Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12

of canal improvement either in contempla-
ton or actually in hand.
France is taking the lead In 1902 the
French parliament approved a great gen.
eral scheme prepared by M. Baudin, the
minister of public works, for the improve
ment Of existing waterways, and the con-
Struction of new canals. The sum in
volved is about 100000, 600. and the work
is being carried out quickly as other de-
mands on the exchecquer permit. Surveys
have been made for all the projects, and
some of them have actually been started.
There are five separate schemes for the
improvement of existing canals and 1t Is
proposed to construct no fewer than ten
large new canals connecting the principal
commercial centers of France, such as
Nantes, MarseilIe and Orleans
England is doing nothing big at present
in the line of canals, but there Is scheme
to connect the docks at Southampton with
London by a barge canal. 1t is esti-
mated that this can be done for S15, 900. 600.
The great idea of the originators of the
scheme Is that motor barges could come
from France and the Channel Islands
through this canal right up to London,
bringing vast quantities of market produce
and other merchandise.
Plans for Future Work.
There is another scheme to connect the
Midway and the Thames by canal esti-
mated to cost one and a half million
dollars.
Belgium is adding to it's fine system of
canals by the building of the Bruges ship
canal, which will connect the great city of
Bruges with the port of Heyst. The total
cost Is estimated at nearly 35,OOO,O 900
francs. of which sum 25OOO,OOO francs
comes from the state
Prussia has great canaIizing scheme
from the Rhine to the Elbe, but as yet
1t is in embryo. The only part of it COM
pleted is the Dortmund-Ems canal 16S
miles long.
Russia has some great canal schemes.
but as yet they are merely schemes, and
the terrible cost of the war with Japan is
likely to postpone their execution for many
years to come.
The greatest of these schemes is for a
canal right through European Russia, to
connect the Black sea with the Baltic. and
to be capable of accommoda ting the largest
modern battle ships. OF course, the canal
would not have to be dug for the whole of
this tremendous distance, as navigable
rivers and other existing waterways would
be linked up. The Russian ministry Of the
interior announced some time ago that "the
construction Of the waterway for large ves-
sells of the navy Is considered impractical
BILE at present" But while the cost of the
war has first to be met, 1t may be ex-
pected that Russia will undertake this work
as soon as possible. Her naval strength
would be immensely increased by canal
that would enable her to transfer her Black
sea fleet to the Baltic, and vice versa. The
war has shown most plainly the undesira-
bility of having naval forces dispersed
Russia also has scheme to connect Ros-
toff, on the Danube. with the Sea of Azoff
by a deep-water canal capable of accom-
modating ocean steamships. 1t has been
approved by Prince Khilkoff. Russian min
lister of ways and communications, but 1t
will probably be also held up by the war.
Holding Their Own.
These are only a few of the canal prof.
ects in various parts of the world today,
but they suffice to show that the railway
has not put the canal out of business and
Is never likely to do so.
The dominion Of Canada is fortunate in
the matter of canals. 1t has a system of
canal, river and lake navigation over 200
miles In length, and vessels from the lake
ports reach the Atlantic without breaking
bulk. Up to 1901 SS1 ,404 ,544 had been spent
in Canada on canals for construction alone
Millions more have been spent since then,
and great schemes for extending the sys-
tenn are projected. About 80 900 vessels,
carrying over 100000 passengers and over
5,0OO,O0O tons of freight annually pass
through the Canadian canals.
This is an impressive showing but the
United States paid well over 5000, 600, 900 for
its thirty principal canals. Twenty-Five of
these waterways cost over million dollars
each, and four over ten millions apiece.
The most expensive was the Erie canal,
which cost over $52 600 900.
The Panama canal and the New York
state. barge canal will both cost more
money than the Suez canal, which was
constructed for 800. O00, 900. They also pre-
sent far greater engineering difficulties.
Another great canal scheme that is likely
to be realized in the course of the next two
three years is the cutting of a deep
water channel between ST. Louis and Chi
cago; but at present it has not advanced
beyond the stage of plans and surveys.