The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-01-13

| Special Correspondence OF The Tribune
Washington Jan. ~.
| ~ RENr Canals of the World" Is the title
Of study prepared by the Treasury
~ Bureau OF Statistics for publication
In the forthcoming volume OF the
Monthly summary of Commerce and Finance 1t
shows the commerce, cost and dimensions of the
great canals Of the world, especially those con.
meeting great bodie, Of water and which may he
properly termed ship canals.
Ship canals connecting grcut bodies Of wafer
and OF sufficient dimensions 10 accommodate the
great modern vessels plying upon such waters are
OF comparatively recent production and few In
number The one great example of works of this
character which has been sufficient length ot
time IN existence and operation to supply salts.
factory data as 10 cost Of maintenance and opera.
tioh and practical value to the commerce of the
world is the Sucz canal, and for this the available
statistics begin with the year 1870, while its new
and enlarged dimensions only date from the year
lSOO. For the Sault ste Marie canal, connecting
Lake superior with Lake Huron. statistics date
from 1880, though for the canal in its present
form they cover but about four years Statistics
OF the Weland canal date from 1867, but for the
canal in its present enlarged form cover only two
years Of operation. The other great ship canals
Of the world are of much more recent constuc.
ton and data regarding their operation therefore
cover u comparatively brief term. and in some
cases are scarcely at present available in detail.
The artificial waterways which may be properly
termed Ship canals are nine in number, viz:
!. The Suca canal, begun in 1859 and com.
plctcd in 1SG0
2. The Clonstadt and ST. Petersburg canal, be.
gun in 1877 and completed in $3.50
,. The Cornth canal, begun in 1851 and com.
pleted in lsO3.
!. The Manchester ship canal. completed in
1891.
.. The Kaiser wilhelm canal. connecting the
Baltic and North Seas completed in 1895.
O. The Elbc and Trave canal connecting the
North Sea and Baltic opened in 1900.
T. The Welland canal, connecting Lake Erie
with Lake ontario
and 9. The two canals. United States and
Canadian, respectively, connecting Lake superior
with Lake Huron.
The description which is given of each of these
great waterways shows that the length of the
Suez canal is about 90 miles. the cost 500. .OoO.
OOO tile present depth IL feet, width at bottom
los feet and at the surface 40 feet and that the
number of vessels passing through it has grown
from isj in 1870, TO l,I0i in 1915. 2,O26 in 1880
3,SS0 in lS0o and 3,441 in 1900. The tolls charged
are about y per net registered ton.
The CrOnstadt and st. Petersburg canal. which
gives passage way for great vessels to st.
Petersburg. is 10 miles long. including the seep
ening of the bay channel 2Oia feet in depth: and
the total cost estimated at SlO,OCo,0O0.
Tho Corinth canal, which connects the Gull OF
Corinth with the Gulf OF Acgina. Is four miles in
length, 2GM feet in depth, - feet wide at the
bottom, cost about Sj,OOO,OO0 and reduces the sail
ing distance about l7j miles The average tolls
charged are lSc per ton and zoe per passenger.
The Manchester ship canal, which connects Man.
chester, Eng. with the Mcrsey river and Liver.
pool. was opened in 1894. Its length is 35i4
miles, depth 26 feet. width at bottom l2O feet