Evening star., 1927-05-16
ESURvEY FOR GRAIN
. EXPORTS PLANNED
ICanadian Project to Use
Hudsons Straits Would Cost
U. S. Roads Heavily.
BY j. C. R0YLE.
, Special Dispatch 10 The Star.


called on aviation to aid in solving
the Dominion's difficult problem of
wheat transportation. On the Solu-
ton of that problem depends whether
or not Canada shall have supremacy
in the field OF wheat expectation.
This is of vital interest to every
wheat grower and miller in the
United States. Already wheat is sell
ing far above American prices at
the main Canadian markets.
Canada, therefore, is about to en-
bark on an important new aerial
adventure not to prove that single
aviation stunt" feat can be accom-
piished. but 10 aid the business, finan-
Qial and agricultural welfare Of the
Dominion. First, Canada has called
aon the Canadian Royal Air Force to
carry out an exhaustive aerial sur
vey of navigation conditions in Hud-
sons Straits.
Forty men and six planes will brave
the rigorS of the Semi-arctic weather
for a period of Is months. They will
determine the possibility of using
this Northern passa ageway as the
meek of the funnel through which the
sgolden flood of Canadian grain will
flow to Europe and the rest of the
world. The plan is. Of course, to
load the grain on vessels at terminals
.on the Hudsons Bay Railroad, which
will soon be finally established at Fort
Nelson or Fort Churchill.
Montreal Is Inadequate.
Montreal. the present grain port,
has proved inadequate to handle the
yOusiness expeditiously. The elevators
and the vessels laid up there during
the Winter are always bursting with
grain, and prompt trans-shipment is
almost an impossibility in the shipping
gseason. The survey of Hudson
Straits will cost at least $1,000,0 600.
The rails OF the Hudson's Bay Rail-
road, which has been sort of political
foot ball for years, noware laid within
"A miles of tidewater. 1t has become
necessary now to settle once for all
whether the terminus shall be at Port
! Nelson, where a large sum already
has been expended, or at Fort
Churchill, farther north, which would
mean a longer rail haul. but less
dredging to form deep water harbor.
The Canadian government has re-
.tained the eminent English engineer,
Frederick Palmer, to make decision
For several weeks the Western
Hyanada Airways Ltd, has been trans
Dbrting for the government a field
NSrvey party and equipment from
ADDISON to Fort Churchill, distance
~ $50 miles, the task requiring II
Mound trips Mr.. Palmer viii join
4his party later.
II When completed, the Hudson's Bay
Railway is expected to transport a
larger portion of the 100,000,00O
lsbushels of Canadian grain now han
died by American lake vessels and
transported over American railroads
to New York, Boston, Baltimore,
ZaIy clofry,a0nt
across the Atlantic. This yields the
American carriers at least S20,000,000
annually.
Not only is the new road and new
Whipping route counted on to save this
atinn, but it will conserve freight
charges for Canadian roads ana les
den congestion, with consequent In
&urance and storage charges, to the
Nanadian grower. Tt is the same dis
tance from Fort Churchill to Liver
pool as from Fort Williams, the head
of the lakes, to Liverpool But where.
as present wheat shipments must all
he transferred to ocean carriers
when they reach tidewater, at Fort
Churchill they will be loaded right
from the cars TO the holds with only
one handling.
The use of the Royal Canadian Air
Force is calculated to make effective
wartime weapon in time of
peace. 1t is the aim of the govern
(. ment to make the air service as near
ly self-supporting as possible. OF the
S3,892, ,293 voted at the last session of
Parliament for the air force $2,222, ,593
will be devoted to civil aviation.
The composition of the differences
which have divided various interests
in the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
will go far toward settling and stabiliz-
ing conditions in the great tire indus
try. The volume of sales to date
this year has been heavy, and with
the largest single producer working
smoothly again, the output for the
first half year should exceed all previ-
Gus records. Also profits of most of
the companies should be better than
in the corresponding period of 1925
or 1926