The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-08-08

subject Of careful investigation by prop
erly organized governmental commits
sion"
Shortening Trade Reates-
Continuing. Mr.. NImmo says: Neither
the Nicaragua canal nor the Panama Ca
nal would afford the shortest or the most
practicable route for the trade OF the At
lantic seaports OF the United states or
FOR the trade Of the countries % Europe
with Asia or Australasia. This is placed
beyond all question by the following
statements Of distances furnished TO ne.
under date of June "a. 1895 by the super
iatendent OF the United States Coast aud
GeodetIc Survey.
Pres WsaHa 20 yep Yerk: Naz,lcal niles.
va 1sez Eal...................-...-. ll.-13
Via Aicar1Ezz Cznsl---.--..--......... HIS
FrCI Maaila O. Lo11on
"a f5fA fafai----- -..-...--r.-.-..--- sew
Wa SicaraglS Causl...................f 1859
This indicates that the Suez route has
an advantage Of 81 miles over he Mica
ragua route for the trade Of New York
vita Manila. ard an advantage o. $3.50
miles over the Nicaragua route for the
trade % London with Manila. The Suez
Canal Is, however, q sea level canal,
whereas the Nicaragua Canal involves
20 feet OF lOcksge. In respect TO tie in
portant consideration OF co3ling facilities.
having regard both 10 location OF cca!ing
stations and the price Of coal. the SIez
Canal route is also greatly superior 20
either the Nicaragua or the Panama
route. Taking all these facts into cOnsid-
Grafton. IL Is evident that the SueZ Canal
possesses an equivalent advantage OF
fully 800 miles over the Nicaragua or the
Panama Canal route with respect 10 the
commerce OF the Atlantic seaports OF
the United States with Asia and Austria
lasia, aud Of fully 900 miles with respect
to the commerce Of the various countries
OF Europe with Asia and Australasia.
''The rainfall at the eastern end OF the
Nicaraguan Canal has amounted TO y
feet in single year, whereas
the average annual rainfall at
Suez is only about two inches.
The enormous precipitation at Nicaragua
not only vitality affects the question as TO
the permanence Of eaTthwOrks, but Ads a
material bearing upon the question Of
navigation. A careful observer % en-
cheering works on the American Isthmus
and contiguous territory declares that all
maximum estimates Of cost Of constrIc-
ton in the United States should be null
tiplied by 2 - in order 10 obtain the cost
Of similar earthworks on the American
isthmus on account Of the enormous pre-
eipitation in that part OF the globe"
Effect on Sailing Vessels.
Proponents Of the American canals i'm
agine. however. that upon the completion
OF their projects sailing vessels VIII give
place TO steamships That IS highly prob
lematical. Sailing tonnage is fairly hold
ing its own i'm the ports OF the globe, es-
pecially for long voyages. The following
was the composition Of the American
merchant marine for the year 1898:
Tons.
Tonnage ~ sailing yeszrs.................e so SIS
Tonnage q steam vessels................ 81 S23
This shows the tonnage Of sailing YES
sells TO he somewhat in excess of that OF
steam vessels. Besides the carrying ca
pacity Of sailing vessels considerably ex-
ceeds that Of steam vessels on account Of
space occupied on the latter by boilers.
engines. and coal. The total tonnage Of
vessels entered at and cleared from ports
Of the Pacific coast of the United States
in trade with Europe during the year 1898
amounted to s21,0l0 tons, of which only
l.l9 was steam tonnage the rest being
of large sailing vessels. Sailing
vessels pursuing the Cape Horn route re-
luire much more time than would steam |
Frs by the canal route, but are much |
more cheaply operated and afford the i'm |
Dortant advantage of storage at sea Be |
sides steam vessels would incur the ex-
Dense OF tolls on the canal, which at the |
rate lately current on the Suez Canal |
$3.50 per ton-would amount TO $500 on a |
i,eOo-ton steamer for each passage Sail |
ng vessels are still largely employed in |
The trade Of Great Britain with Australia |
and with China and Japan. Such vessels !
pursue the route via the Cape of Good !
Hope and never take the Suez Canal |
route. This is a subject which should he |
carefully investigated and reported upon 1
BY a competent and impartial commission 1
July authorized by order of Congress. /
There is now a large number Of sailing /
7essels in course of construction in this
country. and the owners of these vessels
ace the future with confidence in the
success Of their ventures.
After an argument to show that the
sthmian or Nicaragua Canal could never
.qual the traffic Of the Suez. together
With the citation Of numerous Instances
proving that canals in general ara being
lriven out by the railroads. Mr.. NimmO
that, under present conditions.
lot more than 100000 tons may De conf
lently expected to pass Though the pre-
'osed canal annually. Therefore he con-
,ludes that the tolls would net be suf-
icient TO pay for the repairs and main
enance of the canal. much less the in
crest on the investment, amounting to
everal millions annually.