British Whig (Kingston, ON), June 16, 1883

p.2 ad - R. & O. Nav. Co. - Royal Mail Line - consisting of steamers Quebec, Capt. Nelson; Montreal, Capt. Roy; Corsican, Capt. Sinclair; Algerian, Capt. Trowell; Corinthian, Capt. Ada; Passport, Capt. Irvine.

p.3

MARINE NEWS.

There was a strong breeze today. Who looks after the storm signals?

The tug Perew has cleared for Montreal with two barges carrying 30,000 bush. of corn.

Capt. Sam Frazer (sic - Fraser ?) is in port again with his craft. He will leave tonight for Lake Michigan to load timber.

The tug Glide has cleared for Montreal with six barges, carrying 60,000 ? bushels of grain and 1,200 tons of coal.

The steamer Maud took the place of the Hero yesterday and made the run to Picton in less than four hours. The steamer Armenia was beaten on the trip up.

The arrivals at the Kingston & Montreal Company are: schr. Kate Kelly, Chicago, 17,000 bush. corn; schr. Dundee, Toronto, 16,000 bush. of wheat; prop. Europe, Chicago, 6,000 bush. of corn; Prop. California, Chicago, 7,000 bush. of corn; schr. Serepta, Toronto, 10,000 bush. of corn.

The arrivals at the Montreal Transportation Company's wharf are: Prop. Glinfinlas, Duluth, 9,000 bush. of wheat; schr. Nassau, Chicago, 22,011 bush. of corn; schr. Westside, Chicago, 20,275 bush. of corn; tug Glide, from Oswego, with barges Oneida and Seneca having 1,200 tons coal.

The steamer Hastings presents a peculiar appearance, but there is every indication that she will make a powerful wrecking craft. Her after saloon has been cut down to the deck and here the necessary wrecking appliances are kept. She started out yesterday.

The Annie Falconer's Captain is delighted with the way they run the Grey & Bruce elevator at Toronto. He went for 4,000 bushels and when he had 1,000 in the affair broke up, and it is going to take two or three days to fix it, keeping him waiting. The cargo is wheat for Kingston at 1 3/4 cents.

The Richelieu and Ontario Navigation Company are now running a daily line between Montreal and Toronto. At present the boats stop at Gananoque both ways, but it is said that when the season is fairly opened the boats will stop at Clayton instead, but that proper connections will be made from Gananoque.

The Fire Insurance Companies doing business in the Dominion determined some few weeks ago to increase the annual rate on all steamers running in Canadian waters, the new rate being 1 1/2 per cent, whether tugs or passenger boats. The Richelieu & Ontario line, now paying 80 cents, finding the increase rather excessive, the Directors of the Company determined not to pay it. The Montreal Herald learns that the whole risk was taken in New York by one of the most solvent Insurance Companies at one per cent.

Towmen's Charges Again.

Captains of American and Canadian craft, trading between Chicago and Kingston, are greatly agitated over the extremely high charges demanded by the towmen on the Welland Canal. The ring will be broken up, as there is a probability of the tugs Perew and Jessie Hall being placed in a pool of eight to do the canal service. The towing charges are at present enormous, and equal to three-eighths of a cent per bushel. The charges are driving trade away. The people of St. Catharines have long been fighting against tolls on the canals and harbor dues in Montreal, yet they permit the outrage on the Welland to continue in the shape of excessive tow bills. If Canada is to have its share of trade, now that there are no tolls on the Erie Canal, the Government must take the matter in hand and arrange a tariff of charges. For the great expense they have incurred they only ask one-half a cent per bushel in tolls, and the grain goes free to Montreal. For the little outlay of the tugmen they secure 3/8 cent. The thing must cease in the interest of trade. Western and Eastern men will combine and place tugs in the canal to do towing at a reasonable rate.