Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-13
BY RAIL AND WATER
Canada Generous in Develop
ing Transportation Aids.
VOTES LARGE SUBSIDIES
Actively Preparing to Make Use of
the Panama Canal.
TRADE WITH THE WEST INDIES
Grand Trunk Railway to Run
Steamers From Prince Rupert to
European Ports.
TRADE WITH THE WEST INDIES
BY WILLIAM L. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the
/ Chicago Record Herald.
| MONTREAL, September Ii. 1911.
The Dominion government has been
very generous and enterprising in the de-
velopnent Of railway communication
within Its own territory, and steamship
communication with foreign lands. and
during the next five or six years both
Will be largely extended. President Hays
Of the Grand Trunk railway told me yes
terday that his company Intends 20 put
on lines Of steamers from Prince Rupert,
the Pacific terminus OF the transconti-
mental line he is now building, to Liver
pool through the Panama canal, to
Australia, Japan and China and to Alas
ka, and 1t Is probable that coasting
service southwark from Prince Rupert
as far as Seattle and perhaps San Fran
cisco will be maintained. although that
matter has not been definitely decided.
| The Germans, we'll as the Canadians,
are preparing to make use of the Panama
canal, but l have heard of no preparation
In the United States. The Hamburg
| American Company is building four big
steamers to carry merchandise and emf
grants from Hamburg to San Francisco
and bring back wheat -four and other
| car7oes. and the Grand Trunk Company
will shortly make contracts for the con-
struction of fleet TO carry wheat from
| Prince Rupert to Liverpool and bring
back merchandise and Immigrants. They
are to be ready soon the canal is
open.
Inc Pacific Mail Company, which is the
only American line on the west coast,
and is a part of the Southern Pacific rail-
way system, has done nothing, 80 far as
can learn, to anticipate the opening Of
the canal and is still using the same lit
tie. old-fashioned steamers that were
cruising between the iSthmus and San
francisco thirty years ago. 1t should
be said that the United States Congress
has done nothing to encourage maritime
enterprises. and even refused to give the
ordinary mail pay to the steamers that
were already sailing between San Fran
cisco and Australia. l do not know that
the Grand Trunk Company expects sub
sidy for it's proposed steamship lines,
but one will undoubtedly be paid.
Parliament Votes Subsidies.
| The Canadian parliament voted S2OO6,-
200 for the payment of steamship subsi-
dies during the year 1911-1912, which
was a decrease of SIS, 900 from the pre-
viouS year. These subsidies represent
many different services to every CONT
nent-Europe, Asia, Africa. South Amer
| lea and West Indies-the largest subsidy
| being paid to the Allan and Canadian
| Pacific lines between Montreal and Liv
| erpool which amount annually to $500, 900
| a year. The service to Australia and
| New Zealand receives 100000 a year;
| that to South Africa. $4,000 year; to
Japan and China, 5000, 600; to Mexico,
Sl25.000; to Cuba and the other West
| Indies, S1O4.Op. Smaller amounts are
paid to several other lines connecting
| Canada with foreign ports. A line Of
| freighterS to Manchester receives So, %
a year, and corresponding amounts are
paid to ships that go to Glasgow and
| Dublin.
Those subsidies which interest the
| United States most closely are the $780,
| 600 paid to the Union Steamship Company
| of New Zealand for carrying the mails
between Vancouver. Brisbane and Sydney
| via Honolulu and the Fiji Islands. The
| contract time for the voyage is twenty
two days. and the company has in serv
| ice six steamers, varying in size from
| 1913 to $500 tons These are all new,
fine passenger steamers The distance
to Honolulu, 2,342; from Honolulu to]
| Suva, Fiji o,799; from Suva to Bris-
bane. 1850. and from Brisbane to sgd
ney, 516 miles.
| freight during the year 1910, an increase
! from 306S4 tons in 1901 when the sub
| sidy was arranged, and 6, Lob passengers
as against 4.6s7 four years ago.
For the Monthly Service.
l In dOOltlOn TO THIS subsidy lle tdud-
| dian government pays $4,000 a year to
the New Zealand Shipping Company for
monthly steamers from Montreal to Mel
| bourne, by the Atlantic. a distance of
| 1900 miles There are seven steamers
| in the service. Of 1900 and 10000 tons,
| with accommodations for a small num-
| Der of passengers, and making ten and
| twelve knots hour.
| Last year the lines to Cuba, Mexico
fhn thEf. act Ind n n wv
| large business, which has increased
| rapidly since the service was begun.
| The Elder Demster Company gets
| $4,000 year for the Atlantic service
| and the Canada and Mexican Com
| pany, controlled by r. ii. Warsnop of
| London. gets $4,000 a year for the
service on the Pacific. The steamers
| of both lines measure about 1000 tons
| The distance from Montreal to Vera
| Cruz is 3145 miles and from Vancou-
| Yer to Salina Cruz the western termi-
| nus of the Tehuantepec railway, via
| Guaymas, Is 1876 miles. The steames
| of both lines make about twelve knots
| an hour.
| The South African subsidy Of s146.OO
a year is paid to Elder Demster & Co.
for a monthly service by steamers
| varying from 1904 to 1856 tons, which
| make a speed of ten and twelve knots
| an hour. The distance between Mon
| treal and Cape Town is 1888 miles.
Last year they carried 23.o03 tons Of
| freight.
| The service to China and Japan is
| conducted by the Canadian Pacific
| Railway Company, which has three
| fast ships known as the Empress of
India. the Empress of China and the
| Empress of Japan. and In addition to
| the G25,000 paid by the Canadian gov
| eminent they receive eco 900 from the
| British government. The distance
| from Vancouver to Yokohama is 4oS3
| miles. and to Hngkong 6.271 miles
The steamers are Of 5000 tons ca
| pacity. and are famous for their beau