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204 take the turn of any vessel so waiting at anchor excepting those which have the right of way, according to rule 24 of the canal regulations, or small vessels which may lock with large ones, but must come to anchor and wait her turn. A patrol vessel will be stationed in the river above the lock to control the movements of vessels, and masters of vessels will take their instructions from this patrol vessel. In the event of there being no vessels at anchor and no patrol boat in sight, a vessel may proceed to the lock. Masters of vessels must be prepared to report the draught of their ves- sels at bow, amidship and stern. No vessel will be passed through the lock drawing more water than the recom- mended draught. LLOYDS REGISTER AND THE GREAT LAKES. That world-famous institution, Lloyds . Register of Shipping, has finally turned its attention to the great merchant fleet trading on the Great Lakes. In all matters construction and classification of sea- going vessels Lloyds Register has long been recognized as the' paramount authority of the world. The certifi- cates of that Society are everywhere recognized by the International Shipping Community as final evidence of first class construction and seaworthiness. Nearly 21,000,000 tons of shipping now afloat hold classes assigned by the Committee of Lloyds Register. These figures include over 9,000 steamers and no other similar Institution classes one- fifth of that number. At the present time almost 1,000,000 tons of shipping are being built under the special survey of the Society's Surveyors with a view to classification. During the last ten years new vessels to the extent of over 12,000,000 tons have been classed by the Society. These figures clearly illustrate the pre-eminent position which Lloyds Register enjoys in its great sphere of usefulness, The latest evidence of the activity of Lloyds Registeristhe thorough revis- ion which the Society's Rules have undergone within the last few months in order to make them more convenient- ly applicable to the recent rapid de- velopments of naval architecture. The rules as they now stand have been re- ceived by shipbuilders, naval architects, and shipowners in the United Kingdom, on the continent of Europe, and in the United States of America with a chorus © of approval. In fact the success with which Lloyds Register has carried out this great work is understood to have appertaining to the: THe MarRINE REVIEW proved a stimulus to the smaller and internationally less recognized Classifi- cation Registers to undertake, in emu- lation of the premier Society, a s'milar task with the results of the experience of Lloyds Register before them. The Society of Lloyds Register has not, however, confined its classification to sea-going vessels, and in consequence its staff has gained experience 'in deal- ing with vessels intended for lake, river and harbor service. Several vessels built in the United Kingdom to trade on the Great Lakes have been built to the Society's classi- fication and have proved most success- ful. A great step forward was taken when Charles Buchanan, one of the chief experts from London, accompa- nied by J. H. Mancor, the Society's principal surveyor in this country, was sent out to make a special investiga- tion into the conditions of Lake navi- gation and the methods of construction 'in vogue at lake ports, with a view to the elaboration of special rules directly applicable to the circumstances of the case. This action has been followed up by the despatch: of James French, one of the ablest and most experienced surveyors on the staff of Lloyds Reg- ister in the Clyde district, who has es- tablished himself at No. 1517 Rocke- feller Building, Cleveland, O., so as to place his services at the disposal of lake builders and lake owners. One point of interest connected with Mr. French's later career is that he has been closely associated with the building of several vessels on the longitudinal system of construction, commonly known by the name of Mr. Isherwood, to whom belongs the credit of intro- ducing this method of construction into present-day vessels. Tt has been maintained that this system of construction will be found to be of special advantage in connection with vessels engaged in lake service, and both shipowners and_ shipbuilders will doubtless welcome the arrival of a man so well qualified as Mr. French with experience of both the o'der and newer methods of ship construction. APRIL LAKE LEVELS. The United States Lake Survey re- ports the stages of the Great Lakes for the month of April, 1910, as follows: Lake Superior, 601.60 ft. above tide- ewater, New York. Lakes Michigan-Huron, 580.27 ft. above tidewater, New York. Lake Erie, 572.04 ft. above tide- water, New York. Lake Ontario, 245.97 ft. water, New York. Lake Superior is 0.06 ft. higher than last month, 0.31 ft. higher than a year above tide- May, 1939 ago, 0.39 ft. below the average Stage of April of the last ten years, 0.65 ft. be- low the high stage of April, 1905, and 0.58 ft. above the low stage of April, 1892. It will probably rise 0.3 ft May. Lakes Michigan-Huron are (0,27 ft. higher than last month, 0.02 ft. higher than a year ago, 0.26 ft. below the ayer. age stage of April of the last ten years, 2.96 ft. below the high stage of April, 1886, and 1.05 ft. above the low stage of April, 1896. They will probably tise O39 thoin May. Lake Erie is 0.36 ft. higher than last month, 0.04 ft. lower than a year ago, 0.28 ft. below the average stage of April. of the last ten years, 1.83 ft. below the high stage of April, 1887, and 0.78 ¢ above the low stage of April, 1895. will probably rise 0.3 ft. in May. Lake Ontario is 0.22 ft. higher .than last month, 0.21 ft. lower than a year ago, 0.40 ft. lower than the average stage of April of the last ten years, 2.46 ft. below the high stage of April, 1886, and 1.10 ft. above the low stage of April, 1895. It will probably rise 0,3 ft. in May. in "NEW CANADIAN STEAMSHIP Co. The Merchant Mutual Line, Ltd, has been incorporated in Canada with a cap- ital of $750,000, and offices at Toronto, to engage in general transportation on the lakes. Mackenzie, Mann & Co. are the controlling interests. The new com- pany has taken over the steamships Plummer, Pellatt and Ames from the Canadian Lake & Ocean Navigation Co., and has bought the Beaverton and Ma- pleton from the Merchants Steamship Co., and the Saskatchewan from. the Colonial Transportation Co. The Saska- toon is being built in Scotland, the order for her having been placed by J. W. Norcross and R. M. Wolvin. All these six vessels will be run in the Merchants Mutual Line, which must not be con- founded with the Merchants Mutual Line, Ltd. the former being simply a_ line and the latter an owning company. 'The steamships Acadian and Canadian, owned by the Merchants Mutual Steamship Co., will also continue in the Merchants Mutual Line. The steamships Turret Court, Turret Cape, Turret Chief and Scottish Hero remain under the Canadian Lake & Ocean Navigation Co.'s ownership. J. W. Norcross, Toronto, has been appointed general manager Merchants Mutual Line, Ltd., and he will probably also manage the Canadian Lake & Ocean Navigation Co., which is also controlled by Mackenzie, Mann & Co. interests. J. W. Norcross & Co. are the general western agents of the Merchants Mutual Line.