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NEW PARTNERSHIP FORMED. Considerable interest will doubtless be manifested along the chain of lakes over the announcement that Mr. W. I. Babcock, of New York, and Mr. Henry Penton, of Detroit, formed a partner- MR. OW... 11. BABCOCK, ship under the firm name of Babcock & Penton, consulting engineers and naval architects, with offices at No. 814 Perry-Payne building, Cleveland, and No. 17 State street, New York. Both of these gentlemen are too well known to need any introduction to the inter- ests associated with lake trade. It was Mr. Babcock who originated the mold system of vessel construction under which all the vessels on the great lakes are now being built. He founded thg Chicago Ship Building Co. and continued as its president and general manager until it was purchased and consolidated with the other yards of the American Ship Building Co. in 1899. Latterly, he has been engaged in important work on the coast where his activities have covered a wide range in design. Mr. Penton was associated with him at the Chicago yard as chief engineer and later occupied a similar position with the Great Lakes Engi- neering Works, of Detroit. FREIGHT SITUATION. Considerable surprise was manifested among vessel interests this week when the: steamers Wm. A. Rogers _ sailed from Lorain and the Charles Weston TRAE Marine. REVIEW from Toledo for the head of the lakes. Mr. Mills is, in their opinion, a venture- some soul. None of them is disposed to follow his lead, but all of them will watch the progress of his vessels with close attention. Last year the Rogers opened navigation by makitin, ithe. ; Lake Michigan trip, but at this particular time a trip' to Lake Superior is altogeth- er another -- story. The straits were at that time fairly free from ice, as they are now, although there is considerable float- ing ice to be en- countered; but the 1Gé it Ot): o Mary's river 45° "solid. and how the Rogers and Weston are to fare when they reach that portion of their trip remains to be seen. The ordinary bulk freighter is not an especially serviceable ice . crusher. Two years ago, upon false information, a fleet of nearly 100 vessels started out, only to be "frozen: in) in Whitefish bay at a loss, including re- pairs and operating expenses, of about $3,000 per vessel, or $300,000 for the lot. Owners that were in- volved have not for- gotten that experi- ence and have is- sued orders to their masters not to leave port until the pas- sage can be safely made. There is good reason for conserva- tive action this spring, owing to the ship yard strike with its inevitable delay | in making repairs. When season opens it will be un- usually active with freights ruling some- the what higher than last year.. The coal rate has. already been marked up on wild cargoes and grain has advanced %* cent, Insurance rates have been advanced from 4% per cent to 4% per cent, with the added provision that losses must exceed $500 before the underwriter is liable. LABOR CONFERENCES. A nurmnber of labor conferences wil! be held within the next two weeks. Owing to the fact that quite a number of divisions of labor entered last year into two years' contracts, the impor- tant question of hours and wages will not come. up. The dock managers are meeting with the representatives of the Longshoremen's association this week and .are adjusting. minon grievances. No conferences have as yet been held with labor aboard ship, but the execu- tive committee of the Lake Carriers' association will meet the delegates of the. Firemen, Seamen and Cooks' un- ion mext week. "The delegates of the International Dredge Workers' Protec- tive association are now in consulta- tion with the dredge operators. This conference is quite important as the question of an eight-hour day is in- volved. The government dredges work upon an eight-hour basis, but not all the work that the private dredgers do is government work, and the operators feel that the uniform application of the eight-hour day would work a hard- ship to many. ae The MR. HENRY PENTON,