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6 ~~ MARINE REVIEW. SS eae Return for all Waterway Improvements. In an article on ‘‘Highways and National Prosperity’? in the Engineering Magazine for April, Edward P. North, C. E., 127 E. Twenty-third street, New York, shows that the Sault Ste. Marie canal alone gives a bountiful return for all river and harbor appropriations in this part of thecountry. He notes the opposition from some parts of the country to river and harbor appropriatious, in spite of the general knowledge that the fall in railroad freight rates has followed the deepening of the water- way from the northwest to Buffalo and is largely due to that in- creased depth. ‘‘Few conversant with such matters,” he adds, ‘‘do not know that a freight of 25 cents per bushel was often paid on grain between Chicago and Buffalo before 1860, when vessels of 6 to 8 feet draft were employed, and now that vessels of from 14 to 16 feet can be used, grain is frequently carried be- tween the two ports for less than two cents, as the carrying ca- pacity of vessels increases nearly with the cube of their depth. But comparatively few appreciate either the volume of the freight carried or the economy secured in its transportation,even with our present reduced railroad rates.’’ “The total expenditures under river and harbor bills up to Jan. 30, 1889, from Niagara Falls to Chicago and Duluth and on the rivers running into the lakes, has been $28,038,590. As the ascertained saving on freight charges for the tonnage passing the Sault canal for the season of 1889 was $46,466,011, the im- provement at Sault Ste. Marie returned to the country in one year through cheaper freights over 165 per cent. on the total national expenditures for improving the navigation of the upper lakes, and the estimated saving on the total lake commerce for the year was at the rate of 427 per cent.’’ “It may be of interest to say in this connection that the to- ‘tal appropriations for river and harbor improvements from 1789 to the present time have been $207,002, 352, including the amounts covered back in the treasury, and the saving from the canal at the foot of Lake Superior returned in 1889 22.4 per cent. on the sum of these appropriations.” Wonderful Growth of the English Fleet. England’s supremacy in the shipping world is hardly appre- ciated. A statistical return just laid on the table of the House of Commons shows the wonderful growth of the English fleet. Notwithstanding the fact that many other countries have been extending their fleets, British tonnage continues to increase in as great a ratio, and England not only now carries a larger pro- portion of her own trade than in previous years, but also takes a half of the trade of Europe. ‘aking first the tonnage measure- ment of vessels of all nationalities using British ports it is found that the total has increased eight-fold in fifty years, that is to say, that whereas the aggregate tonnage of vessels entering and clear- ing from ports in 1840 was barely 9% millions, it is now over 744 millions, and the proportion of foreign tonnage is now, or was last year, as small probably as at any time during the present century. Fifty years ago the ratio of foreign to total was just over 31 per cent; ten years later it was 35, and in 1860 43.5 per cent. Then began the era of steamships and British owners more readily departed from the sailer than did foreign maritime nations. This fact is indicated in the tonnage of vessels enter- ing and clearing British ports. In the thirty years following 1840 the total has been quadrupled, and the foreign tonnage, which had increased to 43.5 per cent in 1860 dropped to 32 per cent in 1870, and in 1880 it was but 28.6 per cent. of the whole. The proportion since then has not fluctuated greatly. The low- est percentage has been about 26, and in 1890 it was 27.3. While in ten years the aggregate tonnage has increased by 28 per cent., foreign ships. carrying British goods has only increased 16.9 per cent. Of course nearly all nationalities have augumented their shipping property; but not all in the same ratio as Britian. In the case of the United States there has been, as is well known, a great falling off. In 1860. nearly 3 millions of American ton- ae entered or cleared from this country, while last year the -amount was only a tenth of the total. Inthe case of Austria too, there is a great decline. The most notable exception is Norway, which in 1860 only owned 13.5 per cent of the foreign ships entering British ports, while last year her share was a fourth of the foreign tonnage. Much is due to the adoption of steam. While, as showh, British ships make up 72.7 per cent of the tonnage carrying British merchandise, the United States, owns but 22.5 per cent. of the tonnage trading to United States ports, In Russia the native-owned ships make only 7.3 per cent., having decreased in thirty years from 16.5 per cent. Norwegian owners are second to Britian in this respect, the proportion being 63.1, but there also outside owners have been making headway, as forty years ago the proportion was 75.2 per cent. With Sweeden the proportion is 33.7 per cent; Denmark which has been progressing, 52.7 per cenc; Spain 43.1; Germany, which also has been moving forward, 42.4 per cent; France, 36.1; Hol- land 30.5; Italy 24.8; Portugal, 4.3 Notices to Mariners. Engineer Noble of the Canadian marine service, engaged in repairing the Colchester reef light structure, has begun prepara- tions tor the establishment of new range lights at the head of Bois Blanc island to take the place of the private ranges now maintained there. These are the ranges used before picking up the Duff & Gatfield ranges, or Grosse Isle ranges going up and after leaving the latter coming down. It is probable that their location on the head of Bois Blane will be changed somewhat, as the trees on the island under present conditions sometimes ob- struct them from view and render them less valuable as day marks. The light-house board has issued bulletin No. 2 of July 1 date, regarding recent changes in aids to navigation. ‘These bulletins are issued in accordance with the plan adopted a short time ago of printing in pamphlet form each month the detail _ regarding changes in lights, fog signals, etc. throughout the country. The July bulletin contains no reference to changes on the lakes excepting the mark on Waverly shoal near Buffalo and the Saginaw river ranges, both of which have been announced in the REVIEW. Commander Heyerman gives notice that owing to the sink- _ ing of the Pontiac a black spar buoy has been placed in 14% feet of water off Palmer’s point on the Sugar island side. Ves- sels drawing 16 feet can pass close to the buoy. When the wreck is raised the buoy will be removed. In General. _ The Canfield and East Shore Wrecking Line of Manistee, Mich., ‘sends out as an advertisement a map of the lakes that will prove useful in the office of any vessel owner. : The pamphlet ‘‘Cost Per Mile’ issued by the Vacuum Oil Company, Rochester, N. Y., has been prepared with great care and is something more than a mere advertising circular. In the Canadian parliament, Monday, Mr. Tupper, in reply to a questionby Mr. Fremont, as to whether the government proposed to obolish the duty on vessels for the relief of sick and distressed mariners, said that no decision had yet been arrived at, but inquiries were being made as to whether ship owners would not rather take care of their own sick mariners and thus escape the tax for the relief of sick and distressed mariners. hoe bureau of statistics, treasury department, S. G. Brock | chief, has Just issued a report in which some owners of lake ves- sel property, who have been investigating business matters in the vicinity of Puget sound will be interested. — . ‘Internal Commerce of the United States,’’ but treats entirel of information concernin , [ie portation interests of Alaska, Arizon , California, Ne , Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington, ore set ga ia known as the Pacific slope.