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50 risk that it would not be profitable for Owners to carry their own insurance. Mr. Coulby urged that the amount remain at 5 per cent for a period of five years, at the end of which he be- lieved that definite and tangible re- sults would be attained and that the association would then be in better shape to make demands upon the underwriters. He believed that there were many matters in the association more pressing than the actual per- centage of insurance that the asso- ciation itself should carry, notably the elimination of preventable acci- dents, and to this end the hearty co- operation of the captains was neces- sary. solved to make no change during the present year. Mr. Coulby's suggestion of a com- mittee of captains was then taken up, Capt. John Mitchell, C. M. Heald and C. D. Dyer stating that they would be very glad to pay the expenses of any master of their fleet, who might be selected to attend a meeting of The association thereupon re- THE MARINE REVIEW captains, in conjunction with the meeting of the Protective Association. The matter was eventually referred to the advisory committee, but a com- mittee of captains will undoubtedly be formed in the near future to meet with the association and to devise rules and regulations that will seek to lessen the number of accidents. One fruitful cause of accident is the at- tempt to pass another steamer going in the same direction at the turning points in the rivers. Should a third steamer be met a mix-up is most likely to occur. The association has reason to be pleased with the result of its opera- tions. During the year 1909, the as- sociation lost $12,527.54, but the re- turns for 1910 indicate a profit of $30,588, notwithstanding that the ton- uage of total losses under the 1910 policies was more than double that of 1909. This proves very conclu- 'sively that navigation during 1910 was much more carefully- conducted than 1909, otherwise this heavy handi- vessels February, 1912 cap would not have been overcome. The underwriters therefore have had a profitable year upon their risks upon enrolled in the association and there is hope that this circum- stance may be recognized when in- surance premiums are fixed for next season. The advisory committee was also authorized to establish an association membership to consist of fleets en- rolled in the: Lake Carriers' Associa- tion that are carrying their own in- surance. The association members will pay a portion of the cost of operation and will conform to such rules for the navigation of their ves- sels as the association may deem wise and prudent. It is apparent that there is a determined disposition manifested all along the line to attack every problem that is involved in the general scheme of insurance and to put it upon such a basis as to make the field attractive to the wunder- writer. When that is done the rate will take care of itself. F reight Handling in Port ARGO transference at steamship termi- nals affords a strik- ing field for the marine engineer. The adaptation of improved mechanical 'methods will in- crease the capacity of existing termi- nals. and reduce the cost of handling freight.. It offers a large field for the activities of marine engineers and architects and is one which has only latterly been fully recognized. Unavoidable necessity is now compelling the substitution of machinery for the armies of men employed in this class of freight movements. The normal proportional increase of general freight is more than two and one-half times that of the population and the pro- portion of package freight increase is at least twice that of general freight. This is largely the result of convert- ing raw material into manufactured products at its place of origin and the great increase of manufacturing. In coastwise transportation in the United States for large tonnage the terminal costs are greater than the carriage costs. As an example, the cost including cargo and terminal ex- penses to the transportation company per ton of freight for nearly 2,000 miles was $1.56, of which the labor terminal costs at both ends of the 'more than 30 cents. route were 79 cents. The estimated cost of the carriage of one ton of freight on the Erie canal in the pro- posed type of barge between Buffalo and New York is 26 cents, while ter- minal cost by manual labor will he It can therefore be appreciated what a field is offered for mechanical transference of freight at steamship terminals. This topic was the subject of a valu- able paper by H. McL..Harding, con- sulting engineer, at the recent meet- ing of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers in New York. He cited as one example of the awak- zs =a fae Pin siete UC oe -- ening to the importance of this sub- ject the installation of freight hand- ling machinery at St. Louis by the Missouri, Kansas & Texas railway under the direction of S. B. Fisher, its chief engineer. The company has installed ata <cost of . $3,000,000 a freight terminal which depends ab- solutely upon mechanical methods in- stead of manual labor, handling every- thing from a crate of eggs to a grand piano. This paper was abundantly illustrat- ed and attracted a great deal of at- tention, being discussed by a number of members, as follows: W. OD. Forbes: -- This paper is cone of the most interesting to me that has ever been presented to our so- - ciety. It is on a subject that has been given attention in a rather spasmodic manner, but which has _ substantially been neglected in the past. The trans- portation companies have been so much engrossed in getting materia! from one point to another that they have not given the attention they should have given to the matter of handling it after it has reached its destination; in other words, they have Leen, figuratively speaking, rushing water to a thirsty man with great speed, and have not given him even the poorest kind of facilities with which to drink it. I have taken unusual. interest in