The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-02-03
PANAMA CANAL SHIPPING.

ran ANA CAN AL OElfPlNG,
The adjustment of the shipping in
tercstS of the world TO the opening uf
tho Panama Canal is awakening uUiver.
sal. lively interest. The great shipping
nations of Europe seem, however, to be
taking more practical intcres, iu the
matter than do the Americans. ,AD cf.
fort on the Atlantic coast TO iiuauce
the construction Of n line Of steamers
10 carry the L, = mails from tho East
coast TO the West in response TO an in
vitatiou of Postmaster General Hitch
cock, failed altogether, The suggcs
tiou was made that it was the great
financial interests Of the railroads that
were able 10 head off this enterprise
Directly afterwards. it was announced
that arrangements were making ON The
West coast 10 construct steamers for
the Panama Canal trade. the suggestion
being that these steamers were 10 he
built by the railroad interests with q
design of controlling water freight
age from the East coast to the West.
Undoubtedly ii would have this effect
if the roads could suppress all compc.
titiou.
But the general shipping OF the
world (Which, of course, is forbidden
20 enter our c0aStwisc trade as the
ocean transportation from the East TO
the West coast would undoubtedly he
consldercd) is awakening to the obvious
advantage Of using the Panama Canal,
The Hamburg American steamship
Company is increasing It's capital by
S6,250,OO0 in order to provide for addi-
tional service bv way Of the Panama
Canal. especially for the trade Of the
West coast of South America. II is
building a new vessel of 5000 tons TO
ply between New York and Valparaiso
British steamship companies are also
arranging for the utilizing Of the canal
anl undoubtedly it will be Of immense
use to British shipping; for the ocean
transportation service between Europe
and the West coast Of South America
is now conducted III such rouuda bout
way, that the Panama Canal will be 4
tremendous relief 10 all that shipping.
This access TO the Pacific is held in
Great Britain 10 be an event of epoch
making importance. The London Daily
News, in its economic article, recently
had the following fine estimate of the /.
advantages Of the canal to British ship. |
ping:
Panama is going to alter the worlds |
Trade routes TO the great advantage OF \
the world in general. but for the special !
advantage Of the American nations The I
matter is Of profound Importance to !
Erltair, because Britain has so MANY of Z
The worlds ships. and. therefore, 50 (
much of the worlds carrying trade. It
Was 4 geographical discovery that ruined ,
Venice, and il Is written that Venice |
utterly failed 10 appreciate why she WAS
ruined. and tried all sorts of silly devices
Including alchemy, I'm order to sustain a .
greatness whose origin she did not UNDER !
stand. | am not suggesting that any
such ruin could hc wrought 10 British
shipping. by the Panama Canal, but il is /
very important for us 10 bear i'm mind |
hat VIC possess an nhsurdlv dispTopor-
donate share OF the worlds CARRYING
rade, and that il Is largely American
oily which has given Us that dispropor-
donate share. We must not suppose
hat the United States viii for ever loo So
I Impossible for her 10 develop a great
mercantile marine, and tho Panama cut.
,ccausc II VIII accentuatc tho existing
American folly. IL VeUy likely TO bring {
,bout altera tions in American commercial 4
policy which viii restore To the United n
states the use Of the great natural adj II
'autaEcs for shipping which she possesses.
md therefore 10 help rob US of spnlc part
II the disproporllonatc share OF shipping
which now possess.
America possesses magnificent geo II
'ceans, and when her Atlantic and Il
'aCiiic scabOards arc for practical plr-
,oses made one. that position. whether
or purposes Of peace or of war. win be-
ONE hundredf"id more valuable.
There is no doubt hut that America
will some time wake mp to tho advant-
'gc Of having merchant marine; but,
n order to have such a marine, this
ountrv will have TO take such meas
res TO provide it and encourage il ~
,thcr nations do in their ocean com
ncrcc. Thus far the United states has
bsolutcly refused TO provide subsidies
or ocean transportation under its flag.
>ther nations, however. provide such [
ubsidioS aud they provide also many
ther advantages for their shipping
which the United states thus far has
allied TO meet. Bot this blindness on
AR part cannot always couiinuc. and
,c hope for the day when tho Uuitcd
,,atcs will arouse itself and take adj
auta2c of the great central location
-hIch Il occupies between Europe and 5
he Orient, especially China aud Japan, {
nj exact the advantage Of its full
hare in that world transportation. II
ours at any time that We see fit TO
each forth and take il. Thus far. We
ave refused: but We shall not always !
cfusc. and when VIC take hold in earn
81, tho people Of thc United states will (
= tho great occan-csrrying pcop!, OF
he world.
>
When the German Prince Adslbcrt I
ONES 10 this country on his visi., hich !
al a., 81