New-York tribune., 1900-03-04

and steamship lines. while at the same time pro
gressive enough to grapple with the ever growing
demands OF the fertile West for export facilities
The pioneers Of Canada's external commercial de-
velopment thought they these conditions real
lzed IN the St. Lawrence route a generation ago
and each succeeding year they tried 10 make Inn
provements. BY dredging. buoyng. lighting and
chartng the channel they gradually increased the
trade of the port until It has 10 he recognized
of the worlds great shipping centres, ana
during the six months II is open for maritime en-
terprlse Il dlgests volume OF trade that is grow
ing larger and more valuable every year.
A DANGEROUS STRAIT.
But that the route does not fully satisfy the ship
ping world best evidenced by the inability OF the
Canadian Government 10 secure the hotation of the
project for fast Atlantic steamship line. The fact
is that the ST. Lawrence route cannot ever be re-
earded as a safe and pavgable waterway until
Belle Isle Strai, IS abandoned the channel to Be
traversed between the Gulf and the Atlantic
A loss like that Of the Scotsman by reason OF the
large interests involved. is bound fix the public
attention upon the underlying causes. She was in
charge OF careful commander and competent
crew The ship was miles out OF her course
This must have been due to currents Of unusual
force The strait is notorious for It's currents
doublv dangerous because they variable that
they cannot be charted. and also because at times
they acquire accession OF force which sets at
haught the best calculations OF the most sk!lfu
navigat tors.
DIFFICULTIES HARD TO REMEDY.
The great objections to the Belle Isle route
tho tortuous narrow strait. the treacherous tides
and currents the rugged. unlighted coast. and the
ever prevalent fogs and ice foes. The strait In
the narrowest part is not over ten miles wide and
does exceed sixteen miles at any point In the
whole forty miles In length The approaches from
either end are insufiicentlv lighted, there are no
telegraph lines and it Is impossible unless at an
extravagant expenditure to provide the safeguards
which are essential render the route compare
cafe EypD Wit he lbs
this purpose which human ingenuity could devise,
1t would be impossible TO cope with the adverse
natural condons-fog, currents and ice In
strait not ten miles wide with currents or varying
force and direction setting into II from either ehu
the most skilful navgators would be HELPLESS par
ticularly II enshrouded the dense, almost papa-
BILE fog which rarely ever leaves these waters
aster in the region is due to fog when the weather
is clear the usual precautions are taken against
rents but what is required. If the existence Of the
some waterway be selected which is sufficiently
wide to allow for errors In compass or current cal
casualties a minimum Belle Isle can never be
The presence of Ice in the strait and adjacent
forms the least of the difficulties of the
oes sie and bergs drift down along the east coast OF
Newfoundland being drawn in at M the east e
make a way through these ice masses Is Impossible
come south around Cape Race until the embargo is
removed. by wind and sun in the natural course coz ,
the end of June middle Of July, but the last sea,
4
safe and great inconvenience was occasioned
to the whole water borne commerce of Canada as a
consequence. But when the strait Is free
of ice fields there are, all through the summer,
bergs and low lying fragments, termed GROWERS,
floating southwark: and many a fine ship strikes
against one of these in the night or In q fog.
esteeming herself fortunate If she escapes with
a stove-n bow, but not inrrequently hndng her
way 10 the bottom. Like the fog this ice cannot
be controlled by any human agency.
HIGH INSURANCE RATES.
Under these circumstances it is not surprising
that the marine insurance underwriters should set
their faces against the Belle Isle route. and try
TO force an abandonment of 1t by imposing
In excess of those charged for other North Ameri-
ports. The recent action OF Lloyds In fixing
a schedule of rates for Canadian ports higher than
those charged from United States towns. and
putting a special discrimnative clause against
british North America In their policies. Is
proof OF this feeling in financial circles.
There is little doubt that II the leading shippers
and steamer lines were 20 come to an agreement
to avoid the Strait Belle Isle, its navigation by
any but the smallest of tramp steamers would soon
be a thing of the past. Every shipmaster famil-
lar with the route would welcome its aba andonment.
and every underwater interested in the Atlantic
trade is seeking bring IL about. Nothing pre-
vents such . cezsummaton save the keen COM