* - the 126 gebic and Mesabi ranges. On _ the Mesabi, after the season was once fairly under way, shipments proceeded with great activity, with the result that the 1908 record was exceeded by over 10,000,000 tons, and the 1907 record by about 800,000 tons. As was to be expected, the United States Steel Corporation was by all odds the largest shipper from the range, but it did not quite maintain its former po- sition. In other years, tion has sent down as much as. 56 per cent of all the shipments from the ranges, but this year its total shipments are only a trifle greater than 50 per cent, or, to' be exact, 50.36 per cent. In 1908, only three mines shipped more than _ 1,000,000 tons, but i 1909, nine mines are found in this exclusive circle of big producers. They are the Adams, Burt. Fayal, Hull-Rust, Mahoning, Morris, Stevenson and the Virginia or Oliver group on the Mesabi, and Newport on the Gogebic. Of these mines, the Hull-Rust . is leader, with 3,039,911 tons, being more than a million tons ahead of its closest rival, and eclipsing all previ- ous records for any iron mine on the Lake Superior ranges, and doubtless for any mine in the world. During the season the Fayal mine took the leadership of the Mesabi range in point of total shipments, having sent down at the end of the season a total of 18,132,550 tons, passing the record of the Mountain iron mine, which was 17,198,871 tons. This change in the relative positions of the mines is made possible by the shut-down of the Mountain Iron, from which no shipments were made during 1909, and only a very small shipment in 1908. The Mountain Iron is by no means worked out, but active work there has been discontinued for busi- ness reasons. The total shipments of the Fayal do not equal the totals of two of the old range mines or groups, but the much greater periods over which the old range mines have been operated make the Mesabi totals considerably more significant. A number of new properties appear on the table this year. Among the new mines are the Syracuse, Pearson, Euclid, Perkins and Bray on the Mesabi range; McDonald on the Menominee, and the 'Stegmiller on the Marquette. This latter mine is a property of the Steel Corporation, which for some 'unaccountable reason, has been spoken of in: recent publications as the 'Brotherton, but it has no connection with the famous Brotherton mine on 'the Gogebic range. All of the fig- the Corpora-. the , bach Steamship -Co., 'present THE Marine REVIEW ures given in the total were com- piled from original sources, and veri- fied and corrected by comparison 'with the figures supplied by all rail- roads handling ore in the iron regions. _--_---- HERE'S ANOTHER. "On board eS Steamer (*"*"*): Jans 8; 1910. Editor Marine REVIEW : I am sending remittance herewith, and take the opportunity to say that I great- ly appreciate your good work, especially on the Naval Waste and on the subsidy question. 1 wish someone could write up the folly of the Government building and maintaining colliers. One-tenth of the cost per year in the form of a subsidy would cause many ships to be built which would always be ready and which would add to the national wealth. You will, of course, not use my name. Wishing you all success for the new year, | am, Yours faithfully, a ARR RR AR ORS Address Bureau Construction & Repair, Navy Department, Washington, D. C. FIGHT ON PACIFIC MAIL LINE STARTS. The J. L. Luekenbach, of the Lucken- of New York, has been chartered .to run in opposition to the Pacific Mail Steamship Co., on the Pacific coast. There is also a possibility of the Lewis Luckenbach, of the same fleet, being fixed for the same trade between San Francisco and. Panama, The steamship 'company, which. will op- pose the Pacific Mail on: the Southern route, is made up of several well known western capitalists, who are for the reserving their identity. The representative of the company recently made an attempt to charter the Lyra, of the Boston Tow Boat Co., but thus far there has been no_ successful cul- mination to the negotiations. The Lyra is at present operating on the Atlantic coast, after taking cargo from the Pac- ific coast, where she formerly operated. SAE isan excellent freighter and is in considerable demand at present in Pac- ific waters. There is a rumor that the Matson Navigation Co., of San Fran- cisco, recent purchasers of the Hyades from the Boston Tow Boat Co., are negotiating with the owners for the purchase of the Lyra and Pleiades - for the Hawaiian trade. No confirmation of this. report can be obtained. The J. L. Luckenbach, carrying the largest single shipment of shingles ever made from Puget Sound to the East, entrenched. March, 1910 numbering more than 3,000,000, will pe turned around and sent back to the west coast upon her arrival at New York. Some interesting developments are then anticipated on the southern run where the Pacific Mail is strongly It is said there will be a hot fight for the trade started as soon as the Luckenbach, which is on time charter, arrives at San Francisco from the East. MODERN PASSENGER DOCK FOR TACOMA. Tacoma, Wash., is soon to have an up-to-date exclusively passenger dock, The new dock will be built by the.Com- mercial Dock Co., of Tacoma, and will be erected on Northern Pacific property, just north of the company's present warehouse. The plans are awaiting final -approval by officials of the railroad. It is hoped to have the pier ready for use in May. The plans call for a two-story building,.075.. dt wide: and 100 ft @ length. It will connect with the present overhead bridge leading to the property. On the upper floor will be located the ticket offices and comfortable waiting rooms, while the ground floor will be devoted to the baggage rooms. Dining rooms and other accessories will be giy- en accommodation. Along the north and east sides will extend a balcony. There will be two slips, each 12. ft. in width. On the outer side the larger steamers will berth, while the local vessels will dock at the inside slip. A movable walk adjusted to the stage of the tide will lead 9t0 the steamers; «It 'is! expected that the steamers Hlyer, Indianapolis, Greyhound and all the local passenger craft will use this pier. It will shorten the distance from the steamer landings _to the city, which is an advantage, and will also provide an overhead crossing over the railroad tracks, for which there has long been an insistent demand. The William Cramp.& Sons Ship & Engine Building Co., Philadelphia, has just issued a book giving a history of its great shipyard. The book contains a brief history of the yard, but is prin- cipally made up of illustrations of the various vessels that it has built, begin- ning with the clipper ship Morning Light and ending with the Momus. Included also are illustrations of the engines and pumps which it has_ built. Everything about the book bespeaks workmanship of the highest order. It is beautifully bound in green leather. Uhe. Marine Association Engineers' Beneficial 'has adopted resolutions opposing the suspension of the coastwise shipping laws to Hawaii. of Honolulu