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JULY 27, 1899. THE MARINE RECORD THE ST. LAWRENCE CANALS. _ There is a chance that the Canadian waterway system be- tween the Great Lakes and the seaboard may prove inade- quate to the end for which it was designed; that Canada’s fourteen foot canals, when completed, may be found lack- ing in capacity for the transportation of the freights of the West, and that this is a fact that Canada is coming now to realize. The aspect of the case is strongly presented in the report of Consul Brush, representing the United States at Clifton, Canada, and now made public by the State Depart- ment. Consul Brush says. The Province of Ontario is becoming alarmed over the seeming decadence of the Welland Canal and strong pleas -are being made for harbor improvements at Port Colborne, its Lake Erie terminal. It is urged that the lack of harbor facilities at that port is largely responsible for the loss in traffic. The harbor isin the same condition that it was seventeen years ago, when the Welland Canal was opened. The lake vessels now require such a depth of water that none of the larger class attempt to enter Port Colborne. ‘‘When the vessels became too large to enter the Welland Canal lightering was resorted to. The Grand Trunk Railway built a branch line parallel with the canal. Enough of the cargo was transferred to the railroad to enable the vessel to CAPT. JAS. DAVIDSON. West Bay City, Mich. The accompanying engravings are from the photographs of the Appraisers and Executive Committee of the Great Lakes Towing Co. pass through the canal, and then the cargo was taken on again at the other terminal. This expedient has worked fair ly well until recently; but in the meantime the lake vessels have been growing in size each year, and with each increase came lower freight rates, driving the smaller vessels out of competition. Steamers with 200,000 bushel capacity now control the grain carrying trade, and these cannot enter Port Colborne harbor.. The vessels that can enter are grow- _ ing less in number each season and soon even the expedient of lightering vessels will not suffice to bring traffic to the canal. “While the Government admits the necessity of a better harbor, it seems unwilling to take immediate steps toward providing one. It is urged that it will prove of only tem- porary value unless the canal is enlarged as well, and if the canal is enlarged so as to admit the largest lake craft, there would still be heavy expenditurers required on the St. Law- ‘rence route, which does not even have a 14-foot channel for its entire length, although that depth is expected to be se- cured this season. “The Welland Canal, up to date, has cost the Govern- ment $24,173,352. Its best year in tonnage was 1893, when 1,294,823 tons of grain and merchandise passed through it East and West. Since then, the decline in grain shipments has been especially marked, although the grain traffic on the lakes increases every year. In 1893, the grain that pass- ed down the Welland was about 16 per cent. of the grain receipts at Buffalo; in 1898, it was about 9 per cent., or a loss of 43 per cent. as compared with Buffalo. The grain that passed down the Welland last year was less than five years ago, while the grain receipts at Buffalo were nearly three times what they were ten year ago,’’| ror oo NEWFOUNDLAND FISHERIES. There is quite a ripple of excitement going on just now between the French and British governments regarding the Newfoundland fisheries. To understand the situation one must know that in 1713, when the French surrendered to the British their principal claims to Newfoundland under the conditions of the Utrecht treaty, the right of Frenchmen to fish and dry fish along the entire west coast anda part of the north coast was specifically reserved. During all these years the French have strenuously asserted their treaty rights. The west coast of the island is dotted with French stations, and even as far east as Cape St. John on the north coast the French have established themselves. Thus the French fishing industry has reached enormous proportions, giving employ- CAPT. W. A. COLLIER. Manager Vessel Owners’ Towing Co., Cleveland. combination of interests has been formed. ment at the present time to about 12,000 men. The Newfoundlanders resent the encroachment of the French, and many times during the past quarter of a cen- tury armed conflicts have been narrowly averted. The French fishermen claim that they have never overstepped their treaty privileges, and stand npon their dignity, assert- ing that the Newfoundlanders, aided by British warships, are constantly harassing them almost beyond endurance. Whether the cutting off of -bait privileges was the result of a suggestion from the imperial authorities can only be conjectured, but it is reasonable to infer that the colonial government has decided to force an issue between France and Great Britain, hoping thereby to secure a speedy settle- ment of a dispute which has retarded the progress of New- foundland, arrested the development of the west coast and practically shut the colonial fishermen out of the Grand Banks. ——<— rt Last year the sailing-ship tonnage owned in Britain declined by 199,853 tons. In five years sailing vessels have decreased by 600,000 tons; but this is more than made up, evenin mere tonnage, by the increase of steamers of from 78,000 to 250,000 tons yearly. TORPEDO BOAT DAHLGREN. The first speed trial of the recently launched torpedo boat Dahlgren took place Saturday last on the Kennebec River. She made a statute mile in 1 minute 45 seconds. Reckoned in knots the Dahlgren’s speed was at the rate of 29.76 knots an hour. The Bath Iron Works contracted with the Goy- ernment to give the Dahlgren a speed of 30 knots. She will make that and more, too, her builders say, when she is again put through her paces. On Saturday’s trial the screw made 304 revolutions a minute. They are capable of 325 revolutions. The Dahl- gren will shortly be given her official trial over a measured course. ; j The Dahlgren is 147 feet long, 16.4 beam and 4.7 draught. Her engines have an indicated horse-power of 4,200. She ~ is what is known as a sea-going torpedo boat, like the better known Cushing and Ericsson, although neither of the latter has near the speed possessed by the Dahlgren. They are capable of 22 and 24 knots respectively, while the Dahl- gren’s 30 knots is equal to the best speed contemplated for even the big torpedo boat destroyers of the navy. Some of the most modern of the latter class now building wit not exceed the speed limit of the Dahlgren. Japan has three boats building, in which a speed of 30: 31 4 MR. T. F. NEWMAN. General Manager C. & B. Line of Steamers, Cleveland. A valuation having been placed on tow boat property at all lake ports a - and 33 knots are called for. Great Britain’s powerful and numerous fleet of tordedo boats contain fifty-three flyers, each capable .of steaming thirty knots an hour. Among this fleet alone are several which attain a speed of thirty- three knots, while the speediest of the lot is one being planned to go thirty-five knots an hour. Great Britain has recently built for China the torpedo boat Hai Lung, which on a trial trip steamed 36.7 knots during an hour of a four hours’ steaming trial. This is ‘equivalent to a land measurement of 42.26 miles, equal to the speed of a fast train. France has several boats which have steamed up to the thirty knot mark, but the majority of her large fleet of boats are knots behind the time made by the Dahlgren. Italy has three thirty-knot torpedo craft. Germany’s fastest boat travels 28.5 knots; Russia’s fastest torpedo boat is the Sokol, 29.7 knots. Uncle Sam’s fleet show a greater uniformity of speed ability than any other nation, most of the boats possessing a speed of thirty knots or very near that figure. The Turbinia, the latest acquisition to the British fleet, and built under a radically different engine plan than any - other vessel, has attained a gait which beats the best of — - them.