The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-06

fourths of all the trade on the Pacific
coast OF both Americas. With the canal
constructed, giving the merchants of the
Atlantic coast 2, 700 miles of advantage
over Europe, they viii be able to secure
the bulk of that valuable commerce.
The east coast of China is nearer New
York by Nicaragua than to Liverpool by
the Suez. Shanghai is 800 miles nearer
New York by the Nicaragua route than TO
Liverpool by Suez. The distance from
New York to Yokohama is shortened
5000 miles by the canal. This brings New
York 1900 miles nearer Yokohama than
Liverpool is by the Suez, thus giving TO
New York an advantage over Liverpool
In competing for the trade of Japan. This
advantage, which is the cost of transpor-
tation for distance of 1000 miles, should
enable New York to monopoize the
Korea, which has, within the last few
years, been opened TO the commerce of
the world by the diplomacy of the United
States. Melbourne. in Australia, and
Auckland, New Zealand, are brought 1000
miles nearer New York by the canal than
by the Horn.
The foreign commerce Of the countries
bordering on the Pacific which would be
attracted to the canal, because il is the
shortest possible route, amounts, at the
present time, to more than 81 200. 900, 600
per annum. and to a tonnage, according
~ he kas oh& 1r
1900 900 tons.
These trade and commercial statistics,
included in ex-senator Warner Miller's
plea. in the current number of the Forum,
for the prompt construction of the Mica
ragua canal. constitute an unanswerable
argument that in any national legisla-
ture but our own would insure the passage
Of the bill by an overwhelming vote.
While we hesitate other nations are con-
structing works Of this character. The
Manchester ship canal, in course of rapid
construction, connecting Liverpool with
Manchester, will be IS miles long, 40 feet
wide at the bottom, and % feet deep. 1t
viii cost $27, 900. The canal between
the Baltic and the North seas across Hell
stein is under construction by the German
government. Ii will be 90 miles long, 85
feet wide at the bottom, and 2S feet deep.
It's greatest depth of cut is 100 feet. 1t
viii cost 100000.
If We do not build, as General Grant
urged US, ian American canal under
American CONTROL" the Nicaragua COM
pany may yet be obliged to 60 abroad and
seek assistance of England, which, as a
maritime nation, has more interest in the
Nicaragua canal than any power save the
United States. If the canal is constructed
with English capital our government
could not fairly prevent England from
landing military forces for the protection
and neutrality of the work. England pre-
vented the construction of the Suez canal
as long as she could, and then when it was
built with French and Egyptian capital
secretly purchased It, Whenever she
thinks it to her military advantage she
temporarily closes it. If the Nicaragua
canal Is not built under the control of
our government it will be England DIS
policy to acquire a controlling
interest In its stock and bonds as she did
in the Suez canal, and If she did not hest
tate to close the Suez canal for military
reasons, despite the objection of France,
she will not hesitate to close the Nicaragua
canal despite the objections of the United
States.
Captain Merry. of the San Francisco
Chamber of Commerce, sums up the ire
sistible argument for the control of this
canal by our government in a single SEN
tence when he says: "The inter-oceanic
canal means for the United States to
build, to buy or to fight, with the alterna-
tive of taking an inferior position among
nations"