Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-07

The fellow canal which the German
emperor opened the other day. establishes
a fresh and most important link between
the eastern and western canal system OF
Prussia. The canal which is about twenty
four miles in length, passes through the
forests and lakes to the south and south
west Of Berlin, and connects the upper
Spree near Kopenick with the Havel near
Potsdam. 1t was built by the district coun-
ell of Teltow, WITHOUT state aid at a cost
of 100000 and its construction occupied
six years The original estimates were
one-third lower, but the cost of the land
and the special engineering difficulties
added enormously to the expense. No fewer
than nifty bridges had to be constructed
five of them within a distance OF 800 yeards
i'm order to carry railways and roads
across the waterway, and part of the land
through which the canal passes offered no
firm foundations when Il was first eN-
cavated. The width of the sill, or central
and deepest part of the canal, is through
out sixty-five and one-half feet, and adj
mits of the passage of vessels Of 600 reg
lister tons with a draught of about five
feet. nine inches Five harbor basins have
been excavated at Tetow, GrosslichteT-
felde Steglitz. Britt, and Tempelhof and
near all of them there are goods stations
upon the railway lines which converge upon
Berlin A special feature of the canal Is
the electric system of traction. Electric
locomotives, which are nearly noiscless,
and are supplied with power from overhead
wires, run along the banks, and tow the
boats in either direction. Thus speed is
gained and the destructive effect upon the
banks Of the screws of tugs will be alto
rrl,1 ta anVNrV fIN
of Teltow. and will help to secure an ample
return upon the outlay.
Everybody in Japan appears to do work
OF some kind II is country without beg
sars, without drunkards, and all are polite
and good-natured" says Jacob II. Sch'n'
the New York banker, in Harper's Weekly.
Nothing is heard or seen Of the erect M
the recent war. The people neither talk
about IL nor have they become overbearlng
or in any manner intoxicated by their great
victories but have quietly gone to work
to develop their industries, 10 increase their
commerce and trade. and to get fair
control over the new markets which the
success of their armies has opened for
them. A tendency to exclude other nations
from these markets does not exist. the uni
form and repeated assurance being readily
given by Japan's leading statesmen that
the promise of the open door in Corea and
Manchuria will, as far as Japan is CON
cerned, be strictly carried out. Corea itself
is gradually getting under effective Japa-
nese control and administration, which will
he Of much benefit to this entirely out-ot-
date country the resources Of which ap-
near 10 have been dormant for centuries;
these with proper and intelligent admins
trative methods should promise rich results.
The natural resources OF Japan itself are
probably somewhat limited, but its people
are frugal. intelligent and energetic, and
the burdens which the late war has i'm
posed do not appear to weigh heavily upon
them
In his recent open letter on the subject
~ Congo reform King Leopold OF Belgium
declared that his experience compelled him
10 reject the policy of annexation on the
ground that new countries like the Congo
require a more rapid system OF administra-
tion than is afforded by parliamentary in
stttutions He added: III you are asked
nv intentions you must reply that ]. for
INV mart. consider myself morally bound 10
inform the country whenever consider the
moment opportune 10 examine the question
without prejudice. At present have moth
ing to say" with regard 10 this the spe-
cial correspondent Of the London Times al
Brussels repeats his former statement that
not only was the question Of annexation
seriously discussed last April, but scheme
was actually prepared for placing bill
before the Chamber with that object. The
fact that the Catholic party remained in
power after the May elections he remarks,