National Republican., 1880-09-02
THE ISTIIMUS CANAL.
The Test OF Statistics applied TO the
Enterprise.
Traffic ovcr the Isthmus and suez Canals
Compared-Trado of the
Pacific Coast.

Tho report on the commercial aspects Of
tho proposed American mter.oceanic canal,
by Mr. Joseph Nimmo, jr., chief Of tho bureau
Of statistics, has just been issued. 1t will
naturally cause disappointme ut to the friends
Of the various canal projects, inasmuch as
tho estimate of 100000 tons anuualy-that
assumed by NJ. Lessops-has generally been
accepted. The following is a summary Of tho
facts ascertaincd and conclusions reached In
this report:
1. That tho shipping which would annually
pass through the proposed American inter-
oceanic canal would amount TO about 1900
vessels, or 1625,000 tons annually.
e. That upon the basis Of shortest voyage
the possible amount of tonnage which, during
the latest year for which the statistics can be
collected might have passed through the Suez
| canal was about twice as groat MS that which
might have passed. through the proposed
American canal, and that upon the same basis
the possibilities of the Suez canal with respect
| to value of commerce were 81 times as great
as those of the proposed American canal.
B. That tho traffic Of the proposed American
| canal would probably be confined, as is tho
traffic Of the Suez canal, almost exclusively TO
steam vessels. That sailing.vessels would
continue to take the passage via Capo Horn
when engaging in trade west Of that point,
and that sailing vessels would continue to takc
the passage via the Cape Of Good Hope when
| engaging In trade east ofthat point.
4. That during tho latest year for which
commercial statistics can be collected, the pro-
posed American canal might have afforded
| massage for $40 per cent of the foreign com.
merce of the United States, % per cent. of the
| foreign commerce Of Great Britain, II per
cent. of the foreign commerce Of France, and
| less than per cent. of the international COM
merce of tile globe upon the ocean,
| 5. That there has boen avery large diver
sion of traffic from tho route between San
| Francisco aud New York via tho isthmus of
| Panama TO the trans.cOntinentNl railroad
| already constructed In the United States tho
value Of commodities transported between
| New York and San Francisco via Panama
| having fallen from SO 202,029 in 1869 to $I,-
9l7, ,755 in 1879, and the number of passengers
having fallen from 26,S53 In 1869 to 4,d96 in
1879.
g. That tho trade between the Atlantic and
, the Pacific ports Of the United States via Cape
Horn has also been, TO a considerable extent,
diverted to the transcon tinental railway
line.
Z. That there is now n large and growing
commerce between the Pacific ports OF the
| United States aud interior points cast of the
Rocky mOuntains-chicay st. Louis, Chicago
and Cincinnati. The proposed canal would
not present any direct competition to this
trade between interior points in the United
States aud ports on the Pacific coast.
s. That In tho event of tho construction oil
an American inter.Occanic canal tho com
merce between the Pacific ports OF the United
States and Europe would probably seek the
passage through the proposed canal in steam
vessels.
0. That tho magnitude Of the commerce o
the countries Oh the western coast Of Soutl
America is limited by that most marked
: geological feature of the continent, tho Andeal
range, extending from tho isthnius of Panama
to the straits Of Magellan, aud also by cond
tions of climate and soil hercinbefore de
: scribed.
10. That the shipment of guauo and nitrat
of soda from tho western coast of Pcru an'
Bolivia to Atlantic ports of tue United State
and to Europe, giving employment to abou
$4,000 tons OF shipping annually wOult
probably continue to follow the route via Cap
llorn.
IL. That the part Of the trade of Chill will
, the Atlantic ports of the United States an'
with Europe via Cape Horn, giving employ
mcnt TO about 355,0OO tous OF shipping an
r nually would probably continue to pursue
y that route.
/ IL. That 2S per cent of the tea mporte,
into the United States during the year ende'
. June 30, 1870, was imported at Pacific ports
I | aud ~ per Ccut ut Atlantic ports Of tue Unite
. States, aud that probably the entire tea suppl
q Of the Atlantic seaboard states will eventuR II
s be brought from the countries of its prOdut
t ton to San Francisco, aud thence overland b
' rail.
10. That OH account of the nautical cor
ditions involved in the passage through til
proposed canal sailiug-vessels engaged
trade between the Atlantic seaboad Of tn
% United States aud Australia and New Zealan
y will probably continue to pursue either II
passage around Cape Horn or the passal
n around the Cape Of Good Hope