The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

MARINE REVIEW. | 7 size of the vessels continues to increase, as is shown in the follow- ing statistics : In 1887 the average registered tonnage per vessel was 626. 3 tons 6c 1888 66 6 " 6c " 's 66 701.5 6c " 1889 " (<9 6 6c 13 6" a3 790.5 <9 ts 1890 3 oe G a3 as cc 66 6 833.8 6 « 1891 6 a3 66 66 6 66 6 862.1 " The total registered tonnage for the season falls 53,750 tons short of that for 1890, and the freight tonnage was 152,454 tons less. The following discussion of the appended statistics may _ not be inappropriate: For the whole period since 1881, the iron ore carried through the canal has been 47 per cent. of the total freight, and in 1889 and 1890 it was more than 50 per cent; therefore the freight may be divided into two nearly equal parts, one of which was the iron ore, the remaiuder being the aggregate ofall other freights. The percentage of increase since 1881 falls between 12 and 39 each year, the average being 22. During 1890 the freight, other than iron ore, amounted to 4,266,445 tons, and for 1891 5,328,548 tons. This shows an increase of 25 per cent. inthe freight of 1891 --other than iron ore--over 1890; or a little more than the aver- age increase for the preceding ten years. Hence the decrease in iron ore freight alone is sufficient to explain why the business of 1891 did not show the usual increase. There were other causes, however, which materially affected the volume of the sea-. son's business, and they will be referred to later. The falling off in iron ore freight was predicted, with certainty, a year ago. It was due to causes so widespread and long continued that a discussion here could hardly be made complete and satisfactory. The freight of wheat and wheat products was abnormally large. Excluding iron ore and wheat in 1890, the remaining tonnage was 3,725,866 tons. 'The corresponding freight for 1891 was 4,340,660 tons. Hence the increase in freight, exclusive of iron ore, was 8 per cent., which indicates quite a falling off from the average rate of 22 per cent. for the last ten years, and shows that if the wheat crop of the northwest had hot been unusually good this season, there would have been a slight decrease in the volume of freight other than iron ore. The foregoing relates solely to tonnage. If we consider the value of the season's freight, we find a very large increase over any other. The average yearly increase in the value of the freight transported since 1881 was about 15 per cent., but for the season of 1891 it was about 25 per cent. Thecause of this great increase in valuation is plainly due to the very large wheat crop. Since we are not likely to be immediately favored with another such crop, a decrease in valuation may be reasonably predicted for next year. But the failure to maintain the record of annual increase in freight tonnage is due, in a great degree, to three causes other than the decrease in iron ore tonnage. » The first of these is the fact that the stage of water in the lakes, and con- sequently the depth available at the canal, was the lowest of which we have any record. In 1889 the average available depth was 15.14 feet, in 1890 it was 15.06 feet, and in 1891 it was 14.42 feet. The average for 1891 was theretore .64 feet, or .6 inches lower than in 1890, which at a reasonable estimate of 20 tons to an inch of draft, corresponds to an average of (say) 150 tons for each registered vessel. That is, if the available depth of water in the canal during 1891 has been equal to that of 1890, (next lowest recorded) the same 9,744 vessels which carried 8,888,759 tons in 1891, would have caaried 1,461,359 tons more than they did, or an aggregate of 10,350,359 tons; Or, Say 10,000,000. This is no vio- - lent estimate, but is, I think, quite within the truth. The next cause was the intentional delay of the vesselmen in putting their vessels in commission in the spring. This amounted to quite two weeks in the case of many of the largest carriers. No attempt is made to estimate the effect of the delay, but it must have been considerable. 'The third cause was due to the sinking of the steamer Susan E. Peck, at "the elbow," in St. Mary's river, by which navigation was totally suspended from 1:10 P. M., Oct. 11, to 3 P. M., Oct. 15, a period of full5 days. 'Through this accident 275 vessels were delayed an aggregate of 827 days and 5 hours, or an average of about 3 days each, during which time they would have carried through the canal about 150,000 tons of freight if they had been free to move. 'This fairly off-sets the delay during the preceding season, due to the broken emptying valve. In view of the foregoing, it would bea conservative estimate to say that but for the conditions stated, the freight through the canal would have amounted to 10,500,000 tons during the season of 1891. In estimating the value of the commerce passing through the canal, it is deemed advisable to adhere to the same prices per unit first adopted in 1885. It is belteved that these constitute a fair average and afford a better basis for comparing the business from year to year than if they were amended to con- form to the prices actually prevailing. Very respectually, Your obedient servant, O. M. PoE, Colonel, Corps of Engineers, Bvt. Brig. Gen., U. S. A. The comparative statement of the amount and value of commerce through the canal for the calander years 1890 and 1891 follows : : eneooesoecses a eee SSSSHSSSSqSSSES 10 E Pitt IgnaanSeraemoecoS ea) RTA ese" iGSRSSENSIE=SS S&S . CO 20 CO b= 10 re a PSE COUN eC Se SES a C2) So Se So eae SRS SS EIS See eso eel ee ae co 10D Nok Ok wo Baie epenies MRSSHNOMS A t Ages S Pit i Receesneeaate | a & XSSS8ER a byt b todd dtn OOS 1S oO A Son oN HO . Seine eae ae eet eeRriCl me nN nN cae Ont Zz Saute te ease HA a y Ss Sunk a S en n BSRERSLSA SERRE 7 gz i = iii ipeensosssoosoves Ease Sa ro Dates Seeeenarseas aes = $3: : MmSSHSSSSSSNSS = < ik hse odee Rete cs eae iii i iInenseerynSenr se eS meee iam ay ES ee | ater oes | iin ations iia ANS SON Sig lS Serre ass SS ee shee tas a S iii: i i@SSSkasese ers os a Wego: S bid igisss Seog or i g > cana are TBARS SHR Or ont y= Sagtbish orn a bevel tene eaege" 2 ee eon Oe eae Ou a fe aa ae te cies eI i fob obo: iedidarst ooo nN a 3 = ATi as Moh taeda s =. Dib tla me N S Sibes Mesa Teno se Rie ase pees A a oer eer Mek lal ae ete & Saget a epee BH peoraadgd oO Paros Reaass Nn DODDOSS eS ee ee 4 Seep bex age QL $fiot : tO OOD SOD O2 5222 Se ree tae REE ar Oy he Wot wee [ones a. Aa Sar eD as sees iIBSRASSSSSSESS 2B B gs sss ss = Sees ate CONS St-HOoMDmMSoS x se oa ees Bo SY? 4B=S + a & ) eferarie tur «ers! of A -- oO = S a pra a es 6 bas o 4 Se creme Nn) FS weer a 5 < 5 7 5 7 ; - «a ~ sie Mets : 5 S : . : QO 100 > ° ey O g a tN +O AS : : : a ai 5 eee el 5 ie) > o 2 ng isk 5 ae S : Prasdge Re SOOM: oO 2 : ag pet tec oars ato) : : ia: Bc, Bree pee Bi i 3 Seen a: DO - 4 : : : 54 pe 2 sos oe BS fs DOr § iano i a - ea} oF See oe ea ekte ea aS se +5 Ay : Coe ser = Mm oO : oa a SS S : =< . ke S "4 O MN MN 5 PHI~ DS Er : Dp Coan tr ob re) : ies! Oo if ee aon TP ikeBR | SSS ib LR Bre tgs a oO 2 rqSaS i istige it 2 rete ae ine Cc 5 2 7 1M: Oa ts 3 aa A g CEES! Sales an A = a oleae eden -< oN mates Se Sage: Bs cee Yoga Mmm ADAMO HSTOSM ONS lippecees Sale Yo) ROoODONSHSOMOS = 6 <8 So BRSRS BIER Re AAR ees aoe ae . m SH SOS SONA HOSOI dis n , B S*SSRSSSR89NSSSS 35 a3 0 Cae ss =o Ho HS Nags got Be a od Nedagri on esr! o a a ie = oo on a S aS ~ omf"fand SD OIS0 tH ° . x ESI SNS ESN BANSAL S =| cee es 2 S 10. 2 SH. 001 03 1.69.69 SOE SEE 2 SOLOY Fa ee oS S HSH et SH SO Gol SONI SCA Mois - dao RHoaHSOANRSe So 4h oe Tt RST ANS A Rs OF a4 Os NosoN +H So 2 So 10 lb r= ~~ S a s & HHANHNAN ON AnD a8 =a oo COG. ega A aad oo oS 2Eoofkoga- 9 oo°0 oo ree 2 Mee OS aaqe+H gr Hos ~ RPRH < sta s : 4 = ee csi oe ppp *eakeaeus cee Sos comnero ooo seas iO ZAS Se AY, > Seu teeg ti : 4S + : {AA Ai Bie AO ee irra ete iat AAA foi i 4a Uva tieie uy wee at eta ie eure ee Sah as eae) 2 CeAgE Wet cea enter ets pedis gs ES : Ses are aan eS as pesca Oa fg Pe eee apa) i ays cba as! ec apes bo it er : no SS caeenen as a) fi:gd: 1 sas so 468 z re aseayeayesioa) Ie 7B ion s2ahs ee xs S je Shae : pe eins eva Soa. w = - ::hSo io tf iss: = oO nee eee ees en eH Shee OF ot Seemed faS to a ee iad) oH ss ont) Sat eS bet =r 7 ' ae mn '4 -- Sis MD cics) 1a) ee 1aog feet a a ; ; DinGag it iad: >a sj: bo oO eri pied tr Fata tae sea eer Co) eared Sno £OUDONS ? 2094 : io, hoon Sm Bmwwns : 5-85 HH gldA £73 A = Seer se HS SDS neo DD OSETUO Heise: AHS TD M aM Ants one Sage Cas & NOAAnNsods santo Shae Voocoxnonr asm asonsanee > ASR ORE CSA NOSE RAD We are indebted for the above letter and statement to Lieut. Chas. L. Riche, who kindly sent them to us in the ab- sence of Gen. Poe. Write "MARINE REVIEW, 510 Perry-Payne Blidg., Cleve- land, O.," on an envelope, write your address ona slip of paper, enclose a dollar bill, and mail it for six month's sub- scription to the only illustrated marine paper on the lakes.