THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14982, 1 June 1914, Page 8

THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER.

DIFFICULT NAVIGATION.

Mr D. Cameron, second engineer of the Vacuum Oil Company's chartered steamer John Hardie, at present discharging from New York at Lyttelton, gave a lew particulars of the St. Lawrence river to a representative of the "Press" on Saturday morning. The river, he said, was open for navigation only for about eight months each year from April to November. During the remaining period the shipping was done at Halifax, St. John, and other ports outside tho river. The first port of call for liners from the mouth of the river was Quebec, to reach which occupied about a twelve hours' run. Montreal was higher up, and was a day's journey from the mouth. Although well giiarded by lighthouses, the St. Lawrence river was difficult of navigation on account of fogs, which were prevalent all the year round, especially

in May and June, and entailed a sharp lookout being kept on board every vessel. There was also great danger of coming into contact with ice, which, floating silently down stream, demanded much vigilance on the part of those on watch. On." such occasions it was usual for - two men to keep a lookout, the proximity of • the ice beiug notified by a sudden fall in the thermometer, which was constantly under observation.

When, tho ice began to break, tho Canadian Government despatcned from the mouth of the river specially constructed ice-breaking steamers, whose beam would be about double that ,of the Lyttelton, Harbour. Board's tug. These . vessels cut a-passage througa ' the ice, which, being split is carriad down stream by the current, thus reopening tho river for navigation.