, 1912-11-09

IN the early DAYS oil lnduSttlal England the
same conditions held. Canals were cut by
the Romans in Lincolnshire, one of which,
the Foss Dyke, is still useful. But not un-
til clocks were introduced INTO Italy, in the
18th century, did the canal link itself up
with the road and the river as n means of
intercourse aud commerce. From Italy grad
uaily cana1isation spread until in the Low
Countries the canal became to tie body
polite as the vein and artery Of the human
body.
WORLD CANALS.
il You take Il look ut tue map, the two
most obvious places for canals ure the 18TH
mus of Suez and that of Panama. The tale
Of the British purchase of IL controlling IN
terest IN the Slez on the advice of the late
Frederik Greenwood, is well known. The
Americas projects regarding British interests
III the Pacific have lei lately to unpleasant
Arguments concerning the Panama Canal
that is to be opened next Year. But thu
tact that the En2h~h-speaklng peoples in
1913 viii hold the important ~gUteWavs of the
world will IN the future draw them together,
the more SO rs any possible ful are aggres-
sion either against the United States or our
selves iwhethcr from Elst or VEST would
emphasise the tactical value Of these water
ways. Meanwhile, the commercial possihl
ties of the new canal are immense. The It.
lantc entrance to the canal is at Colon, or,
as your map VIII call it Cf not n new or Il
very old on'l, Asrinwall. la l502 Column
bus found 1t a manGroye swamp and a co'tl
reef. Naturally, II few huuirei years SIT
up II new formation of land. Now n great
hreakWuter has been constructed to protect
the mouth Of the canal from the gaies. which
but for tendency to silt rp, would long ago
have divided Mouth from South America. 1t
is possible to Journey along the Canal by
railway for n great part of the way, SO that
soon huge liners and railway trains Will pass
together through the mountains. The chan
mel of the canal passes through the Gatun
Luke, with lis aren OF i6f squire miles. Tins
Lake and its attendant rivers viii provide
the water for the narrow reaches; and then,
after transyersing the bed of the Chaeres
River for more tnan twenty miles, the ia
nous Culebrn Cut, through the mountains,
is reached. The rest of the journey to Pan
anna is through low lying country, with the
exception of Il cutting SEQ feet in length.
There will be about 3, 900 men permanently
employee upon the canal. and a United
States garrison Of 5000 men TO act as police.
COMMERCIAL GEoaHArHY.
1t seems almost rs though the world were
formed on a Chinese puzzle bash. Take the
route Of a ship from New York to New Xeu-
land, and from London to New ZeqlanI.
That little example reveals The vital impor-
lance Of the canal IN geography. luke also
the Journey from Vancouver to Cuba. Tho
interests Of the whole EugiIsh-sptaking
world are concerned with these canals, aud
the terms upon which the United States,
Canada aud Great Britain may use them
form n basis Of closer union, or perhaps Of
serious disagreement. For instance. Van
couyer (Canada) and Seattle (USA.) com
pete 10 the timber trade. Both arc tender
ing for delivery beyond Panama. II the
tolls favour the latter, the former is shut out
from Il large market. In that instance it is
commercially worth while for the United
States ia give a preference 10 the home
trade. But this viii tend to retaliation And
so u commercial war might begin. OF course,
those who provide the capital have a right
to determine who shall use the canal. And
it remains for the Engiish-speaking peoples
to come to some mutual arrangement that
will make the Panama Canal u bond between
hemispneres aud people.
GERMAN CANALS.
Ia England the canals have been largely
BOUGHT up by the railways. as n means of