The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

ee ickade Lake Executives Discuss Plan of Opening Navigation Season on Fixed Date—Some Declare Project Impracticable, While Others Think it Should be Pushed Through HE request made by THE Marine REVIEW in its June issue for a free discussion of the project to exert a closer control over the forces which obstruct the opening of the Great Lakes navigation season, has brought out a large number of opinions from representative lake executives. The experiences of the present season when unusual ice conditions delayed the opening for several weeks beyond the average date, with a consequent loss in freight carried and money earned that amounted to an immense sum, has sharpened the interest in the question to an unusual degree. The discussions center mainly about three phases of the question: The feasibility of any What Russia Has Done By William J. Wood, Naval Architect, Chicago 1: IS very clear that much loss is sustained annually by delay and the uncertainty of date of opening this narrow waterway between Whitefish Point and Detour, Mich. The writer prepared complete construction plans of a vessel that was designed to run all winter on Lake Michigan into a port in Green bay, Wis. Masters who are familiar with the conditions in Green bay and who _ have tried to navigate there in winter, approved these ‘plans and believed that such a vessel might be profitably operated in that service_during the closed season. If that is the case, such a vessel could easily make its way through the route under discussion, and for the remainder of season, not lay up as suggested, but be operated in some profitable trade. The writer was consulted by officials of the Siberian railway in 1894 in regard to a steamer for transporting passengers and freight cars, and for clearing the way for steamers to follow in her wake, across Lake Baikal, Russia. For nearly half the year the lake is frozen and that official in describing the conditions to be overcome there, stated that the ice formed strong enough to allow ~ loaded trains to pass over it. Lake Baikal is in Siberia, government of Irkutsk, and is 397 miles long and from 13 to 54 miles wide. The area is 12,500 square miles and the depth 22 to upward of 300 fathoms. The bottom can be seen at 8 fathoms depth, the water being clear and clean. It is frozen from November until May. It was navigated by steam first in 1846, the passage across being made in eight hours. It is almost perpetually swept by wind. This lake facilitates railroad trade with China. Mongolian tribes inhabit its shores. It is situated 1,360 feet above sea level, and yields.an abundance of salmon and seals on its shores in summer. When the Russian government with foreign-built ton- nage is able to keep that lake open during winter, our problem seems simple by comparison. As regards the steps to be taken to have such a vessel built and put in service and the initial cost of same, it seems to me that this is a matter that might profitably be taken up in an effort to get the government to build and put such a vessel in commission. plan for opening navigation at the Soo water- ways and at other ports, where delays from ice may be expected, at about the same time each year, say, April 15; the economy of any such plan; by whom such expense should properly be borne. The unusual tax upon our space prevents THE Marine Review from running all discussions received up to the time of going to press, but the following will be found not only interesting but representative. Further discussions are being received and will appear in the next issue. THE MariNnE Review offers an opportunity to all those interested in the subject, to place their views prominently before the men most concerned. Practicable and Feasible By D. Sullivan & Co., Chicago fee is no question in my mind but what it is prac- ticable to use mechanical means to break the ice at the Soo river on April 15 each year, and also to keep the chan- nels in the Soo river reasonably clear. At the same time I do not think that this would mean that navigation would be open generally and that business interests generally could so consider it. _ For instance, taking this year as an example. The Soo river opened up considerably earlier than Lake Superior points, and where it is usually the key to the spring situa- tion, this year proved that it is not always the key to the situation. : Generally speaking, I consider the proposition feasible and the ‘matter of expense could be arrived at very readily by a meeting of the interests involved. Should be Considered Each Year By Herbert K. Oakes, Cleveland & ieee requirements of iron ore for the furnaces vary so much from season to season that it does not seem to me to be practicable to plan any great distance ahead for the use of ice breakers to open navigation. I think the matter is one that should be considered say along in early March each year, when we will know not only the approximate ore requirements for the season, but will also have a better line on how much ice breaking would have to be done by :the ice crushers to have the channels open say by early April, if conditions in the lake trade seem to call for as early an opening as that. : In any season when conditions did call for this expense there would be no difficulty in distributing it among those who desired to have the service rendered. Government Help Suggested By James A. Myers & Co., Chicago es ought to win the everlasting gratitude of all the ee vessel owners if you can succeed in breaking up the ice at the Soo, on April 1 or April 15, as it certainly has cost the vessel owners quite a sum of mon ey, waiting until a later date. : late. Why not have -all the vessel owners assessed for the initial cost, the larger the vessel the larger assess-