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commerce handled by river vessels only between Vancouver and Port- land: COMMERCIAL STATISTICS Year Short Tons Value Passengers POE cicrescecete 1,961,216 $48,289,666 112,516 ED ccscckiecs 2,421,859 42,056,366 90,268 BOAO caisvvesses 2,845,923 41,776,935 87,351 PORT ccevcssisves 2,331,859 40,914,764 71,009 1988 aii 2,018,775 45,236,888 68,655 BP Rae pie eee 2,221,885 37,548,052 61,357 As result of improvement, there is a large saving in freight transporta- tion costs on the commerce handled in ocean going vessels on the lower Columbia. Savings during 1928 on a total of 6,558,591 tons handled above Astoria are estimated at $16,000,000. On receipts of petroleum products alone (1,991,988 tons during 1928), there was an estimated saving of $3.10 per ton or a total of $6,175,163, based on the approximate cost of the rail haul as an alternative. Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers HE Sacramento and San Joaquin | ees in California constitute an important waterway on the Pacific coast. The latest improvement proj- ect underway on this river during the fiscal year 1929 and 1930, was to pro- vide a channel 10 feet deep at low water and 150 to 200 feet wide from the mouth to Sacramento; then 4 feet deep at low water to Colusa; then 3 feet deep at low water to Chico Landing; and such depths as practi- cable to Red Bluff. The total length of river under improvement is 248 miles. As result of the year’s work, navigation was maintained without interruption between the mouth and Sacramento. From February to May, a draft of 8 feet is available as far as Colusa; 5 feet to Chico Landing; and 4 feet to Red Bluff. Work during the year consisted in dredging and construction of Wing dams. On March 12 $200,000 was allotted by the sec- retary of war for work on this river. A comparative statement of traffic fol- lows: COMMERCIAL STATISTICS Sacramento River Year Short Tons Value Passengers $58,662,997 88,002 80,500,145 83,679 85,315,284 76,228 78,616,610 78,201 77,747,732 69,046 74,088,210 61,206 The San Joaquin river rises in the central part of California and flows northwesterly. The latest improve- ment project, going ahead during the fiscal year 1929-1930: was to provide a channel 26 feet deep at mean low water and generally 100 feet wide at the bottom from the mouth to Stock- ton a distance of 45 miles. At the end of the fiscal year a channel from the mouth to Stockton with 9-foot depth and 200-foot width, was com- pleted except for maintenance. Fif- teen river bend cutoffs were made which shortened the navigable chan- 72 nel more than six miles. A sum of approximately $250,000 was allotted March 12 by the secretary of war for work on this waterway. Following is a comparative statement of traffic: COMMERCIAL STATISTICS San Joaquin River Year Short Tons Value Passengers ODA eR ies 727,499 $38,185,318 183,017 TO QD eecccecss 849,687 47,192,499 181,520 O26 iki 934,809 56,455,662 113,452 POO To issssoness 1,152,743 51,604,962 99,320 TODS So ccs 984,326 43,378,146 80,828 5 TOG ane eco 941,139 42,759,858 77,993 Improvement of the channels of these two rivers has aided in the de- velopment of industries in the river valleys and has resulted in lowering of freight rates. St. Lawrence Waterway Project HE governments of the United States and Canada in 1920 referred to the International Joint commis- sion, a body created by the treaty of June 11, 1909, certain questions re- lating to the improvement of the St. Lawrence river between Lake Ontario and Montreal for the purpose of mak- ing it navigable for deep draft vessels and securing the greatest beneficial use of the water for power. Each of the governments designated an engineer to co-operate in the sur- veys necesary to plans for improve- ment and in the preparation of plans and estimates. These surveys, plans, and estimates were submitted to the International Joint commission in 1921. They provided for a navigation channel 25 feet deep, with lock sills 30 feet in depth, so built as to permit the eventual enlargement of the chan- nel to the latter depth. The improve- ment was to be secured by the com- bined development for navigation and for power of the rapids section on the international boundary, with side canals around the other rapids sec- tions in the river and the necessary channel excavation. This report was made the subject of public hearings before the Interna- tional Joint commission. At these hearings several alternative plans were presented for the consideration of the commission, especially with re- lation to the development of power in the international section. The com- mission recommended that the govern- ments of the United States and Canada enter into an arrangement by way of treaty for a scheme of im- provement of the St. Lawrence river between Montreal and Lake Ontario; but that before any final decision be reached, the engineering report be re- ferred to an enlarged engineering board to the end that the whole ques- tion be given the further and complete study that its magnitude and import- ance demand. In accordance with this recommendation, the two governments appointed a joint engineering board in 1924 consisting of three engineers MARINE REview—April, 1931 from the United States and three en- gineers from Canada. Hach of the two sections also acted as advisors to special commissions for the two Z0v- ernments. The commission for the United States was known as the St Lawrence commission and had as its chairman Herbert Hoover, then secre- tary of commerce. The parallel com- - mission appointed by the government of Canada was known as the National Advisory committee. The joint board of engineers pre- sented its report Nov. 16, 1926 the various appendices and detailed plans following in the subsequent year. This board presented revised plans for the improvement of the river at a cost of approximately $400,000,000, including the development of power with an in- stalled capacity of approximately 2, 600,000 horsepower. The United States St. Lawrence commission considered this report, and its conclusions were transmitted to congress by the President on Dec. 27, 1926. The commission found that the construction of the shipway be- tween the Great Lakes and the sea is imperative, both for the relief and future development of a vast area in the interior of the continent; that it should be constructed on the St. Law- rence provided that a suitable agree- ment can be made for its joint under- taking with Canada; that develop- ment of the St. Lawrence power re- serves should be undertaken by ap- propriate agencies; and that negotia- tions accordingly should be entered into with Canada. The Canadian ad- visory board subsequently submitted a report to the Canadian government which, while not specifically recom- mending the improvement of the waterway, set forth a suggested plan for the division of the costs between the two governments. The Canadian government is now engaged in removing rock shoals in the channel of the St. Lawrence river on its side of the boundary between Lake Ontario and Prescott, just above the head of the first rapids, to afford a channel 24 feet in depth and 450 feet wide. The river and harbor act approved July 5, 1930, authorized the corresponding work in this sec- tion of the river on the American side of the boundary to provide a channel 27 feet in depth. It is anticipated that funds applicable to carrying out this relatively minor part of the project will be appropriated by congress and that this work will be actively prose cuted during 1931. The question of whether construc tion of the St. Lawrence deeper water- way project is economically justified has resulted in widespread contro- versy and argument. Space does not permit repetition of this. To any one who is keenly alert to the economic welfare of the country and the great- est good to the greatest number, 1m- provement of the St. Lawrence is 4 very important step in virtually plac-