there wore In tho water mat¬ tresses, pillows, belts, swimming plutoB. oil skin drosses, nnd ahlp'B lurnltino, all con¬ structed with the object of saving llfo nt sen. "NoxtloMr. Copeman's rafts Mc. Will- lam's portablo pontoons wero the most elab¬ orate and nmbltioiiB appliances on view. Theyoanslst of n series of oblong Ji on tinugha, which pack one within tho other like so many phlnoao or Japanese lacquer cups. Mr. Wllllnma claims that ton men can In tho spate of 15 minutes llx togethci and launch 20 rafts capabio'of accommodat¬ ing 1,000 shipwrecked persons. Messrs. Bhts'doublcmest tnblo inft was Invented with tho Idea of saving soldiers In troop¬ ships for whom there may bo no room In tho hosts, and lorms onu of a collection of ar¬ ticles which gained the gold modal of the Society of Arts in 1870. Sextan's buoynnt deck seats nro Ingenious In construction and would pinvo useful in case of emergency. Thc\ ran be easily freed from the deck, ami on being loosed, would float out In tinoe parts, each scpurnto and distinct from the rest, nnd fitted with lockers for stores. Messrs Pocnek Brothers' cylinder bed, Mr. Holmes's life-preserving mattress, and Mr. do la Sala's canvas boat aio nil designed with it view to portability nnd cheapness combined. Nothing could, however, bo moro slmploof its kind, or probably moie effica¬ cious In the moment, of danger, than Onptnln (Jiessy's bed-iot finines, made buoyant with cork and lilted with corrugated wire netting, except in the middle, where is an opening for tho body to pass through. "By tho time tho row and drive were full of peoplo on horseback and In carriages the Serpentine seemed "live with men und \ouths, as If trying theli baldest to drown. Lads on tie bunks, out of sheer love ol mis¬ chief, plirnged Into the water, swimming and paddling about nt haphazard. - They were, however, quickly seized upon and saved by the numerous Inventors and their assistants, on the lookout to do good, though not by stealth, and w ho mndo iid pietense 11 blushing 'to llnd It tame.' The mlddle-ngcd gentleman treaded his water velocipede with nn encrgv worthy of n moro practlcjd method of locomotion; Ihe ancient Billon in a calico coracle kept ullnat with sui prising ngillty^the solitiuy mariner in n tub, with the aid ot his paddle, proved ITow easily, In amonth wator.licsrould wash hlmselfiiBhore, and men of all sizes, nges nnd complexions, bobbed up and down, assisted in their nota¬ tion by belts and buoys to suit nil tastes nnd purses. It did not transplic if a representa¬ tive of the Marine Department of the Board of Trade was present officially. The jurv seemed millulleil und the publlL moused. But whether the show can-be considered In the light of a test of the practical vnlue of the nrtlcles exhibited Is a question tor experts to decide." What happened wns, however, by special favor of the Ranger, and in list not, It Uw Ills- pored, bo erected Into a precedent. Such events are only permlssatolo (it rare Intervals of time, bringing, as they might, and proba¬ bly would, curious anomalies In their train. Only yesterday a four-wheeled hack-cab hud been suffered to pass as far beyond the Jenloiish guarded lines as Ihe hunks of the H.erpont n ; nnd a velocipede—though a wa¬ ter one—was seen In Iljde 1'iiik. •'Wlieu the crowd grew tiled of stiulng nt the life-bout the) turned their attention to Mr. Coi email's admirable Invention, which, like the famous article ol furniture that •Contrived a double debt to pay—u bed by night, n chest of drawers by day.' call be tnrnod from an ordln iT^ deck seat Into n neculciible son taft. Mr. Copeuniii'soontil- butlon to yesterdn>'»festivities Is no novelty. It has been approved by the I'rmee of Wales, the Duke ol Ciiii.tnltlgi and the Bouidol Admlralty*iuuliiln useonhoiiid the vessels ot the l'cinnsuliir and Oriental mill other llrst-chiBh steiun navigation companies Tho raft Is formed of utouplo ol bu lyant wixd'ii tranches, tilted with spins, musts, sail, ours, water, provUlons and slgnala. Yesterday it was quickly launched and mado to sail about as handltynnd einVlly us a well con- utructod open boat. What the jurors ap¬ pointed by the Fisheries Exhibition will fi.y of Mr. Copeman's patent remains to be scon. Tliclrawnrds will shortly be mado public KiiftB wcrj also ei.hlbllul by J, and A. W. Blrte. Mr. Mater and Captain Drevor. And' CATl'AIN JONEb' THANKS. The Detroit Post and Tribune has the fol¬ lowing: Captain V. Jones, of the steamer Boaton, who recently exhibited extraordinary sa¬ gacity, courage, and presence of mind in preventing a collision with tho Idlowlld on the St. Clair river, has (list received a hand¬ some gold medal as n testimonial fi om the passengers of the Idlewild on that memora¬ ble trip. " The hiednl Ib of very fine quality and artistic leslgn, nnd hears the following Inscription-: '-Presented to Captain V. JoncB of the propeller Boslou, by the passengers of the Idlewild for piuvenllng u collision July 2, 1883 " The following letter has been received at this office from Cnptnin Jones: Buffaio, July 20,1883. To tho Editor of the Detroit Post and Trib¬ une: Dear Sir- The enclosed paragraph, cut f om the Buffalo K\ening Republic, will ex¬ plain to vou that some well disposed poi¬ sons who are sti angers to mc, somo of w horn I believe to he residents of your city, have seen tit to present mo with a veiy beautiful gold medal as a testimonial of their appro- efttlon of in) i florts ill preventing a collis¬ ion between the steamers Boston and Iillo wiid on St Cliilr ilvei some tlmo slu£c Not knowing the address of the pintles named, I am pi evented from acknowledg¬ ing the receipt ot the gift personally, and thoreforn have to ask that vou will dome tiie favor to convey to the ladles and gentle¬ men through your columns my sincere thanks for theli beautllul gift, and kind ex¬ pressions ucconipun) lug thesauie, am: ussuie lliein for me Mint I liighly appieilate and shall ever picscno. It as u memento of theli friendship and kindness. >• Yoius very trulv, VAI.KNTINK J ON KB, Mnater ot Summer Boston., AN OASIS IN 'HIE IJKhKKT OF COK- KUPI' MANAGMENT. Fnm Ihe l'hlrndelphia ledger Next to prevention nothing Ib bo deslmblo ns cure. Never wu» prevention* hitter ex¬ emplified than It Is nt tho Eastern Ponlten tluiy. So" exceptionally excellent Is Ihe managamunt in regard to Ijeiilth that Of the 1,032 prisoners there liicaicciuted not three ure In the hospital. If Immunity In general were us careiul of Itself that painful evil— Itching piles—would not be so prevalent and tiiero would be no necessity for the nianu- fuctiiioiif Swayue's ointment, the only euro for lids itchllig and ettng ig disease. TIIE COMMERCIAL tfNE. From Ihe Hter Ottafl A Bullalo paper thus explains tho troublo In the Commercial Lino of steamers (whloh ply between Chicago nnd Buffalo): "Tho rofcroea In tho Ensign-Holt case hnvo filed their i oport with the Clork of the Superior Comt. JudgmonUs.glvon for Mra. Cornelia Hamilton, nn iirjnitaUtnitrlx pf ElUhn W. Ensign vb, Goofgo W. Holt ns survivor of himself and Cluulea Ensign lor $013.703, and $1,085 costs. Tho refcreo's foes are |3,-_ 150. An execution was mndo by tho Clerk of tho Supremo Court and placed In the hands of Sheriff Koch. Tho atcamor Cuba and It II) understood one other boat of tho Commercial Lino wero levied on. Tho Commercial Lino ot steamers including threo Iron propellers—the Seoila, the Cuba, nnd tho Russia, onch worth about $100,000, and the wooden piopellers Colorado' Itoanake, and Ncbinska, worth about $40,- 000, It Is understood that vnluubfo wnre- liouso property In this city, ns a part of the estate, is also subject to the execution. Tho action jjrew out ot a business I elation be¬ tween thq Inte E W. Ensign nnd G. W. Holt, their business cmbnu lug the operation and management ol tho Commercial Line of propellers on the lakes. Tho action was brought by tho delcndant fo_r the balance ol an account claimed to bo owning to the estate of E. W. Ensign. Tho lato E. W. Ensign was a large contiactor, among the contracts there being several for tho construction of tho Luke Shore and Michigan Southern Railway. It was ehilmod by the clefi ndant tbnt Charles Ensign w as n partner In this contracting business, mid this, It is understood, was the prlnclpul point which the defendant Bought to establish. From 1805 to the time of the death of the late E. W. EiiBign In October, 1877, he and hla brolhor Charles, both ol Buffalo, wero en¬ gaged In alleged pnrtncishlp in various public works, not only in ralLwny construc¬ tion, but the erection of buildings, bridges, government lighthouses, and the execution of oilier largo .contracts of like nature. Among them wns the Cleveland viaduct, the estimate lor tho work being $138,074.01). The work wns done untlor the name ofE W. Ensign. Charles Ensign wns engaged with Mr. George W. Holt, the business em¬ bracing, ns above stated, jlto operation of tho Commercial Line ol propellers. Cbnllcs Ensign dieu in December 1880. Since tho death ofE. W. Ensign ClmrloB bad been the executor of his estate. At the death of Charles George W. Holt wns left as Ills ex¬ ecutor, and Mrs. Cornelia Hamilton, sister of the Messrs. Ensign, wns mndo ad- ministriitls ot E W. Ensign'sestnte." Tho Colorado, with a utigo fiom Chicago, put Into Port Colboiiin (n Canadian port) and is lying there. Site cannot be seized while in n Canadian port. Other boata^ of the line arc now outside, bound up lii'ld down. Tho Scotia left bore a day or two ago. tho scope nbuft In all tho threo lights, will' be shortened the anmo font dogroos In each, but in this ease, It will bo necessary to place aft another light, to, lllumlnnto only tho sector of somo fow degroetf loft In darkness by tho diminution above suggested. M. Sovano thon proceeds., to give nn ex¬ planation of tho penetrating power of various coloured lights through it fog, nnd argues thiiMl.la system Is fur preferable to whistling*, otc, 1Kb reasoning nnd explanations arc woll worth tho study of all aeufarais Interested In fog signalling, nnd Wii can recommend this limited work as n gonuino nttempt nt solving ono of the most dllllcult nnd'Import¬ ant marine prohlomsnf tho present day," SEA AND LAND* CASUALTIES. The Marltimo Register contains tho fol¬ lowing: Disasters on our railroads do pot eecm to hnvd decreased proportionately to tlie.innny grent improvements that hnvo been Intro¬ duced upon tliem of late years. Tho loss of llfo and propei ty nt sen during tho atoiniy season is usually lolloweil up on land by tbo railroads In Bummer when travel is greatly Increased on them. In the latter case the accidents oftou result from the cupidity of the railroad corporations, who, an a rule, ovortnsk their employes, theroby lenderlng them unfit to glvo pi oner caie nnd wnteji- fulness to tho duties assigned to them. The ON FOG SIGNALLING. The Marine Engineer published at London Eng., In reviewing a pamphlet by Pablo Porcy Sevnne, under the above caption, lays: "The pamphlet submitted tojuson this Important question deals moat ably and comprehensively with n subjuet, on whlcfi opinions differ very widely. The enormous loss of life that annually occurs, not only at sen, but sometimes when lying quietly nt anchor, owing to fog, Is something nlurmlng. Many are the Inventions which hnve been put forward to lessen this great danger, but still the fog seeuiB to set every human agency at defiance, nnd tho question appears as un¬ settled as ever. The author altogether dispensed (and we think very wisely) with the Idea of localis¬ ing the position nnd course of n vessel by means of sound. Suppose, for Instance, that ten or a dozen steamships were enveloped In a fog In close proximity to each other, the babel of sounds produced by their Bteam whistles, fog-hoins, sirens, and other ap¬ pliances, would be most bcwIUIeiing, and a enbimltv or series ot calamities would un¬ doubtedly ensue. The autboi very properly remaika that steam vcbsoIb possess the means ol Issuing thiiiideilng warnings by menus of their steam log signals, but^Biilliug vessels are entirely depiived of this privilege, and he puts lorwnrd a *} stem of Blgiiallng by moans ol an arrangement ot powi.rlul side lights. He pi opuses that every vessel will have on each Bide, and on plans parallel to Its dl amotral one, threo lights, forming among them on each .s'ldc, n rectangle, ti laugle, whereof one of the sides will bo ver.lcul and the third vertex, lie nliire tho opposite Bide, nrd ut Its lower end height; thlB triangle will bo equal hi every ship; the places liow ap¬ pointed foi the lights at picxcut In use, may be supposed, proper for the vertex ulore In each tiluugle; the lights me to have the •uiiic luminous powei, and their si ope Is to be lor each of them, the semi circle around it, outside of the ship; tho lamps atom will bo made so as to inojeet u red light, within all its sciiil-cliciilai scope; those on tho vertical side w III project a green light within the quadrant afoie, nnd u wlijie light with¬ in the quadrant abaft; If It la loured that tho brightness of tlie luminous rays can liVitny way Interfere with the good management ot the vestel, oi the comlort of the pasocngcrs, comparison, therefore, of the disasters to life from this cause on land nnd from the clan¬ gors of the eon donot appear to>be so very unfavorable to the hitter. The loss to prop, orty in tho nggregate Is, howovor, verv much greutei. Yet in both cases. Inefficiency__ whatever mny bo tht renson for it>—cntcis- largely 'nto the causes which contribute to- these disasters and many me what imi) bo termed preventnhle nccidonta. All me not, however ol this class, nnd so long ns It, Is Im¬ possible for man to attnln perfection In this llfo, accidents will happen. But that tiler may be very greatly decreased through n>e aid of science and quite ns miiclr throindi attention to tho qualifications of the iiuii employed both on our railroads and on ship¬ board cannot be doubted. Little fault mi be found with rnlhonds in that respect A man with them generally hue to undergo u long and tedious and perhaps seveie train¬ ing before be Is given a position of any virv great responsibility, and this oftentln ea only lifter lie has pnased a critical examina¬ tion ns to Ilia fitness tor the position to bo filled. T'liCBe corporations recognize tho fact that n man must be educated In his cull¬ ing to perform Ills duties iimleiatniidingly and with n duo regard for the Interests en¬ trusted to ids emu. The fault with them does not, therefore, He In this direction, but in the cxccsalvo amount of labor generally required bf the men in their employ, 'l his In consequence, puts n very grent strain np^ on the physical as well as tho mental strength of the men, thus rendering them moie liable to commit errors than otherwise- would bo the case. On the sen, however It Ib somewhat dlflerent. While- the sailor un¬ dergoes many hardship, yet, Pxcept In ease ol disaster to his vessel, he Ib not overworked and the responsibility reatlng upon him Is not grealer thnn that upon the railroad em- p'oye. The officers of the vesael nro the- responslblo ones, but they nre equnlly fri* j) In this country with the sailor in reepecfof-"^ tho lnbor required of them, or of their ca¬ pacity to perform it. In some Instances the former in the moio capable of the two. Of¬ tentimes long years oi* preparation are not necessary In order to cnnble them lo get command of n vessel. The buying up of a few slinre'B of tbo vessel property, or a little Influence will, most unfortunately, very often do all that for them. Old and tried seamen nre often get usldo for these on this noeoiint, to the very great detriment or th» - sorvlce. It la probably owing to tills tli t bo much property Is annually destroyed nt aea. There la no exouse for this state of ui- falrs and no renson w by tho officers of our merchant navy should not bo required lo piiBB ns critical an examination aa to their qualifications as uie tbo railroad employees Both in j enti listed with-the Uvea and pror^ ortv ot our peoplo and public policy de¬ mand-that both should be equally well qiiulincd properly to pel form the duties 01 their positions. CHANGES IN CANADIAN CUSTOMS " LAWS. The following le'ler, In regard to uhnnges in the Canadian customs luws, has been retelved nt the Depniluiont or Slate fiotn the United Stales Consul nt St. John New Buinawlck: - ' "Tho Parliament of Canada, nt lis Inst session, made changes In the oiijcoiiib laws which will Kcriomly Injure If not I'estio/ tho trade between our Aini-rlcun Importraiui the Canadian buyei, "The sixty-eighth section oi tho now net reads as follows,,!.*wit 'When any ,lmv ml valorem Is Imposed on any spoils Inf. purled Into Canada the value o| duly thill he the fair mnrket duty thereof wlittit sold for consumption In the principal markets of the country whence and the time when the •same were exported directly to Canada ' "This-act »eut Into operntloiion Julv 1st after which dnlo the dutiable value hi ||,« Dominion of all merchandise purchiisid abroad In boml will ho thq market value when duty paid at plneo of purchase."