The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-11-11

France Would be improved in proper
ton to the needs Of the increased
traffic resulting from the opening OF
the Panama canal. As far AS Point
a.Pitrc is concerned, Il decree already
has been prepared by the cabinet Au-
thOrizing the department to under
take the works which have been
judged necessary. Fort-de-Franc"
will not be forgotten.
"Thcrc are other problems TO b"
considered, some Of which directly
concern my department. In Contra!
America aud on the western coast OF
South America, France has relations
traditional friendships, which claim
oar attention and are becoming mora
and more important to us. Lastly, Il
is necessary to strengthen our re!a'
lions with the western coast OF
North America. Our great shipping
companies cannot remain Indifferent
and inactive while German and Eng
fish companies arc renewing and in
crcasing their services in the Pacific.
ut is impossible for me to state
the decisions Of the French shipping
companies, which moreover have not
vet been formulated All ! know Is
that the Compagnic Generate Trans
atlantiuuc after sending one OF its
inspectors, NJ. Prudhon, to study tn"
general problem OF navigation in the
Pacific. delegated It's general direc-
for, NJ. Dial Piaz, to proceed to Colon
and Panama to 80 further into tn"
question, II is on the return OF TIL"
general director that the TransaI-
Iautiuue company will, with all tie
Gacts before them decide upon their
Arrangement regarding the lines O'
stramsh ips which it will appear nee
cssarv to create IN consequence OF
the opening Of the canal. 1t is prob
able that the projects which Will D"
adopted by French steamship compa-
MICS will aim at serving our colonies
In Occanu and will consist OF either
;, service leaving Harvc or Saint
NaZairc which will run to NoumeA
yia Panama, or. on the other manu-
will consist of a prolongation pure
and simple. with trans-shtpment al
Panama, Of the line which now runs
as far as and stops at Colon.
There arc three possible ny
pothcses:
n A. That passenger steamers oil
| the Colon line may continue, their
route rs far as NOUmca, by way OF
Panama, at the same rate OF speed
las al present TO Colon. namely IA
Knots. In this case the length OF
the passage. including stops Will Dc
from forty-two to lorty-three days.
40. That passenger steamers stop
At Colon, tho service to be continued
by trans-shipment to boats carrying
cargo and passengers, whose oral
nary speed is II knots. On TINS NY
mi hesis the crossing from France ia
Noumca will represent IortE-elgh'
days. .-.
20. 4 regular service between
France and NOumea is thinEaDIc
which shall carry both passengers
and cargo. This service would OTlnS
! the length of the passage to about
rorty-eight days.
when these questions are ripe
far decision, II will be necessary 10
cwminc whether The establishment
or the services concerned should not
cnta,l the suppression or moditica-
linn of the present service between
NIarscillcs and Noumea by way OF the
Sucz canal. If this suppression or
modification should be advisable, II
will he necessary to bring the matter
bprorc uurliamCnt. repeat that We
arc still in q period OF deliheratlon'
and IL is impossible for me to be moro
Drccise in regard to the hypothesis
have just examined.
Put 1t will be understood without
difficulty that France considers ii he"
duty to give her merchant marine IN
the Pacific Il less negligible role than
that which 1t has play9al in&the past
As an example and u show how
much it is necessary for French ship
hing to make an effort On the Pacific
coasts. | should like tOsindicate two
figures bearing on cur commercial rH-
Iations with Chill: During 1911 |,
while 4.344 English steamers entered
Gillian ports, and A,329 left them,
and German figures for the same pc
Rod show 1917 entries and 1908
departures, our own fleet was only