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8 THE MARINE RECORD. OCTOBER 3, IgOI nn ————_—_—_——————————— CANAL ROUTES. George Y. Wisner, Esq., Detroit, formerly a member of the United States Deep Waterways Commission, received a letter recently from S-cretary Frank S. Gardiner, of the New York Board of Trade and Transportation, that indi- cates that New York is waking up to her interests in the question of cheaper transportation to tidewater for the products of the northwest. He requests Mr. Wisner to re- ply specifically to two questions. He asks: ‘‘Would the con- struction of the 21-foot canal give a voyage without transfer at any intermediate point, between the lakes and Europe?” and also, ‘‘Is the construction of a ship canal, on the lines indicated, a proposition which should be undertaken by the general government, as being desirable and beneficial to the people as a whole?’’ He adds: “Tf a transfer would be necessary at New York, a ship canal would probably be regarded as of value to this port. The other question and broeder one seems open to discus- sion.”’ Mr. Wisner, speaking of the subject of transfer at New York said: “J have no doubt that New York would be a transfer point in case the proposed 21-foot canal was built. I doubt very much whether the construction of that canal would result in lines being built up direct from Duluth and Chicago to Eu- ropean or South American ports. The lake type of carrier is well adapted to the canal, but would hardly satisfy the re- quirements of ocean traffic. I believe it would be found economical to handle the commerce of the lakes and canal in the present lake carrier, and transfer to vessels of the ocean-going type at New York. “The opening of the deep waterway would, I have no doubt, cause some shipment of goods past New York without breaking bulk, but only asmall percentage. I believe by far the greater portion of the traffic of such a waterway would be domestic, and that the canal would make New York more than ever the distributing point for the products of the northwest. “JT have no doubt the construction of this waterway would prove beneficial to the whole people, and that if it is con structed at all, along the course projected for it by the Deep Waterway Commission, it will be built by the general govern, ment. Iam inclined to believe, however, that it will never be built. I think private capital will take up the problem, and that a deep waterway will be constructed from the Great Lakes to New York along anentirely different route, namely, from Georgian Bay to Montreal, via Lake Nipissing and the Ottawa river, and from the St. Lawrence to New York via Lake Champlain and the Hudson.’’ Speaking further of the Canadian deep waterway project, Mr. Wisner, who is consulting engineer of the company, and who has been over the route recently, said: “‘The estimates of cost have not been finished as yet. I think it would be safe to say that the Canadian 21-foot canal from Georgian Bay to Montreal would cost between $70,000, - 000 and $30,000,000 to construct. For purposes of compar- ison, say $75,000,000. The United States Deep Waterway Commission determined that it would cost $63,320,000 to construct a 21-foot canal from Lake Champlain to New York and I regard it as a safe estimate to put at $15,000,0vo as the cost of building a connecting link between the proposed Canadian canal and Lake Champlain, leaving the St Law- rence from Lake St. Louis above the Lachine rapids, and reaching Lake Champlain at St. Johns, a distance of 25 miles across level country. This would make the total cost of adeep waterway from Duluth and Chicago to New York about $135,000,000, as a maximum. This would be $35,000,- 000 less than the long Lasalle-Lewiston-St. Lawrence-Lake Champlain route explored by the United States Deep Water- way Commission, and $50,000,0co less than the prefersble Lasalle-Lewiston-Oswego-Mohawk route recommended by the commission. “Tt is to be noted that the expenditure of $75,000,000 upon the Canadian project brings the products of the northwest to tidewater, at Montreal, a result which takes the expendi- ture of $190,000,000 via Champlain and $206,000,000 via the Mohawk to accomplish, by the routes recommended by the United States commissicn.”’ Mr. Wisner adds that he thinks the energy of the people promoting the Canadian canal is waking up the New York people, who wonder whether the supremacy of New York as the outlet of the foreign trade of the northwest is not ser- iously threatened. He says that the estimates for the Can- adian waterway will probably be completed in another month, and the projectors of the enterprise will be able to lay before the Canadian government a definite statement of cost that can be relied upon, the sum total being adequate to take care of all legal complications over existing water- power rights, and similar expenses, as well asthe actual cost of construction. It has already been announced that the company intends to ask the Canadian government to guarantee the bonds of the company, so that they can be placed at 3 per cent. instead of 5 per cent. or some higher rate. This saving in interest is said to be necessary to the financial success of the enterprise. a MALICIOUS REPORTS. Nothing can be in worse taste than premature and excita- ble reports of casualties to vessels. It is now said that the passenger lines have been annoyed lately by reports of dis- asters to their vessels being sent abroad when there was nothing init. These reports recurred with such regularity that some of the agents have come to believe that evil intent is evidenced. A still hunt is therefore being made to find, if possible, where the reports emanate from, and if the source can be found proceedings to show malice will be started in the courts. Only a few days ago the report was started that the Buff Jo boat had gone down, followed by the report that the Detroit steamer had been lost. The reports were sense- less, as no possible conditions were even remotely apparent that would bring about such a disaster. Accidents of this sort occur so seldom—in fact, years have passed without one on the lake—that a report of this sort stirs up a great deal of excitement. The anxiety of those onshore for friends on the boat is naturally great, and the boat owners are constantly besieged at all hours for information, after one of these stories has been spread. The reports have been so persistent of late that the owners and officers believe that malice is behind them. ———$— a arr “AN INDEPENDENT TUG LINE. Opposition again looms up before the Great Lakes Tug Co., headed by L, S. Sullivan, Toledo, and backed by vessel owners. The first active steps have been taken with the tugs Pal- lister and Frank S. Butler, at Buffalo. These are two of Mr. Sullivan’s most powerful tugs, and have been givena thor- ough overhauling. The Butler has been on the dock for two weeks, and is fully prepared for ice work. The Pallister has also been overhauled and refitted. The placing of these two tugs at Buffalo is only the begin- ning of the work of organized opposition to the big trust. Plans aré already under consideration for the operation of a fleet at Cleveland. Mr. Sullivan, before he took this step, it is asserted, had secured plenty of assurance of support from vessel owners. At Buffalo, Mr. Sullivan’s line will be known as the In- dependent Tug Company It will be under the manage- ment of Capt. Louis Ladenslager. Capt. Ladenslager was manager for the trust for one year, and is fully acquainted with the methods of the organization. He was manager of the Hand-Johnson line for twenty years, and is one of the oldest and ablest tug men on the lakes. Capt. Nash will be the master of the Butler. A Buffalo man will take the Pallister. 4 ———— ume. TREASURY DECISIONS. STEAMERS TOWING VESSELS. Steamers holding passenger certificate may lawfully en- gage in towing other vessels whether with passengers on board or not. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, September 21, 1901. Sir: The D partment isin receipt of your letter of the 28:h ultimo, calling its attention to the fact ‘‘that several of the passenger steamers are doing a towing business at the subports iv this (your) district,” and expressing an opinion that it is not lawful for passe iger steamers to engage in towing ‘‘while carrying passengers for hire.’”’ In reply, you are informed that, passenger certificates being the highest class of certificates issued to steam vessels, vessels holding such certificates may engage in towing or any other business that any steam vessel may lawfully en- gage in without regard to classification. R-spectfully, O JL. SPAULDING, Acting Secretary. COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS, Honoiulu, Hawaii. ——— ee a oe Tipton (producirg a bottle)—This is some stuff that Harry sent me just before he left for Europe. Gullip (sampling the same )—H’m! Seems to be something in this absent treatment, after all.—Bosion Transcript. ST. LAWRENCE CASUALTIES. The Sydney Post says on the question of a fast Atlantic service, in the course of an article advocating Sydney as the summer port and Halifax the winter port, that “‘the St. Lawrence route has been the bane of Canada in regard to insurance rates, and underwriters refuse to reduce the rates until the St. Lawrence presents a cleaner bill of health. The Royal Society of Canada has worked out a concrete ex- ample, showing how these rates would effect a 20-knot ser- vice if established. The four steamers, it is pointed out, would be valued at £2,000,000, and by running to a St. Lawrence port they would be penalized to the extent of £125,000 to £160,000 per annum over and above the insur- ance charge paid if they ran to an American port.”’ We have before us a statement of the casualties in the river St. Lawrence below the port of Quebec for ten years, 1889 to 1898, during which time there was only one wreck, that of the Metsola on Cape Ray in 1889. The total number of casualties of all descriptions was 176, of which 91 vessels ran ashore, 2 struck rocks or reefs, 36 grounded, and 46, about 26 per cent. of the whole, were due to collisions. The record does not justify the evil reputation given to the St. Lawrence route. This year has been more prolific of serious disaster than any of the preceding ones, so far as wrecks are concerned, but it will be noted that the three steamers which have been wrecked have gone to grief at almost the same spot, Renews, on the Newfoundland shore, and that there is not the shadow of a reason for laying these disasters to the account of the St. Lawrence route proper. It is highly probable that for the reason our confrere points out, and others which will be readily understood, it would be next toimpossible (at present, at any rate), to bring 20 or 24 knot steamers to Quebec, but it is not correct to say that the gulf and river route to Quebec is peculiarly danger- ous. So far from it a brief inspection of the figures we have given will show what we have always contended, that the acci- dents are the result of carelessness or recklessness on the part of those who have the vessels in charge. Out of the 176 accidents recorded during the ten years three only can be unhesitatingly assigned to natural defects of the route, one wreck, one vessel that struck a rock, and one that struck on a reef; more than 50 per cent, of the vessels ran ashore, and more than 25 per cent. collided. The gulf and river are quite wide enough to render both running ashore and collision wholly unnecessary. The former might indeed be prevented if we could take away the shore on both sides, but it is quite impossible to prevent the latter if captains and pilots insist on it. i OO _ VESSELS CLASSED. Vessels classed and rated this week by the American Bureau of Shipping, New York, in the ‘‘Record of American and Foreign Shipping,”’ are as follows: Steamer El Dia, screw Philadelphia, schooner Arthur Seitz, schooner El Dorado, schooner Cassie F. Bronson, schooner Eva B. Douglass, schooner William H. Yerkes, three masted schooner Charles K. Buckley, three masted schooner Emily I. White, three masted schooner W. H. Dix, three masted schooner Warren Adams, and screw Haverford. rr RIPARIAN RIGHTS. The work on the sea wall being constructed by the Chi- cago and Northwestern Railway Company at Sheboygan, Wis., south of the government piers is being pushed rapidly ahead. The first 1,000 feet of piling was furnished last week and the sheet piling is now being putin. The 1,000 feet is all that will be furnished this season. Next season another 2,000 feet of wall will be built. The company will acquire about an acre of land by the improvement. —_———aeee ae Se Collision—Action for damages to Tow—Mascer of Tug as Libelant.—The master of the tug is a common-law bailee of atow and her cargo which are in-his charge with a lien thereon for the towage services rendered, and as such he is entitled to maintain an action against another vesssel fora collision in which his tow and her cargo are lost, and in such action to recover their full value, holding the amount remaining, after deductin, his own loss, in trust for the owner. In such case the owners of the tow and cargo may intervene as co-libelants, if they desire, or the respondent may bring in the tug, under admiralty rule 59, by petition showing her to have been in fault, in which case a substitution of the owners of the tow and cargoas libelants is the proper course. The Mercedes, 1:8 Fed. Rep. (U. S.) 559.