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MARINE REVIEW | 2 sions and in traffic tonnage, adding immensely to the national wealth and largely enabling the United States to become an exporter of iron and steel manufactures by improved access to the vast iron deposits in the states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota; and "Whereas, the Great Lakes Sault Canal Semi-Cen- tennial Association has recommended that July 12, rgo05, be named as the day. when public ceremonies at the canal shall be observed, the full period of fifty years of utilization of the same being completed with the advent of that month; therefore, "Resolved, by the senate and house of representa- tives of the United States of America in congress as- sembled, that a special congressional commission, to consist of five senators, to be appointed by the presi- dent pro tempore of the senate, and ten representatives, to be appointed by the speaker of the house, be author- ized to represent congress upon the before-mentioned occasion and at the date last named, and in connection with said association and any state commission ap- pointed for such purpose, to arrange for suitable cere- monies to take place upon the national reserve adjoin- ing said canal at 'he time hereinbefore mentioned, the said commission to become organized by selecting a chairman and appointing a marshal and secretary, and with power to direct action by written authorization of members during intervals of meetings, a majority to form a quorum for transaction of business. "That the secretary of commerce and labor be au- therized and directed to cause a monolith, with suitable ornamentation and accessories, on plans approved by the congressional commission, to be erected upon said canal reserve, to receive memorial tablets relating to the officiais in the original construction corporation ; also to state officials in the canal administration; also to the engineers and other active agents of the United States during the later period of its management ; also one relating to official participants in the ceremonies of the first half-century celebration ; the total expense to be limited to the sum of $10,000 for such monolith and tablets, $10,000 for the preparation of a historical ana statistical volume relating to the canal, and $5,000 for the expenses of the congressional commission, to be paid upon presentation of its warrants therefor upon the secretary of the treasury." It is significant that the Lake Carriers' Association has seen fit to protest to Secretary of War Taft against the use of government dredges in the improvement of the waterways of the great lakes, as an infringement upen the rights of private interests. The protest is especially directed against the construction of a gov- ernment dredge for Lake Michigan. The secretary of war was authorized to divert money appropriated for the improvement. of the harbors of Lake Erie for the construction of a government dredge for use on Lake Erie, but no such provision was made for the construc- tion of a dredge for Lake Michigan. However, when the contract was let for the dredge for Lake Erie' one was also let for Lake Michigan, very much to every- one's surprise. The government dredges are intended to do work which rightfully belongs to individuals. Millions of dollars have been invested in dredges along the chain of great lakes and it is not fair to this capital to deprive it of a fair part of its possible field. More- over, statistics prove that government dredging is ex- travagant business. It costs more per cubic yard than private dredging, and, of course, the people have to bear this added burden. The Lake Carriers' Associ- ation is a very influential body and in appearing before Secretary Taft on behalf of the private dredges, it has added great weight to their cause. The hill requiring owners of gasoline launches and motor boats to carry licensed officers is now practically defeated. For ten years this measure has fairly haunt- ed every congress and has caused no end of annoyance and expense to makers of these useful little craft. It has been necessary to send representatives to Washing- ton to appear before the committee on merchant marine and fisheries, which is in itself a considerable expense. The advocates of this bill do not appear to understand that in projecting this measure they are really attack- ing a very considerable part of the marine industry of the country. Were the bill to pass, it would instantly compel a great many of the makers of these little vessels to go out of business. The gasoline launch is primarily a vehicle of pleasure. Hundreds of them are, of course, employed in delivering supplies to vessels along the river front, but their real use so far has been to widen the domain of pleasure. It is to be hoped that the members of the committee on merchant marine and fisheries are now thoroughly conversant with this topic and that, if this bill is again presented at the next session, it will not be placed upon the calendar. It is a perfectly absurd thing to think of licensing these little craft when sailing vessels below 700 tons may go wherever they please without one. Considering its limited resources, Canada spends proportionately vastly more money for the improve- ment of its navigable channels than the United States. It has spared neither money nor labor to make the St. Lawrence a navigable stream for vessels of deep draught and its canal system is one of the most ex- tensive in the world. As will be noted elsewhere in this issue, it is now devising a set of rules, independent of the international rules, in order to conform to the White law under which the United States vessels of the great lakes are navigated. The purpose of this is to make navigation of the great lakes, both for American and Canadian vessels, absolutely uniform. It will ren- der the possibility of misinterpretation of signals be- tween vessels of these two nations impossible hereafter, since both will be alike. The department of marine expects to expend this year about $1,000,000 in pro- viding aids to navigation along Canadian waterways, including the great lakes.