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14 cargoes as the initial step in the op- erations at the opening of navigation in 1927, and the same is true for up bound vessels though it would not so seriously have affected them in in- stances where they were planning to go to upper lake ports for winter storage of grain. The responsibility for concerted ac- tion to overcome this serious tie up was met by the Lake Carriers’ asso- ciation headed by its president J. S. Ashley, manager of the M. A. Hanna fleet, with directness and energy. L. C. Sabin, vice president of the Lake Carriers’ association went to the Soo to represent the Lake Carriers. The ice breaking carferry, SAINTE MARIE, owned by the Mackinaw Transporta- tion Co. was chartered at the in- stance of Mr. Ashley, who also ap- pointed Capt. Fred A. Bailey who had had a great deal of experience, to take full charge of the ice break- ing. The SAINTE MARIE, a powerful vessel of 62 feet beam and with heavy steel ice crushing prows arrived at the Soo and con menced breaking ice on Dec. 4. Mr. Ashley at- tempted to ob- tain the use of an additional earferry but in this he was un- successful as the owners of this class of vessel said they could not be spared from their reg- ular routes. The American tug GENERAL and the Canadian tug STRATHBOGIE were also used to help clear the channels. Captain Bailey was given orders to continue keeping the channel open until midnight on Dec. 14. This the captain did with such success that the entire fleet of waiting vessels was cleared, up and down, through the canal by Dec. 14. The most serious delays were overcome by Dec. 6, and from that date to the fourteenth the channel was made and kept passable. In all nearly 250 vessels were as- sisted through the ice. Vessels trad- ing to Lake Superior late in Novem- | ber and early in December probably lost one trip due to delays. As early as Dec. 4, a Cleveland steamer at Duluth was ordered into winter quarters and others were dropped when they reached ports at the head of the lakes. — The last two steamers bound from Iron ore gross tons 58,537,855 54,081,298 42,623,572 59,036,704 - 42,613,726 . 22,300,726 - 58,527,226 47,177,895 61,156,732 62,498,901 64,734,198 MARINE REVIEW the head of the lakes to get through the canals at the Soo were the W. E. FITZGERALD and M. C. SMITH. These Record Cargo Movement Great Lakes—1926 Even though the navigation sea- son of 1926 on the Great Lakes started late and ended early on account of troublesome ice condi- tions, it will go into history as the record breaking year for’ the movement of bulk cargo. The accompanying compilation gives the tonnage of various commodi- ties carried for the past ten years, and it is interesting to note that while the total is a record, greater amounts of each commodity except stone have been moved in other years. The tonnage of stone carried has been _ steadily increasing, reaching a record movement of over 12!4 million tons in 1926. Bulk Cargo Movement Grows Shipments on the Great Lakes for 1926 Compared with Other Years Coal net tons 31,011,544 28,127,359 25,860,515 33,137,028 19,868,925 26,660,652 26,409,710 26,424,068 82,102,022 31,192,613 28,440,483 Grain, various kinds net tons 12,087,316 13,320,346 15,222,787 11,850,446 14,267,020 12,470,405 6,736,348 6,091,703 6,548,680 7,161,716 10,555,975 A Coal Loading Record Accustomed as men and oper- ators on the Great Lakes are to great speed in loading bulk car- goes, the record established by ‘the S. S. CHiLore of the Ore Steamship Corp. in loading 20,055 tons of coal in 5 hours and 20 minutes at Sewalls Point, Norfolk, Va., last summer may be conceded good work and shows that where bulk cargoes of sufficient quantity and steady supply prevail, whether on the coast or on the lakes, means will be provided for quick handling. An account of this record was sent to the editor by Capt. R. C. Mayer, who sailed on the Great Lakes prior to 1917. He was much impressed by this perform- ance though. familiar with the speed of loading on the lakes. The CHILORE lay at the Virginia rail- yoad coal pier No. 2 and 450, * fifty ton cars were dumped, or enough cars to extend in a solid line a distance of 5 miles. - ordered into Stone net tons 12,628,244 11,351,948 9,225,624 9,920,422. 7,592,137 3,925,705 7,821,980 6,407,285 7,467,776 6,748,801 5,553,927 February, 1927 two vessels sailed with a number of other American vessels from Fort. William on Dec. 12. The FITZGERALD arrived at the Soo at 1:00 p.m. Dec. 18, and the SMITH arrived at 3:30 p. m. on the same day. They were compelled to work through ice about 6 inches in thickness. The tempera- ture at the Soo on Dec. 15, had been 12 degrees below zero and ice was solid in the West Neebish channel. The ice crushing carferry SAINTE MarigE had been released as per ar- rangement at midnight on Dec. 14, and sailed from the Soo on Dec. 15. These last comers got through solely on their nerve knowing that they could not hope to receive any of- ficial aid. Ceptain Bailey stated that vessels due to arrive could not be taken through the lower river and con- sequently a number of steamers were winter quarters. The FITZGERALD and the SMITH however, persisted and got through. Criticism appeared in the press directed at the vessel owners for permitting their vessels to be caught in such a dilemma err on eously drawing the con- clusion that the men on_ board were thus. sub- jected to great danger and ter- rible hardships. As a matter of fact the vessels that ‘were caught in the ice were engaged in com- pleting their regular schedule and the conditions which they met were most unusual and unexpected. It was the severest weather ever experienced so early in the season. There isn’t a vessel man, anticipating such condi- tions who would not much rather have had his vessel safely laid up at win- ter quarters. The desire for gain on the part of vessel owners had noth- ing whatsoever to do with it. There was no danger, very little real hard- ship was experienced by the crews, and there was practically no damage done to the ships themselves. Total net tons 121,289,502 113,370,707 98,047,327 121,029.004 89,454,848 68,033,575 106,518,531 91,761,238 114,614,018 115,100,399 117,052,686 The movement of bulk cargoes on the Great Lakes is admitted to be of great economic importance to the entire nation. It therefore seems that the responsibility for keeping the channels clear of ice and in navigable condition up to a _ reasonable time ought to rest with the federal govern- ment. For this duty the United States coast guard seems to be best fitted.