Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-30

value will the Central American systems be
to the world at large2 Liverpool will be
almost 4 900 miles nearer to Yokohama, and
over 1000 miles nearer San Francisco.
Hamburg will be closer BY Z, 900 miles to
Acapulco, while France will be 1900 miles
nearer Tonquin, China. Bot our own coun.
try will be most benefited. New York will
save 10, 900, and New Orleans II, 900 miles,
between those ports and SaS Francisco, the
latter distance being nearly equal to halt
circumnavigating the globe.
GREAT COST NO REAL OBSTACLE.
It may be that the $500, ,OOO, 900 sunk iE
the Panama scheme by De Lesseps and his
associates will be used as argument against
gigantic systems such as these intel-oceanic
projects, and the more recent one now oc-
cupying attention in this country; but there
is no doubt that, if the capital can be Sc
cured, they or any other scheme OF ike
value to the commerce of the world cannot
fail to bring satisfactory returns some time.
In proof of this:
When the Suez Canal was first proposed
De Lesseps figured that SAC, ,000, 900 would
see the project through. This certainly
great amount of money frightened the capi-
talists, and he had great time raising it, as
it was maintained that the income that
could be derived from it would not justify
the outlay. When it was ouud, In 1862
the wear the canal was opened-that 1t had
cost S99s s000s 900, the people were paralyzed.
No one but the daring protector could see
how the scheme could reafly pay the inter
est on the money in it. Shares whose par
value was about 500, dropped to between
$40 and $50.
VERY PROFITABLE NOW.
But since that time how everything has
changed In ten years the income from
passing vessels increased from e911, ,032 to
60, 421, ,8S5, while the shares raised more
than 90 per cent above their par value.
Even in India, the wonderful value, both
ways, can hardly be realized. A recent
writer, familiar with that country, states
that one systematic Canvery, in the
Madras Presidency-returns 81 per cent
profit per annum on the investment and
some of the others, the exact figures Of
which are not obtainable, even more than
this. A few years ago Major Minchin, of
the English army, was appointed agent Of
Bhawulpore, q small native State on the
Indus, during the young Nawab's (native
princess minority. The Major looked the
territory over, and decided to introduce
water from the Indus into various old chan
.nels that traversed the State. He borrowed
$4,000 at II per cent and set the people to
digging. BY the time the Nswab reached
his majority, the jndicious outlay of this
trifing sum had increased the revenue of
Bhawulpore from 212O. 900, paid in grain, to
e19O, 900, paid in cash.
THROUGH LONDON BY CANAL.
Many great and wonderful improvements
have been made in the system, some OF
these so important that at the present day
one can go from end to end of the city Of
London by a canal which. traversing the
entire city, is so constructed that it does not
in the least interfere with the street traffic
of the big town, as one would naturally sur
mise. This has been made possible by the |
tunneling system in some parts and in 9TH |
ers the lock. Many and curious are the de-
vices used to reach the various water levels. |
On the Great Western Canal, England, |
boats are raised and lowered by means of |
called perpendicular lift. On |
several other canals in the same country |
they are taken afoat in caisson, or water
tight vessel, up or down an incline plane,
at one place 96 feet. On a canal in this
country boats are conveyed on carriage up |
a railway inclined plane.
Many other schemes are in use for the |
transportation of merchandise by
water, and it has been proven beyond ques-
tion, time and again, that there are many
practical benefits to be derived from the |
system, when properly carried out
W. G. KAUFMAN,