The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1902-01-17

AuUCEGHLH& ACCOuNA VI AnCSC WdtSE-
ways, Which Connect Immense
Bodies of Water-Afford Passage
Way for Vessels of War and Carr
riers of rIerchandize-- Built and En-
Iarged at Tremendous Cost.
'sGreat Canals Of the World is the
title of a study prepared by the Treae
sury Bureau of Statistics for publica-
tion 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
connecting great bodies Of water and
which may be properly termed ship
canals.
Ship canals connecting great bodies
of water and of sufficient dimensions
toaccommodate the great modern yes
sells plying on such waters are of COM
paratively recent production and few
in number. The one great example of
works of this character which has
been sufficient length of time in ex-
istence and operation to supply salts
factory data as to cost oflmaintenance
and operation and practical value to
the commerce of the world is the Suez
canal, and for this the available sta
tistics begin with the year 1870, while
its new and enlarged dimensions only
date from the year 1896. For the
Sault Ste. Marie canal, connecting
Lake Superior with Lake Huron, sta
tistics date from 1856, though for the
canal in it's present form they cover
but about -four years. Statistics of the
Welland canal date FROM 1867, but
for the canal in it's present enlarged
form cover only two years of opera
tion. The other great ship canals of
the world are of Emuch more recent
construction, and data regarding their
operation therefore cover compara-
lively 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
1. The Suez Canal, begun in 1869
and completed in 1869.
2. The Cronstadt and st. Petersburg
canal, begun in 1877 and completed
in 1870.
8. The Corinth canal, begun in 1884
and completed in 1898.
4. The Manchester ship canal, COM
p1eted in 1894
5. The Kaiser Wilhelm canal con-
Meeting the Baltic and North Seas,
completed in 1895.
6. The Elbe and Trave canal, con-
Meeting the North Sea and Baltic,
opened in 1900
Z. The Welland canal, connecting
Lake Erie with Lake Ontario.
s and 8. The two canals, United
States and Canadian respectively,
connecting Lake Superior with Lake
Huron.
The description which is given of
each of these great water ways shows
that the length of the Suez canal is
about 80 miles, the cost 300, 600, 900,
the present depth 81 feet, width at
bottom 10S feet and at the surface 4S0
feet, and that the number of vessels
passing through it has grown from
486 in 1870 to |, 494 in 1875, 2, 026 in
1880, 3, S89 in 1890 and 8, AL in 1900
The tolls charged are about So per
net registered ton.
The Cronstadt and ST. Petersburg
canal, which gives passage for great
vessels to St. Petersburg is is miles
long, including the deepening of the
bay channel, 2016 feet in depth, and
the total cost estimated at $40. 600, 900.
The Corinth canal, which connects
the Gulf of Corinth with the Gulf of
Aegina, is four miles in length, 2615
feet in depth, 70 feet wide at the bot
tom. cost about SIS. 600, 900 and reduces
the sailing distance about 175 miles
The average tolls charged are 1Sc per
ton and zoe per passenger.
The Manchester ship canal which
connects Manchester, Eng, with the
Mersey river and Liverpool was open
ed in 1894 Its length is 351s miles,
depth, 26 feet, width at bottom 100
feet and at the surface, 176 feet. and
cost $75, 900, 600 The commerce ON the
canal shows growth from 10, 204
tons in 1895 to /, 49s, $40 tons in 1900.
The Kaiser Wilhelm canal. which
connects the Baltic and the North sea
through Germany, is 81 miles in
length, 29l6 feet in depth, ~ feet
wide at the bottom, 1870 feet wide at
the surface and cost about $40, 900, GOO.
The number of vessels passing
through it has increased from 1890
in 1897 to 90, 059 in 1900, OF which
number l6, re were sailing vessels.
The tonnage is 1897 was 1,S48, 458, and
in 1900, a, 1882. 094 tons. An additional
canal connecting the same bodies Of
water, by way Of the Elbe and Trave
rivers, was opened in 1900. It's length
/ is A miles. depth about 10 feet,
width ~ feet, and cost $6, 600. 000
IHQ frraok N<.4h Tr~I1o..1