The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-13
WASHINGTON
CORRESPONDENCE.

Special Dispatch to the Post Intelligencer.
WASHINGTON. July 1.-THE canal
problem in> connection with the freight
tramc on the great lakes IL worrying
Canada not little. Reports from Amer
lean consuls in the Dominion state that
the province OF Ontario Is sbecoming very
much alarmed over thu seeming deea-
dence OF the Welland canal. and strong
pleas are being made for harbor Inn
provements at Port Colborne. its Lake
Erie terminal 1t is urged that the lack
OF harbor facilities at that port Is largely
responsible for the loss In trafIlc The
harbor Is in the same condition that 1t
was seventeen years ago, when the We'll
land canal was opened. The lake vessel.
now require such a 6pth Of water that
none Of the lasger class attempts to enter
Port Colborne.
The Welland canal Is 26x miles In
length. connecting Lake Erie ana Lake
Ontario by cutting through the narrow
Niagara peninsula. There IL fall Of S36k
feet In the n miles Of canal, necessitatin9
% locks. These locks are go feet in length
by IS feet In width. The canal has a
depth OF IA feet. and when It was opened
It was supposed that provision had been
made for the largest lake craft. But the
deep Sault Ste. Marie canal has permit
ted the construction of such immense
freight carriers that most Of the vessels
which could navigate the welland canal
have been driven out OF the carrying
trade
When the vessels became too large to
enter the Welland canal Tightening was
resorted to. The Grand Trunk railway
built branch line parallel with the canal.
Enough OF the cargo was transferred to
tho railroad to enable the vessel to pass
through the canal. and then the cargo was
taken on again at the other terminal This
expedient has worked fairly well until re-
Gently; but In the meantime the lake YES
sells have been growing In size each year,
and with each increase came lower freight
rates. driving the smaller vessels out OF
competition. Steamers with 200 600 bushel
capacity now control the grain carrying
trade, and these cannot enter Port Col
borne harbor. The vessels that can enter
are growing less in number each season,
and soon even the expedent Of Tightening
vessels will not suffice to. bring traffic to
the canal
While the government admits the neces-
sfty Of better harbor. II seems unwilling
TO take immediate steps toward providing
one. 1t Is urged that this will prove of
only temporary value unless the canal
is enlarged as well. and II the canal IL en-
larged so as to admit the largest lake
craft, there would still be heavy expendi-
u.
which does not even have q fourteen-foot
channel for its entire length, although
that depth Is expected to be secured this
season.
The welland canal up to date has cost
the government $2a. IL, 81 Its best year in
tonnage was 1893, when ]. - So tons of
grain and merchandise passed through IL
east and west. Since them the decline in
grain shipments has been especially mark
aft 81 to- "a.
increases every year. In 1888 the grain
that passed down the welland was about
Is per cent. OF the grain receipts at BufYa-
10; In 1888 IL was about 8 per cent, or q
loss OF - per cent. az compared with
Buffalo. The grain that passed down the
weliand last year was less than five years
ago. while the grain receipts at Buffalo
were nearly three times what they were
ten years ago.
The French consul at Manila has sen, to
his government a dispatch concerning
long kst OF enterprises which Americans
are establishing in the archipelago, and
warns his government that 1t must be up
and doing IL Il expects to compete with
the United States in securing the Philip
pine trade and profits. Consul Covert. at
Lyons. France. sends this translation Of
the French consui's report:
Inc appearance OF Manila IL destined
10 change in a short time. The !ntroduc-
ton OF new and powerful actor In the
commercial problem Of this country will
compel Spanish merchants TO close their
houses or 10 entirely change their business
methods. American competition has COM
menced, In fact. 10 assume alarming pre-
portions. What viii ha the importance Of
this current when these newcomers are
free to direct the commercial destinies
OF the philippines-to Hood this market
with all the products OF their industriesf
1.-THE EngiAh and German merchanss,
formerly masters In this colony. watch
with keen interest the events now In prog
ress and await. with undisgnlsed impa-
thence. the termination OF the struggle be-
tween the Americans and the insurgents.
that they may discern the turn that things
will take. No one. however. doubts that
q strong rivalry II about TO arise. and ey
regret The pas; condition OF affairs and
the advantages they then possessed
MANY Of the wealthy people. mixed
breeds. and lnftans have left for Hong
kong or suspended business. and. ~ their
expenditures and style OF living viii BE- re-
aueed In the future. the vslue OF the mar
kef. as a importing center. Uiii diminish
II win Be more than ever necessnxy TOR tbs