New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-03-15
COMMERCE AND THE CANAL.

Discussions of the Panama Canal continue
chiefly concerning the plan of II. whether II
shall be at high level or sea level. and chiefly
from the engineering point Of view OF late,
however something has been heard, and 1t IS
probable that IN the near future much more
will be heard, from the commercial point OF
view. from individuals and corporations practt-
cally concerned with. trade and transportation.
1t is fitting that this should be so, because the
canal while it will be the worlds greatest en-
cheering work, Is not intended primarily 10 be
q mere monument of technical achievement, but
rather a highway Of navigation. It's purposes
are naval and commercial, and so far as IL IS
possible it should be, and we doubt not will be-
planned and built with q view to the most per
feet fuflment of those purposes. Concerning
the plan of the canal, commercial opinion may
or NAV not be more united than engineering
opinion But it is somewhat remarkable though
we shall not consider 1t disconcerting, TO find at
this late date even single serious and diSin-
rerested opinion expressed against the desira-
bilitv of constructing the canal at all, on the
ground that It will be Improbable as com
mercal venture.
Such an opinion has recently been put for
ward however. with much wealth Of detailed
argument. and though we cannot accept 1t as
convincing but, indeed regard ii rs mistaken
II Is at least worthy Of notice Writing in the
New Haven makes some ingenious estimates Of
the probable outgo of the canal for construction
and maintenance and Of its income from ship
ping tolls and concludes that the great enter
prise Is likely to prove "the monumental Jolly
of the age" We must confess, however, that IN
reading his plausible discussion are reminded
Of the Archimedean boast, Give me fulcrum
for nv lever and will move the world" Given
the necessary data, one may prove anything II
f;oy,c tHo I'm dol
lars and more with which Mr.. Fox charges it,
and has the insignificant tonnage and conse-
0uentIv small revenue with which he credits 1t,
doubtless it will prove losing enterprise the
logic of his reckoning is impregnable But the
accuracy Of his premises is not evident and has
not been made evident. On the contrary. there
are on the very face of the case good reasons
for doubling and challenging it.
We doubt If engineers will approve, for ex-
ample his statement that scarcely one-fourtn
Of the necessary excavation (for a high level
canan has yet been done. and seeing how stead
jlv the cost of excavation has been reduced in
those last four wears, we must doubt if the cost
Of excavation will necessarily increase with the
dpDth at least TO any considerable degree. Iheres
are competent engineers who insist that it should
materially decrease. We cannot accept elmer
the dictum which he quotes as authoritative
that traffic through the canal will be confined 10
steam vessels. On the contrary, IT seems tar
more reasonable TO think that the sailing traffic
which now circumnavigates the South American
continent will seek the canal route just as
eagerly as the steam traffic. Again. Mr.. Fox
tells us that 1.-The question is not how much
shorter 10 Pacific ports will the voyage of q
steamer be through the canal as compared with
round the Horn. The real question is what
will he the saving in the cost of carrying freight
from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean betwee,-
"twO methods" the one being by the canal and
the other by isthmian railroad. We cannot
agree that this is altogether the question. unless
il he demonstrated that isthman railroads have
abolished or will abolish all traffic around the
Horn They have not done so. though they have
been trying re do it for many years, and there
is no convincing indication that they are making
any progress toward doing In-spite of all
the isthmian and transcontinental railroads. vast
argoSies still pass round the Horn and through
the strait And If their voyages will be much
shorter, quicker, safer and cheaper by way Of