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6 MARINE REVIEW. Canada’s Wrecking Laws. EDITOR MARINE REVIEW :—My attention was drawn to an article in your paper of the 26th of November last, in which you refer to the wreck- ing laws of the lakes as barbarous, and a disgrace to both Canada and the United States. You also mention that “a forcible illustration of the inhu- man portion of these regulations was shown last week at Goderich, Ont., when the crews of two vessels flying distress signals within sight of the harbor were known to be in great danger of going to the bottom of the lake, with their vessels already dismantled and laboring heavily in the most severe snow storm of the season. A small Canadian tug in the har- bor was unable to venture out to their assistance, and the despatches an- nounced that it would be necessary to leave them to their fate over night with the storm increasing in violence. Later when an American tug was found capable of risking the seas, these wrecking laws compelled the lo- cal authorities at the Canadian port to telegraph the minister of marine at Ottawa, hundreds of miles distant, before permitting the American tug to render assistance. The answer, of course, granted the permission, but it was seriously ridiculous when it was considered that there was no telling whether the distressed vessels were American or whether they belonged to the very port of Goderich itself. The answer came back from me as deputy minister of marine: ‘Hire Anierican tug to save life if none other available; while the hours of delay resulting from these strange pro- ceedings might have resulted in the loss of all on board the two boats.” While I know, from past experience, that you are always most anxious to state every case as accurately as possible, I beg leave to point out to you that there are somie little inaccuracies in your editorial referred to. For example, our officer at Goderich, who has charge of the lifeboat, is a most careful man, but he is not a lawyer, and he did not know what the law on the subject was; otherwise he would not have telegraphed to Ot- tawa. I herewith enclose* to you acopy of our law on this subject, from which you will see that we have no restrictions in saving life. An Amer- iean tug, a Canadian tug, or any other tug can go in case of distress to save life in Canadian waters, incurring no penalty whatever.’ You will see in the third section of the act I enclose to you that all such cases areexempt, and Capt. Babb, who has charge of the lifeboat, should have saved life at all costs and hazards, and should not have lost a moment in telegraph- ing to Ottawa if life was really in danger; but he has a first-class self- righting and self-baling lifeboat, with a good crew, and I am not aware, from independent evidence, whether it was possible for him to go out to these vessels in distress. If it was not possible, there was nothing to pre- ‘vent him from saving the lives of the people by any means he chose to : adopt, and if he had actually saved life and incurred liability he would _ have been remunerated for such liability. I think you are a little mistaken in criticizing the Canadian wreck- - _ ing laws as barbarous and a disgrace toCanada. I assure you that they are neither barbarous or a disgrace to Canada, as any American tug can come at any time and save the lives of the Americans and Canadians in a sinking vessel, even in Canadian waters; and if valor has been displayed, . it is usual for the Canadian government to make rewards in such cases instead of punishment. Butan American tug is not allowed to come into Canadian waters and work at a wreck and take any cargo or tow rafts, as amatter of business; and the Canadian government has tried its best to induce the American government to open the lake coasting trade on their side, and Canada will probably follow suit and reciprocate on the Canadian side. But to say that the Canadian authorities or Canadian government would risk life being sacrificed for a point of etiquette, where it was in danger, and simply because there was no Canadian tug to render assist- ance, is a great mistake. The Canadian coasting laws are as liberal as they can be made, but the Canadian authorities do not wish to open the Canadian wrecking laws for business purposes, unless the American government is willing to opentheir towing trade as well as the wrecking laws. But I hope you will understand that the Canadian government has never pun- ished a captain or owner of an American tug for saving life. Such a thing is unknown in Canada. If the circumstances, however, showed valor and bravery by Americans towards the crew of a Canadian vessel, the Canadian government would in all probabilty reward such valor or bravery. Itrust you will rectify these little points in your editorial at your earliest convenience. WILLIAM SMITH Ottawa, Dec. 8, 1891. Deputy Minister of Marine, of Canada. [* The law on the subject to which the Hon. Mr. Smith directs atten- tion is the third section of the act of 1886 respecting the coasting trade of Canada, and is as follows: ‘The master of any steam vesse), not being a British ship, engaged, or having been engaged, in towing any ship, vessel or raft, from one port or place in Canada to another, except in case of dis- tress, shall incur a penalty of four hundred dollars ; and such steam-vessel may be. detained by the collector of customs at any port or place to or in which such ship vessel or raft is towed, until such penalty is paid.”—Ep*] Send 75 cents to the MARINE REyIEW for a binder that will hold 52 numbers, camisetas Winter Navigation on Lake Michigan. Special Correspondence to the MARINE REVIEW. MILWAUKEE, Wis., Dec. 17.—With the close of navigation through the great inland waterways the east shore transit lines once more find themselves burdened with freight for the seaboard cities. This freight consists chiefly of flour and provisions, although an unusually liberal movement of grain is now promised via the Ludington route which is the only one provided ‘with elevator facilities for transferring from boat to cars. The Grand Haven line is again being served by the steamers Wis- consin and Roatioke, while the Ludington line has the F. & P. M. steamers numbered from 1 tos5. Of these the No. 2 will handle fre:ght out of Manitowoc almost exclusively and she may be assisted in the service from time to time by the No, 1. A third route to the east has been opened dur- ing the season by the establishment of a line of boats between Milwaukee and St. Joseph, but it cuts a very sorry figure because of the formation of a dangerous bar at the entrance to St. Joseph harbor. There are now three steamers in commission on this route, the City of Marquette, City of Fremont and Fountain City, the last named craft having been recently acquired at a purchase price of $20,000. It is proposed to lay up and sell the City of Marquette and keep the City of Fremont and Fountain City in commision the year round; but in the light of the experience of the past six months the transit company will save a large amount of money by laying up everything until settled weather sets in next spring, as it has been impossible to average a roundtrip a week apiece with the boats since the advent of stormy weather early in November. The game of hide and seek which the steamers are playing at now is an expensive one to the " company and amounts to almost prohibition with shippers. Shoal water and westerly winds also interfere with the movements of the Grand Haven and Ludington steamers but they manage to get around with tolerable frequency nevertheless. The west shore business of the Goodrich line is being’ attended to by the steamers Menominee and City of Ludington, although the latter will be the only one to run all winter. The Inter Ocean Transportation Company’s management has turned aleaf in the direction of economy. It has been the custom heretofore to maintain a department at the Bay View docks to do all needed repair work on the fine steamers of the fleet. Last winter as many as 150 men are said to have been thus employed, and the pay-rolls ran up to anywhere from $2,500 to $2,600 per month. In the light of the work accomplished, Manager Ricketson concluded that the company was paying altogether too much for “sojering,” and accordingly decided to dispense with the plant and the services of superintendent. Capt. Joseph HK. Yax, of the Maryland has been placed in charge of the fleet for the present winter, while all repair work needed will be done at the shipyards. The steamer Ferdinand Schlesinger wound up the season at Buffalo last week with a shortage of 261 bushels on a cargo of 100,000 bushels of barley shipped out of this port. This reminds the correspondent that F. Kraus & Co., have not yet settled the 4,100 bushels shortagé on four cargoes, referred to a short time ago. Private advices from Duluth state that the steamers Alex. Nimick and John Mitchell and the barge Northwest have been loaded with wheat ’at that port, but the amount agreed upon for winter storage and spring de- livery is not given. = ; : [NorE—Since receiving the above with reference to the new Mil- waukee-St. Joseph line, we are informed that on account of the difficul- ties spoken of it is the intention of the company to run to Grand Haven this winter, arrangements having been made for the use of the Goodrich dock and with the Chicago & West Michigan Railway for the transfer of freight to their Benton Harbor connection. ] Will not let Canada’s Marine Suffer. Special Correspondence to the MARINE REVIEW. KINGSTON, Ont., Dec. 17.—At a political meeting the other evening, Capt. Gaskin made an important statement. It was to the effect that in a recent interview with Premier Abbott, regarding the rebate of canal tolls on grain transhipped at Ogdensburg, the latter stated that it was the in- tention of the government not to let Canadian marine suffer, ‘This is in- terpreted by mariners here to mean that the rebate will not be allowed and that this question will be discussed by the United States and Canadian governments during the reciprocity negotiations. : Thousands of railway ties will be shipped tea New York state this fall if the harbor remains open. The steambarge Van Allen, just gone into winter quarters at Oswego, made eighty-seven trips during the season and carried over 22,000,000 feet of lumber. In her trial trip the sidewheel steamer Spartan made 15 miles. per hour on eighteen and three-fourth revolutions to the minute, : The schooner M. Neelon, owned at St. Catherines, was seized here recently by the customs officials for making a false report. After deposit- ing $400 the Neelon was allowed to g§9° pending a decision from the government, a :