Evening journal., 1907-01-14


merce Of the Delaware and Chesapeake,
registered and otherwise has been esti-
mated all the way from 100000 to 90
100000 tons annually This is much larger
than the tonnage of the entire annual
foreign commerce of the United STAGES.
The Isthmian Canal Commission estimat-
ed that the Panama Canal now to be
built at a cost approximating $1,000 90.
would have carried a tonnage in 1870 a
but 4574,s52 tons.
"Of the registered tonnage traffic in a
recent compilation Of 25s7s,1s7 were On
Delaware Bay points and 24.151.932 on
Chesapeake BAY points These agures.
however, do not include the undocumented
and unregistered tonnage traffic, which
would add nearly 100 per cent to tbe
total.
Great Boom for coastwise Trade.
Considerably less than one-tenth Of the
traffic on the Delaware and Chesapeake
Bays and their various points belongs to
foreign commerce. The great value OF the
proposed canal would be in facilitating
the coastwise trade.
1T Is estimated that at least 100000
tons Of coal would 60 through this canal
to consumers further north. Under the
present conditions much Of this coal has
to make detour BY way Of the Capes.
and often the vessels must lie at Hamp-
ton Roads 10 or p days and even two
weeks wafting a shift of wind.
"A striking Illustration Of this condi-
ton was found in the newspapers Of
Thursday October %. 1906. the day. the
first draft of this part Of the report was
written-when it was stated that on that
day about 75 steamers. tugs, barges and
sailing vessels passed out Cape Henry
bound south and east, the majority hav-
ing been weatherbound for at least two
weeks.
THE experts who appeared before The
commission believe that the canal would
cheaper coal for the New England points
Lumber will be an important item. Its
movement northward from the Carolinas
and other Southern States is much ham
pered by the inadequacy Of the present
canal. with a free canal the cost would
be about half the present rate according
to the experience OF the lumber trade on
the Great Lakes.
Coal and lumber have been mentioned
but they are only two Of the numcrou:
products. among which may be counted
cotton, corn, slaves, hog products, poul.
try and vegetables, live stock. hay. fish
cries. tobacco. coke. wool. potatoes. pea.
nuts. phosphate, turpentine and rosu
zinc and stone.
1T is estimated that the South each
year has over s2O00,OO0.O00 worth of raw
materials. A very considerable part o
all this seeks Northern markets, and 81
return the North sends machinery and
supplies of all kinds All this movement
would be aided by the proposed canal
The manufacturing interests touched by
waterways which this canal would con
meet and Of which it would become I
part have an annual total production o
considerably moro than s1,O00,OO0,O00
MANY OF the great industrial concerns
have located on the seaboard so as {,
have the advantage OF cheap transporta
ton.
1T is the commissions opinion that th'
deep water canal across the upper end o
the peninsula would be Of very great an
vantage to commerce It would give tn
/ West seaboard more than 100 miles near
er the ocean than It now has. It woul
relieve hundreds OF vessels OF the neces
sity Of a dangerous sea route which 4
years gone by has cost tens OF million
OF dollars in wrecks. It would save tim
and expense TO the trade movements c
the whole country. 1t would immediatei
affect the 100000 people upon the tw
bays and their tributaries, and woul
contribute to the interests of all Of tn
population. In increasing the commerce
and reducing the cost Of transportation
would stimulate production and be Of d
rect financial benefit TO American indus
tries. The commission believes the com
mercial advantages viii fully Justify tn
expenditure OF the funds necessary I
complete the work.