The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-17
Commerce of the World to &c
Through Panama.
Foreign Lines Are Preparing
for New Route.
SHIP BUILDERS BUSY
q. S. Workers Turn Out Hun
dreds of Small Craft.
Vessels Designed fOrCOastTrades
Holland Says.

New York. Jan. I'm this column II
was recently reported that whatever
NAV have been the experience OF other
manufacturing industries in the United
States IN the year 1911 the shipyaros
along the Atlantic coast. as Well as
those which front the great lakes nave
been driven to their capacity In ex-
PLANTATION Of this peculiar, If not ezeep-
tional. condition OF American industry
men who are competent say that II re-
Aected in no small measure the effort OF
M -oTeninrr Of the Panama canal. The
OFFICIAL statistics received from WASH
tngton a few days ago would seem 10
confirm this statement For WINE d
larger number of vessels have peen
constructed or were under construction
AT the shipyards along the AtIanclc
coast in 1911 than at any other time IN
recent years vet the aggregate tonnage
of these ships was less rnan tnAt u
vessels constructed in the year 1910
In other words, vessels apparently oe-
Stoned SOLELY for coast traffic or for
navigating such inland waters as the
Gulf of Mexico were built in greater
numbers than vessels designed for
trans Atlantic navigation
In fact were it not for the gigantic
ironcIad manufactured under the direct
supervision Of Rear Admiral Bowles at
the Fore River shipyard near Boston
for the Argentine government and the
other great warships built upon the
banks of the Delaware near Philadel-
phia, also for the Argentine govern
ment the average tonnage of vessels
constructed in our Atlantic coast ship
yards would have been even smaller
than the figures reported from Wash
ington.
Admiral BowIes directed the con-
structien of one of the worlds greatest
battIeships-a marvel Of strength, size
and of orderly, systematic and powerful
equipment. But in other sllipyards
little craft of not much over two or
three hundred tons have been con-
structed, and 1t is now certain that the
activity of our shipyards will be quite
as great in the present year as 1t was
in the year 1911.
The public little realizes the nagnf-
tude of the preparations now under
way by those who hope to take ad-
vantage of the navigation of the Pana-
ma canal when that greatest of world
public works is completed, by the fall
of next year. One corporation which
already has a very largo fleet of yes
sells sailing under the American flag
has recently executed a contract with
the shipbuilders for five new steamers,
each one of which is to be about 10 900
tons capacity. The contracts call for
the completion of these steamers some
time next year. All of them are de-
olSA6G 4OI bearers between
the Atlantic and the Pacific coasts and
some of them may transport commerce
between the Hawaiian islands and the
United States.
Some time during the year lzeels will
be laid for four new steamships each
of 5000 tons capacity, designed for the
navigation of the Panama canal. These
steamships will have terminals at San
Francisco on the Pacific coast and at
New York on the Atlantic During the
-.
the Pacific Mail Steamship company
would undertake to anticipate all other
steamship companies by having ready
TOT commerce., via the Panama canal
steamships which will make trips from
New York to the far east There are
also limitations that the Germans ex-
pect TO nave new steamships ready for
racine ocean commerce soon after the
Gonpletlon OF the Panama canal These,
AoWeNer. VIII not make any American
port Their itinerary calls for passage
between Germany. from Bremen. and
canal
The Cunard Company,s Purchase
In the last month Of the vear 7a11 there
came from Liverpool authoritativa an
houncement that the Cunard Steamship
f,1t t.,es nao purchased the controlling
1neerese IN the Anchor Line company
1heTe seemed to be at first no special
reason why the Cunard people should
nave bought this great line since II has
not been menaced in anv wav nv cororet4-
ton of the Anchor Line for freivht or
passenger traffic between Great Britain
and New York The Anchor line how
ever. is the owner OF a large fleet or
steamers which are commerce carriers he
tween Great Britain and the far east.
ano u mas oeen now for some weeks the
inference of steamship men of this citv
mat the Cunard people bought the An
chor line so that they NAV be well comm
ped with steamers capable Of MAXIM
passage between Great Britain and orr
own Pacific coast well as Vancouver.
or the new city which is to be the term
fnal of the latest of the Canadian trans
continental lines whose harbor IS Just be-
low the southern point Of Alaska These
steamers viii also be available for com
merce between Great Britain and the far
east by way of the Panama canal
Looking for Terminals
In maritime circles in this citv II was
reported that representatives of the very
important British shipping interests are
now occupied in investigating Pacific
ports with intent to discover where me
best terminals for steamship lines he
tween Great Britain and the ports upon
the North American Pacific coast can be
located.
All of these activities make it evident
that as soon as the Panama canal is open
to avail itself OF the oportunftfes
It is to be not merely coast
OF North America and the Pacific
coast of North and South Amer
lea, but it is to be almost world
encircIing commerce. In fact. many OF
our most competent judge are now dis
posed to predict that the new commercial
highway between the Orient and the great
Industrial and financial countries of west
ern Europe and the United States viii be
established by the Panama canal route
The Local Commerce.
All of the railroad managers OF tie
United States confidently predict a very
great commerce from the gulf ports and
from the Atlantic ports as far north as
Norfolk through the Panama canal It
has been observed that some of the rail-
way managers are of the opinion that a
greater commerce Will be developed at
Mobile than at New Orleans The man