The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1899-09-15
YALE ST. Clair County. Mich SEPTEMBER 15 1890
OUR FOREIGN POLICY.
Article No. 3.

1t is still fresh in the public mind
that when the Spanish fleet threatened
to cross the Atlantic, distance of a.
bout 5000 miles and attack our sea-
board cities, our first class battle ship
The Oregon and several others were at
San Franclsco; that the navy de-
partment ordered her captain to get
his ship into line of battle off Cuba
with all possible speed, and that in or
der to do SO he had to sail her south
along the west coast Of North and
South America and thence around
Cape Horn. and north to Cuba. q total
distance Of $1,000 miles.
And the thinking public have been
considering the proposed cut OF some
100 miles separating the two oceans an
absolute necessity ever since that
memorable trip was made. The dis
tance from San Francisco to New
York by way of Cape Horn is 1880
miles. The distance through the can
al when completed will be 4,760 miles.
The distance saved is therefore l0,0S0
miles, or more than twice the distance
of the trip ola the canal route.
This illustrates the Importance of
the canal to all those industries and
manufactures seeking market in
Japan, the PHILIPPINES, China and the
far East. by completing the canal
ships will sail south to the cut and
thence directly west to those ports in
stead of sailing around the Horn. The
saving will be 10000 miles each way,
or 10000 miles of actual distance each
round trip.
Our exports to the far East to-day
approximate $40,000,000 annually. II
is estimated by those who have spent
many years in those regions and whose
judgment may be relied upon, that
owing to our aggressive policy in the
East, the people of that region are
turning to the United States as an i'm
portant world power, and that in the
near future the sales of our products
and manufactured goods are certain to
reach Sl50,00O,000 annually.
If then, we shall accomplish this
under present conditions it is hardly
possible to estimate the vastness OF
our trade if we shall shorten the dis
tance between shipping points by
! 10000 miles; but it is safe to say thai
such an improvement must bring q
wonderful prosperity to our people.
a commission Uf experts have been
appointed by the president and these
have had corps of eminent civil en-.
gineers making measurements and
estimates throughout the year, and il
is expected that the matter will be III
shape for congressional action during
the next year. 1t is already announc
ed that the improvement can be com
pleted at not to exceed S150,0O0,O00, and
that the actual added value to our eX
port trade will repay this total within
ten years. 1t is to be hoped that Con
gress will take the necessary steps tC
secure the title to q strip of land on
each side of the Canal and harbor al
each end so that the entire improve
ment shall be within our own territory
! Then if Congress shall either pay OF
guarantee the cost it will also collect
the tolls which cannot lail to amount
to enormous proportions. This viii
preclude interference on the part oi
any foreign nation.
In this connection the Importance OF
the SueZ Canal. connecting the Medi
teranean Sea with the Red Sea, may
well be considered. Prior to the con
struction Of this canal England ship
ped her exports to India south on the
Atlantic, around Cape Good Hope. anC
north on the Indian Ocean; a total dis
tance of l0,S40 miles. by means of ;
cut of 100 miles across the isthmus OF
SueZ the distance was shortenedto 5,79(
miles, and shortened the distance be
tween London, England and Bombay,
India by over 5000 miles. The tOta
cost of this canal was S77,OO0,000 anC
the annual receipts from tolls, at low
rates, amounts TO the enormous sun
of over Sl5,000,000, or about One-liftl
the original cost. This improvement
more than any other cause, has beeI
the means of securing TO England The
enormous traffic with India and the
East that to-day makes her one of The
most important and powerful nations
of earth. English statesmen continu
ally blocked the building of this cana
by DeLessepps and the French unit
they secured an agreement that placed
her merchantmen on equal terms will
the French and other nations.
Our nation will undoubtedly profit
by England's example. The building
of the Nicaragua route is of mucf
greater Importance to our Commerce
than was the Suez canal to England
and it is estimated that the tolls must
be correspondingly greater. 1t becomes
a necessity to the nation in view of The
important position we now occupy in
| thp East