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MARINE REVIEW. | v Correct Figures on the Lake Movement of Soft Coal. A correct statement of the lake movement of soft coal dur- ing the season of 1891 has been a long time coming. but it is here presented by ports in full and a comparison is made with the shipments of 1890. Asin the case of all articles of lake cominerce, present laws governing the movement of vessels do hot admit of a correct report of coal shipments being secured through collectors of customs, but these figures were prepared by the Pittsburgh Coal Shippers' Association from reports fur- nished by all railways engaged in the lake trade. Shipments from all ports were 44,940 tons in excess of those of SOO, = ail important feature in the statement, which follows, is the lake shipments from West Virgina mines: : Penn- West Va., iLsmas Rie omens, Ohio Coal, Se Coal, Total, Total, oal, 1891. 1891. 1891. 1891. 1890. Pele eecsee secs ters ies leeect 89,310 8 Sees ' thus ee 9,310 129,304 meceowle SORA estas. ees SO Ayo hilice aa. eahesees 386,375 452,394 Ug) Olalepre scons cae cailemaadeie ae GOO As esac witees ae 66,914 63.360 Cleveland.............. 290,585 601,902 124,000 | 1,016,487 922,536 JLAOIRBNUD. scodennaBpogaanoos 253.539 8,447 26,825 288,811 227,181 FAIRE haceistirleadieiecioe 200, COOml tas con seteneet rise Ge tae: 200,000 150,000 Sandusky............--: Tigh, Sealed lsacas= segicetealiawasche. seca 157,571 271,540 BNOVCUO® gcse sec snsecn as. ONT COO Me yes awe bean (este ete ate 947,288 891,501 1,848,983 | 1,152,948 | 150,825 | 3,152,756 | 3,107,816 Grain at Chicago and Duluth. Following is a statement of wheat stocks at Duluth on Monday, the 11th inst: -- a. Bushels. TR SURO: coca abac tocar AUOUC SCAG Sp 5b don dod paNGBces Harr ee tenadan 13,430,651 PASO Cerra aeey tt cee. | ea stiaiscnene vcs sees oe eneneae aos 400,703 Nrnierease Wasts wie lester. ccs teeters ss wees be ieee boc ae tances 1,202,320 Cess OWelsaime time dast yeats........7<s-.si.cs0- 8,614,948 Stocks of grain at Chicago have been increasing in about the same proportion as that noted at Duluth, but manipulation of the market by speculators has caused an unsettled feeling among buyers. The River and Harbor Bill. All reports from Washington regarding the river and harbor bill are to the effect that it will in all probability be called up in a few days and will be passed, carrying practically all of the appropriations which it contained when reported from com- mittee on Saturday last. When this bill reaches the Senate a number of amendments of interest to the lakes will undoubtedly be proposed, and some of them may be included in the bill on its final passage. With this bill, as in the case of the river and harbor bill passed by the last Congress, the REvrew has had. nothing to say in favor of or against any of the single items in which the vessel owners of different lake ports are especially interested. With a view to representing all lake interests in a fair way, progress on the bill has been commented upon only in a general way-or with reference to the 20-foot channel appro- priation and similar items deserving of the strongest support from all branches of the lake trade. We feel called upon now, however, on account of a misunderstanding that may have had some influence in the house committee, to call attention to one item in the bill, that of $70,000 for widening and extension of the. piers and other improvements at Ashtabula Harbor, Lake Erie. For this work the government engineers recommended an appropriation of $315,000, notwithstanding that the bill in its present form carries but $70,000. For a year or more past a great deal of talk, much of it of an idle nature,has been indulged in about a loss of lake commerce to Cleveland, through a portion of the iron ore trade being diverted to Ashtabula, Fairport, Lorain and othet Ohio ports. While it is the duty, of course, of Cleveland citizens to retain for this port as much as possible the bulk of this trade,it is most unfortunate that this spirit of rivalry has been catried se far by newspapers and people outside of the vessel interests as to result in depriving Ashtabula of what is rightfully due to the port for improvements. It is not necessary to call to the attention of vessel owners and shippers of ore and coal who understand this subject the necessity of treating all important harbors alike for the general welfare. Iron ore and coal passing in and out of Ashtabula, as well as other ports at which a similar business is carried on,is controlled in Cleveland, the vessels are owned and managed largely in Cleveland and natural causes governing railway connections and harbor and dock facilities must stand in the way of all this vast commerce being carried on ata single port. It is not necessary to go into detail regarding the importance of the port of Ashtabula, which holds the first place among ore receiving ports on the lakes, to convince those who are most interested in the river and harbor bill that this appropriation is insufficient for the requirements at that port, and an increase of it in the Senate should be favored by every lake member of Congress. Improvements in iron ore and coal docks made at Ashtabula within the past two years by private enterprise are greater than at all other Lake Erie ports combined and this progress should not pe overlooked by the vessel interests. Insurance Matters. The English underwriters, who have been taking risks on steel vessels of the lakes for two or three seasons past, will un- doubtedly follow the lake underwriters this season in the new rule regarding the adjustment of general average claims on river strandings, as the policy of the foreigners provides that such adjustments are to be made in accordance with the rules govern- ing the business of lake underwriters. ; Hull insurance on most of the lake vessels has been placed, and as far as can be learned there has been no cutting of rates. Shippers of iron ore and coal have profited by the competition for hull business, however, as the underwriters have resorted to the practice of past seasons, that of covering ore and coal in blanket policies at very low figures in order to secure the hull business of sub-agencies. In some cases coal has been covered as low as 15 to 17 cents to Lake Michigan and Lake Superior and ore at 13% and 14 cents. Some of the underwriters say that an effort will be made next year to establish cargo rates and overcome this kind of competition. There is certainly no money in the iron ore and coal cargo business at present rates. Possession of Government Piers by Corporations. In Congressman Durborow the vessel interests of Chicago have an able advocate. In the House on Monday he secured the passage of a bill anulling a resolution of the last Congress by which the secretary of war was given power to lease one of the piers, and then clinched the measure by tabling a motion to re- consider the vote by which the bill was passed. One of the Chicago railway companies sought possession of the pier to the detriment of the lake shipping interests. It is again announced from Washington that the war de- partment will take forcible possession of the north pier at Buf- falo, occupied by the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Rail- way Company for coal shipping purposes. The United States district attorney at Buffalo long ago recommended such a course and now the attorney general sanctions the opinion of the dis- trict officer. 'he United States has possession of the pier, of course, as the railway company now has but a lease of the pro- perty, granted three years ago by the government. In view ot the claim of an old title held out by the railway company in its long fight for the pier, the attorney general agrees with the ves- sel owners, who have opposed the granting of rights of this kind to private corporations, that the proper course is to dispossess the railway company and leave the burden of proof to establish title with its managers. fe. ey eee ea ee Send 75 cents to the MARINE REVIEW for a Binder that will hold 52 numbers,