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276 far-reaching improvements in a now unfavorable situation. The efficiency of the railroads will be increased by a better character of local legislation and by a higher char- acter of scientific management. The aavigable streams of the valley will again be used to move commerce “along natural north and south trade channels of least resistance. In this third period, it is logical to expect the shippers of the Mississippi valley to do their own thinking on the subject of transportation economy. They had no opportunity to do so in the days when the boats enjoyed a wionopoly, and no disposition to do so iu the days when the railroads were cffering greater convenience of USSIA, under her new republican government, plans to promote vigorously her industrial develop- ment and the problem of developing her merchant marine is certain to receive cariy attention. A minor but interest- ing phase of Russia’s shipping is the establishment of regular shipping lines to the Ob and Yenesei river districts. These rivers empty into the Kara sea, off northern Siberia and are ice locked most of the year. Until recently the im- mense districts which they drain had been completely out of touch with the outside world except through tedious land hauls to the trans-Siberian rail- road. In recent years, various attempts have been made to develop lines to these river -and recently these efforts have met with some degree of success. Some of the difficulties of shipping to Siberia by this route were illustrated at the general meeting of the Siberian Steamship, Trading & Mfg. Co., held re- cently in Christiania, Norway, when the managing director made a report on the 1916 operations. At the beginning of the year the company’s capital was in- creased from 500,000 kroner to 3,727,000 kroner. The two steamers Epam (3,500 tons) and Grantr (3,300 tons) were pur- chased, and it was the intention to use them for expeditions to the Ob and Yenesei, there being a good prospect of large shipments of butter. In the month of May, however, a new Russian law was passed prohibiting the export of that article, and the company’s applica- tion for exceptional treatment was de- clined by the Russian government. At that time the company had bought one boat’s cargo of hemp and rope, for which as a special favor an export per- mit was granted, so it was possible to send Epam to the Yenesei, while the despatch of the second ship to the Ob was abandoned, and she was used in THE MARINE REVIEW service than the boats had been giving then. Today the railroads alone can- not protect the valley shippers, and the boats, through whose assistance absolute protection can be assured, are not yet in operation. But when a channel of relief is available, Amer- ican business men can be depended on to correct an intolerable condition in short order. Will Revive Boat Lines [It is therefore reasonable to expect that in the not distant future ade- quately financed and economically equipped boat lines, served by prac- tical loading, unloading and housing facilities, and enjoying close connec- tion and interchange with the rail- general trading on other trade routes. Long negotiations for outward goods resulted in a full cargo from England, consisting of metals, machinery, and im- plements of various kinds, as well as some provisions, with a total value of 2,000,000 kroner. Epam left Newcastle on Aug. 20, and four days later reached Trondhjem, where she took in about 400 tons, chiefly of machinery and appli- ances for the company’s business on the Yenesei. After taking on board the ice pilot, Epam left Tromso on Aug. 24, some 14 days later than usual. The de- lay was principally due to export for- malities, but also to the difficulties that were met with in fixing the ice sheath- ing and the wireless, apparatus, as all the works were full up with admiralty contracts. Difficulties of Navigation The weather was bad and there were occasionally heavy head seas, but in September Nova Zembla was_ sighted, and about the same time the first drift ice was met, although the ship was still some 150 miles from the Kara strait. The predictions as to a difficult ice year seemed to be holding good. The ice, however, was not in the worst condition, and the steamer was able to travel at half speed. From inquiries made by wireless it was ascertained that the strait and the southern portion of the Kara sea were free of ice. On Sept. 3, Epam began to pass through the strait which was completely free, but in the even- ing, about 200 miles up the Kara sea, she ran into the worst drift ice that had ever been - seen. The course was changed, and in fog, rain and gales the voyage was continued until Epam was about 50 miles from Dickson island, off which the anchor was dropped on Sept. 8. From here the first message was sent through the new wireless station an- — Z y Gj @ Vp August, 1917 roads, will come into being first as an emergency measure and later as a permanent part of the valley’s transportation equipment. As a working start to attain this goal, the United States department of commerce has begun specialized en- deavor to encourage shippers to use the waterways for the movement of A subcommittee of the commerce. national defense council, headed by Gen. W. M. Black, is engaged in solving the physical difficulties con- fronting the boat lines. The inter- state commerce commission is pre- pared to enforce the law. which pro- vides for the physical connection be- tween rail and water, and the issu- ance of joint bills of lading. nouncing the vessel’s arrival, and by the next day the ship was already on her way to the loading port of Nosonofski, 300 kilometers up the river, which was reached on Sept. 11. Thus the voyage from Tromso was accomplished in 12% days. By Sept. 19 the 3,500-ton steamer had been discharged and loaded again. The work had proceeded night and day, with three gangs of altogether 80 men _ be- longing to the river fleet. On Sept. 30, 11 days after leaving the Yenesei, anchor was dropped at Honningsvaag. The voyage had thus been completed in a month, including discharging and load- ing. On the homeward voyage through the Kara sea, ice was met of the same kind and at the same places as on the outward journey, ‘and as it was so late in the season the whole of the homeward trip was accompanied by storms and fog. Altogether 600 miles of the voyage had to be made - through ice. “So far as the ice conditions are con- cerned,” the managing director con- cluded, “it is generally admitted that there has not been such a bad season for nearly 40 years, and if it has been possible to carry out what in every re- spect was a record voyage, that must be regarded as a proof that one can make annual and regular use of the Kara route. The only regrettable thing about the year’s expedition is the loss of Epam. On Oct. 19, about six hours’ voyage from Bergen, she was torpedoed by a German submarine while on her way to England, the crew being saved and take to Emden. That, however, does not in the least degree affect the possibilities of the navigation of the Kara sea. For the rest both ship and cargo were fully insured, and the com-. pany does not suffer any appreciable loss.”