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The opposing ideas are briefly these. Those favoring the central canal, and they may be classed as the vessel in- terests all over the lakes, believe that the central canal is the necessary and proper improvement and that it was' so conceded by the last board. They con- tend, therefore, that if the central canal is the correct entry, the interests at stake are great enough to justify the the now that the error of building the other government in providing entry, canal is discovered, instead of jeopard- izing property of much greater value than the canal by continuing in the mistake, or, 'instead of throwing good money after bad by attempting to patch up a situation that may even be made the more dangerous thereby and at least will always be unsatisfactory. The advocates of the breakwater are not only those who believe that the breakwater with the present canal is the only correct entrance but also those whose opinion is controlled by the fact that the present canal: is already built and who say, "What: is the usé of _ throwing away what we already have." The arguments in support of each be- lief have been given in more or, less detail heretofore and practically the same ground was covered at. this investiga- tion as at the previous hearing. The this. situation briefly is Especially unfavorable conditions unlike those at ~ other lake harbors exist at Duluth be- cause of its location at the end of the long narrow western point of Lake Su- perior where the prevailing northeast wind is focused upon the harbor, rais- ing heavy seas and driving the water _up into the bay through the entrance. From the navigator's standpoint, be- yond 'the dangers that attach to mak- ing an entrance into any harbor, the unusual difficulties are--remembering that the majority of boats come to Du- luth light--handling the boat in the gale, meeting the outgoing current at. the canal entrance, a current that re- --sults from the piled up waters in the bay, and maneuvering the short turn immediately inside the canal which does not allow a boat to make a run full More room is the eminently desirable for the harbor under headway. 'feature, for it is only reasonable to sup- TAE MaRINE. REVIEW pose that whatever the weather condi- tions, one point would 'be practically as easy fot a captain to find: de au- other and should he miss the entrance the result would be equally disastrous Save perhaps on the at some point sandy beach of Minnesota Point. From the harbor standpoint the cry for improvement comes because of the surging waters in the bay during a storm with the resulting large damage _to dock property and delay in shipping. All the arguments and differences of opinion have resulted from the attempt to provide for both sailor and harbor. If no solution is possible whereby both may be equally protected it is to be hoped that the lesser need will cor- dially. support the protection of the greater. | The breakwater should bé built, it is claimed for the following reasons, It will protect the present Canal and pre- vent harbor conditions now prevailing. It will provide a sheltered harbor for vessels and quiet water in which to It will afford the much needed anchorage ground at Du- make the entrance. luth. It is the least expensive proposi- tion possible. ship course into the harbor and it will avoid the great danger now existing of a boat going down in the canal without the possibility of notifying fol- lowing boats of the obstruction. Tak- ing issue with these statements it is. argued that a breakwater jutting out into the lake cannot be other than an additional menace to navigation, that room is already much too cramped and that a 600 foot boat would not be able to shape her course for the en- trance after running in by the break- water without difficulty and that it is not so much rough water but the wind that is difficult to combat. In support of the central canal-it is argued that a wider canal should be built, that a great shortening of dis- tance in making their docks would re- sult for the large majority of boats and that a céntral canal would be the eas- . the gator. It is also claimed that a central iest and safest. entry for navi- canal can be so protected as to bring no additional disadvantages to the in- terior of the harbor. It is ' conceded It will not obstruct the 21 that the central canal will be the more expensive construction but laying this consideration aside there seems to be no substantial refutation of the above arguments in favor of the central en- trance. The engineers have an interestinz controversy to decide and one in wh'ch the weight of evidence on both sides ° for one reason and another demands careful consideration. The recommen- dation of this board should cover the situation and should be final. Adequate opportunity has. been afforded for in- vestigation. A report is expected which will provide for-the situation and when given should be accepted as the wisest solution discernible. FREIGHT SITUATION. When the figures' for the present month of June are in they will proba- bly offer new evidence of what the lake fleet is capable of doing. The weak link in the chain has not been the ships but rather the docks, but 'docks have during the past two years undergone considerable transformation and notably so within the past year. The largest cargoes are being dis- charged easily.in a. working day. It is quite probable, therefore, that the June record will be heaviest yet at- tained on the lakes, the ore movement alone being well over 6,000,000 tons. Notwithstanding the freedom with which ore is moving there is a fine de- mand for tonnage all around. The lake trade as a unit was really never in better shape than now. Vessel. owners in general are so well taken up with contract ore that there is little tonnage on the market. Coal is moving forward freely, but the rates for the great proportion of the movement are the same as they were at the opening of navigation, though small cargoes to Lake Michi- gan ports command a premium. The grain trade from Chicago is quite attractive to the smaller class of vessels, figuring about ten cents better than the rate on ore from Es- canaba. The Weston Transit Co. has taken Capt. John Hesson and Engineer Cot- trell, of the steamer Wm. B. Kerr, to supervise the construction of the steamer W. M. Mills at Lorain, and placed Capt. George Honner and En- -- gineer Harry Dépuy in change. Capt. Thomas Derringer will bring out the new steamer Leland S. DeGraef and Frank Trunwalder will be her chief engineer. ra