Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-04-11
GERMANY's NEW SHIP CANAL.
Water Connection Between the Baltic
and North Seas.

The completion of the big canal be-
tween I<iel and the Baltic sea and
Brunsbuettel, a few miles above the
mouth of the Elbe, will mark an i'm
p0rtant strategic point in the history
of the German empire. German war
vessels will be enabled to pass from
sea TO sea in few hours without
traversing foreign waters. The enl-
peror can assemble at short notice
large feet OF both the north and west
coasts, thus increasing greatly the de-
fensive resources of the empire. More
over England's well-known policy of
blockading will be entirely sQuelched
50 far as Germany and the Baltic sea
are concerned. Preparations are al
ready being made for the opening eN.
ercses, which will take place next
June and be very elaborate.
At present vessels passing from the
Baltic to any point in the North sea
miles TO get to Hamburg or Bremen
south of Hull are obliged to sail
lance from the canal to Hull is 800
around the Danish peninsula. The dis
a much longer journey is required.
Since the canal is only about fifty
three miles in lc"Sth, it will be seen
that a considerable saving of time is
made in passing from the Baltic to
Hamburg, which is situated near the
southern entrance From Hamburg to
the North sea the rest of the trip for
ships bound westward is by way of
the Elbe, which is very wide near the
mouth. This distance is about sixty
five miles, so that the entire length of
the course from the Baltic to the North
sea is about 40 miles. No less than
$4,000 ships a year pass around the
peninsula of Denmark, bound from one
sea to the Otlier.
1t can be seen how great an advan-
tage this saving of distance will be to
Germany in case of war. Another ad-
vantage lies in the fact that the pass
age around Denmark is extremely
dangerous, and the avoidance of the
strip of water between the Scandina
Wan peninsula anG Jutland is sure to
result in great saving of life and
property. Every year about 200 YES
sells are wrecked on these coasts.
The entire route lies in the Prussian
province of Holstein. The work of
excavation was begun on June 3, 1887,
and has been pushed with energy.
The estimated total cost of S31 100000
will probably not be exceeded. The
Manchester Ship canal, completed
about year ago, so far exceeded the
estimates rs to involve the entire pop
ulation of the city in 4 heavy debt.
All are familiar with the colossal
sums expended on the Panama enter
prise. The Nicaragua canal is another
instance where the actual cost far eX
ceeded the estimates.
More than 5000 men We're employed
on this new canal during the sum
mcr months; in winter the number was
reduced to 400 The equipment com
priSed 90 locomotives, 2,4I3 cars, 6G
dredges, 133 lighters and So engines.
The work was not impedcd by any
serious obstacles in the topography of
the country, the land being generally
fiat and the soil consisting largely of
sand and loan, which admitted of easy
excavation.
Two locks have been established. one
at Kiel and the other on the Elbe
The former will be open all the year
except during twenty-five days The
latter will remain open from three to
four hours during every flood tide
The exact length of the canal is 80 =
miles. and the depth on the average is
30 IL feet; tile width at the bottom is
70 feet. and at the water level 213 feet.
These dimensions will admit of the
passage of large ocean steamers and
men-of-War.
Vessels i'm the canal will not be al
lowed to move faster than at the rate
of 5.3 miles an hour, which will en-
able them to make the journey in about
thirteen hours. The toll will be rs
Dfennings, or Is cents, pet net regis
tered ton loading capacity. \ reason
able profit on the undertaking Is eX-
pected. OF the $4,000 vessels which
now pass every year around the Den
mark promontory, it is calculated that
at least half. or 100000 tons net
register. will use the canal.
At Brunsbuettel, on the Elbe, the
southern extremity of the canal, there
Is an outer harbor 1872 feet long by
32S feet wide. Next to this comes the
lock. 492 by 50 feet, and 30 40 feet
deep and then an inner harbor, 1910
feet by 656 feet
In order that railroad traffic shall
not be interfercd with two suspension
-!
canal nearly 1873 feet above water
level Vessels with lofty masts can
therefore pass beneath them