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eee ee SHIP BUILDING IN CANADA. : president of the Bertram Engine Works Co., Toronto, who have already built some of ‘the finest steamers on our inland waters, under date of Jan- uary 7th, addressed the following open letter to the Min- ister of Customs at Ottawa: ae Dear Sir.—I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 2ist, ult., in which you say that no permission was given by your departinent during the season of 1901 for American tugs to tow rafts in Canadian waters, contrary to the provisions of the coasting ‘regulations. I understand that permission was granted to certain American tugs to tow Canadian logs in Canadian waters in’ 1900, and am glad to learn that this permission was not continued in 1901. Notwithstarding this, however, United States tugs; some openly and some covertly, did, against the law, participate in the towing of Canadian sawlogs from one Canadian point to another. Particulars need not be given, as the facts can easily be verified on inquiry by your. own .officers. ‘The methods by which tugs under United: States registry took. part in this Canadian work are known to many people having interests on the Georgian Bay and Lake Huron. It is also well known that. for years American tugs have been allowed to do work on the Canadian side of the river at Sarnia, and, further, at least one tug, while under United States registry, obtained quite récently from a British Consul resident at an American port a certificate. of some kind, allowing it to tow logs in Canadian waters, contrary to the provisions of the coast- ing regulations. : “You are no doubt aware that on account of the action ‘Mr. John Bertram, taken by the Ontario government in compelling all sawlogs. cut on Crown ijands in the province to be sawn or other- wise manufactured in Canada, the business of towing saw- logs from: one-Canadian port to another has greatly in- creased within recent years; and whether this work is to be reserved for Canadian tugs alone is 9 matter of some im- portance: No Canadian’ tug or other. vessel ‘is allowed, under any pretext whatever, to participate in the coasting trade of the United States, and if they attempted such a thing, or gave the officers there the slightest éxcuse, would’ be promptly: seized... Now, if American tugs have exclu- sively. reserved to themselves ali coasting privileges in United. States waters, and at the same. time’ are’ allowed, either by permit from Canadian authorities, British .Con- sul, or. by reason of our customs officers not watching for infractions of the law; to share in our work, it’ would be so manifestly unfair and one-sided that, the biilding up ofa Canadian marine could hardly be expected. Instances could be given to show. how this state of things affects vessel- owners and shipbuilders. In 1900 a party was negotiating. for the building of one of the most powerful tugs on the lakes, hut by reason of the foreign .tugs being. allowed. and the general market can best be described as sluggish. to tow Canadian logs the négotiations fell through. At the present time, if assured that no interference by Ameri- can tugs will be tolerated, the construction of powerful Canadian tugs,’ fully equipped for towing logs, would at once commence, but until this assurance is given there is little inducement for anyoné to invest in that class of PLOPEHEy ee ee, ue ; Steel shipbuilding in Canada is carried on at present under some disabilities. For instance, British-built vessels, fully eqttipped, can come in here. free of duty, This can- not be complained of, as it is part of the Imperial policy of the empire, but in the build’ng. of vessels in.Canada every item entering into, the construction, whether of the hull or the machinery, that is inanufactured in any part of the Dominion is dutiable at. the ordinary rate. It is true a small amount is allowed per registered ton by the Domin- - ion. government in the way of draw-back on duties, but the amount is quite inadequate to equalize conditions as exist- ing between the British and Canadian shipbuilder. Were it not that a design and type of vessel better suited for inland waters has been evolved here with a larger and more eccnomical carrying capacity per ten of displacement tian -nything built on the Clyde, then Canadian shipyards would ° net be in the competition. ‘arming to the United States side of the question, it is’ we'l known that they will not admit any foreign-built ves- THE MARINE RECORD. A TRUSCOTT BOAT SIMPLE, SAFE, RELIABLE, SPEEDY. lighting. It may be possible to build better and _ safer boats. but it hasn’t been done yet. We send a completely illustrated catalogue and price list free, which tells you all about boats and WHY TRUSCOTT BOATS EXCEL. Truscott Boat Mfg. Co., ST. JOSEPH, MICH. sels to registration in their ports, while in Canada foreign- built boats are allowed to enter in, paying merely the nom- inal duty of 10 per cent. on hulls and 25 per cent. on machinery. If the entry were confined to new vessels only, and the valuation that of the American selling price, there would be no complaint, as Canadian shipyards are quite able to compete both in quality and price with any yards in the United States; but as a matter of fact, entries have been confined to old boats, difficult to value, and so the duty collected has been only nominal in amount. So with British boats free, American boats with only a nominal valuation, their freighters occasionally granted a permit to share in our coasting trade, and their tugs, within or without the terms of our regulations, coming here to share in our coasting work, it is a wonder that any new vessels are built in Ontario to ply in the international waters. A great impetus has been given lately to Canadian inland transportation by the general improvement of business, the increasing quantity of grain seeking the seaboard, and the carrying of iron ore, coal and lumber. Apart from the question of ocean-going vessels or the need of a fast Cana- dian service to Great Britain, if it is considered desirable that a well equipped and creditable Canadian marine should exist on the Great Lakes, then two conditions seem neces- sary. First, Canadian shipbuilders should be placed on a footing of equality with British shipbuilders. How this should be done is within the purview of the policy of the present government. A beginning has been made already by granting a small draw-back on new tonnage, and it only requires to go a step further and make is such an amount as would equalize conditions between shipbuilders here and in Great Britain. Second, there seems no other way of stopping our sharp and ingenious friends on the other side of the lakes from having us at a disadvantage except by strictly carrying out our own Jaw with regard ‘to coasting regulations; and, further, by taking a leaf out of their own book and forbidding the registration of any American-built vessel in a Canadian port. ‘This may, to some pecple seem drastic, but it cannot be considered un- friendly, as it simply follows their own example. I beg to submit these matters for your consideration, be- lieving that-they are of some importance not only to the vessel owners and shipbuilders of Canada, but as a means ‘of continued progress and the advancement of our best interests.—Canadian Manufacturer. —_$ $$ OO rr : EASTERN FREIGHTS. Messrs. Funch, “dye & Co., New York, report the con- dition of the eastern freight market as follows: Whilst the number of transactions effected during the present week show an increase over the previous period we are unable to report any actual improvement in rates, The demand for cotton tonnage from the South Atlantic is verv. spasmo lic, and fluctuates ccording to the rise and fall in, prices, but there is very little anxiety exhibited on Bebe of. the shippers to take up: steamers for future oading. , The coal situation is still restricted, owing to the short- age of railroad cars, and this accounts for the limited num- ber of charters reportel. A few steamers continue to find employment from the Gulf timber ports, hut if.anything the supply of tonnage is now in éxcess of: the demand. For cotton and gen- eral cargo from the Gulf, the regular line boats appear to be sufficient 10 meet present wants. With the exception of a little inquiry for case oil tonnage to the east for future loadine. at somewhat improved rates, we find the market for sailing vessels still character- ized by inactivity. — “A large force of mén is.at work making extensive im- provements to the coal loading machinery at the Short Line ‘docks at Sandusky. A telescope device has been added to the car dumpine machinery, Similar to that in use at’ Fairport. and it is now claimed that the facilities are as rapid as any on the lake. Pintsch Gas Lighted Buoys. Adopted by the English, German, French, Russian, Italian and United States Light-House Departments for channel and harbor Over 1,000 gas buoys and gas beacons in service. Bis Burn Continuously from 80 to 365 days and nights 1a without attention, and can be seen % a distance of six miles. ......- THE SAFETY CAR HEATING AND LIGHTING CO. 160 Broadway, New York City. JANUARY 23, 1902) oe Controlled by LITERARY NOTICES. A clear presentation of the Isthmian Canal question will appear in the February Scribner's from the pen ot, W. Ee Burr, the eminent engineer and professor at Columbia Col- ~ lege, who is a member of the United States Commission. The author presents the advantages and disadvantages of = both the Nicaragua and Panama routes and sums it all up — in the sentence: “In view of the unreasonably high price’ put upon their rights and property by the Panama Canal Company the Nicaragua route must be taken as the most. ‘practicable and feasible’ for the construction of a ship - canal by the United States government.” “eh eee The February Century is to contain two articles, with illustrations, on the new scheme for beautifying the . City of Washington; and another important feature in the same isstte is “A Visit to Mount Vernon a Century Ago,” con- — taining conversations with General Washington as re- ” corded in the diary of a Polish poet attached in this coun-’ try to the suite of Kosciuszko. An attractive pamphlet full of information is that pub- — lished by Mr. Royal FE. Burnham, attorney-at-law and — solicitor of patents, of Washington. The brochure is de- voted to the subjects of patents, trade-marks and copy- rights, and the title page indicates that the text describes “What May Be Patented,” “The Process,” “The Cost.” The pamphlet teems with useful information and perti- — nent advice. It will be of value to inventors-and those — who wish to register trade-marks and secure copyrights: The little book may be add on application to Mr. Royal E. Burnham, Bond Building; Washington, D.-C. : a LAUNCH OF THE WESTERN STATES. The Western States, the new Detroit & Buffalo line pas- senger steamer, was successfully launched at the Wyan- dotte, (Mich.) yards of the American Ship Building Cora on last Saturday. ‘This steamer is the sister ship of the — Eastern States which was launched at the same place about a month ago. Manager W. C. McMillan and a large party of friends went to the launching from Detroit on private ‘electric cars. The Western States will have a passenger capacity of 3,500. ‘The staterooms will be in two tiers and will number 250, including twelve parlors. All the staterooms will have hot and cold water and telephone connection with the other parts of the ship and with Detroit and Buffalo when the steamer is in port. It is expected that both the Western States and Eastern States will go in service at the opening of navigation this year. The dimensions of the steamers follow: ‘ Length over all, 366 feet; length of keel, 351 feet; beam, 4s feet; breadth over guards, 80 feet; depth of hold, 19% feet: draft. of water, 12 feet. The machinery of each boat will consist of an inclined compound engine, having three cylinders. The cylinders will be 52, 72 and 72 inches _ by..7 feet stroke, indicating 5,500 horse power. Steam will be supplied by six cylindrical steel boilers, each 13 feet 6 inches long by 11 feet 9-inches in diameter, and having a total grate surface of 275 square feet, and a total heating surface of 12,650 square feet. ‘They will be worked with the Howden hot air system. The consumption of bitum-__ inous coal will be.9,000 pounds per hour. : The paddle wheels. will be equipped with feathering. buckets. Each wheel will be 25 feet in diameter and will’ have nine buckets, each 13 feet long by 4 feet wide, dip- ping, at normal draft, 5 feet. The speed calculated 1S .2Ieseae miles per hour. : The gross tonnage of the ships will be 3,100 and the |. net tonnage 1,600, There will be 212 main staterooms and ~ sleeping accommodations for close on to 1,000 persons. oO Oo The Hohenzollern, on which Admiral Prince Henry, the Kaiser’s brother, will come to this country, is‘ counted the finest royal yacht afloat. She is also the fastest, hav- ing done 22 knots. The furnishings are simply magnifi- =~ cent. ‘The’ Hohenzollern has three four-inch quick-fires; — more for saluting purposes than anything else. CS