The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-29

thority in physical geography. VINO said
that II nature should rend the Anesican
continent In twain and make . channel
across Il as deep. - wide and - free -
the straits Of Dover. It would never become
. channel for sailing vessels, because both
sides Of the isthmus are in the calm belt
or ~doldrums" This, says Mr.. Nlmno.
would shut on from the Nicaragua route
the nitrates Of Chile and Peru. the wheat
Of California, the lumber Of Oregon and
Washington. and all other sailing vessel
cargoss. Mr.. Nimmo advances the PROC
sifion that on an estimated cost Of SIS. Co.,
80, with due allowance for maintenance,
ETC.. the tolls on . sailing vessel Of loo
tons would amount to $500, which would
b prohJbitory. The method Of computing
the amount OF tonnage likely to pass
through the proposed canal embraces en-
cial statistics Of tonnage Of commercial
nations ~ nodded b. distance and nauti-
cal considerations. Another method con
sists In taking the tonnage employed in
the present Panama transit and making
allowances for probable increase. The
tonnage Of shipping crossing at Panama
amounts to about 10000 tons annually. and
olr. Nimno calculates that tie entire ton
mage would not be more than l.eooO 900 tons.
OF the cost Of construction, mainte1-
ance and operation no layman can b the
Judge. and Mr.. Nimmo's figures on thess
subjects must BE- left to trained experience
g. r~xssct.n n,,x ~vath >~<ivueS>d vxvoh hill
ties Of diversion and development Of traf-
nc. opportunities for forming opinions are
more general; and We are inclined to think
that Mr.. Nimmo vastly undertakes the
poesibilities Of increase in commerce not
only from Alaska to Peru. but from Maine
to Brasil. in raw products and manu6ac-
tured goods. When the Champlain canal
In the state Of New York was constructed
its success was secuted a. scornfully. but
now its tonnage u greater than that
across the isthmus. When the first elevat-
ID railroad was constructed in New York
the street car lines resisted II because II
would throw them into bankruptcy. In
ten years those railroads carry twice a.
many passengers ~ the car lines did. and
the car iines-giving up horses and taking
to electricity and tho cable-are carrying
more passengers than ever. and paying
fully ~ good dividends.
The tonnage Of vessels entered at and
cleared from the ports Of Washington.
Oregon and California for the year ending
June 30. 1896, was 6S,735 tons, Of which
only 6,72s tons consisted Of steam tonnage
This came around Cape Horn mainly In
sailing vessels, and II the canal were open
probably half OF 1t would have come that
way. But II IL neither upon the present
shipping tonnage OF the Pacific coast or of
the Asiatic trade to be diverted from Sues
that any argument in favor Of the canal IL
founded: II il upon the experience Of the
world that wherever means have been
taken to bring important commercial
points together immense and rapid in
crease Of business has followed.
So expensive an undertaking should not
be entered upon. of course, without a rea-
sonable hope of success. The failure OF
the Panama scheme IL no criterion, be-
cause that was due to robbery. The Sues
canal has been a success. and although the
Manchester canal v not yet paying Q
profit the people OF Manchester have de-
rived an indirect benefit which they con-
slider already justified the enormous out
lay.