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New York Barge Canal Has Record Year The New York State Barge canal completed its record year by floating during the 1933 navigation season a total of 4,074,002 tons. The best pre- vious year was 1931, when 3,722,012 tons were carried. It is an encoui- aging fact that during the last ten years business on the canal has more than doubled, for in 1923 only 2,006,- 284 tons were floated. That the canal has made a record this year is somewhat of a surprise. At the beginning of navigation there was every indication of a large de- crease in the usual flow of grain from the west. This prediction, unfortu- nately, was fulfilled. In 1931 the canal carried 1,209,480 tons of grain, where- as this year only 761,749 tons were carried. This loss was overcome chiefly by an increase in petroleum products. The amount of such products carried in 1933 was nearly double that car- ried in 1930. Flour is another com- modity which helped to overcome the grain loss. Shipments of flour in- creased from 2950 tons in 1930 to 106,456 tons in 1933. On the other hand, lumber shipments show the ef- fect of the decrease in building opera- tions. Last season only half as much lumber was carried on the canal as in 1929. There has been a marked reversal in the direction of lumber movements. In years gone by prac- tically all the lumber was moved east from Tonawanda and south through the Champlain canal. Now practically all the movement is toward the west and north, this lumber coming from the Pacific coast via the Panama canal. During the past four years the move- ment in drugs and chemicals has in- creased even more than that of flour and petroleum. In 1930 only 10,481 tons of such products were carried on the canal, as against 244,465 tons in 1933. Another change in the flow of com- modities is indicated by the increased westerly tonnage. In 1924, 60 per cent of the canal tonnage moved east, as against a 40 per cent movement to the west. Last year these percentages were reversed; 60.4 per cent moved west, with 39.6 per cent east-bound. During the past season, thanks to the efficient management of Ralph Hayes, commissioner of canals and waterways, many favorable comments were received from canal operators. Their words of commendation are borne out by the fact that while the number of collisions between boats slightly increased there were fewer grave accidents and groundings on the canal than ever before. The legal depth of 12 feet was re- established early in the season after the usual winter filling, and was steadily maintained until the close of 30 navigation. While the department does not approve such practice, some operators, were reckless enough to load boats to a depth of 11 feet, 10 inches. These vessels were able, not however without some difficulty, to pass entirely through the Erie canal. Mail Pay Investigation The senate committee investigating mail contracts has continued its hear- ings during the past month, most of the time having been taken up in questioning representatives of the Dol- lar Steamship Line and the lLykes Bros.-Ripley Steamship Co. and sub- sidiaries. As in previous inquiries the facts concerning payments for ships, con- struction loans, mail payments, sal- aries, commissions and _ dividends, were established in detail. It is understood that steps are be- ing taken by the committee to ascer- tain from the shipyards who built vessels for companies holding mail contracts, exactly what financial ar- rangements were made in regard to the payments of the first 25 per cent of the cost of construction. Commerce at Los Angeles The volume of tonnage moving through Los Angeles harbor again is above 1,500,000 tons per month. The preliminary figures for November show that 1,588,733 tons of merchan- dise were shipped. This is an increase of 130,000 tons over October, and 170,- 000 tons over the same month a year ago. There is also an increase of $12,- 000,000 in the value of this commerce over the same period last year; $7,- 000,000 of this increase was in do- mestic shipments and the balance in domestic receipts. Exports to other countries were slightly less than they were a year ago, although imports and also trade with Hawaii showed a gain. The most remarkable increase was in_ inter- coastal shipments, the tonnage to the eastern seaboard being considerably more than doubled because of the re- sumption of oil shipments through the Panama canal to the Atlantic Coast. This trade also showed an increase of $5,000,000 in value. Lumber receipts for the month were 34,112,000 board feet, approximately the same as the preceding month, but 3,000,000 more feet than in November a year ago. The total lumber receipts for this year will be approximately 450,000,000 board feet, an increase of nearly 90,000,000 over 1932. Oil shipments also were up during the month of November, aggregating over 6,662,943 barrels, which was 460,- 000 barrels more than in October, and 600,000 barrels more than in the same month of last year. MARINE REVIEwW—January, 1934 Colombian Line Success in West Indies Service On Novy. 30, with the sailing of the liner Pastores from Pier 9, North river, New York, with a big list of passengers for Port au Prince, Haiti; Kingston, Jamaica; Puerto Colombia, Colombia; Cristobal, Panama Canal Zone, the Colombian line completed its first year of regular passenger service. The success of the first year of op- eration far exceeded the expectations of the line’s officials. Though a new passenger service, the three Colombian liners frequently sail from New York booked to capacity. Judging by ad- vance bookings and inquiries, the com- pany’s cruise business will be excel- lent this winter. This new American flag passenger service was inaugurated by the new flagship CotompB1a sailing from New York, Nov. 24, 1932, to the West In- dies ports regularly served by this line. The Cotompta sailed again on Dec. 15 and was followed in service by a sistership, the Harri, sailing from New York, Dec. 22, 1932. To round out the line’s service, and to provide weekly sailings from New York, the cruise liner PASTORES was chartered from the United Fruit Co. and sailed on the first voyage from New York, Dec. 29, 1932. Throughout the year these three passenger liners held to a clock-like schedule and did not miss a single regular weekly sailing. All told, the three vessels have made 52 sailings from New York in one year of service. On her initial voyage in 1932, the flagship CoLtomBtia established the com- pany’s claim of the fastest regular service from New York to Haiti, Ja- maica and Colombia by making the run to Port au Prince in three and a half days, to Kingston in four and a half days, and to Puerto Colombia in five days. All three vessels have ad- hered to this schedule and reached Cristobal in about eight days out of New York. Heating and Ventilating The third international heating and ventilating exposition will be held at the Grand Central Palace, New York, Feb. 5 to 9. The exposition will dem- onstrate that in the past two years many industries have carred on an in- tensive activity in research and de- velopment. Among features of special interest to the shipping industry will be devel- opments in ventilation and air condi- tioning. Air conditioning is now seri- ously being considered for application to passenger ships so that temperature and quality of air may be under con- trol at all times. Uncomfortable heat and poorly conditioned air will not much longer be tolerated on passenger ships.