New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-31
SHIPS KEPT FROM PORT.
CHANNEL WORK STOW
SLOW.
Companies Lose Money as Liners
Cannot Take Full CARGO.

Because II is extremely hazardous if not abso
tutey impossible. for the gigantic liners which are
how under construction on the other side and .
designed for the transatlantic traffic to enter This
port under the most favorable conditions
New York stands face To face with a big loss IN
commerce What Is more serious, the present Door
approach 10 the harbor and the ever-present dan
Der the big liners coming into this port run Of
being stuck on mud bank will result it has been
predicted in the permanent diversion 10 other
.ties Of large amount of trade that belongs right
.ury 10 this port
Half dozen vessels, at least. belonging TO the
Farious leading transatlantic lines cannot at pres
snt bring in or carry out full cargo because al
high tide there is not sufficient water in the chan
bel Even at high water the feat IS such a risky
ene and is fraught with such dangerous conse-
suences in injury 10 the vessel trying It the
owners prefer 20 suffer loss in freight rates to
baking any chances with the lurking shadows of
The ship channel. The arrangements of the vari-
BUS transatlantic lines gratied to have the
carriers and other equipment necessary TO get the
business and then have 10 turn down this business
simply because only few feet Of water are lack
ing 10 prevent the passage OF vessels carrying
.ull cargo.
BIG LINERS WITH SMALL CARGOES.
Yet this is the condition which has faced the
transatlantic lines for several years past. On al
most every occasion since their first entrance into
The harbor that the Baltic. the Cedric, the Celtic
he Carmania. the Caronia and other vessels Of
FRS Of these steamships have found cause TO
plain Vessels drawing full cargo would draw
hiTtyf1ve feet of water, but they compelled to
refuse freight which would make the draft greater
than thirty feet. because. except under the most
suspicious circumstances, a vessel with higher
aaterline cannot hope 10 clear the shoals In the
channel Moreover. the channel is so narrow that
The passage of several vessels at the time is
attended with great danger. An instance of this
was afforded about a month ago. when the White
1srer I2a1ri ba- -1-5 trim void
crashing into q smaller vessel which coming in
had TO make sharp turn. and soon found herself
grounded hard and fast IN twenty-eight feet OF
water
While the big transatlantic companies not
making a particular protest against this immense
loss 20 their business, they are not particularly
pleased and bearing il the best they know how
.9 w1 pf5a h9 psns haS never ne ship M csR
ae which when completed IS intended to supersede
he present channel should have been completed
year or more ago but for various reasons its open
ng for the use OF the big liners has been postponed
nent has taken the work OF dredging the channel
sneeI ts own e9ntFo sG has h 1na r. is nract
eaiy certain II will not be completed until at least
The oficers of the Cunard Line have long been
hoping for practical opening OF the new chan-
built by the line are expected to arrive here on
Their maiden trips These boats are me m6rosa
Channel, the new deep waterway TO the ocean
s1 tbese sips NAV have to put off their voyages
70 this port else discharge their cargoes several
iortv fer at high water is assured the owners of
The vessels will take no chances on sending them
through the old channel
NEW STEAMSHIPS READY IN AUGUST.
Inquiry made at the offices OF the Cunard Line
brought out the fact that the vessels may have to
be rlt 10 other service in the new channel Is
not ready. Under the contract. the Lusltana ana
The Mauritania expected to be ready TOT thelF
maiden trips in August. Hope was expressed that
he rOY n q
thirty-fve feet at low water and width of one
thousand feet by that time. as promised by Lieu
tenant Colonel Marshall. OF the engineer corps.
who is in charge OF the dredging work
II was also disclosed that through mere lack OF
water and the difficulty attending the passage
through the present ship channel half dozen or
Bore big liners which can come into New folk d
high tide have 10 go out without fuIl cafgoes'
When the Baltic and the Carmania were Dull
with maximum draft Of IS feet it was expected
that Ambrose Channel would be completed in time
to enable them to enter through # The specihca-
lions for this channel call for an even depth OF
70 feet al low water for the entire seven miles OF
Us extent. which would give at high water
septh Of about Il feet. Even with low
water mark Of % feet, the new channel would
contain enough water high tide to allow the
Baltic and the Carmania 10 go through without
tear Of grounding When the liners were COM
!or their reception and, as a result, they have
heen compelled TO take TO the old channel ana 70
% over 30 81 feet.
When asked as TO the status of the harSor i'm
proVennent and the effect further delay IN
tne completion Of the work would have on the COM
flerce Of this port. Lawson Sanford. secretary OF
TIE Transatlantic Steamship Conferences. composed
q the leading transatlantic lines, said recently:
We hoping the new channei viii De
teaoy for June !. Lieutenant Coonel Mar
tAa. promised US in November last that II would
ready on That date, though II is getting danser
ousy near 70 June ! now and have had no
~ safety that time"
J" nen the governments plans are carried out
ssI mo sanford SAID. Ambrose Channel would be
80 ieet wide and have depth OF 80 feet. OWING
:" ne failure OF the contractors to continue on
&c "ork after last October, the government had
s.s 5 compelled 10 go with the dredging ITSELF
~ az result Lieutenant Colonel Marshall cou!d
an iass oy June ] channel only 1000 feet wide
ana % feet deep.
.sin. said Ir Sanford "thirty-fve feet in the
~. Channel would be better than what
wor "a the Main Channel. which now. That
f 49, ~. mean probably % feet at high water. Until
tb.S y low water is assured however. II is true
Me- ee vessels now under construction for the
.ofk service. such the Lusitania and the
vessaa,seana, viii be kept out Of port, and other
and -. ilxe the Baltic, the Cedric the Carmania
fai g. aroma, .il continue 10 go out without
HoFE TO HAVE CHANNEL READY.
49, o'eaaat Colonel Marshall, who has the gem
supervision OF the work Of harbor improve
- Is IN New Orleans. and will not return until
Inc existence Of conditions that ham,
- we entrance exit Of the big transa atlantic