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54 advances have been due to the substi- tution of mechanical forces for the main strength and awkwardness of human brute strength. We recognize that the introduction of the machine does not displace the man whose work it does. It promotes him from hard labor to the position of operating the machine; nor is the total number of men employed reduced, for cheaper service means a growth of business that will furnish employment for as inany men as before. Machines do not get tired and are not effected by ex- tremes of weather. In fact other things being equal no port can truly prosper that suffers from an inferiority of me- chanical equipment. Let us see what some of the reasons are that retard the more general in- stallation of labor saving devices. It has already been pointed out that un- co-ordinated, poorly designed and_ lo- MARINE REVIEW cated facilities are accountable for a lot of it. The intensive use of ex- pensive machinery is necessary to make it pay, otherwise the overhead on idle time offsets the savings. It is recognized that lines having a regular schedule of service want a specific pier for their use, especially as the present pier sheds must serve for the accumulation and storage of cargo. This means that the slips are vacant a large proportion of the time. The present system of pier rentals at many places discourages the use of machinery, which would necessarily be idle so much. Under these conditions it is cheaper to hire a gang of men for each specific job, letting them go when. not needed. Diversified cargoes require diversified equipment. What is good for this is not good for that. A mixed cargo is not the simple matter to handle that February, 1925 grain, ore, coal, bananas or bulk cargoes are. With poor piers most work is done with the ship’s own gear supple- mented by a floating derrick to handle particularly heavy lifts that would be taken care of by capacity cranes on modern quays. The whole problem narrows down to a question of expense, provided, that the port is fortunate enough to be in the hands of men with sufficient fore- sight and intelligence to do anything at all, The ideal is secured where the annual cost of the “plant overhead” for piers, quays, railroads, warehouse and equipment, plus the cost of their maintenance, plus the cost of labor and power is a minimum per ton of freight handled. Finally remember that a proper or- ganization with brains and ability to secure effective operation is just as nec- essary as equipment. W.M.Butler Would Chang e Export Rates BILL to eliminate the so-called A “ocean differentials’ accorded South Atlantic ports and to make illegal the port differentials in rail rates through which, it is charged, the ports. of Baltimore, Norfolk and Philadelphia enjoy lower export and import rail rates than any other ports on the Atlantic seaboard has been introduced in the sen- ate by Senator William M. Butler, of Massachusetts. Senator Butler’s (bill) is understood to reflect his personal views, and his action is in the interest primarily of the ports of New York and Boston and smaller North Atlantic ports. This bill follows a long- standing controversy among the At- lantic ports, which was brought out graphically in some of the hearings be- fore the shipping board recently. “Port differentials in rail rates are unknown on any seaboard of the United States except the North Atlantic,” said Mr. Butler. “The New England ports and the port of New York are grouped under a common rate. The South At- lantic ports also are grouped. The same is true of the Gulf coast and of the Pacific coast. A shipper in the Middle West can ship to Pensacola at the same rate as applies to New Orleans or he can ship to Vancouver on the same export rail rate as applies to Los Angeles. “Ocean differentials are unknown on any seaboard of the United States except the South Atlantic. The rates from the South Atlantic ports on many commodi- ties are 7%4 cents higher than the corre- sponding rates from the North Atlantic. The Gulf ports are grouped under a common rate. The Pacific ports also are grouped. “The existing arrangement whereby the rates from the South Atlantic ports are made higher than the rates from the North Atlantic ports is unsatisfactory to southern ports and shippers. During fed- eral control, the director general of rail- roads endeavored to help the southern ports by according them the same export rail rates as apply to New York and New England, but this failed to give sub- stantial relief because the southern ports were handicapped by the ocean differen- tials. “The ocean rates to and from the gulf ports on many commodities are 15 cents per 100 pounds higher than from the North Atlantic. The steamship lines serving the Gulf would like to be free to meet the competition of the North Atlantic, but they are bound by a con- ference agreement which requires that a differential of 15 cents be maintained from the gulf ports. This is a handi- cap to the gulf ports in competing for the nation’s export and import commerce,” said Senator Butler, in endeavoring to ex- plain his bill. It is likely the bill will meet with considerable opposition and it is pointed out that the long rail hauls from centers of production to southern ports justifies the existing rate structure. Lloyd's New Home Work has begun in London on the new building which Lloyd’s, the great British marine insurance association, has decided to erect near the site of the ancient coffee house where the organization was founded. The new building was designed by Sir Edwin Cooper, which is to stand in Leadenhall street on the site of ‘features of the whole plan. the East India house. The building, or, more accurately, the block of. buildings, will house both Lloyd’s and the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co., which operates. liners from the United Kingdom to New York and South America. The main frontage on Leadenhall street, most of which will be taken by the R. M. S. P., will be 262 feet long, and the Lime street facade will extend 372 feet. There will be nine stories above ground: and two basement floors. The main entrance to Lloyd’s will be in Leadenhall street, and its design is one of the most imposing From this entrance a finely vaulted approach will lead to the great hall, or “room,” where the business of underwriters and brokers will be done. The “room” is designed to occupy the main part of the area of the site, and will be 160 feet square. It will extend through three floors of the building to a central dome borne on pillars. On one of the upper floors will be arranged the famous Captains’ room of Lloyd’s. St. Lawrence Canals Reports for November give the total freight passing the St. Lawrence canals this season up to that date, 5,458,108 tons. The short December movement would run it above 5,500,000 tons for the season. From April 22, the opening day, to Nov. 30, the number of vessels passing the locks was 11,439. The time was 222 days or 5328 hours. That is one boat every 28 minutes, night and day and Sunday, allowing nothing for the time between lockings.