The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23

object lesson in favor of the canal, as the solu-
ton which, more than anything else, will ere
ate renewed prosperity for our producers. The
greater part of their campaign propaganda
might far better be devoted to an insistence
on the prompt construction of the canal than
in the discussion of free silver There are hOn-
est differences of opinion about free coinage of
the white metal, but no man interested in the
prosperity OF our people and the National in
huence of our country will question the great
necessity for the prompt construction OF the
Nicaragua canal under the control of the
United States Government.
The main purpose of this article, necessarily
restricted by the scope of newspaper require
ments, is to prove the assertions above made
by actual facts, which cannot be controverted.
l have carefully estimated the saving on a
years cereal crop of the Pacific Coast which
could be made by the use of such steamers as
are to-day loading our cereal products for Eu-
rope via the Magellan Straits route. In so do
ing have consulted parties with full knowl-
edge OF the estimates present, and their cor
rectness can be fully relied upon. II not pre-
sented in full detail it is because space Goes
not permit, but the estimates are open TO any
one who desires to investigate and will call
upon me for them. Our producers and mer-
chants are invited to examine carefully the
showing made herein:
Distance an Francisco to Liverpool via Magel-
Ian Straits, 13494 knots; distance san Francisco
to Liverpool via Nicaragua canal, 1927 knots;
Cargo steamship. $500 tons register, carrying
1000 tons wheat: speed. 220 knots daily average;
coal consumption, 25 tons average quality coal
ship coaling at Coronel, Chile and Cape st. Vim
cent via Straits and at Atlantic port of Nicaragua
canal, San Juan del Norte; one days delay al
lowed at each port.
VIA MAGELLAN STRAITS.
Coal So days. wages provisions, stores, insur
ance on vessel (value, $15000O), cargo Insurance.
cent total $l7,984 So Interest on value OF cargo
not considered, but if included would be reduced
one-half by using canal
VIA NICARAGUA CANAL.
Coal 36 days, wages, provisions, stores, irsur-
ance on vessel cargo Insurance. interest on co t
of ship for one month at per cent per annum,
total, S752S 10; saying via canal, $10,455 80:
canal toll. same Suez, 81 S5 per ton register,
s4625; net saving, $500 80; equal to 81 40 per
ton.
The average Pacific Coast crop, including
wheat, barley, -four, mustard seeo and other
grains. may be safely placed at 100000 short
tons annually, making saving on cereals alone
of 81 COO, 900. The permanent use OF steam car
riers avoids the necessity for sacking, in
Atlantic practice; sacks cost at this time 80
cents per ton, again saving $72OOO0 per an
mum, making a total saving on the cereal crops
of Pacific United States Coast for one year
$1,S80,000. The ships freight to Europe
amounts to $27 ,080; cost of voyage, $l7,9S4;
profit of voyage, gross, $9O96.
From this, however, must be deducted port
charges, stevedoring, light and tonnage
charges. With higher freight the showing
for ship-owners will of course improve and
with higher freights the saving via canal
would also improve correspondingly.
This being an accurate statement OF saving
via the canal on one years cereal crop, i'm
agine the saving to be added thereto on
canned, dried and green fruits, lumber, ores,
borax, Wines brandy, wool, asphaltum and
the many other products yearly increasing in
quantity. purposely avoid the inclusion Of
freights westward. The saving between San
Francisco and New York would be about oue-
third more, corresponding with the increased
distance saved. 1t appears TO me reflection
on the intelligence of our producers and our
citizens generally that with such a showing as
the above the canal is not made a leading
issue of the political discussion now filing our
press. Why theoriZe on abs truse questions of
finance, and neglect the proposition which ap-
peals so directly to our immediate inlerestsf
why should not Mr.. Bryan and Mr.. Mckinley
be requested to express themselves on this
great and beneficent work so necessary to our
promised us the canal since and including the
Garfield campaign. Yearly increasing in i'm
portance, should we now ignore 1t?
The estimate here given being correct, shall
we not demand the canal, irrespective of
party, and as condition precedent OF either
free silver coinage or gold standard?
Let me not be considered unappreciative of
the benefit of inland transportation. On the
contrary, 1t is as necessary to the prosperity OF
this seaport as the port itself. And the canal
will never depreciate the value OF any inland
line of communication. either by rail or IN
The railways. in the increasing short haul to
and from tidewater, will rapidly increase
their earnings. The canal Will enable our peo-l
pie to market the products of the coasE5 rot
adapted to the more costly railroad traffic, and
in the increased population aud prosperity of
to feel its benefcent effect The most prosper
Gus railroads in the United States are those
which are aided in transportion by water
routes. Their stock quotations afford the
proof of this fact WILLIAM L. MERRY.
San Francisco, August II, 1896