European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 17, 1959, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A t u r some second thoughts on the Seaway Long Waits for lock passage inadequate docks and harbours Are Irving Skippers while Inland port cities Are re studying the economic Impact of the project by Eric Downton Nana staff writer i Obb he a Llano canal Hocks lilt 327 fill Montreal to Lake Erie lift in locks sailing distance 549 i to 369 Miles Eisenhower one blocks Lih 90 Leil r o a. Rulp he a pts to fic a Soulan coi Estt Catherine lift 30 i comparison in height Lake Erie 572. It Washington Monument l 555 it. Tiwi in Large mop Bobovi Xvi Kap i Ilger Xiv a when the sleek Blue prow of the Royal yacht Britannia on its Bridge president Eisenhower Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip of Britain broke a rib Bon across St. Lambert Dock at Montreal june 26 to inaugurate officially the St. Lawrence Seaway system the. Longest in land waterway in the world had already been open to navigation for two months. Among Canadian and european shipping experts the lessons of these first weeks Are causing a sober reappraisal As to the future of this route sometimes described As the eighth  the  is to tone down.,earlier highly optimistic forecasts on the Impact the Seaway will have on patterns of com Merce in Canada and the . This Atti tude is growing in Canadian International trading offices. As Canada is paying 71 per cent of the $450 million Seaway costs and is to collect a proportional amount from toll receipts these Are the men mos directly affected. It is also now apparent that a number of cities on the Seaway and great lakes Are cautiously waiting to see How the new Trade patterns will shape before embarking on Large scale Dock extensions and alterations especially for Ocean going shipping. Ambitious plans for new harbours about which there was so much talk three or four years ago Are now prudently lodged in pigeonholes. A shortage of berthing space for Ocean freighters has stood out like sore thumb on the great lakes during this initial phase of Seaway navigation. In these first weeks Many More hitches and irritations than expected have been experienced. Traffic jams at the Entrance to the Welland canal and Pilot shortages have created a serious bottleneck which worries shippers despite airy assurances from the Canadian government that every thing will be working smoothly in a week or two after the initial Rush has evened out. Ocean going Skippers Are disappointed and critical Over berthing and ship handling arrangements. Owners Are concerned by the succession of delays As a Day lost waiting in the queues for canal transit or berths costs them up to $2,000. Skippers reply with seamen s language when told that the Canadian transport minister George Hees blandly says the confusion is simply because we Are suf Fering from Ovea  european captains Point gut acidly that the Canadian and american governments have had five years to think of these easily predictable problems. About 25 million tons of traffic is expected to pass through the Seaway during the first year of operation. Within 10 years the figure is seen As Between 45 and 52 million tons annually. A Large proportion of the cargoes will continue to be Grain and Grain products Oil products steel Iron Ore and soft Coal. Much will still be moved in the familiar big Canslers and  Only a Small proportion of the eventual figure probably Between 5 and 10 million tons will be available for Competition from european sapping. Some 80 per cent of the Overall traffic will be Between Cana Dian and . Ports. So no drastic change in the Structure of Seaway and great lakes Trade is in sight. The Seaway s brisk opening activity has been caused partly by the current serious depression in world shipping. This has compelled owners to go out aggressively searching for Trade. In Canada and Europe there is resentment that government subsidized . Shipping will be operating in the great lakes foreign Trade. Canada s defense experts have Many reservations about the Seaway s much touted strategic value in the event of All out War. Against the Oft recited claim that it affords a sheltered submarine free route both internally for North America and on a considerable part of the Way to Northern european ports military authorities Point out it can easily be blocked or otherwise put out of action by enemy bombs missiles mines or saboteurs. Irritated by wrangling with washing ton Over toll and Pilotage problems Many canadians still consider that this country should have built the Seaway alone. They recall that for 31 years from1920 on Canadian suggestions to the . For a joint Seaway were continually rejected in Washington. According to the Canadian View con Gressional action was Only forthcoming at last when the Canadian government told the . In 1951 that Canada was prepared to build the Seaway alone entirely through Canadian territory. Then .-Canadian plans quickly materialized and construction began in the fall of 1954. In Ottawa recently there have been hints that the All Canadian Seaway scheme is by no mean dead and May be resurrected sometime. Five months of the year the Winter freeze up closes the Seaway. This creates a natural Compromise placating can Dianand american East coast Railroad and trucking interests whose share of freight rises when traffic on the Seaway is immobilized by the ice s grip. Probably the Seaway could be kept open year round if no one worried about the Cost. Scientists say it would be done with atomic Energy or circulation of warm air by a system of perforated pipes along the Seaway bed. Limited experiments made during the past two Winters with the pipes had some Success. But an fallout project to defeat the freeze up is not yet even remotely within official consideration. It seems that this useful nature made Compromise Between powerful and conflicting interests is welcomed by american and Canadian politicians who will not be in a hurry to change it. Everyone seems Happy with the great $600,000,000 Power project coupled with the Seaway. Financing of this scheme is shared by the Ontario hydroelectric Power com Mission and the Power authority of the state of new York. The two adjoining american and Canadian hydroelectric Power stations Between Massena n.y., and Cornwall ont in the International rapid Section of the River will have an installed capacity of 1,640,000 kilowatts by next summer. Friday july 17, 1959 the stars and stripes