The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-13
nine SHIP CANALS|A Ro
All Those in the World Passed in
Review.
COST, COMMERCE AND DIMENSIONS
COMPILATION of Value In View of the
Pending Projects ON the
y I & Isthmus.

Fron. The journal Bureau, Room So Posa
Building WashSsgton'
Washington, Jan. 13.-"Great Canals OF
the World" is the title of study pre-
pared 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 connecting great
bodies of water, and which may be prop
erly termed ship canals
Ship canals connecting great bodies of
water, and Of sufficient Dimensions to &C
comm odate the great modern vessels ply
ing upon such waters, are of compare
lively recent production, and few in num-
Der. The one great example OF works OF
this character, which has been q sufficient
length Of time in existence and operation
to supply satisfactory data as to cost OF
maintenance and operation, and practical
value to the commerce OF the Woflo, IS
the Suez canal. and for this the avail
able statistics begin with the year 1870
while it's new and enlarged dimensions
only date form the year 1886. For the
Sault Ste. Marie canal, connecting Lake
Ssaerior with Lake Huron, statistics GATE
from 1855, 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 it's
present enlarged form, cover only two
wears of operation. The other great ship
canals of the world are of much more
recent construction, and data regarding
their operation therefore cover a compar-
atively brief term, and in some cases are
scarcely at present available in detail.
All the Ship Canals. 1s
The artificial waterways, which may
properly be termed ship canals, are nine
in number, viz:
The suez canal. begun in 1859 and COM
pleted in 1862 .-.... . -.E
The Kronstadt and St. ePtersburg canal,
begun in 1877 and completed in 1880
The Corinth canal, begun in 1884 and COM
pleted in 1893. ...- Fl. TEX.
The Manchester ship canal completed in
1894.
The Kaiser Wilhelm canal. connecting the
Baltic and North Seas, completed in 1895.
The Elbe and Trave canal connecting the
North and Baltic, opened in 1900.
The Welland canal connecting Lake Erie
with Lake Ontario.
The two canals, United States and Ca
madam, respectively, connecting Lake Su-
perior with Lake Huron.
The description, which is given Of each
Of these great waterways, shows that the
length of the Suez canal is about ninety
miles, the cost 100000, the present
depth thirty-one feet, width at bottom l0S
feet, and at the surface APO feet, and
that the number Of vessels passing
through it has grown from 4S6, in 1870, to
1,494 in 1875, 2,O26 in 1880, 1883 in 1890,
and 3,441 in 1900. The tolls charged are
about 50 per net registered ton.
The Manchester.
The Kronstadt and st. Petersburg canal,
which gives passage way for great ves-
sells to st. Petersburg, Is sixteen miles
long, including the deepening of the bay
channel, 20 IL feet in depth, and the to-
tai cost estimated at $10OOQ,0OO.
The Corinth canal, which connects the
Gulf Of Corinth with the Gulf of Aegina,
is four miles in length, 26 IA feet in
depth, 72 feet wide at the bottom, cost
about s., 100000, and reduces the sailing
distance about 175 miles. The average
tolls charged are 18c per ten, and zoe per
passenger. 4 .s .--.
The Manchester ship canal, which con-
meets Manchester, Eng, with the Mersey
river and Liverpool, was opened in 1884.
Its length is 1914 miles, depth rs feet,
width at bottom, 120 feet and at the sur
face It's feet, and it cost $75,O0O,OOO. The
commerce on the canal shows a growth
from S7s,2O4 tons in 1896 to 1,492,32O tons
in 1900.
The Kaiser Wilhelm canal, which con-
meets the Baltic and North seas through
Germany, is 81 miles in length, 291A feet
in depth, ~ feet wide at the bottom, 100
feet wide at the surface, and cost about
$40, 0OO 900. The number Of vessels pass
ing through it has increased from 19, $50
in 1897 to 29.O95 in 1900. CT which number
1916 were sailing vessels. The tonnage
in 1897 was 1,84s.45s, and in 1900, 4,2S2, Os4
tons. An additional canal connecting the
same bodies of water by way Of the Elbe
and Trave rivers was opened in 1900. Its
length is Al miles, depth about 10 feet
width y feet, and it cost $6,O0O,OO0.
The great North Holland canal which
connects Amsterdam with the sea, cut in
1S45, but deepened at a later date, has now
depth of 20 feet, width OF 125 feet at
the surface The Caledonian canal, which
connects the Atlantic and North Sea
through the north of Scotland, is II feet
in depth, SO feet in width at the bottom
$50 miles long, cost $7,0O0,000. and is at its
highest point "a feet above sea level. The
Canal du Midi, cut through France from
Toulouse on the Garonne to Cette on the
Mediterranean. distance of $50 miles
is 61s feet deep, 80 feet wide and 600 feet
above sea level at it's highest point, and
has III locks; total cost. SO, 100000.
Great Lake Connection. ..
In America the canals connecting the
great lakes are the principal ship canals
and are three in number-the WellanC
canal, originally constructed in 1888, an6
enlarged in 1871 and 1900; the Sault Ste
Marie, or st. Mary's river canal, opened
in 1856, and enlarged in 1897; and the
Canadian canal at st. Mary's river, opened
in 1895. The American and Canadian
canals at st. Mary's Falls are practically
identical in location and dimensions, and
are used Interchangeable by vessels en-
gagged in commerce, as convenience may
dictate. The depth of the canals at the
St. Mary's river is sufficient to accom-
'modate vessels drawing twenty feet Of
water. The American canal was original
ly constructed by the state of Michigan
but subsequently taken charge of by the
United States and enlarged at cost Of
$2,150,O00. The cost Of the Welland cana
was about s30,oOOO00. largely due to the