The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-08-28

"The capacity of the canal for traffic viii
be limited only by the time required bl "a
vessel 10 pass q lock. SuppOsing that forty
five minutes are required for this operation.
and that only one vessel viii pass in each
lOckage. the total number 0f vessels which
NAV pass through the canal i'm one day is
calculated az thirty-twO, which makes L.
$50 for one year. Taking tire average tom
mage of the ships which 20 through il"
-uez canal "a, a basis. this should give MS
an annual capacity for traffic Of over 1900.
600 tons: but rs the locks are GjO feet l)ng
and - feet wide in the chamber, and as Two
vessels each Of, 900 tons displacement. may
be passed through on each lOckage, this e7-
innate may be largely increased. If moi
doubled. Steamers will take about twenty
eight hours o. pass from ocean 10 ocean, al
lowing one hour and twenty minutes for
possible dotcntions in narrow cuts.
"Ihe commerce Of the world Is increasing
rapidly with the increase Of the steam ieet.
If for the next seven years IL Increases IN
the same ratio in which il advanced be-
tweer 1881 and ISIS, IL will, IN 1893, amount
10 los. OO0, eco tons. Now. from statistical
records il is possible TO make estimates Of
the tonnage tributary 10 the new canal.
They show that the traffic which would
naturally seek the canal was. in 1919.
2.O7l. $50 tons, and that in lss1 it had in
creased TO 4JOI,Oll tons. percentage OF
increase of nearly siXty-nine. Maintaining
this rate Of increase il would De, in 1895.
1.6lG,94 IONS
There isn't any reason why il should no
be- realized. l. i, in fact. assured by tho
industrial dcvclQpmentOf our Pacific States,
bY the settlement of Alaska, 10y the growing
importance Of Chill, and, which is by no
means the least important fact 10 be reckon
cd on. by the evident disp0s ton Of the en-
terprising, wealthy, and progressive empire
Of japan to become dealer IN the markets
of the world.
"ln these estimates have not taken into
account the enormous tonnage which Will
b. furnished 10y vast sources Of traffic, such
rs ores and timber. Of which practically
there is nothing carried now, and which
are only waiting for facilities for trans
portatOn. William II. seward said: The
entire region Of OREGON, Washington Ter
rt0ry, British Columbia, and Alaska seems
destined to become a shjp-yard for the sup
ply Of all nations Ii is estimated by
lumber men in Washington that the opening
of the Nicaragua canal will add - 10 the
value Of every thousand feet of lumber
standing around Puget sound, and the
same Is true Of the still larger timber fields
OF the Alaskan archipelago, the estimate
being based on cheap transportation, for
the cost OF ocean transportation, compared
TO railroad, is as l l-2 10 10. Here is what
a London newspaper has 10 say: In esti.
mating the future before waterway
connecting the Pacific and Atlantic, il
must be remembered that India has now
!, $4,000 tons Of shipping annually clearing
from her ports, Australasia IL, 900, 900, liOrg
Kong 1000, 900, and she Straits settlements
I 100000, most Of which comes % Great |
Britain, and very large part OF which
would lind its way through the Nicaragua |
canal. But, incalculable rs the advantages |
would be 10 this country (Great Brittany, IL |
Is probable that the United States would |
benefit TO a still greater extent. That this !
s so clear from the fact that the greater