At the end of 1902 both the Hamburg-American Line and the North German Lloyd, of Bremen, had a capital stock of 100,000,000 marks ($23,800,000) each, against 80,000,000 marks ($19,040,000) in 1901. The Bremen Steamship Company Hansa had a capital of 15,000,000 marks ($3,570,000); the German-Australian Steamship. Company, of Hamburg, 12,000,000 marks ($2,856,000); the Hamburg South American Steamship Company, 11,250,000 marks ($2,666,790); the Kosmos, of Hamburg, 11,000,000 marks ($2,618,000); the German East African Line, of Hamburg, 10,000,000 marks ($2,380,000); the Argo, of Bremen, 7,000,000 marks ($1,666,000); the German Levant Line, of Hamburg, 6,000,000 marks ($1,428,000); Neptun, of Bremen, 3.500,000 marks ($833,000). The other regular lines are owned by private persons or limited companies and are not required to report. A majority of these companies has secured working capital by loans, amounting to 58,250,000 marks ($13,863,500) for the North German Lloyd, 39, 125,000 marks ($9,311,750) for the HamburgAmerican Line, 45,500,000 marks ($10,829,000) for the East African Line, and 4,500,000 marks ($1,071,000) for the Hansa. The reserves of the different companies are large. The general and special reserves amount to 21,200,000 marks ($5,045,000) for the HamburgAmerican Line and 21,100,000 marks ($5,021,800) for the North German Lloyd. The Hamburg-American Line owns 119 vessels, valued at 143,500,000 marks ($34,153,000); the North German Lloyd, 107 vessels, valued at 141,800,000 marks ($33,748,400); Hansa, 41 vessels, valued at 22,300,000 marks ($5,307,400); South American Line, 32 vessels, valued at 22,900,000 marks ($5,450,200); East African Line, 18 vessels, valued at 15,800,000 marks ($3,760,400); and Levant Line, 26 vessels, valued at 9,700,000 marks ($2,308,600). The average age of vessels, computed per ship tons, is between 5 and 6 years with the Australian Line; between 6 and 7 years with the Hamburg-American, the South American, the East African, Hansa, and Kosmos; between 7 and 8 years with the North German Lloyd; 10 years with the Argo and Neptun lines; and 12 years with the Levant Line. FRANKFORT, July 7, 1903. RICHARD GUENTHER, FREIGHT TONNAGE ON THE SOO. The following summary of the freight tonnage passing through the two canals at the "Soo" for the months of April and May, 1903, with comparison with the same period of 1902, was published in the Toronto Globe, June 13, 1903: During the two months of April and May the total freight carried through the two canals at the Soo was 6,039,856 tons, which is 74,963 tons more than the quantity carried in April and May of 1902 and 4,591,811 tons more than recorded for the corresponding months of 1901. The quantity carried through the Canadian Canal was 796,510 tons against 532,188 tons in 1902 and 151,679 tons in April and May, 1901. During April and May, 1903, the Canadian Canal carried 11.64 per cent of the total; in 1902, nearly 8 per cent; and in 1901, 6.8 per cent. The quantity of wheat carried east by the two canals in April and May, 1903, was 15,347,173 bushels, a decrease of 3,414,000 bushels compared with the same period of 1902. There was also a decrease in flour of 217,390 barrels; in iron ore, of 434,048 tons; in lumber, of 16,345,000 feet. The chief increases were in grain other than wheat (2,970,864 bushels) and in general merchandise (5,111 tons). ST. THOMAS, ONTARIO, June 22, 1903. M. J. BURKE, Consul. PROPOSED FORTH-CLYDE SHIP CANAL. The feasibility of a ship canal between the Forth and Clyde has been for many years a subject of discussion in shipping and commercial circles in Scotland. Several routes were suggested at various times, but no definite steps have been taken toward the preparation of plans. At present the prospect of the construction of such a water way is, however, considerably brighter. A company of London financiers is taking an active interest in the project, and has, it is said, adopted the scheme put forward by Messrs. D. & C. Stevenson, a prominent firm of harbor engineers of Edinburgh. Messrs. Stevenson surveyed the route some years ago from Alloa, on the Forth, to Arrocher, on Loch Long, and are now making a further survey in detail, preparing plans, etc. I am informed that an Edinburgh committee or syndicate is acting in conjunction with the London promoters, and that the sum of £10,000,000 ($48,665,000) has been pledged, on condition that Parliament shall guarantee interest on capital. The promoters are confident that Parliament will aid the enterprise to this extent, in view of the importance of the canal for naval purposes. In regard to this proposed deep-water canal across Scotland, David Alan Stevenson, C. E., says: The east and west coasts of Scotland are now connected by two canals, namely, the Forth and Clyde, from Grangemouth, on the Forth, to Bowling, on the Clyde, and the Caledonian, constructed at national expense, between Inverness and Fort William. Both of these canals are quite inadequate to meet the present wants of shipping, as they can only accommodate vessels of a small class. The first named is mainly used by barges, while the Caledonian can only be used by vessels of about 150 feet in length, 38 feet beam, and 17 feet draft. Both canals are seriously incumbered by numerous locks. At present all vessels bound from the east to the west coast of Britain, or vice versa, have to pass around the end of the island, through the Pentland Firth, with its rapid tide and dangerous sea, combined with deceptive currents and prevalent fogs, or "south about" through the overcrowded English Channel, so frequently the scene of disastrous collisions. It can not be doubted that a ship canal through the narrow neck of land which separates the east and west coasts of Scotland, capable of carrying the largest vessels, would not only obviate all the dangers and delays incident to the "north about" and "south about" routes, but would effect much saving in time, in the cost of insurance, in wear and tear of vessels and their engines, and hence in the cost of transit; it would also for strategical purposes be of the greatest importance. In designing such a canal the first points to be settled were, What are the essential requisites? These may be stated as follows: 1. That it should be of such dimensions as to admit ships of the largest class of merchantmen, and also vessels of the royal navy, passing freely and with perfect safety from sea to sea, practically at all times of tide. 2. That it should be as free as possible from locks, hydraulic lifts, or other mechanical appliances, involving possible delay or risk to ships using it. Having assumed these, as I think, indispensable conditions, the next question for solution was, Can a route be formed from the German Ocean to the Atlantic which fulfills them, and also can the canal be formed at a cost which will prove remunerative? After careful study of the country and the levels, the conclusion was arrived at that a route along the valley of the Forth gives the only practical solution of the problem. There is, as is well known, a tract of country extending from Alloa, on the Forth, westward along the valley of the Forth to within about 10 miles of Loch Lomond, where the surface of the ground is only from 30 to 50 feet above mean sea level and the stratum is an alluvial deposit. Between this and Loch Lomond the ground rises rapidly and attains a maximum height of 236 feet above mean sea level and dips again to the south end of Loch Lomond, the surface of which is only 22 feet above mean sea level. The distance across this higher ground, from the 50-foot contour on the one side to the 50-foot contour on the other, is about 8 miles, 14 miles of it being above the 200-foot line. Loch Lomond (which has ample depth for vessels of the largest draft) is to be utilized as canal toward the north end of the loch to Tarbet, and thence across to Loch Long there is only a distance of 134 miles, the ground attaining a maximum height of 130 feet above the mean sea level. Loch Long is practically the Atlantic Ocean, and the navigation of it is safe and the water of ample depth. This, then, is the route proposed by my firm, and the surface of Loch Lomond, which as I have said is only 22 feet above the mean level of the sea, is the proposed summit level of the canal, and having a water area of 21,000 acres and ample gathering ground 290 square miles-it would form on inexhaustible reservoir for supplying the locks with water. Only two locks at either end, at Alloa and Loch Long, would be required, as the level of the canal is only 13 feet and 17 feet above high-water level at these places, respectively. The exact route to be chosen will, of course, depend upon more minute inquiry than has yet been made. The eastern approach to the canal, which will be tidal, will be formed by deepening the Forth or making a cut inland, with a depth of 25 feet at low-water spring tides, from opposite Grangemouth to the locks which it is proposed should be placed about 2 miles above Alloa. This will give a depth of 43 feet at high-water spring and 38 feet at neap tides. The distance from Grangemouth to Alloa is 6 miles. From Alloa the canal will pass to the north of the links of Forth and to the northward of the town of Stirling, then along the valley of the Forth to Gartmore and enter Loch Lomond near the mouth of the Endrick, a distance of 29 miles. Near the Loch Lomond end there are 5 miles of high ground, which, according to the geological survey, is the old red-sandstone formation. This part of the work will be open cutting. The distance from the junction of the loch and canal to Tarbet is 14 miles, and across the neck of land to Loch Long 134 miles. Loch Long is 15 miles in length to its junction with the Firth of Clyde. The total distance from Grangemouth to the Firth of Clyde is 654 miles. Regarding the dimensions of the canal, it is essential to its success that it be made on a large scale and free from locks, excepting at the seaward extremities. As the level of the water of the canal will be only about 13 feet above high water, one lock will be sufficient at high water, but two may he necessary at other times of tide. It is proposed to make the canal throughout with a depth of 30 feet, with a width at the bottom the same as the Suez Canal—namely, 72 feet-and side slopes varying with the nature of the material. The locks will be capable of passing the largest vessels afloat, or about 600 feet in length and 80 feet in width, with smaller locks alongside for smaller vessels. It would have been desirable to have proposed a canal of sufficient width to allow two of the largest vessels to pass each other at any place on the route; but in roughly estimating the cost it was found that this would involve so large an expenditure as to make it doubtful whether such a work would, in the meantime, prove remunerative. Frequent passing places, however, will be made at suitable intervals. There are no very serious difficulties to be overcome, though the cutting is no doubt a heavy one. There are few railways or road crossings of any importance, and the excavations are largely in soft material and the disposal of the excavations could be easily and cheaply effected, owing to the proximity to the canal banks of waste ground. A ship canal of these dimensions would not only accommodate merchant vessels, but would prove of the greatest advantage to His Majesty's navy, as the largest ships of war at present in existence could pass through from the one coast to the other in about eight hours, and thus the facility for defending the coast in time of war would be very much increased. It is believed that the route suggested through the Forth Valley would prove the most satisfactory for a ship canal. Both approaches are in smooth water and free from every danger to navigation. The western outlet into Loch Long is exceedingly favorable, as ships of the largest class could at once proceed to sea quite free from the interruption and liability to grounding which they would meet with had the canal debouched into the River Clyde. The entrances to the Forth and Clyde are now so well marked by light-houses and fog signals that vessels of any burden can run for these waters with the most perfect confidence, No 276-03-6 |