The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-09

canal for their Judgment, with a hospital
10 each four barracks. The work was
carried out under direct government in
spection by technical staff of forty-one
engineers. 1t is interesting to find that
In Germany, as In the United States, the
native gets somebody else to do his rough
jobs for him. The larger proportion OF
thelaborers on the canal have been Ifal-
the laborers on the canal have been Ital-
ians and Swiss. The wages paid are de-
scribed as rather high. according TO Ger
man standards. being from 65 to IS cents
per day for ordinary laborers and from
81 10 $l.50 fer skilled labor.
TheBaltic canal is I'm every sense of the
word ship canal. The largest man-of-
war In the German navy can traverse IL
at any speed desired. This naval aspect
l need hardly Say. has been kept steadily
In view. II II not by accident that Kiel.
the great naval xtation on the Baltic.
finds Itself az one end OF this new water
way. and Wilheimshaven. the chief naval
station OF the North Sea, Is within few
hours steam OF the other end Along the
canal itself have been built arsenals and
military docks and shelters. It's width at
the bottom is S. feet, and its depth there
80 feet. The surface width Is 217 feet.
with a banquette depth at the sides OF
10 feet, which viii be sufficient for almost
all the Baltic trading steamers, which
rarely draw more than IS feet. TO pass
one another with freedom. There are
also seven especially constructed passing
places TO accommodate the largest ves-
sells afoat
About the dimensions and Importance
OF the economic revolution which The
opening OF this canal must work there is
no difference Of opinion Everybody sees
that IL must produce most tremendous
changes IA the current OF Baltic trade.
But when we descend 70 particulars. the
prophets are not so unanimous. The
most sanguine people are TO be found at
Hamburg. They can prove 70 you that
this new canal. which places them at the
entrance to the Baltic. must make Ham
burg the supply distributing centre OF
all Northern Europe-a veritable Chicago
on the Elbe. But there are others who
think that Hamburg will really find
itself playing st. Louis, so to speak 10
the Chicago OF Etel. This Kiei, though
very ancient place. with university
founded In 1865, has only recently taken
10 growing in population and industrial
and commercial weight The new Ger
man naval and ship-building boom has
affected kfel enormously. The emperor
takes a warm personal interest In. the for
tunes Of this rising town. and his only
brother, Prince Henry. has a permanent
residence IN It's Old palace OF the dukes
OF Holstein-Gottorp. There Is also Luz
beck 10 be taken into account. This ven
cradle town, with trade traditions trans
cending IN magntficence ali others IN
Germany, Is at home In Baltic waters.
and has long established business rela-
tons with the whole northeast Her
buTeheTs are fully alive 20 the dangers
involved In this forthcoming competition.
and intend TO meet them by a flank
| movement IN the form Of an Elbe-Trave
canal, which shall intercept Hamburg =
| principal lire Of internal communications.
I tstv a. "a "a
cfent head Of the Hanse towns something
| Ike her old supremacy.
Uncertain as 81 seems 10 be which Ger
man towns will profit and which lose By
the new order Of things. there is 10
| doubt about Denmark. In ths very Da-
ture OF things. Copenhsgen's position as
metropolis OF the Battle Is doomed I
have spoken above OF the difficulties at
tending the ordinary entrance 10 the Bal
| TIC sea- over - 60, coo tons Of shipping
| the amount has doubled since Isl7-uow
annussly serape their way through the
narrow SkasEersck. and face the dangers
| OF the ugly network Of channels beyond
The sound. There ia an annual average
/ OF 30 wrecks IA these foul waters. ami
| in over half tns cases the vessel Is a TO-
tai loss IN no other European waters -
| there such an unceasing sacrifice OF
property and life. The moment that a
short cut across the base or ths Jut1an4
peninsula ofssrs iLsriEs noR t0sA OF bal
70 North Sea freight. that Is not COM
| PEELED TO DO go, viii dream OF running the
| gauntlet Of Danish waters.
In anticipation OF this peril, Copenhagen
/ has made herself fres port. and Is
| spending vast suns % money IN new
| docks lighthouses. shelters. dredging and
/ .53e Ike. Across the sound the swe1eS
l ara preparing 10 make a free port also OF
/ aAlnoe. In friendly rivalry With Copen-
1 hagsn IN tse nope 81 partially counter
/ balancing between them thu advantages
! Of the new short German route.
| Most interesting 81 all. perhaps, Is the
| hig plunge made by 81. Petersburg Itself
/ - secure khs major benefits % tnas prom
lss.1 revolutiaa n se4-corns traf1c. Tie