El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-09-14
THINKS CANAL
WILL HASTEN
JAP WAR
French Engineer Declares
Panama Ditch Will Not
Help Trade,
THINKS 1T WILL
BE DISAPPOINTING


of the Panama canal bill into law has
given rise to the discussion of the exag-
geration of the Importance of the canal
itself to the worlds shipping. One of
the leading maritime authorities in
France, NJ. Jose Moselli, says in this
connection that the enormous advan-
tsges of the new canal are on considera-
ton greatly diminished. He thinks,
however, it will hasten war between the
United States and Japan. They are, he
says, not sufficient to bring to Panama
the trade enjoyed by Suez, for. while the
voyage from Europe to the east via
Panama fould be some Is days shorter,
this advantage would be more than coun-
teTbalanced by the difficulty of obtain
ing freight. By the Suez route vessels
tap Egypt, India and China, where
freights are profitable and abundant,
while there would not seem to be much
to be picked Up by the Panama route.
On the return ships might make a slight
detour to Chile and load nitrate, but
very attractive.
VIII Be Few Passengers.
From the passenger point of view, the
L
eTs between Europe, the west coast of
the United States and Australia. Euro
pean passengers for Chile would arrive
Just as quickly by going direct to
Buenos Ayres and taking the Trans
andean railroad.
As to the nitTates and saltpeter of
Chile-not very profitable Freight is
to be presumed that the sailing ships
which carry it now viii continue to use
hn EI,.,-v, - T. II
the canal dues, bat also because Gains
are frequent and durable in the gulf of
Panama. .------ -----..
There remains the question of coal.
Seventy five percent OF existing cargo
steamers carry between 5000 and 5000
tons. Their speed is small and their
coal consumption calculated for medium
distances. But between Panama and
Asia or Australia there is the whole
days navigation. Only very rich freights
would permit such an expense.
From all this, concludes III. MOselii
It appears that the prime Importance of
the canal is strategicaf, IN that it per
mits the United States fleet to operate
indifferently ON either shore of the COR
tinent. Thanks to the new canal, the
American fleet will be able to accom-
plish IN two or three weeks journey
which formerly required three months,
and that, without doubt, viii hasten the
settling Of accounts which, sooner or
later, must take place between the
United States of America and Japan for
the hegemony of the Pacific.
Must Quit Societies.
Officers of the French army reserve
have been given by the minister of war
the choice of resigning their member
ship IN certain societies or losing their
commissions. Alexandra Millerand has
Just sent a circular to reserve officers
all over the country pointing out that
membership of the socalled military
leagues is incompatible with discipline.
One OF the leagues is Masonic and an
other antI-Masonic, and they had their
origin IN more or less harmless societies
Tor the promotion OF comradeship, but
each OF them has acquired an aggressive
political character within recent years.
Former Sultan Likes Gay Life.
MUlai Hafid, ex-sultan of Morocco,
has graduated rapidly in the pleasures
OF his European hosts at Vichy. during
his cure" One evening he was taken
behind the. scenes of the Casino theater
after seeing the first act of ballet, and
he complimented the dancers with flat
tering enthusiasm. Earlier in the even
ing he had given his first dinner party, /
and IN the afternoon he had figured at a
reception held in his honor by the mu-
Both as host and guest he
bore himself with much charm of man
ner, and as a writer of graceful senti-
ments IN women's albums he has already
proved himself hard to equal.
a knowledge of livestock is another
of the ex-sultan's accomplishments. He
inspected herd of Nivernaise cows with
an unerring eye, picked the three best
and ordered them to be sent to his house
in Tangier. He even began to milk one
OF them to make sure that his Judgment
was not at fault He also purchased
two. black cats and a collie dog. For
his children he bought a hundred dolls
in Bourbonnais costume, q mechanical
piano-player, merrv-go-round and an
quantity of toys.
Gives Gold to Coniuror.
He presented handful of gold to a
eOnjuror who performed the venerable !
trick of making a globe of goldfish dis. |
appear before him, and the fame of his
Open-handedness spread far and wide /
Whenever he was known to be in his |
apartments, dozens of hawkers were to |
be seen lowering round the gate, watch |
ng for a chance of catching his eye.
The eX-sultan was taken to the Mar 1
settles cathedral, and managed to slip /
i've louis into the hand of blind beg !
gar on the steps as ne went IN. After /
presenting the cathedral clergy with Is /
ouis for the poor, he came out and /
mounted in the elevator to the Basilica, |
on the way five louis to a |
postcard merchant and five louis to the
elevator boy. From the Basiliea the
)arty went to the Casino, and the or
hestra happening to play the favorite
'Sambre ct Meuse" march. was reward
d with five louis, the distribution of
argesse concluding with two louis to
mother blind beggar at the door of the
jasino.
By this time the disgust of the sui
ans financial adviser was changing to |
lanie, and he was heard to express the
piniOn that at ''this rate, we shan't get
cry far" At the present rate of ex-
hange louis is worth about 81. so that
t will be seen that the ex-sultan's mu-
ificence for the afternoon amounted to
he respectable total of $3.50. out of the
ension of $500 day the French gov
rnment allows him. The evening found
Iulai Hafid in music hall. and a short
limpse of the chorus girls behind the.
Genes cost him the balance of his days
ay and $3.50 to boot.