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way project as a link in the Lakes-to-Gulf shipping channel are waging a spirited fight against the proposal to limit further the flow of water from Lake Michigan, which has been suggested in the pending rivers and harbors bill before con- gress. The lake senators, led by Senator Vandenberg, of Michigan, have ex- pressed the demand that the diversion for the proposed waterway shall not be more than the 1500 cubic feet per second authorized under the recent de- cision of the United States Supreme Court. Federal appropriations for the $7,500,000 Illinois waterway, which has been voted by the house of representatives, suggests mainte- nance and operation of the 9-foot channel “with the smallest amount of diversion possible.” Attorney General Oscar Carlstrom, of Illinois, takes the point that only experience will show how much water is required for the operation of this waterway system, particularly the locks and dams built by Illinois with- out federal aid. “Our right to obtain more water if needed should not be foreclosed,” he stated. “The state of Illinois does not desire to divert one drop more water than is needed, but it cannot consent to a limitation to be placed upon an agency of the federal government, the equity of which can- not now be determined.” Bove of the [Illinois water- Ore and Coal Shipments During the month of April consider- ably less tonnage of iron ore and coal was moved on the Great Lakes than for the same period in 1929. During that month only 9953 tons of iron ore were received at Lake Erie docks from upper lake ports as com- pared with 1,190,925 tons for the same month during 1929, according to a report of the Lake Superior Iron Ore association. For the same period 1,881,262 tons of coal were dumped into lake freighters as compared with 2,831,582 tons for 1929. Shipments of ore have not moved from Lake Erie docks as rapidly this season as they did last and judging from indications the movement of ore this season will not be as large as last year’s unless there is a very 48 Up and Down the Great Lakes Illinois Waterway Project—Ore and Coal Shipments Off—Lake Levels—New Ore Docks Opened—New Arrangement of Lights definite increase in the demands of the steel producing centers. In regard to the grain trade there is very little demand for large boats and it is believed that there will be no definite change in the grain situa- tion until further demands are made in foreign grain buying markets. April Lake Levels The United States Lake survey re- ports the monthly mean stages of the Great Lakes for the month of April as follows: Feet above Lakes mean sea level SUPECLIOL © cissecocavessesscoveesscccesevecenecncceeeesusscesees 01.97 Michigan-Hur0n .......sssscssessscssoeseceeeceseeeeese 580.82 Se Ca a assis soca tne eave ssedcces sk caaposaesssevsteoceuse 576.30 1 BS Pace ao SREB Ry Pee PUR orem pai Rete ramie PC RS BL MO TAE GN sek acces shag caccacz uaa duouecancuatslecccnsssine 247.99 Lake Superior was 0.13-foot lower than in March and it was 0.60 foot lower than the April stage of a year ago. Lakes Michigan-Huron were 0.12 foot higher than in March and they were 0.58 foot lower than the April stage of a year ago. Lake Erie was 0.387 foot higher than in March and it was 0.85 foot higher than the April stage of a year ago, 2.03 feet above the average stage of April of the last ten years. Lake Ontario was 0.33 foot higher than in March and it was 0.71 foot higher than the April stage of a year ago, 2.10. feet above the average stage of April of the last ten years. ae New Arran gement ofLights A new method of erecting double range lights, applicable to narrow channels where traffic is extremely heavy, has just been devised, accord- ing to the lighthouse service, of the department of commerce. This adapta- tion of range lights is a part of the important work of widening the channels of the St. Mary’s river, east of Neebish Island, between Lakes Superior and Huron, where the volume of commerce is so great as to demand the fullest protection. The dredging operations under the direction of the United States engineers, have been going on for over two years, and have necessitated many changes in the lighthouses and other aids to naviga- tion maintained by the lighthouse serv- ice, The new range lights which are just now being rebuilt, at an esti- MARINE REVIEW—June, 1930. mated cost of $20,000, are the Dark Hole range lights and the Harwood - Point range lights, located in the state of Michigan. When the new construction is completed, there will be eight lights, four at each end of the channel. Previous installations in the United States have never consisted of more than four lights. Vessels traveling the narrow chan- nels at the St. Mary’s river had pre- viously been guided, in a number of instances, by range lights at one end of a single straight section. By keep- ing the two range lights in line, one behind the other, a vessel remained safely within the channel confines. Because of the narrowness of the original channel, however, vessels passed each other at very close quar- ters, and were liable to damage by collision in bad weather. The new range lights, now being built, which it is hoped will be ready for service during the present season, have the added advantage of indi- cating parallel up and down bound courses upon which vessels can navi- gate without interfering with each other. New Ore Docks Now Open The new Chesapeake & Ohio ore docks at the mouth of the Maumee River, Toledo, O., were scheduled to begin operation Friday, May 23. These docks, which are the most up to date on the Great Lakes, are equipped with three Wellman sstiff-leg all electric unloaders which will permit unloading directly to cars or stock pile. The loaders are designed to take ore from ore carrying boats with beams up to 65 feet. The new docks are located practically three miles nearer the lake than the company’s old docks on the Maumee river. With opera- tion of the new dock equipment, lake freighters will be able to dock and depart without the aid of tugs. In addition, six miles of river movement with the attendant hazards, draw- bridges and low water will be elimi- nated. The new Canadian Pacific liner EMPRESS OF JAPAN attained a speed of 23 knots on her trials off Scotland on May 14, exceeding by two knots the speed predicted by her builders.