The times., 1899-08-21
CHART OF WATER ROUTES
A Contrast Showing Distance Saved
by an Isthmian Canal.
IL Has Recently Been Issued by the
Treasury Department and Gives
1nterestInc Data on Relative Dis
tauce Between Commercial Cen
tres of This and other Countries.

data on the relative distance between the
commercial centres of the United States
and those OF other parts Of the world via
the various existing and proposed water
routes. 1t shows especially the routes fol-
lowed by steamships in the commerce be-
tween the Eastern and Southern ports OF
the United States and Of Central and
South America and the Western coast OF
the United States. The contrast between
the distances now traversed in commerce
OF eastern United States with western
coasts of America and those which would
be made practicable by an isthmian canal Is
interesting. The fact that the Isthmus Of
Panama lies almost directly south Of the
Atlantic Coast ports and that all COM
nerce for the western coasts OF Soutn
America must now travel eastwardly a
distance of over 500 miles and again back
to the west a like distance before reaching
the western coast Of South America indi-
Gates in some degree the loss of distance
and steam power which must be utilized
in reaching the western coast Of South
America, eontrasted with that which will
be practicable should a water route be
opened across the isthmus. From New
York to Valparaiso on the western coast OF
South America via the Straits of Magellan
is shown 10 be S4e0 miles, while via Colon
and Panama ii is but s572 miles; while
from New York to San Francisco via the
Straits of Magellan is 13, ,0s0 miles, while
via Nicaragua il is 1867. The commerce
Of the west coast Of South America, as
shown by the publication of the Bureau of
Statistics which this map accompanies,
now amounts TO over 500, ,0o0, 600 annually,
and OF this sum but SIS, 5,00o GOO is with the
United States The imports OF Chile, Peru,
Ecuador, and Bolivia amounted in 1887 to
over $50 0o0, ,0G0. and OF this amount less
than IS COO was from the United States.
Thus in that part of the commerce in
which the United States producers and
manufacturers are most interested, the ex-
port trade. the United States now obtains
less than 10 per cent Of the trade of the
Pacific Coast of South America.
Regarding the details of the trade of the
western coast OF South America, the spe-
cial publication Of the Bureau of Statistics
relative TO the commerce Of Central and
South America has the following:
Chile. which occupies the southern half
OF the western coast of South America,
about equals IL size the States of Cali
fornia, Oregon. and Washington, the area
being 290, ,S29 square miles, and the popu-
Iaticn s,049, ,352, or about two-thirds that
of New England Lying largely within
the temperate zone, IL has developed
greater variety of industries. and with
greater success than its neighbors lying
nearer TO the equator. About one-half Of
its population is engaged in agriculture,
the wheat product alone being about
Is 600, 0e0 bushels, other cereals amount
ing to about s, 500, 600 bushels. besides fruits
and vegetables. Sheep and cattle are
largely grown, and wool, hides, and leather
form the important features OF her ex-
ports. The most important of the exports,
however, is nitrate the expectation Of
which is rapidly increasing. The imports
in 1897 are given at So, ,90S5 OF which
sl0.ela775 was from the United Kingdom,
S6.0I3.2 .230 from Germany, s1,624, ,4s5 from
the United States. SIs4, ,42S from Spain
and 5.474 SOC from other countries. thus
indicating that the United States has less
than per cent of the imports OF Chile
The Statesmans Year Book" gives the
value Of the imports into Chile in 1886 at
60 2zs coz pesos from Great Britain, 20,0S0.-
9s3 from Germany, $780,. .l55 from the
United States lyalue Of peso, 36 II centsb.
The imports of 1897 included sugar,
valued at 5,9S3, ,e5s pesos; coal, 4,l22,s SIS;
cotton and cotton goods. 3.937,000; sacks,
empty, 2.44o ,20s: Illuminating oil, /, As ,090;
chasmer0s, 1.22i. SIS; tea, 1882 and
galvanized iron, ], ,292. l76 pesos. Chile was
the first State OF South America in The
construction OF railways In 1897 the total
length OF her lines open for traffic was
2.e6I miles. Of which 1.233 belong to the
State The trans-Andino line, which is
expected to connect the Pacific with the
Atlantic from Valparaiso, Chile, to Buenos
Ayres, Argentina lacks but As miles of
completion. Recent appropriations for
completing the tunnels required for this
purpose encourage the belief that il VIII
soon be completed and through land trans
portation thus given between the Pacific
and the Atlantic al this point
Peru. which stretches northwardly from
Chile has also an area equivalent TO thai
Of California, Oregon and Washington
combined, being sG3.7s square miles, and
a population slightly greater than that ol
the State Of Texas. being 2,62l,0oo. The
imports OF Peru in 1897 are gwen at $500
Ta2 OF which amount S737 ,S56 or 9-15 pei
cent. was from the United States. whilS
S3 Oee Tse was from the United Kingdom
Sl37oSS0 from Germany, and $5s5,5S'
from France. The chief productions ar'
cotton. coffee and sugar. Cinchona, India
rubber dyes, and medicinal plants are alst
features of the products. The foreigr
commerce which is chiefly with Grea
Britain and Germany, is carried on from
several ports. Of which the principal ar
callao and Mollondo. The 1887 import
are given at Is 004, Gas soils (yalue o. sol
z34c): the chief exports are sugar, slive
ore. copper ore. coffee, wool, rubber. co
caine and cocoa leaves. over one-third o
the imports into Peru are from Gres
Britain, one-sixth from Germany. and one
ninth from France The chief export
woolens, oottons, iron, wrought and IN
wrought and machinery.
Ecuador which lies directly north O
Peru. has an area OF 10000 square mi e.
about euoal 20 that OF Ohio Indiana. an
Illinois combined. and a population G
1.272, eco Although lying directly unde
the equator, the great elevation OF its ia
bic lands gives very considerable Fariet
10 its productions. Coffee, cocoa, rice
sugar. rubber. cabinet woods, chemi ais
and minerals are its chief products and eX
ports. Its chief imports are cotton an
other tissues, provisions. manufacture {
iron and steel. clothing, and mineral OF
Fronting as II does only on the Pac. hc, il
distance by water from the eastern paI
Of the United States IS very great. and z
q consequence its purchases are lareel
from European countries The export
from the United States TO Ecuador hay
never reached $1,000 600 annually, u
nearest approach being in 1891 when ii
total was sso3 159 though that of 1893 wa
SS55, 1888. According 10 the message OF th
President OF Ecuador, delivered IN 1885 th
imports OF 1897 amounted TO 1901 o.
sucres fvalue of suere in 1887, 474c; pres
ent value, s34c) British exports
Ecuador In 1897 amounted to s., COO, 90
the chief articles being cotton good
sl,s50. .0eo. woolens, 100000; and irol
wrought and unwrought, $4,000.
Bolivia being entirely an interior cour
TN and having no seaport the otficii
statistics are fragmentary and largely ei
inmates. Imports and exports pass chief
through Autcfagasta, Africa, and Mollend
on the Pacific coast and IN smaller quar-
titles through the eastern river port