The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-01-01
HAWAII AND THE
PANAMA CANAL
By Lerrin A. Thurston

BY Lerrin A. 1hurston
Tt Ia a moral certainty that within
the next S or years the Panama Canal
VIII be open fer business ard that a
great shipping business which now goes
around south OF the American and
Asiatic Continent. VIII use The canal
and cross the Pacific to Asia and Japan.
There are thoee wno point TO the fact
that the line from Panama to the ORR
ent VIA san Francisoo is shorter than
via Honolulu. and claim that by Iea-
son thereof the great trade which will
1Iow through she canal across the Paci-
nc viii make San Francisco the port
Of cali instead Of Honolulu
This argument Ignores the fact that
many 1hings AFFECT and decade routes
OF travel besides distance.
The shortest distance to th1 top Of
a bluff is straight up the face Of it,
but the road to the top never goes
straight up II winds and circulates
about, covering two or three times the
direct distance from top to bottom
The shortest distance from San Fran
cisco to 81 Petersburg. il via the North
Pole. but no one ever takes that route.
There are good reasons for this. and
there are good reasons why the bulk
Of trans-Paeihc commerce will go via
HonoIuIu instead of via san Francisco
Some OF these reasons are as follows:
SEA sNooTHwIND GENTLE.
L The sea Is normally smooth and
xhe winds gentle. on thns portion OF the
PacIac extending from Panama TO Ha-
waz. ana from HAWAII to the Asiatic
coast.
On the other hand. the normal wealth
81 conditions across the north Pacific.
On the great circle line. are tempestu-
Gus SEA and stormy winds
The bulk Of the trans-Pacifc traffic
wiz be carried on in comparatively
low powered steamers. TO whom such
weather conditions are a serious hind
rance
A few days a heavy weather viii use
mp FAR more fuel On the shorter route
than would be expended on the greater
distance OF the longer but smoother
roEfe
This very fact has been several times
Illustrated by Government transports :
calling from Seattle and vicinity for
the Philippines via the northern route.
which. aFter bueking the giant seas Of
the stormy north. have given mp the
struggle and come south TO the baIny
airs and placid waters Of Hawaii; and.
after reeoaIing. departed in peace.
-saoadng through Paradise on an even
keel. as the posf phrases IL
WIND AND CURRENT FAVORABLE
2 stormy. rough weather Is diSad-
vzntageous 70 economy OF steamer
operation no matter what direction the
wind IS fsoEn. consequently. other
things being equal. sEraaeth water VIII
aIways be chosen. But # in addition
TO smooth water a fair wind and fav-
ering current Is 10 be had. strong nd
ditienal argument in favor of the
smooth ronte Is presented.
IT'S an established geographical fact
that IN the Nerth Pacific, in the
latitude Of San Francisco. the prevail
Ing wind blows strongly from the west
sweeping vei1 down toward The ccast
Of Mexico. The ocean current also SETS
IN the same direction. frequently ras5s-
hing froua ore 70 two knots an boar.
A @essel bound f1oln Panama 70 chi
a. va saa Fran sises would thsrereTe
Be steaning againSt Wind as1S current
or the entire dsssaneS Of zpproxssrsats-
y 1860 niles
On The other hand. in the latitude OF
Eawaii, the prevailing. wind. blowing
lfrse months N the rear. Is noder-
Lte Nortn East trade wind. while the
'urrsnt flows steadily from east 10
vest
West bound steamers are therefore
essonaA1y certain OF not only smooth
FateE. bat % friendly winds and fav-
ring currents.
These two favorfrg conditions 90 rot
Z course exist with relation 70 east
'oand ships, although tie. wind being
ortheast ana the course south easter