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In the House ofCommons at Ottawa last week, Wm. McGregor, M.P., made a strong plea for a survey of the proposed St. Clair-Erie Canal between Kent and Essex Counties. Mr. Haggart, replying, said he did not see the necessity for a channel upon the east side of Walpole Island, and Canada had as much right to use the channels in the Detroit River as the United States. The proposed canal would shorten the distance 57 miles, but it would require the digging of a ditch fourteen miles long and would entail anenormous expenditure. Atpresent he didnotthink it would be advisable to undertake the expenditure, nor did he think it necessary to have surveys made, asthere were already very good surveys of theproposed canal. The strongest reason for the canal was the saving of 57 miles. He did not place a great deal of importance to the necessity of having an independent waterway, because Canada's rights under treaties was sufficient, and in the case of trouble it would beaseasy to stop a channel east of Walpole Island as the present channels. It is said that the owner of the steamer Riverside will not put her on the route between Toledo and the Islands. She has commenced running to Marine City from Detroit. The trial ofthe case ofthe owners of the schooner Mitchell against the steamer Devereaux to recoverdamages sustainedin a collision between the two vessels on Aug. 13th, 1890,was determined in the United States District Court at Detroit on Saturday. The collision occurred in a narrow charmel in Lake St. George, St. Mary's River, the steamerbeing bound down while the schooner was bound up in tow of the steam barge Folsom. Judge Severens held that the Devereaux was at fault and referred the assessment of damages to Commissioner Davison. The owners claimed that the damages were about $6000 or $7000. April 14, 1893 The tug John Gregory of Cleveland has been bought by L.P. & J.A. Smith for $8000. She will be used to tow barges. This is the firm that has the work at Bar Point and Detroit River. The steamer Telegram, owned by Messrs. Ainsley & Ganley, is being refitted with compound engines, besides other important additions, and will ply between Whitefish Point and Duluth. Capt. A. Cameron will pull the bells. Fromthe present condition it is safeto predictthat the Straits ofMackinac will be open for navigation by April 20th. This is somewhat earlier than has been expected by marine men around the lakes. The steamerFrank E. Kirby commenced trips to the Islands and Sandusky on |0 ,ci_![l - 1 1 "U pn p Pn Cl. [] n 'a L i» p f-p (<a, y p ; i F1 H Ki P' •t LU Monday. Until June 1st she will leave Detroit Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at 8:30, city time. After that date daily trips will be made. The fleetof vessels thatwintered in Chicago is largerthan in anyprevious year, andas soonas navigation opens they will start outwithfully 10,000,000 bushels of grain. AtDuluth thesituation is practically thesame, butnavigation will notopen up till the middle of May andperhaps later. Lake Superior is still frozen overfrom Keweenaw Point to Port Arthur. There was a remarkable tidal wave on the lower part ofLake Michigan Friday. At Chicago the water mshed up the river and tore several vessels from their moorings. At BentonHarborand St. Josephthe wave washed up several hundred feet into the city. Other cities report the same phenomenon. Some saythatit was due to a seismicdisturbance in the lake;othersto the high temperature and the rapid change in the direction ofthe wind. The steamer Menominee of the Gooderich Transportation Co. arrived at Milwaukee Fridaynight with the crew ofthe schooner[United] Lumbermen. The Lumbermen capsized off Racine Point at 3 o'clock Friday aftemoon. She was making her first trip of the season from Chicago to Keweenaw. O.C. Vose, the Lumbermen's captain, andfive seamen spent three hours intherigging ofthe vessel, it having righted in eight fathoms of water. Whenthe vessel capsized the captain became entangled in therigging and thesailors dived and rescued him. The steamer Lakeside arrived at Toronto on Thursday of last week from St. Catharines, the second steamboat ofthis season to enter Toronto. Capt McCormick was in command of the vessel and he will handle the bells on her all this summer. There were a number ofwell-known mariners on board and among these were Capt Wigle (the manager of the company), Capt. Murray, Capt. Mcllwain and Capt. Chancy. TheLakeside will continue to makea trip between Toronto and the canal every day. PurserCowan is again punching the tickets on board the vessel. The Empress ofIndia will run inconnection with the Lakeside and the Garden City this season. April 14, 1893 The Straits ofMackinac are clear of ice. This season at FortGratiot light station at the headof St. ClairRiverthere will be a fixedwhite light,variedbya whiteflasheveryminute. The FrankE. Kirby is now running bySandusky buthas been chartered byC.F. Bellman andwill make tripsto PortHuron from Detroit every Sunday.