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; it ! Te ON Cae Te ene on rey te Eh a 2 eal a March, 1919: bountiful crops again depended the well being of our allies, our valiant troops, and perhaps. our vanquished foes. After the first set of sailings from Ft. William and Port Arthur the spring grain trade was negligible, and concerning this particular movement it is worth while to point out that notwithstanding that the available grain at the head of the lakes one year ago last May consisting of 31,- 408,847 bushels, was light in compari- son with preceding years, the grain available this last spring amounted, to only about ten millions of bushels, and furthermore that whereas one year ago all tonnages available was under grain charter, the business of the past spring was well handled by the Canadian ‘bottoms after the season had opened. When navigation. opened there were several vessels at Ft. ‘William and Port Arthur which, having gone up in December, 1917, were unable to load owing to the expected grain not having materialized, else were held there because of the sudden setting in of winter on Dec. 9. These ships held 2,691,868 bushels and the light vessels were assured 5% cents to Buffalo. For boats not previously placed the rate was 4 cents to Buf- falo and 3% cents to Georgian bay ports. During May and June the grain rate maintained steadily at 4 cents, wheat basis, from the Canadian ports and Duluth to Buffalo. The listlessness of the early trade was well reflected by the shipments to Buffalo, since only 38 cargoes con- sisting of 5,023,427 bushels arrived at that port up to July 15 as against 352 cargoes of 72,754,394 bushels dur- ing the same period of 1917. Faced Huge Demand But the fall movement was of a different stripe. Early crop reports of both governments presaged the largest crops of many years, 1915 ex- cepted, and as the harvesting pro- gressed the outturn increased, rather than diminished, upon early expecta- tions. This promising aspect ex- tended to the Lake Michigan trade to an even greater degree. A big situa- tion was never more efficiently en- countered nor handled with better dispatch than was this grain move- ment. To anticipate its various phases your association met at Cleve- land on July 22 in conference with Julius H. Barnes, president of the Grain corporation of the United States food administration. At this meeting a committee, composed of H. S. Wilkinson and C. L. Hutchin- son from the mobilization committee of this association; of James Carey Evans, representing other United rangements. a resolution, follows: The Lake Carriers’ association, recognizing the obligation im- posed. on them of furnishing efficient aid to the transporta- Vessel Losses During 1918 Ab de es eet all things concerned in operations of the past year is the gratifying report to be made that not a single life was lost through shipwreck of a Lake Carriers vessel in 1918. In a season characterized by recurring heavy fogs, the possibilities of collisions were enlarged, and severe gales were encountered on all the lakes traversed by vessels of the Lake Carriers’ fleet, but due to the skill and the vigilance exercised by our navigators, the ships returned the men, who manned them, safe to their homes. It is with deep re- great, however, that this happy con- dition cannot be extended to include all vessels on the lakes. There was a heavy toll in lives as a result of shipwreck of four vessels en route to the Atlantic coast. From all causes vessel losses on the Great. Lakes in 1918 totaled 21 vessels and consisted of one. steel bulk freighter, 10 wooden steamers, six barges, the forward end of one steel passenger steamer, the for- ward end of a steel bulk freighter and two new mine sweepers be- longing to the French government. Losses affecting the ore trade consisted of two vessels with com- bined carrying capacity on a single _ trip of 14,600 gross tons, while the coal trade losses consisted of four wooden steamers with combined carrying. capacity of 9000 tons of coal on a single trip. tion of the grain crops of the United States and Canada, agree with the Grain corporation and the Canadian representatives as follows: (1) That Lake Superior shall be served in preference to Lake Michigan and only surplus grain tonnage sent to Lake Michigan. (2) That Lake Superior wheat will be served in priority to any other grains. (3) That all tonnage to Du- luth-Superior shall be allotted through the Grain corporation office there; all tonnage for Lake representing Ca- THE MARINE REVIEW 143 States owners; of Dr. J. C. McGill, Francis King, A. E. Matthews and W. J. McCormick, nadian interests, met with Mr. Barnes to fix rates and) make tonnage ar- The committee’s report, Michigan ports through the. Grain corporation office at Chicago, and tonnage, to Ft. William. and Port Arthur under, such , direction. or control or allotment as is accept- able to the Canadian authorities and the Grain corporation. » (4) That? all “unloading, -Ca- nadian and American, at Buffalo shall be directed by ‘the’ Grain corporation office at Buffalo. (5) That the Lake Carriers” association will provide tonnage for the grain movement at rates not exceeding basic rates of wheat, Lake Superior. to Lake Erie, 4 cents per bushel until. Sept. 1, and 4% cents per bushel thereafter until Nov. 30; and wheat, Lake Michigan to iLake Erie, 3% cents per bushel until Nov. 30, with alternate and rela- tive rates as _ follows: To Georgian bay and Goderich, % cent under. Lake Erie, rates; to ‘Port Huron, % cent under Lake » Erie rates; to Collingwood, % cent under Lake Erie rates, but terms of discharge at ‘Colling- wood to be the same as hereafter provided for discharge at Lake Erie side ports; to side ports other than Buffalo and Port Col- borne, including Detroit, same rates as Buffalo, but with special agreement as to discharge, allow- ing two working days free, but thereafter vessel. to receive % cent per bushel additional on the entire cargo for ‘each running . eight hours or fraction. thereof, until fully discharged; to ports. of: light draft, vessel to be al- lowed freight calculated on its Buffalo capacity. Other grains than wheat to net the vessel the equivalent of wheat cargo. Freight to American vessels. for carriage to Canadian ports shall be paid in funds current in the United States. To provide rates on grain for the last trip and for the extensive win- ter storage capacity erequested by the government the mobilization com- mittee met at Cleveland with Mr. Barnes again on Oct. 24. There was present also a committee from Buffalo to which had been assigtied the details covering winter moor- ings at that port. The resolution adopted at this meeting follows: ‘That the agreed basis of rates, as per resolution of the Lake Carriers’ association of July 22, 1918, specifying certain rates ef- fective until Nov. 30, shall be extended and modified as follows: Lake Michigan rate after Nov. 30 and to Dec. 5 at noon to be advanced 2 cents and to include winter storage in vessels at des- tination until April 1; and if load- ed ‘before Nov. 30 for storage, the: rate to be the advanced rate. Lake Superior rate after Nov: 30 and to Dec. 5 at noon to be advanced 1% cents and to in- clude winter storage, and if load- ed before Nov. 30 for storage; rate to be the advanced rate. The rate after noon, Dec. 5, to be arranged by negotiation, but 9 a - é i, : ne A