New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-22
Paris. April ,.
THE FRENC1i


IN the journal Oficiel' OF yesterday the Minister
OF Public Works gives notice OF the annual CLOSING
,or re,,,rs ~ all the canals and ''canazei rivers
~ France From one to two weeks In the summer
season is the time regularly assigned Tor 'n'S P"'
pose when the waters are low and business Is S"oN
In some necessary cases few months are 10 Ne OH"
noved in important, works The interest az TINS an
nounc.ment which cove:s five pages and nan OF
the Government organ with the names ana sec''o"'
y, those official waterways OF the country, comes
from the tabular view II affords Of unique system
OF transportation.
This ,s connected with the essential prosperity or
France Since the construction OF the canal or
1anr,,edoc over two centuries ago. France mas
s,o,dl,. irnnroved her internal resources until -
ncr cent OF her land has become productive uhder
so-no form and the total value OF her properly ~
soual per head OF population. to that OF fhsiahl
and Germany together. while both real estate ana
personal property are far more evenly distributed
,h.r Z, any other country This Is in spite OF reVo-
buttons at home. Of foreign wars and invas'0hs OF
IN. consequent enormous national debt and constant
increase OF expenditure for purposes OF military oe
go ana NJ The serious effects felt by French in
dus,rv and commerce from the present hnancal
crss Of the world France is still the country most
sufrc,en, 70 Itself Her domestic trade Is ten tunes
- ,oregn commerce. which moreover aims at
u,le bevond supplying her with the raw material
which Is not IN her possession already ana rl'n'S
her OF the superfiuities OF her own proiucron Ah'
this sc made cheap and easy by her system "' ''''''
nal navigation which literally covers INC country
% the remotest interior. with a network OF wafer
ways
Speaking roughly. France keeps Up, AT the cost Of
n few millions OF dollars each year, about 3") mes
~ canals and 300 miles OF natural water courses
which have been turned into canals In addition 10
these 500 miles 81 navigable streams the country
has y 90 miles OF railway and more than F'oV'
miles Of excellent highroads. But IT is by the canals
that Paris is kept in communication with the vine
v,rls OF the Rhonc; with the cOahcds OF the Norm
and Belgium with the provinces Of the Rhine. lost
! 10 Germany In the last and perhaps to be re-
gained in the next: ami with the manufacturing
! towns Of the central mountain region. By the
canals also tho latter in direct communication
! with the sea.
The Ministry OF Public Works makes general IL
vision OF the country into the sections OF the north
! and east, of the centre. OF the west. and Of III"
south. All these regions are fairly well known 70
| travellers but :hcy go through them along the
| lines of railway. The guidebooks tell them here
! and there the OF some canal they are cross
Ing but without any informa ton 10 It's course or
the district it The old Of travelling. by
hired carriage from village TO village would give
a better and pleasan,er idea Of this land eeming
with the products OF intensive cultivation and In
dustry II Is scarcely dearer than the present man
| ner OF touring through large towns. For the sake
OF people who do not travel but who interest them
| selves in the development OF the natural resources
| canal system without the guidebook details. which