The chronicle=news., 1913-11-03

owners and merchants, In every line
OF produce and manufacture. have
carefully laid plans for any change
that will come over the trade OF tho
world ns Il result OF the opening OF
the Panama Canal.
All tho big shipping companies
that have interests In the countries
directly benefited by the new water
way have either added to their ton
mage or made preparations for doine
no. and In every case Il will be found
that tho steamers built or buiidin r
are generally OF size considered most
suitable for the transit Of the canal.
COaling stations also are being 0r-
ranxed for In order that steamers
using the cauai may coal. II ncces-
sary. between Colou aud England.
and generally speaking. everything
possible is being done to enable Rn-
gland 10 hold the supremacy she has
attained In the worlds maritime
trade.
Engiishmcn. however. always con-
scrvRtivc. do not bcliev. that tho
rcvolu, on will bc AN Immediate on
They are planning for gradual eS-
pansIon OF trade which the ships now
in cxIstcucc or In prospect viii he
quite abi~ In take care of. Probably
oac of III. best authorities on this
ru.s,,nn In Maj1r F.. II Jones. fer
mcriy American Consul At Cardiff.
who for many years has been editor
OF shipping World" In recent
interview Major Jones said:
several OF our leading British
shipown.rs trading with the ccntrai
American States. the Doninion OF
Canada aud tho American states On
the Pacific have built aud are build
Ing ships 10 m~c, tho husincs& which
the Panama route IL expected to rrc-
al. especially between tn. Atlantic
aud Pacific. In doing this h-y have
ignored the possibility Of th" Grsne-
inx OF preferential sanni tolls -
American -oasttns tonnage usins the
canal. They frankly believe tha;
the United States will a~vcr carry
out this idea. Should they be right.
and tn. tonnage ready ,o use the
canal the first year b. io.3oO.oS0
tons and tho tolls Si..s ton. the
incom. wifi bo snsfiricai 10 meet
the inisrc>, charges aud working rx-
pcnsc.. should tho American rossi-
ing tonnage. however. bc exempt
from tolls the whole Of the interest
and working cxpcnS~s will fall uIson
foreign. principally Dri,ish. .;npo~e.
rSs. and this Of course. would place
them at "a disadvantsss.
''Th. dominating factor. to,crn-
ing the traffic of the Panama Canal
will b~ distances and expense: that
Ia to say. toils and ducr. and COO.
sid-fation Of these will often turn
the scale In favor OF either the Suex
or the Panama route. As have al
ready indicated. the Panama ,oils
arc to be Sl.:a per ton. The Sucx
dues on ships With cargo are 6.:s
francs si.:s, at present. bu; ships
in ballast arc allowed q rebate OF
$50 francs go ccnisD per ton ON
full transit rate Particulars ns
10 charges and navigation rules for
the Panama Canal arc not yet pub
,ishrd: therefore comparisons are not
pos.ib'-. Bu; as far as they ar.
known they arc In favor Of the Snrs
ranai. II should he remembered ai'o
.ha, as tho profits Increase the ;oa-
mage charges arc reduced by the SUI
~ Whether this policy may be
after the opening of tho
Panama Canal. when u good deal OF
tonnage may bc withdrawn from III"
su.z waterway. rcnains to be seen.
should the proposed immunity Of
-onst.nS tonnage from
raIsi tolls b. maintai.icti. and I do
not think {, will. then tho sues route
will always get the benefit Of the
ioubt in respect OF cost and dis
'ancc. THIS viii apply to all Asiat-
II ports west ot Japan: practically
al Australian ports aud Manila. yes.
md many ports Of New Zclsnd and
Iapan where the distance only
90 y ~