The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-12-09
GREAT CANALS
OF THE WORLD.
Some Interesting Statistics as to the
Business Through Them.
ALL BUT NEW YORK SHOW GAINS
The Tables Show That Freight Rates
Have Been Very Materially Redu-
crd where Railroads and Canals
Come Into Competition.

WASHINGTON, December S.-Special.-
The great canals OF the world and the
growth Of the business passing through
them are discussed in a series of tables
just published by the Treasury Bureau
OF Statistics in its latest issue OF the
Summary Of Commerce AMI Finance.
The business Of the Suez canal the Kaiser
Wilhelm canal. the st. Marys Falls, the
Welland and New York canals, and in
cidentaly the commerce passing through
the Detroit river are given in detail for a
term OF years and thus presents stalls
teal data convenient for those desiring
TO study the question of ship canals con-
Meeting great bodies OF water.
The Suez canal shows a net tonnage
OF 6,51G In 1869. its first year, i36,609 I'm 1870
over "A million in 1872 more than two mill
lion In 1915 and a steady increase until
1891. when the figures reached S69S,71.
since which time there has been comara-
lively little change, the figures for 1897
being slightly below those of 1896. but
% per cent. in excess Of those Of 1851,
and more than three times those of 1871.
A LUSTY INFANT.
Tho Kaiser Wilhelm canal. which has
been in operation but three years. shows
an increase OF 80 per cent. I'm that period
in the tonnage passing through II, that
OF the first year after its opening being
l.505.Js3. and that the for the fiscal year
ending March 81. 1895. 2,469 795.
The St Marys Falls canal connecting
Lake Superior with the lower lakes,
shows a more rapid gain than the Suez.
The freight tonnage passing through st.
Mary's Falls canal in 1881 is given at
1867. III. reaching more than 100000 tons
I'm 1883. more than 100000 in 1887. reaching
a n
9c0O. 600 i'm 1890, more than 100000 In 1892.
more than 100000 in 1894 and more
than 100000 in 1891 incidentally the
freight tonnage passing through the De-
troit river which connects Lakes SUI
perlor. Michigan and Huron with Erie
and Ontario is shown to have Increased
from 1900. 900 I'm 1873 TO @ 900, go I'm 1896 an
Increase I'm that time Of 200 per cent,
while the increase I'm the registered ton
mage through St. Mary's Falls canal
alone I'm that time is from 2O4ii6 TO H.
Glg. 49,
The WelIand Canal tables show that
the quantity of freight passed through
that canal in 1880 was S19,e4 tons ana
i'm 1896 1279. 9S7. though comparing 1871
with 1872. 1873 and 1874 no increase Is
found. the figures of 1872 being 1,SS5lVi'
and those of 1873. 1,5Os,4Si. while the tons
passed from United States ports TO
United States ports, through the Welland
Canal, fell from 7iS557 in 1874 to S0S'2lS In
1896.
THE ONLY DECREASE.
The New York canal tables show
steady decrease since 1850 in the tons
of merchandise carried to tidewater. The
number Of tons of freight carried to tide
wate~ on the New York canals in 1850
was 4067 402: i'm 1880, 1924, 76j and in 1897.
1.S7S2lS. while all other canals mentioned
as above indicated show large gains in
business meantime.
The reduction OF freight rates especial
ly on the Great Lakes and by rail in
competition with the lakes and their ca
nails is also shown by series Of tables.
These show a material reduction I'm
freight rates between Chicago and New
York. whether carried by lake and rail,
lake and cenals or by all rail. though the
reduction where carried by all water
route Of lake and canals IS greater than
I'm cases v here part or all OF the trans
portation Is by rail. The average rates
per bushel for wheat from Chicago 10
New York by lake and caral were I'm
1871 112ic. per bushel: I'm 1857 S5c.. and
i'm 1891 425c. In the combination OF lake
ana rail freiGhts the rates fell from 15.Sc.
per bushel in 1871 to re. in 1887 and 7.3lc.
in 1897. while the all rail freights fell
from 20.3c. per bushel in 1877 TO lj.7ic. in
;sS7 and 1920. I'm 1897.
The following table presents the sta
tistics OF freight tonnage on the great
canals Of the world from 1850 to 1897:
WORLDS TRAFFIC..
Traffic through the great canals Of the
world. lSS0-lS91: