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TiN has "TAE MarRINE. REVIEW 29 with practically all of them. As mat- ters stand there are a number of points, therefore, in which strict observance of our passenger provisions would compel the companies to violate the acts of the ports at which they touch on the other side of the water, while, on the other hand, observance of the acts of their home countries would compel them prac- tically to violate our legislation on the subject. It has already been learned that the steamship companies are in-en- tire sympathy with the desire of the de- partment to have the system of fines for infraction of navigation regulations and the like altered in such a way as to make the fines correspond in. amount to the nature and gravity of the offenses. They also favor making the fines stable and compelling their imposition at fair rates instead of leaving them to the option of the officials of the department, as is at present the practice. The Great Britain, Ireland «and Canada express route is the title of a syndicate formed in London for the pur- pose of establishing a fast line of steam- ers between Blacksod Bay, County Mayo, Ireland, and Halifax, N. S., with the nec- essary rail connections in Ireland. It is reported that Vickers Sons & Maxim, of Barrows-in-Furness, England, and Swan & Hunter, Newcastle-on-Tyne, are inter- ested in the project. The distance be- tween Blacksod Bay and Halifax is 2,100 STEERAGE SERVICE INQUIRY. According to present plans a serious and thorough investigation of conditions 'in the steerage passenger service of ves- miles, which could be traversed in 34 days by 25-knot steamers. 'Mr. R. Bick- erdike of Montreal is the Canadian rep- Probably the broadest object of the proposed changes is that of bringing our passenger act into conformity with those of foreign nations. At the present time i tw LL see xe RRR f? LAT DY bt ug tay ia 2h] FIG. 183. sels leaving American ports will be be- gun, by officials of the Department of Commerce and Labor shortly after the close of the congressional session. FIG, there is great diversity in this matter. Considerable agreement is found in the acts of foreign countries on this subject, but our own act is in wide disagreement 1esentative of the syndicate and he in- 186. tends to bring the matter officially be- fore the Dominion government. It is in- timated the project has the cordial. en- dorsement of Lord Strathcona.