The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-05-20

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. passes through as being
WNN]HNWNNl in the main mere pictur
hMMNlINNlNlN esque features that ado
pQMlllll!lAllilS to the interest OF the
landscape, but have been
rendered practically obso
eee IN a commercial sense by the
building of railways He sees barges
upon them, to be sure, and in winter
ne is delighted by the sight of the
people Of Holland skating along the
frozen water courses But he would
De astonished if he knew the import
ant part the canals and canalized
rivers, play In the economic life OF
European nations.
canals. as they were originally con.
structed. cannot compete with rail.
roads, but as the latter have spread
over the land, the waterways have
been altered to meet the new condi-
lions. Their chief mission in these
Gays is to connect the centers of pop-
ulatlon and industry with the coasts
70 make them seaports-and this has
peen accomplished to an extent that is
surprising to the uniformed
Inc pressure OF international com
petition is mainly responsible for the
extensive improvement OF WATERWAYS
IN the continental European countries
that nave the highest degree OF indus
trial development. Every manufac
turing country, district or city, If II IL
TO prosper, must be able to meet this
competition and to assemble materials
as cheaply as possible from all Darts
OF the world, and be provided with
Iacliltles for placing its goods cheaply
ana readily upon the chief domestic
and foreign markets. The countries Of
the continent, recognizing this. have
adopted the policy of providing with
equal care for the development of both
railroads and waterways In Great
Britain, on the contrary, with the ex-
ception OF two canals In Scotland the
inland waterways, both rivers and
canals. have been improved and are
operated by corporations. The Rrit-
Ash government is considering the ad-
visibility Of changing its policy toward
waterways. -,
or all the continental countries.
France has spent the most on canal
navigation. Her extensive plans for
waterway development. adopted in
1879, provided for system by which
the waterways should be all connect
ca with each other. and with the chief
centers OF population and Industry
They are mainly owned or controlled
py the state, but when In 1908 a law
was passed providing for the construc-
tlon OF new waterways, it stipulated
that the beneficiary parties or locau-
ties must advance at least half OF the
total cost. The interests making this
contribution are permitted 20 reco,1p
themselves from tolls or dUes ana
from a monopoly of providing towaga
Or traction. Three canals, one from
Cette to the Rhone. one from Mar !
settles to the Rhone, and one from
the coal fields to the Disc riyer-the
1ahal du Nord-are now being con-
under these conditions
Inc most important of the CONNER
cial waterways OF France Is ,he Seine
river, and there Is an immense traffic
upon it between Havre and Rouen and
Farls. AT large expense II has been
canallzed and provided with locks and |
lateral canals, while other canals con-
meet the river through It's tributaries
with the Loire. the Rhone. the Rhine.
the Meuse and the Scheldt. Another
ELABORATE system of main and later
al canals that carries vast tonnage
70 Paris connects the capital with
Dunkirk and Gravelines. and between
Paris and the Belgian and German
frontiers there is perfect network
d waterways. The western and south-
efn parts OF the country are nearly as
well provided with canals. The Canal
1u Midi. which, running from Ror-
ieauX to Cette, connects the Raw NJ
biscay with the Mediterranean en-
aoies the former city TO supply the
whole OF southern France with tho
OF foreign lands, and Of ths
french colonies which it imports
In connection with this Cana, du
Midi, the French government has loru
lnder consideration most intares+,ra
Ind important project-nothing less
han to convert the waterway into
hip canal by which sea-going vessels
md the warships of France could
'ass from the Atlantic TO the Med,.
erranean without being exposed 10
he violent storms of the PENINSULA
cast and without passing through the
traits Of Gibraltar. The people Of
rance never lose sight OF the poss,-
fifty OF war with Great Britain. and /,
Ais ship canal plan appeals TO them
because it would relieve
Ger navy from the necessity OF