The sun., 1919-07-19
MONTREAL SHIPPING
BUSINESS GROWING
Ocean Traffic Second Only to
New York's for Seven
Months Yearly.
MANY BIG TERMINALS
In 1918 GA Transatlantic
Vessels Arrived-TOtal Ar
rivals Numbered 6,776.
MANY BIG TERMINALS

MONTREAL, July ia strategic rail-
way centre with the advantages that at
tach, this city Of Montreal is also the
second in Importance as a shipping port.
1t is headquarters of large great lakes
traffic; and the port Of Montreal for
seven months of tho year has heavy
oceangoing steamship business. larger
than any port in North America except
New York.
In 1918 the tonnage arrivals were o.
247.3s0 tons and a total OF 6.776 vessels.
OF that number ga were transatlantic,
with a tonnage Of 1.s1o.62t. Out of that
total 40 were British. IFS American and
only 9 French. More than 100000
bushels of grain were handled through
Montreal elevators for export trade.
The capacity OF the elevators in the port
is $4,000 bushels. The value of the
trade handled last year was estimated at
s5s4.S14,609, as against $749761,706 in
1917, the year of heaviest shipments Of
munitions and food supplies for the
Allies. II is just 2.760 miles from Mont
real to Liverpool and that is a valuable
factor in competition. This year will see
an Increase in tonnage of ocean traffic.
Terminals for Big Lines.
The Canadian Pacific and Canadian
Government Merchant Marine are now In
evidence; so also are the Cunard. Allan,
White Star. Dominion. and the new
c. P. r. combination with the Furness-
Witty Line TO London and Antwerp BY
the end of this year the c. =. r will
have approximately 100000 tonnage In
40 ships carrying traffic on the Pacific
as well as on the Atlantic. The Cana
dian Government, Merchant Marine now
has only ships of from 1000 to $500
tons. But orders for SO other ships will
be placed, some OF which should be in
service now. Strikes got in the way of
production here. at the lake ports and at
Victoria and Vancouver. Work is pro-
ceeding again at the points named and
at Three Rivers, Quebec. Halifax and
Collinswood. These ships under con-
struction are all designed for freight
traffic and will be from 1900 to 1O,5O0
tons each. Regular service has been es-
tablished between Montreal and Monte
video. with Havana, Kingston CJamaica)
Rio Janeiro, Buenos Ayres. Barbados
Trinidad and other places regular ports
of call. Canada is buying largely of sug-
ar from Cuba and other West Indian
sources of supply.
inree fTeHCn lines are now under
traffic arrangements for this port-the
Company Transatlantic. the Marine
Navigation Company. Montreal to st.
Nazaire, and the Canada Steamship
lines TO France. The Clan-Houston line
is in operation and a service is given TO
South America, including the West
Indies, and a line does duty to South
Africa. Then there is a new service to
Southampton. Avonmouth and Hull. and
The Krafts oLiverpooL Nothing has
come so far of the talk OF an imperial
Canada that will include Newfoundland,
the Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and
possibly British Guiana, but certainly
Canadian shipping and business inter-
ests are not asleep.
There is no appre hension in shipping
circles about the capacity of Mont
real and other Canadian ports TO handle
large part OF this seasons grain crop
Being winter port is a handicap, but
the last two years showed what can be
done. So long as navigation is open on
the lakes and the grain keeps on flowing
through this port can remain open to
ship it out
Canal Project Gets Boost.
The plan for a canal via the Ottawa
and French rivers to Georgian Bay is
not now regarded as dreamy. The great
things done in the war period are not
forgotten, and it will not be at all sur
prising II soma international plan should
be worked out that would eliminate the
necessity for enlarging the Welland and
st. Lawrence canals, and at the same
time reach Lakes Huron, Michigan and
Superior with passage for oceangoing
vessels. That would mean much for
Chicago. Duluth. Fort William and Port
Arthur, but II would also mean much for
the farmers and producers and for the
consumers in respect TO lower trans
portauon cost The Georgian Bay Canal
plan. the deepening of the Mississippi
from st. Paul to the Gulf and the utili-
Zation of the great inland waters offer
great opportunity for engineering SER
vice to the people of North America The
cooperation of the Allies in devotion to
a great object was a great lesson to the
war. There seems no good reason why
the United States and Canada could not
work out a big development in trans
portation without any sacrifice of politi-
cal independence or ownership. Conf
dence Is essential.
The accommodation provided in the
port of Montreal Is superior and efficient
The sum of S2s.O00.000 has been spent
on terminals, dredging, docks and
those things necessary to security. The
Department OF Marine is at work deep
ening the st. Lawrence to thirty-five feet
on to the sea, and IL should be complete
In a reasonably short time. That work
sippi and represents the advance enter
prise OF Canada. The ST. Lawrence
| route Is safe; that is a demonstrated
| fact now. 1T Is doubtful II any other
| port In the world of equal extent is more
| thoroughly safeguarded"