The Hawaiian gazette., 1889-03-26

that our nearest neighbor combine
with her vast resources. her brav
and enterprising population and he
almost unbounded capacity for ez
tension and absorption, no lust o
conquest, but is actuated rather b,
| the spirit Of justice and magnanim
| ity towards smaller and weaker
States.
BUSINESS TO BE DONE BY THE MICA
RAGUA CANAL.
The granting of a charter by the
United States to the Nicaragua
Canal Company, to which we have
already alluded, has brought that
great enterprise prominently before
the public, and awakened much
larger measure of interest in the
subject than has hitherto existed.
Commander Taylor, of the United
States Navy, delivered an address
before the Franklin Institute of
Philadelphia not long since, in which
the whole question of future inter
oceanic canal traffic was treated in
an exhaustive manner.
The business awaiting the con
sruction Of the canal was tabulated
as follows
Tons.
/. Trade across the Isthmus. .2I7.6S5
,. Trade between Atlantic and
Pacific ports OF United States. 1918
3. Trade between Atlantic ports
of United States and foreign
countries west OF Cape Horn 752,5S5
4. Trade between Pacific ports
Of United States and foreign
countries east OF Cape Horn S79.S44
,. Trade around Cape Horn OF
European countries ........l.47l. .39g
g. Trade OF British Columbia
with Europe e...,.......... 39,8l8
Total tonnage ......., 4,5O7044
The distances from New York to
the United States ports on the Pa
cifc are now from 1900 to 1900
miles. BY the canal, these distances
will be from $500 to $500 miles.
reduction Of nearly two-thirds. The
distance from Liverpool to Auck
land is 500 miles less by way Of Mica
ragua than by any other route, and
$500 miles less than by the Cape of
Good Hope. Sailing vessels between
Europe and Japan would, by way of
save at least 5000 miles
over other routes.
In addition to the large and grow
ing commerce of San Francisco, the |
resources of the entire Northwest
coast are to be taken into considera-
ton. Portland, Ore, with 10000 in
habitants. last year handled I2,5OO,-
900 pounds of wool and 100000
pounds of hops. Her domestic ex-
ports amounted to S9,0O0,OO0, and
her foreign exports amounted to
S5,000,000. Her merchants moved
23S, 900 tons of wheat and -four, and
her grain feet numbering seventy
three vessels, registered 90, ,32O tons.
The total foreign and coastwise ex-
ports from the Puget Sound collec-
ion district, last year amounted to
nearly S9,000,000. The salmon can
leries of the Northwest coast ship
oed 100000 cases.
There are said to be 10000 square
niles of yellow and red fir alone in
Washington, generally known in
rade as Oregon pine" and the
rees of these forests reach twelve
eet in diameter and 800 feet in
eight. The timber field of Oregon
5 a quarter Of the superficial area of
he State, or 25,O0O square miles.
The natural growth and develop
1ent of the Pacific States and Terri
1ries will be stimulated by the S
reater profit on their productions,
from shortened and conse- {
uently cheapened water transpor- '
ltion to distant markets. This will
id largely and rapidly to the esti- c
lated business of the canal from t
lese sources, the figures il the f
Dove table being based on present a
)nditions. The acreage and pro- /
1ct of the wheat fields of Eastern S
regon and Eastern Washington v
ave doubled within ten years, and $
lere is enough vacant wheat lands 2
permit the same phenomenon f
thin the next decade. The lumber c
ade of Oregon and Washington s
'esents the most notable develop d
ent of any line Of commerce during Il
e past year. In 1886, the total Il
ipment was 100000 feet. In b
81, it averaged4 100000 per month,
eight times the total of 1886. W