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FIRST class cutter such as Ty eee by the coast guard on the Atlantic to aid distressed ves- sels, will be assigned to the Great Lakes division with headquarters in Sault Ste. Marie, if a bill introduced by Congressman T. E. Burton is ap- proved at’ Washington. Since the old tug MACKINAC was taken away, no suitable cutter has been available to the coast guard here to aid shipping during rough weather. Consequently in many cases where the coast guard could have helped with a first class cutter, they were forced to stand by or risk their lives in inferior craft as was the case last fall at Keweenaw. Five wrecks might have been reached by the coast guard last fall in an ocean going tug stationed at Sault Ste. Marie. The coast guard did what was possible but was badly handicapped by the lack of any proper vessel to put in the lake under the weather conditions prevailing. The Great Lakes with a water area of 95,000 square miles and a United States coast line of 4345 miles in length, having 850 commercial ves- sels valued at $250,000,000 and car- rying 135,000,000 tons of freight annually, are entirely devoid of a suitable craft in charge of the coast guard to assist vessels in distress and to perform the manifold duties de- volving on that organization. Reprinted from The Evening News, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., for March 14, 1928. Turbine Drive Proposed In order to inform Great Lakes operators and engineers about the turbine geared drive, two Westing- house engineers, Ira Short, head of marine engineering, and Albert O. Loomis, marine electrical engineer came to Cleveland, where on March 19 they gave a talk under the aus; pices of the Cleveland section of the American Society of Mechanical En- gineers on geared turbine drive for lake vessels. The meeting was well attended. Mr. Short described the geared drive and gave some figures on relative costs. He pointed out that the geared turbine drive would cost approximately $64,000 more than the usual reciprocating engine but that it would give a saving in op- 84 : Up and Down the Great Lakes Coast Guard Cutter Needed—Geared Torbines Proposed in Lake Vessels—Launch Ferry — Buffalo Terminal — Prominent Lake Operator Dies—Chicago Trade eration of approximately $30,000 a year thus completely offsetting the increased initial expense in a little over two years. A lively discussion followed, the gist of which was that conditions on the Great Lakes are different than on salt water and that therefore, the turbine geared drive proposal eannot be looked upon with favor. It was pointed out that navigation on the lakes is in shallow water and often through restricted rivers and channels, that the lake vessels are rather under powered as it is, and that it is absolutely essential to have maximum backing power and maneuverability. This entire subject should be thoroughly studied from a practical and a theoretical way to re- move all questions of misinformation.. February Lake Le vels The United States lake survey re- ports the monthly mean stages of the Great Lakes for the month of Feb- ruary as follows: Lakes Feet above mean sea level SUD OR TOE, bos. Giccspsccscaosceccuss Gheapeaysasavesssccctess 601.88 MACHISANSEHLUPON © viccicecdscncssctoveansesovsastene 578.78 St. Clair z gO) od (een re ror PR Ontario Lake Superior was 0.30 foot lower than in January and it was 0.55 foot higher than the February stage of a year ago. Lakes Michigan-Huron were 0.06 foot higher than in Jan- uary and they were 0.52 foot higher than the February stage of a year ago. Lake Erie was 0.06 foot higher than in January and it was 0.74 foot higher than the February stage of a year ago, 0.61 foot above the av- erage stage of February of the last ten years. Lake Ontario was 0.05 foot lower than in January and _ it was 0.68 foot higher than the Feb- ruary stage of a year ago, and 0.97 feet above the average stage of Feb- ruary of the last ten years. Harbor Expert Retained R. S. MacElwee commissioner of the Port of Charleston, S. C., author- ity on harbor development it is report- ed has been retained as port con- sultant in connection with the proposed lake front development at Cleveland. All of the city’s plans and data in connection with the improvement of the MARINE REVIEW—April, 1928 lake front are being forwarded to Doctor MacElwee for his study and criticism. Build Canadian Ships If a reasonable proportion of all the steamers building in England for the Canadian lakes. and river fleet could have been built in available Canadian shipyards it would have helped greatly to give that industry in Canada real encouragement. Un- fortunately only one thing is looked at and that is the question of cost and on this basis the Canadian yards cannot compete. The Canada Steamship lines is adding a self-unloading collier to its fleet due on this side in June. The Paterson Steamships Ltd. is having seven new vessels built. There are five under way for the Hall Corp. of Canada, three for Water Transports Ltd. and two for another company. Bodd Nis Decdeck A new dry dock is to be constructed at Port Weller and it is expected will be completed in 19380 ready for the opening of navigation in the spring of 1931. Alexander J. Grant in charge of the Welland ship canal is also the engineer for the dry dock which will be large enough to accommodate the longest vessels on the Great Lakes today which is nearly 640 feet in length over all. It is said that 3000 men will be employed on this work. Launch Windsor Ferry The new ferry CapILuac_ building for the Detroit and Windsor Ferry Co. was launched March 10 at the yard of the builder the Great Lakes Engineering Works, River Rouge, Mich. The CapiLLac is to be used in the run between Detroit and Windsor, Canada and will carry pas- sengers and automobiles. On _ the same day that the ferry went over- board two deck scows for the Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. were also launched. The sponsor of the launching of the new ferry was Mrs. O. R. Green, daughter of Capt Fred J. Simpson, vice president and general manager of the Detroit and Windsor Ferry Co.