Evening star., 1901-03-22
VESSELS ON THE LAKES
EXCEED THOSE ON THE ATLANTIC
COAST AND GULF.
Decrease in Tonnage In the Past De-
cade-Construction of Steel
and Iron Ships.

The prospect of an early opening of navi-
cation on the great lakes and the prepara-
tions made by the treasury bureau of
statistics to continue its work, inaugurated
in 1900, of gathering statistics of that COM
merce, lends interest to a review of last
years business on the lakes compared with
that of earlier years just prepared by that
bureau. The. entire commercial develop
ment of the great lakes and of the terri
tory contiguous thereto has been en-
braced within the century which has just
closed and the more interesting phases of
it are presented by the record of the past
ten years Prior to that time the growth
had been by leaps and bounds, -interspersed
with periods of depression, and during the
five years following 1875, when rail COM
petition first became active, there was
very appreciable falling off both in vessel
tonnage and the volume of freight traffic.
Annual Increase of Tonnage.
Taking up first the accessions to the ton
mage engaged in the carrying trade on the
inland seas, it may be noted that never
prior to 1880 had the lake tonnage reached
an aggregate of 100000 tons. In that
year the aggregate tonnage was 1,063, ,054
tons, and from that time until the present
day an almost steady increase has been
noted. Never since 1889 has the total
dropped below the LOCO, 900 mark, and with
the single exception of 1894 there has been
no year wherein the tonnage sum has not
shown an increase over the preceding
twelve months. The minimum yearly in
crease during the decade was 1869 tons,
and the maximum S6,O35 tons, the latter
having been recorded in 1897, while the
year previous has gain of 50 COS tons to
it's credit. The aggregate tonnage on the
lakes at the close of the last fiscal year
Gune 80, 1900 was 1,565, ,5s7 tons, a gain of
502, 524 tons, or 80 per cent during the in
term covered by the comparison.
1t may be of interest to digress for a
moment at this point to consider the rela-
ton OF the lake fleet to the vessels of all
kinds owned in the United States In 1891
for instance, when the aggregate tonnage
under the American flag was 1854, ,759 the
tonnage of the lake craft amounted to l.
154,S1O tons, or over "a per cent. The ag-
gregate tonnage for the nation increased
very gradually prior to 1900 and thus in 1896
and 1897, when heavy additions were made
to the complement of fresh water carriers,
the shipping of the inland seas represent
ed as high as % per cent of the whole.
According to the latest statistics compiled
by the United States commissioner of nav
1gat1on the aggregate burden of American
vessels is 5164,S S39 tons, and the great
lakes, with ,565 5S7 tons, thus embraces 80
per cent. Finally it may be noted, for pur-
poses Of comparison, that the tonnage of
vessels now owned on the Atlantic and
Gulf coasts of the United States is 2,727,-
500 tons, and thus exceeds by "A per cent
the tonnage on the great lakes.
Iron and Steel Vessels.
Taking up the subject Of iron and steel
vessels exclusively, the great lakes make
a much more favorable showing OF the
,592 S31 tons of iron and steel tonnage In
the United States, inclusive of Hawaii
there are on the inland seas 6S7, ,769 TONS
or 43 per cent. The Atlantic and gulf
coasts have 762,S21 TONS or less than IL
per cent in excess of the lake fleet, as COM
no rod xx-if1 or A
craft of all kinds are taken into consid-
GRAFTON. The true significance of the fig
ures indicative of the relative strength of
shipping on the great lakes and Atlantic
and gulf coasts is only gained, however
when a comparison of the number of iron
and steel vessels In each locality is pre-
sented in conjunction with the statements
of tonnage.
OF the aggregate of 1,225 iron and steel
vessels flying the American flag the great
lakes has but 800, as compared with
763 on the Atlantic and gulf coasts. In
other words the inland waterway with
but 26 per cent of the metal vessels in
the American fleet, has 43 per cent of the |
tonnage. and whereas the iron and steel
fleet owned on the Atlantic and gulf coasts |
exceeds that on the lakes by |
1877 per cent, in tonnage the excess is, as |
has been stated, less than IL per cent. To |
carry this comparison further, it may be |
OF interest to consider the apportionment !
OF the larger iron and steel veSSelS-those |
of LOCO tons each and over-now operated |
under the American flag OF this class of |
tonnage, out of total In the United |
States and Hawaii Of 77s vessels of 1,71O,- |
1876 tons, there are to be found on the |
great lakes 424 vessels Of Oil 533 tons 1t |
will thus be seen that the lakes have "a |
per cent Of the whole fleet and 50 per cent |
of the tonnage.
In numerical strength the lake fleet ex- |
ceeds that of the Atlantic coast and gulf |
of Mexico by ISL vessels, or 55 per cent, |
and in tonnage by 271.3s1 tons, or 42 per /
cent.