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MARINE REVIEW. Pvor, VIll. CLEVELAND, O., anp CHICAGO, ILL., OCT. 10, 1893. No. 16, --_--_-- Dullness in Iron Ore Did It. With the closing weeks of the season of lake navigation, it is plain to be seen that the low rates of freight that have pre- yailed can be charged toa reduction of about 33 per cent. in the output of iron ore from Lake Superior mines, combined with the surplus of vessel tonnage that has been accumulating for several seasons past. Grain, flour and lumber shipments have shown a steady increase, even into the past month, but the shrinkage in ore, due partly to over production last year, but more largely to depression in the iron market, brought on by threatening tariff legislation, is so large as to be among the most important factors in the situation. Reports of the freight movement through the St. Mary's Falls canal to Oct. 1 show a decrease, as compared with the same date last year, of 20.8 per cent. in the shipments of iron ore, and it is, of course, well known that the decrease in shipments from Escanaba is proportionately much greater. In fact it is generally admitted that even with the improvement in the ore movement that has taken place since the beginning of September, the total output of the Lake Superior region will barely reach 6,000,000 tons. On the other. hand, the canal figures show a gain of 19.8 per cent. in the movement of flour, 27.5 per cent. in corn, 6.7 per cent in wheat and 5.2 per cent. in lumber. But iron ore is the greatest freight commodity and the percentage of decrease, which represents tons instead of barrels or bushels, is a big loss. Fol- lowing is a summary of the canal statistics: ST. MARY'S FALLS CANAL TRAFFIC. To Oct. 1,| To Oct. 1, |Per cent. of increase 1893. 1892. or decrease in 1893. Freight of all kinds, net tons} 8,097,471 8,824,168 8.2 decrease, Coal, hard and soft, net tons| 2,296,142 2,330,912 1.7 decrease. Iran: Ore; Het tONG...<..:+..-c0e + 3,188,187 4,027,444 | 20.8 decrease. IMG DARE) S: «.<60..0 6 cnc sana cs 4,738,380 3,810,222 | 19.8 increase. Morn bushels: .2c.cscr-.ssecce-0es 1,889,594 1,370,982 | 27.5 increase. Wheat, bushels...........sss00e00. 30,535,481 | 28,476,245 6.7 increase. muumber,M. feet...........e--0,. 409,712 388,147 5.2 increase, During September of this year the aggregate movement of freight of all kinds was 1,404,183 net tons, divided as follows: _ ; East-bound. West-bound. MUWIRtEE RR ro ca Cr cstectern Maer 374,339 tons. BN Gaes Reda Ne ROTTS ce IS IROIO7 86ibbls. ele AG Re Rees occ k ec sciacBes wok Phanysrorseuce eos ce 3,600 bu SEER Shere cee ect Beso OO Us ees oases Rule cam ike set: ile ADIBACSbMELS POH, PRTC. BLONC.Gae%nossinepcesesoxleteschwrs DDO tOn Be Hip i ak. coca BU GRERe ce ec cee ORO D (Ol sis eee MPUERCE Ue deirane lh... uh.. isc chidis AC. aed 2,806 tons. UIST TAS OL Sie a oe DilsOD4ebONSs gece g.2cde cee EU GDI Ds MRE ETS SC alc es cp cocgsececesnes OM eAS CUO MS sites etree: 6 BU ete EHR 42s. RlaiUl fee Reeds. 19,197 bbls. Rt Eas oe sti TB ADSM fects. Tcistyc.: Siiver, ore......... Meee eae. oes deiaesies « S2OstOMSs. ee ss cess cen Uuclassified freight........0e0ecee0 20,708 tons. 33,620 tons. SSE EEA eiueh tudes ce qaedcbaess sesecinese 1,451 1,368 Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. ' Secretary W. L. Capps, of the Society of Naval Architects : and Marine Engineers, organized a few months ago, announces E that the first general meeting of the society will take place in New York city, at 10 a. m., Thursday, Nov..16. Through the _ Courtesy of the president and managers of the American Society Of Mechanical Engineers, the meetings will be held in the rooms -- Of that society, No. 12 West 31st street, the sessions extending through Thursday and Friday, Nov. 16 and17. It is proposed to have an inaugural banquet on Thursday evening. It is earnestly desired that the inaugural meetings of the society may be fully attended, in order that the papers presented may be dis- cussed with a thoroughness commensurate with their importance. Certificates of membership have been engraved and it is expect- ed that they will be ready for transmission to members within a few days. The list of papers to be read at the meeting is as follows: "Transatlantic Navigation,' Charles H. Cramp, Esq., president Wm. Cramp & Sons' Ship and Engine Building Company, Phil- adelphia, Pa.; 'Steel Ships of the United States Navy," Theodore D. Wilson, ex-chief constructor, U. S. N.; 'Ihe Development of Shipbuilding on the Great Lakes," Jno. F. Parkhurst, Esq., vice president and generalmanager Globe Iron Works Company,Cleve- land,O.; "Notes on the Machinery of the New Vessels of the United States Navy," George W. Melville, engineer in chief, U. 5S. N.; "Coal Bunkers and Coaling Ships,'"' Albert P. Niblack | lieutenant, U.S. N.; "Production in the United States of Heavy Steel Engine, Gun and Armor Forgings," Russell W. Daven- port, Esq., vice-president Bethlehem Iron Company, South Bethlehem, Pa.; 'Determination of the Approximate Dimen- sions of a Vessel to Fulfill a Given Programme of Require- ments,' Joseph J. Woodward, naval constructor, U. S. N.; "Comparative Performances of American and Foreign Freight- ing Ships--Our Superiority, Wm. W. Bates, Esq., late com- missioner of navigation, treasury department; 'Ihe Wetted Surface of Ships," David W. Taylor, naval constructor, U. S. N.; "The Influence of Speed and Weight of Machinery on the Determination of the Other Elements of the Design of Steam Vessels," John J. O'Neil, Esq, naval architect and marine engineer; "United States Treasury Rules for the In- spection of Machinery and Boilers," Jas. T. Boyd, Esq., general manager George F. Blake Manufacturing Company. Papersare also expected from the following gentlemen, but the exact titles have not yet been decided upon: Col. Edwin A. Stevens, pres- ident Hoboken Ferries; A. Cass Canfield, member America's cup committee, New York Yacht Club; Jose; h A. Linnard, naval . constructor, U.S. N. Stocks of Grain at Lake Ports. The following table, prepared from reports of the Chicago board of trade, shows the stocks of wheat and corn in store at the principal points of accumulation on the lakes on Oct. 14, 1893: [os Wheat, bu. Corn, bu. Chica @oraiersales sc ossceoey: 18,942,000 2,734,000 Duluth Sk OT ONOOQEs oan eis. Milwatkeewa awit dscn te aee FOOOOO. his cease. - DGtON e ceassar ccotes ere 1,116,000 7,000 TOledGaic ae it ete «tet 1,784,000 239,000 Bwital.ee e seeneeee 2,633,000 I, 102,000 Note ese ak 29,244,000 4,082,000 - At the puints named there is a net increase for the week of 2,970,000 bushels of wheat and 223,000 bushels of corn. It is expected that the amount of lumber that will remain on dock this fall at Ashland, Duluth and other ports at the head of Lake Superior will be about the same as last year, but at the opening next spring the lumber available for the eastern trade will be scarce, as the grades most in demand in the east are being shipped about as fast as they are manufactured.