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GENERAL.

PRIZE FOR SHIPS' LIGHTS.

OUR readers are aware that Mr. Thomas Gray, who has for so many years taken great interest in all that affects ships, seamen, and commerce, has collected a sum of money, and obtained the co-operation of men of high position, with a view to producing a good spring safety-valve, and a good set of ships' lights. The sum now in his hands for this purpose is £200, and the committee appointed to decide as to the appropriation of it have advised that it should not be awarded to any lamps yet sent in. Their letters are as follows:

"U. S. Club, Pall Mall, February, 1873.-Sir,-In reply to your letter regarding ships' lights, I beg to state that I am of opinion, under the circumstances, that it will be well to have a fresh trial, and I am of opinion that the light or lights considered to be the best should have a further trial of at least three months' duration at sea in the winter before the prize is awarded. As the trials will take place on nights varying in darkness and clearness, I beg to suggest that in addition to the trial for distance on the present system there be a photometric trial in a room or hall, the lamp being gradually turned until the whole angle is passed over, and heeled over to a given angle also. I believe that this trial will be a very useful check on the other. Some very accurate photometric instruments have been lately made, and can easily be produced.-Your obedient Servant (signed), ALFRED P. RYDER, Vice-Admiral, Chairman of the Committee."

"3rd February, 1873.—Sir,-After a careful perusal of the pamphlet, as well as your letter of the 31st January, I am of opinion that it is desirable, under the circumstances, to commence de novo. Our object is to get the best lights possible, and those of the most simple construction, and to have them of such a size and price as will suit the ships as well as the means of small owners. Our size lamps as given in the instructions would appear to be of sufficient size, but I hear that the burners are too large, frequently heating the lens, which, on a sea striking it, is apt to crack.-Yours faithfully (signed), R. ROBERTSON, Surveyor-General of Steam Ships."

"11th February, 1873.-Sir,-In reply to your letter of the 31st ultimo, we desire to say that we quite concur in the proposition of having the competition all over again. We think it impossible to give the prize to Messrs. Silber, as after an inspection of their light we consider it simply impracticable as a ship's light, not only from its extreme complexity, but also from its not complying with the regulation. In the new competition we think it would be desirable that the reporting officer's

attention should be particularly drawn to the question of reflectors, and the materials of which they are constructed. Competitor's attention might also usefully be drawn to the application of alluminium, which metal has been very highly spoken of as a reflecting medium.-We are, &c., J. A. HEATHCOTE, CHARLES P. WILSON."

"150, Leadenhall Street, London, 8th February, 1873.-Sir,-I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 81st ultimo, concerning a pamphlet containing reports on the experimental trials made at Shoebury and Greenwich, with ships' side and mast-head lights, which I have read over with great interest. In paragraph 4 of your letter I note that there seems to be some difficulty in getting side lights, certain, simple, inexpensive, and at the same time effective. It is absolutely imperative that the lamp decided on for the Merchant Service should not only be simple and effective, but of small cost and without chimneys. I have lately had opportunities of seeing Mr. Silber's masthead and side lights exhibited privately, and thought them excellent, but they had the fatal chimneys, which 'in their case' cannot be dispensed with. I shall be happy to meet my colleagues at any time or place that may be appointed, to witness a further competition, which, I think, is most desirable. I should certainly like to examine the various lamps at your office, but my time is so taken up with my usual business, that this is the first opportunity I have had of replying to your letter.-I remain, &c. (signed), CHAS. E. PRYCE."

Acting on the advice of the gentlemen whose letters are given above, the following notice has been issued:

"NOTICE AS TO NEW TRIALS OF SHIPS' LIGHTS. "All lamps intended for the new trial must be delivered here, with a form filled up, before the 31st July next. There will be no restriction as to size or description of lamp or light. The committee will decide on the general merits of the lamps submitted. No lamp will be tried in competition that is not by a previous test trial proved to comply with the regulations as regards distance and direction. Efficiency, simplicity, safety, and cheapness will be carefully considered in making the award; and a practical test of three months at sea will be required before payment is made to the makers of the selected lamps.

"Competitors are specially referred to the letters of the Committee of Selection.

"April, 1878."

"THOMAS GRAY.

Not the least satisfactory features in this competition is that Mr. Chichester Fortescue, the President of the Board of Trade, headed the list of contributions. This competition is distinct from the safety

valve competition which was originated by Mr. Gray when acting as editor of this magazine, and to which we refer on another page. These exertions for the safety of the British seaman (who has found many champions in these later days) coupled with the active part in the same work taken by other officials of the Board of Trade, make the recent charges of apathy against that department somewhat ludicrous. We are reminded that it was at the suggestion of the Assistant Secretary of the Marine Department that the council of the Society of Arts offered their gold medal for the best ship's lifeboat, and we may add that our first article this month is a joint report by two of the permanent officials of the Board.

A PADLOCK FOR SAFETY-VALVES.

SUCH is the ingenuity brought to bear upon the best methods of opening the various kinds of patent and other locks, and in many cases with success, that a thoroughly secure lock is to the commercial world and the public generally, a great acquisition. We do not venture to say that perfection has yet been attained, but a lock the nearest to perfection we have seen is the Acme Lock of Messrs. Cottrill & Co., of Birmingham. Having critically examined it, we can say that it is suitable for all purposes where real security is required. The Acme Lock has been examined by one of our eminent engineers, and he pronounces it to be practically invulnerable, except by such violence or force as must destroy it altogether. The keyholes are quite solid, which prevents the internal parts from being affected by damp or wet, prevents any instrument from being used to injure the lock, and renders the lock gunpowder proof. The key opens up a new phase in the art of locking. From the church-door keys to the Bramah was one step; from all keys to these Acme keys is another. There are two distinct kinds of keys for the Acme Lock, one kind being cylinder shaped, with cams or rings turned upon them. These keys, to our mind, are the best. They represent a spindle with cams set at various angles and various parts of the length; and the other keys are angular, having a double row of teeth cut upon the stem, which enables the keyhole to be made so small and narrow, that it is impossible for any instrument to be inserted to act upon the lock. The same firm has produced a double-locking contrivance, for bankers, jewellers, &c., where extra safety is required. This lock has two separate key holes, and two sets of keys, forming a curious combination of security; the second set of keys (after the lock is locked by the ordinary keys) lock a plate of steel over, and entirely covering the keyhole, at the same time lock a plate behind the head of the bolt. But what we regard with greatest favour is the padlock made on the Acme principle. The shackle slides in and out

and is made smaller than usual, so that it is filled up with the staple, preventing any instrument being used inside the shackle to force it off -not as all others turning on a pin-which is really the weak point of all other padlocks. We give an engraving of these padlocks. If safety

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valves are to be locked up they may as well have a lock that is impervious to picker and weather, instead of having, as is generally the case at present, a lock of which a gross can be bought for 3s. 6d., and which can be opened by a bent nail or a toothpick.

HARBOUR OF REFUGE IN THE CATTEGAT.

A PAMPHLET has recently been published at Berlin, in which the writer points out the want of a really good harbour of refuge in the straits between the North Sea and the Baltic. He considers that the Governments, Chambers of Commerce, and shipowners of the countries adjacent to these waters, are greatly to blame for not doing more to diminish the perils to which vessels are exposed in the Skager Rack and Cattegat, at certain seasons of the year, by taking steps for the construction of a proper harbour of refuge. A scheme for a canal to connect the German Ocean and the Baltic-leaving the former sea opposite the island of Romoë on the west coast of Schleswig and traversing that country-has indeed been under discussion for some years; but the circumstance that this project-which would of course enable vessels to shun the dangers in question altogether-is not now likely to be carried out, at least for some considerable time, is urged as a strong reason for the immediate construction of a harbour. It is true that Frederickshaven, on the north-east coast of Denmark, was designed for this purpose; but, notwithstanding the large sums of money which have been expended on the works there, the harbour is still far from a good one, and is actually declining in the estimation of seamen. It is always more or less difficult to enter, and

when under certain conditions of wind and tide ice packs off the entrance, it is dangerous to attempt to go in. Moreover, there is but a small depth of water, and it entails considerable trouble and expense to maintain what there is, as a great deal of silting-up is always going on. In fact, the place is said to be practically useless for the large Baltic traders, as there is never more than fourteen feet of water; and when it blows from between south and east, and the water is driven down along with the ebb tide, only craft drawing 12 feet can go in; and indeed under such circumstances the pilots do not like to take in vessels the draught of which exceeds 10 feet. Masters of sailing vessels will not, it is said, go into Frederickshaven if they can avoid doing so, as in addition to the drawbacks already mentioned, it lies badly for taking advantage of the wind. For example, with an easterly wind, favourable for a ship bound to the westward, it is impossible to get out without having a dangerous coast close to leeward. The writer of the pamphlet referred to consequently advocates the construction of a harbour on the island of Hirstholm, which lies some three or four miles to the north-east of Frederickshaven. Here, he says, is a bay where, by building a mole or breakwater, a splendid harbour would be formed-one easily accessible from every quarter in all weathers, where ships of the largest size could ride safely in all winds. Moreover, the shore of this island is always singularly free from ice, and there is no fear of any silting-up taking place. With the exception of one reef, which could be included by the breakwater, there is absolutely no danger of any kind, the coast being so clear that ships can approach it within four cables' length. It is stated that the establishment of a good harbour on Hirstholm would be attended with important commercial results, as a great portion of the traffic between Germany and Denmark on the one hand, and Sweden and Norway on the other, would pass that way, so that the place would become ere long a kind of outlying port to Gothenburg, which is distant about forty miles. A harbour on Hirstholm would, on account of its freedom from ice, be an especial boon to the Russian winter traders. For some time past St. Petersburg merchants have been debating whether it would not be cheaper to import the last Danish agricultural produce of the season by land, as freights and marine insurance rates are so high towards the end of the year. The Hirstholm harbour would, it is believed, tend to lower these charges, and would give a fresh impulse to the trade of the Baltic generally. Some statistics are given with a view of showing the necessity which exists for a harbour of refuge in this neighbourhood. From these it appears that between the years 1858 and 1868 no fewer than 1,410 vessels were stranded on the Danish coast, of which 904 were totally lost, while 250 of the entire number were wrecked within a circuit of which Hirstholm may be regarded as the centre.[As. a

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