Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1888-02-10
GERMANY'S NEW CANAL
The Costly Waterway Which Is to Unite
the North Sea and the Baltic.

The Costly Waterway Which rs to Unite
the North Sea and the Baltic.
1t has been the dream of German
statesmen for years past to open water
communication between the North Sea
and the Baltic. Those two bodies OF
water form portion of the northerlv
boundary of the German Empire, ur.
ha''yeen them stands the Kingdom o,
Denmark. There is already commune
cation between the two seas by way OF
sne Elder river and the Kiel canal. and
also by way of the Strecknitz canal,
which furnishes an outlet from the
Elbe river into the River Trave, and
thence into the Baltic. But broader,
shorter and deeper avenue of connec-
ton was needed than these afford.
This is to be furnished by the North
Sea and Baltic canal, the work on
which was formally begun a short time
ago.
The new canal, which is to run
through the province of Schleswig-
Holstein, will be about 65 miles long,
1877 feet wide at the surface of the wa
ter, 50 feet wide at the bottom, and to
be of an average deep of 20 feet at
mean high water. The cost of con-
struction is estimated at 156 900. 600
marks, or about $3S. 600, 900. Prussia
pays about third of the expense of the
work, the remainder being borne bv
the rest of the Empire. The canal,
therefore, will be broad enough to
readily permit the passing of one yes
sci by another. and be deep enough to
float the largest war vessel yet con-
structed. 1t is estimated that the
work will be completed in about seven
years. The labor of construction will
be greatly lessened by the fact that for
portion of its length the projected
canal will pass through one canal al
ready built. The latter will be simply
widened and dcepencd. The whole
work will be under the supervision of
the Government.
Daring peace the canal will be open
to the ships OF all nations. 1t will
shorten the route between any of tho
British, French or American ports and
any point on the Baltic Sea by about
240 miles, which means saving of
time of about three days for a sailing
vessel, and twenty or twenty two hours
for steamer. The expectation is that
the toll which will be exacted of trad
ing vessels will pay the expense of
maintaining the canal, not including
interest on the inve stment. This tax
which will include pilotage, towage,
lighterage and other expenses of that
class, is to be at the rate of about
al Oh tnnn re to- Eho
enue from this source. it is anticipated,
will reach a total of about 81, 100, 600 a
year. An inducement for using this
waterway, aside from the shortening
of the distance between the two oceans
which it will bring about, will be the
greater safety which viii be assured.
the route around the Denmark capes
through the Skager Rack and the Sound
being more than ordinarily perilous at
certain seasons.
OF course the primary purpose of the
canal will be military. not commercial.
Germany's two greatest naval stations
are Wilhemshaven and Kiel The for
mer is on the North Sea, and the latter
on the Baltic. The canal will shorten
the distance between these points
about 425 or $50 miles. 1t will render
the voyage between them also much |
safer than it is at present in case of |
war Under existing conditions a |
power like Great Britain or France, |
either of which is stronger than Ger
many on the water. might be able by
oockading the sound between Sweden
md Denmark, to prevent all Coop
grafton between German fleet on the
Baltic Sea and another on the North.
When the canal is finished blockader
will run a risk of being attacked by
he united fleets simultaneously The
'nly drawback to the canal from a mil
tary point of view is the possibility of
IS freezing SO thickly as to render it
for about three months out
If every twelve Louis Globe DEM
,crat.