Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-10-22

: SIub. oICkCh your SCdpdDHiSacS VI
boost 10 the limit on this project and
help strengthen the bands that will
keep Hawaii permanently prosperous.
Panama Canal Traffic via Honolulu.
This is one of the most interesting
and perplexing problems in front of US.
How quickly will Panama canal traf-
fic develop into providing business for
cur own port? Naturally it is a ques-t
ton of economics to ship owners. Sit,
uated as We are geographically in re-
lation to the Isthmus OF Panama, we.
can only expect shipping that is
bound to or from the orient to Homo
lulu as port of call. And for this
trade we have two serious. competi-
tors. - J
''First-The established trade route
from the east coast ports of America,
and of European ports via the Suez
Canal. ..s. 3
.'Seeond-Panama traffic via San
Francisco, or Pacific coast ports to
the orient.
! With the first condition it is purely
a question of economics to the ship
owner. VIII and can the Panama
route offer sufficient inducements that
ship owners will abandon the Suez
canal and the trade established en-
route to use the new canal. IS
Take three large Oriental ports,
/ Hongkong, Mama, Yokohama: The
distance in nautical miles from &
New York to Hongkongt via Suez
Is 11,469; via Panama 11,415,
To- u e.
1,644; via Panama IL .S79. =
New York to Yokohama via Suez
is 1900; via Panama 1885,. f.. s
The gain In distance via Panama to
the northern Oriental ports is consid-
cradle. but with the southern ports
there is no appreciate differences. The
question then is, which route offers
the best trading opportunities, and ia
cilities for securing the essential sup
plies, fuel apd water" cheaply, and
.expeditiously. The Suez route APP
pears to possess al considerable. ad.
vantage over the Panama route for
trading purposes.
Steamers running through Panama
hound for, Europe or the eastern coast
American ports to the Orient would
either leave their home ports fully
loaded, and proceed via Honolulu
from Panama, or II leaving their home
ports partially loaded would proceed
from Panama. via Pacific Coast ports
to secure additional, or complete
cargo for the Orient, this Is the re-.
suit of trading conditions. We have
practically no cargoes to offer to yes
sells bound for the Orient, while all
the Pacific Coast ports have a variety
OF freights to offer.
at the present time itlappears that.
the steamer traffic we can expect to
see in, our harbor from Panama will
bbe bound for the Orient fully laden
This traffic probably will not be large
at the outset, 5ut we can look for its
increase and development with the
rapidly changing conditions in China.
with the return of steamer traffic
from the Orient the conditions change,
the territory has Eastbound freights
to offer. and with the serious change
IN the situation 81 pur main industry.
/ It VIII De or great Value to that. ana
all our other industries to open up.
real competitive conditions in the
freight markets.
Many men do not realize the enor--
nous sums of money paid out annu-l
ally by the farmers and merchants of
this territory in the purchase of trans
portation for their products, and their.
merchandise; but you can readily fig
ure what cut d of Csc per. ton in
freight would mean to sugar prOduc-
erss alone !, with changing lcond itions
these opportunities to secure better
freight rates will be- eagerly welcomed,
and taken advantage of by all pur-
chasers of goods ~ -. ~
Panama shipping business Is sure
TO develop into substantial trade
for this port, and it is fortunate for
us thar the development will prob:
ably be a gradual one; if it proves
otherwise we shall be caught badly
prepared to deal with it.
Every effort must be made to use
wisely and as quickly as possible the
$50, 600 allotted oGss of the loan funds
by the last Legislature for Honolulu
wharf improvements. This sum is
much too small to accomplish the
necessary work in sight; but this club
and alFthe commercial bodies In the
territory will have to work shoulder
to shoulder to secure from the next
Legislature ample funds to provide
good and spacious wharf facilities for
ccean-going steamers, not only IN Ho,.
Iolulu harbor, but also for Hawaii
Maui and Kauai ports"