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OUR MEETING SITES 2. In the Mid-Summer issue, we mentioned that we hoped to be able to hold meetings for the coming year in the Stanley Barracks building, the site of the old Marine Museum of Upper Canada, where we have met for so many years, as parking is readily available there for out-of-town members. When we were told that the site would still be available, we had not yet learned that Heritage Toronto had somehow mistaken the Toronto Marine Historical Society for a commercial client with limitless funds. After advising the members that our autumn meetings would be at the old site, we learned that we were going to be charged more than $360 per meeting for the use of the facili­ ties. This quite clearly was a fiscal impossibility for us, but Heritage Toronto refused to negotiate. We have been able to make special arrangements to use the facilities at the new waterfront museum, "The Pier", for the October and November meetings at a much more reasonable rate, but although there is parking available in the area, we cannot use it for free. The meeting facilities, however, are very suitable for our needs. We sent out notices of change of venue for the October meeting to all mem­ bers who might be expected to attend, and we apologize if we missed anyone, but this whole thing was a last-minute crisis for us. Needless to say, we cannot afford the sort of rental fees demanded by Heritage Toronto on a long-term basis, even with "special arrangements". We have no alternative but to seek other facilities available in the cost range which can be afforded by a non-profit historical group like T. M. H. S., and we shall keep our members advised. Suggestions from members who might know of suitable meeting space will be most gratefully received by your Committee. * * * * * MARINE NEWS Following years of idleness at Whitby and then at Toronto, after her work on the North Traverse dredging project below Quebec City, the venerable east coast steam ferry PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND has finally disappeared under the scrappers' torches. The 285-foot ferry, which sported four smokestacks when in ferry service, was built in 1915 at Walker-on-Tyne, England. Over the last several years, she has been gradually cut down whilst lying along the south wall of the Toronto Ship Channel, and latterly on the north side of the Leslie Street slip, but in mid-September, the last small piece of her hull finally was lifted from the water. We previously mentioned that the Great Lakes Towing Company was dismantling some of its retired tugs at its Cleveland facility. We now can confirm that four tugs have been scrapped, the first to go last winter being CONNECTICUT, built in 1927 and rebuilt in 1958. Next to be cut up, early this year, was NEVADA, built in 1930 and rebuilt in 1959. The third to be scrapped was UTAH, (a) E. M. PIERCE, built 1909 and rebuilt in 1950, while the last to go was GEORGIA (II), (a) LAMONT, (b) JOHN ROEN, (c) SAMUEL E. BOOL, built back in 1895 and rebuilt in 1953. On a more positive note, Great Lakes Towing this spring completed a major refurbishing of the City of Chicago fireboat VICTOR L. SCHLAEGER, and will do similar work to upgrade the Chicago firetug JOSEPH MEDILL. It was announced in early September that Lake Ontario Fast Ferry Corp., To­ ronto, had chosen Austal Ships Pty Ltd., of Henderson, Australia, to build two 300-foot fast passenger and auto ferries for its proposed service between Toronto and Rochester. It was hoped that the contract would be sign­ ed shortly. The ships, costing between $39 million and $45 million each, would load autos from the stern and unload from the bow, so that no inside turns would be required. The service could not likely begin until at least the spring of 2000.