New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-02-07
PARIS AS A SEAPORT
The Maritime CanaI--ItS Ad-
yantageS and Prospects.
Paris. January "a

e,,e of contractors, has now been
~..,,,ed for the purpose of canalizing the
e.;,e between Paris and Rouen. and
IS making Paris one OF the greatest
-~ororts in Europe. Indeed. the pro-
-.o,ers OF the scheme. which has been in
.n.vance for two centuries. contend that
paris Port-de-Mer will challenge the
numerical Importance of London and
.-eatlv reduce the prosperity OF Ant
uern The total cost of construction is
go by the promoters. on a conserva-
.t,o estimate, at SJO.S0000O. and 1 have
.ri,,ate information TO the effect that the
mol Of this sum has now been under
written.
n fact all that remains 10 be done for
this gigantic enterprise TO be COM
,,enced Is TO obtain the consent OF the
french parliament. Politics move slowly
d, France when works Of public utility
arc concerned. all side issues and inter-
,enendent interests beirg made the sub
,e~, Of the most exhaustive inquiry and
debate. s good deal of opposition to the
scheme is forthcoming from Rouen
which has hitherto had the practical
r,oropoIv Of the river traffic between the
sea and central France. The Rouenese
have gone % the length of threatening
that they will not suffer their famous
Peter bridge 70 be opened and to allow
oig ships 70 pass up the proposed canal
and II looks almost as if something of
the ancient hostility between the Nor
mars and the Parisians. which caused so
much bloodshed in the Middle Ages,
7,izht break out again though in a less
savage form. The jealousy Of Havre has
also been aroused. But the defenders Of
Paris P0rt-de- Mer contend. that Eavre,
already seriously harmed by the COM
parsuvely recent rivalry Of Antwerp, will
enter upon a new era Of prosperity when
he traffic in French commodities. in
stead Of being diverted via Antwerp and
Hamburg in order 10 reach London by
crossing the Channel. will pass directly
between Havre and Paris.
The increased activity Of Havre can
not fail TO have a favorable repercussion
upon the commercial prospects Of Rouen.
ALREADY 225 Deputies have signed the
bill which has been introduced in the
Cham6er by VI. LeboncQ. one of the
Paris Deputies, TO make OF Paris a sea-
nort. but nothing has done more to con-
vince the general public OF the vital i'm
poriance OF the scheme than last year
foods on one point everybody is agreed
namely. that the canalization Of the
Seine is the only effective method for
preventing a recurrence Of the disaster.
The late VI. Bouquet de la Guye's plans
are those which have the best chance OF
oeing adopted. They provide for a deep
sning Of the Seine bed 10 eight metres.
rom lis present average Of about three
metres throughout the entire length Of
rs course between Paris and Rouen, ex-
cept a. The two points where the Seine
makes a loop. which would be cut by two
special canals. One Of these is TO be at
0issel near Rouen. and the other at
Isting locks on the Seine would be re-
duced 10 four thus establishing four
reaches Of 50, 80, Il and 30 kilometres
IN length. respectively. The terminal
point Of the canal would be at Chchy,
he northern suburb Of Paris, where a
vast port would be constructed with a
de-th Of ten metres. and with ten kilo
metres Of ouays. This would be the port
o. Paris for the canal would not actu
ally extend 10 within the fortified boun
diaries OF the city. Secondary ports
would be created at Argenteuil, Poissy
Nantes. Vernon and Les Andeys.
ON the assumption that the canal dues
would amount 20 approximately | franc
jo confines a ton OF merchandise, it is
calculated that within TWO years Of the
port being opened the minimum profit
would be more than 23OO0O00 francs,
or S4600000, representing more than 8
ner cent of the subscribed capital
The argument most frequently urged
n favor of the canalizauon OF the Seine
Is that il viii cause Paris to become the
general depot and exchange mart for all
the merchandise exported from or I'M
ported 20 Central and Southern Europe
Paris would then play the same role
with respect 10 Central and Southern
Europe that Berlin does relatively to the
markets of the North. and would no
doubt Outsrrip the Prussian capital in
the rauidity Of its commercial develop
ment owing 10 it's many additional ad-
yautages of situation According to NJ
Tiuet O Well known Belgian engineer,
Paris will be a more agreeable port than
London. and Will deprive Antwerp Of the
trsfi. which ID derives to-day from Paris
ITSELF from the east of France, Alsace
switzerland and Bavaria. Another pet
theory of the enthusiastic advocates Of d
Paris maritime canal is that it will pre-
vent the Parisians from ever again being
Oesieged and starved into surrender. as
they were by the Germans in 1870. for
tle canalized Seine would be in the
event OF war. a tentacle. an arm OF the
intrenched camp Of Paris stretched rig
Idly toward the west. and practically in
vulnerable.
ID an interesting work entitled France
ir 800 Captain Prosper German, one
of the most learned supporters Of the
canaI.zatiou scheme, prorhetically as
sumes that the great enterprise has been
successfully accomplished, and he fixes
thirtv-e.eht months as the period nee
-ssart Tor its completion. He draws q
curious picture of Paris under the new
conditions Paris. he foresees. will be
endowed with a number Of workmen's
cities 1ilt on The banks Of the new
camel anil .........ls .,.t4b tho r,,etrcpoIis