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« MARINE REVIEW. ts - accidents at the same point. Localities deemed perfectly safe for navigation when smaller vessels were used are now regarded ~ with suspicion by the larger vessels and it is essential that cer- tain special areas should be re-examined. Navigation of the lakes is attended wilh peculiar dangers, similar in kind but far different in degree, to those met with on the ocean. On the lakes vessels are never far from land, and what is worse, have land all around them. Running before a gale is never to be thought of. At certain season of the year gales are frequent and severe, and at all times an accurate knowledge of the locations of all dan- gerous obstructions is essential to safety. Accurate knowledge of this kind can be obtained in but one way,and that is from the charts. It is essential, therefore, that all the charts be kept con- stantly up to date. The commerce passing through St. Mary's river now amounts to 9,000,000 tons of freight,and that through _ the Detroit river to over 20,000,000 tons of freight annually; and this commerce is increasing with great rapidity. Interests of such magnitude require that no stone shall be left unturned for their protection. "The survey of St. Mary's river has been begun, and every- thing is in readiness to push the work so that new charts of _ this locality may be published at the earliest possible date. 'Ihe records of the former survey and of the river improvement will prevent all duplication of work, and will permit the survey to be done as quickly as possible. 'The organized districts in con- nection with river and harbor work now established at the chief cities of the lakes will greatly facilitate keeping all the charts up to date and will insure the maximum results with the minimum cost. 'In view of the great importance of this work to the lake marine, an estimate of $50,000 for 'surveys and other expenses - connected with correcting and extending the charts of the northern and northwestern lakes,' during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894, in addition to an estimate of $3,000 for 'printing and issuing charts for the use of navigators and electrotyping copper plates for chart-printing,' is submitted, in full confidence that the conditions now existing amply warrant this expenditure. Only a technical description of the preliminary work on the St. Mary's river, where a survey was begun but a few weeks ago, is referred to in Gen. Poe's report, but full details of the _.Lake Erie survey is given as follows: ~ "Instructions from the chief of engineers require that if in- formation of any obstructions to navigation not exhibited on the charts should be received, the same shall be communicated to the office of the chief of engineers, with an estimate of the cost ofa survey. Among other obstructions so reported during the fiscal year were two shoals in the western end of Lake Erie, lying close to the course of vessels from Cleveland and eastern ports to the mouth of the Detroit river. One of these obstruc- tions was reported about three miles north and west of Pelee Spit light-house, on the Canadian side of Lake Erie; the other was reported as making out from Little's point, near Colchester, Lake Erie,and was said to be due south of the wharf at Colchester and three-eighths ofa mile outside ofa shoal which was shown on the chart. An estimate of $1,000 was submitted for the sur- vey of the tormer shoal, and of $610 for the latter. On account of the large commerce passing these obstructions they were con- sidered to warrant a special examination, and accordingly orders for the survey of these shoals were issued; for the shoal off Little's point on Sept. 25, 1891, and for the shoal off Pelee Spit light-house on Nov. 19, 1891. "During the fall of 1891 there was too much unfavorable weather to warrant an attempt to survey the shore off Little's point,and the order directing a survey off Pelee Spit light-house was issued too late in the season to permit anything to be done until spring; nothing but preparatory work was done, therefore, until May 20, 1892, when a lake survey party under the immed- iate charge of First Lieut. Charles S. Riche, corps of engineers, United States army, eft Detroit for Colchester, Ont. Here most of the above work was finished; and on May 25 the party pro- ceeded to Point Pelee, Ont., where all of the topographical and hydrographical work was completed and the party returned to Colchester on June 14. A new shoal was discovered to the north and west of Pelee Spit lighthouse upon which but 13% feet of water was found. One of the shoalest spots was over a wreck, said to be the Nicholls, sunk in 1879, after the former survey of this locality had been completed. The importance of having all such dangerous shoals platted upon the charts at the earliest possible moment after they are discovered is shown by the fact that a vessel is reported to have grounded upon the . } newly discovered shoal near Pelee Spit light-house shortly after the survey party left Pointe Pelee, and to have been delayed for some time,and subjected to considerable expense before getting off. All the delay and expense thus incurred would probabiy have been saved had the shoal been marked upon the chart at the time. : 'The lake survey party under Lieut. Riche, after their re- turn to Calchester, remained there until June 30, and just man- aged to complete their work at the close of the fiscal year, when by law all moneys unexpended revert to the treasury, and if no new appropriation is available work must stop. At Colchester work on the shoal making out from Little's point was much in- terrupted by unfavorable weather. No new shoal was discov- ered, and it was demonstrated that no shoal existed in the place reported. The shoal shown in the chart, however, was found to be much more extensive, and to consist of sand, mud and clay, in which a large number of boulders are imbedded. A minimum depth of 12% feet was found where 16% feet is shown on the chart. Had it not been for the use of the'sweeping bar,' however, very little change from the condition of the bottom at the time of the former survey would have been discovered, as the sounding poles and lead lines invariably showed from 4 to 6 feet more water than was shown by the bar." Full Text of the Canal Toll Bill. Following is the full text of the retaliatory measure adopted by both houses of congress as a result of the contro- versy over Canadian canal tolls : Be it enacted, etc., That, with a view of securing reciprocal advantages for the citizens, ports, and vessels of the United States, on and after the first day of August, 1892, whenever and so often as the president shall be satisfied that the passage through any canal or lock connected with the navigation of the St. Lawrence river, the great lakes, or the waterways connect- ing the same, of any vessel of the United States, or of cargoes or passengers in transit to any port of the United States, is pro- hibited or is made difficult or burdensome by the imposition of toils or otherwise which, in view of the free passage through the St. Mary's Falls canal, now permitted to vessels of all nations, he shall deem to be reciprocally unjust and unreason- able, he shall have the power, and it shall be his duty, to suspend, by proclamation to that effect, for such time and to such extent (including absolute prohibition) as he shall deem just, the right of free passage through the St. Mary's Falls canal, so far as it relates to vessels owned by the subjects of the government so discriminating against the citizens, ports or vessels of the United States, or to any cargoes, portions of cargoes, or passengers in transit to the ports of the government -- making such discrimination, whether carried in vessels of the United States or other nations. In such case and during such suspension tolls shall be levied, collected,» and paid as follows, to wit: Upon freight of what- ever kind or description, not to exceed $2 per ton; upon passen- gers, not to exceed $5 each, as shall be from time to time determined by the president; provided, that no tolls shall be charged or collected upon freight or passengers carried to and landed at Ogdensburg, or any port west of Odgensburg, and south of a line drawn from the northern boundary of the state of New York through the St. Lawrence river, the great lakes, and their connecting channels to the northern boundary of the 'state of Minnesota. SEC. 2. All tolls so charged shall be collected under such _ regulations as shall be prescribed by the secretary of the treasury, who may require the master of each vessel to furnish a sworn statement of the amount and kind of cargo and the number of passengers carried and the destination of the same, and such proof of the actual delivery of such cargo or passengers at some port or place within the limits above named as he shall deem satisfactory; and until such proof is furnished such freight and passengers may be considered to have been landed at some port or place outside of those limits, and the amount of tolls which would have accrued if they had been so delivered shall constitute alien, which may be enforced against the vessel in default wherever and whenever found in the waters of the United States. The Pittsburgh, -Chenange & Lake Erie Dock Company, which is to operate at Conneaut coal and iron ore docks for the new railway company known by the same name, is about to let a contract for equipping 1,500 feet of the new dock with cargo handling machinery, : '