Big Seaway Season Closes

The Canadian laker, ENGLISH RIVER, passed through the locks at Massena, N. Y., -- the last on the St. Lawrence Seaway during the weekend to signal the end of one of the most successful seasons of the Seaway's 10-year history.

The last ocean-going vessel to sail its length was the Russian ship, BUKHTARMA, which passed through last Thursday, December 12th.

A spokesman at Seaway headquarters said latest estimates indicate a total tonnage for the year of 48,500,000 tons -- second only to 1966.

BEN E. TATE - Recently sold for scrapping by Columbia Transportation Division to Marine Salvage Ltd., was towed from Cleveland to Ramey's Bend in the Welland Canal on December 2nd by the "G" tug, LAURENCE C.TURNER.

BUCKEYE - Was towed down the Welland Canal on December 14th by the tugs

GRAEME STEWART and G. W. ROGERS. It is assumed she will winter in Kingston and continue her trip to a European scrapyard in the Spring.

SCOTIA II - Train ferry passed upbound through the Welland Canal on Sunday, December 8th under her own power. She is slated to replace the C.N.R.'s HURON and LANSDOWNE on the Windsor-Detroit ferry run. Built in 1916 by Armstrong, Whitworth & Co. Ltd., Newcastle; 268.8 x 48.2 x 18.2; G.T. 1854.

WILLIAM B. DICKSON - Former U. S. Steel bulk carrier purchased in 1968 by Kinsman Marine Transit Co., Cleveland, will re-enter service in 1969 as the MERLE M. McCURDY.

OTTERCLIFFE HALL - The new maximum size diesel bulk carrier under construction for Hall Corp. Ltd., at Lauzon, was launched Monday, December 2nd.

BAY QUINTE - After being towed to United Metals scrap dock in Hamilton in November, was burned out fore and aft on December 7th preparatory to scrapping.

GRENVILLE - Veteran Canadian Coast Guard Buoy Tender was driven by ice into a bridge abutment near Beauharnois on December 18th. Resulting damage caused her to settle to the bottom some seven hours later without loss of life.

IMPERIAL BEDFORD - New Imperial Oil tanker launched at Lauzon, week of December 16th.

ELBA - Towed up past Detroit December 10th, by JOHN PURVIS enroute Toledo to Sturgeon Bay following purchase by Peterson Shipbuilders for $27,000.00.

A new Texaco tanker was launched at Collingwood on December 18th. Name not yet known.

The following by courtesy of the Upper Canada Railway Society.

CN ADDS FERRY TO DETROIT-WINDSOR SERVICE - The 306-foot Department of Transport car ferry SCOTIA II has been purchased by Canadian National for the Detroit-Windsor connection, more than doubling the service's capacity. The SCOTIA II is to be delivered in Windsor before the St. Lawrence Seaway closes for the winter; she is now in drydock for hull inspection.

Built in 1916 in England, the SCOTIA II crossed the Atlantic Ocean under her own power and went into service between Mulgrave and Port Hawkesbury, N. S. In 1955, she moved to the Cape Tormentine, N.B.-Borden, P.E.I. run.

Schedule plans for SCOTIA II are not complete. The Windsor-Detroit ferry service now has two craft -- the LANSDOWNE, used in winter and the HURON, normally operated in the summer only. The fate of the HURON -- whose engines will be one hundred years old in 1972 -- may be in jeopardy as a result of the arrival of SCOTIA II.

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