The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-01-17

HE Panama canal is costing
this country $4O0,000,000. 1t 1s
| a stupendous sum, but it is as
| nothing to the money which Is
| being spent for the objects OF
that canal-ships and shipping faclll-
ties.
Take only the Pacific coast OF this
country See what Puget sound, Port-
land. San Francisco, Los Angeles, are
| contemplating in docks alone and
| $5O,O0O,OO0 will not do more than well
| start the work. Just about that same
sum is earmarked by the three west
ern Canadian ports of Vancouver,
Victoria and Prince Rupert.
New York, Boston, Philadelphia.
Baltimore and the southern ports of
the Atlantic coast are putting In
port improvements which will cost
far more than 500, 900; New York
itself spending $7O,000,000. This is
not taking into account what Is pro-
jected and being carried out in the
gulf ports. Nor does it reckon In the
Improvement of the Mississippi.
Montreal is spending $14,000,000 on
harbor improvements. Halifax and
st. John are following suit-Canada
intends to have it's share.
Europe Spending Much Money.
Europe thinks itself vitality con-
cerned, Alfred w. Dyer writes in Rail-
way and Marine News. Especially is
this the case with Great Britain, for
nearly one-half Of the carrying trade
Of the world is In its hands. London
is spending $S5,0O0,000 on its docks,
although those already existing prob
ably RHpresent an outlay equal to
that roon the Panama canal. Liver
pool, whose docks have cost $150,000,-
900, is determined that it shall not
fall back and is spending an addition
al $16.OO0,000. Glasgow and Manches-
ter are each providing like facilities
to Liverpool Southampton thinks
$10,0OO,00O not too much to spend for
better accommodations for it's passen-
ger traffic. Cardiff believes the ex-
tension Of its coal and general bust
ness worth an investment of $12,OOO,-
900. The little port of Bristol, mind
| full of the glories of it's past when this
country was first being settled and
Virginia was peopled from its
| wharves, has authorized an expendi-
ture of $25,OOO.OOO to bring it up to
date.
Germany, France, Holland, Bel
GUM are taking the lead on the con-
tinent of Europe. Hamburg, which
has spent $100,000,000 In creating a
modern port, thinks that the opening
| Of the canal warrants the expenditure
! Of half as much more and is setting
| about the spending of that money
most busily.
Antwerp, having $45 100000 invest
ed, is putting in $55,000,000 more.
Little Havre with population half
that of Seattle is spending $4,000, 900,
having already expended $4,000, 900.
Rotterdam is in nowise behind.
| Yet the list is not half run down.
No regard has been taken of Ireland,
Of Norway. Sweden nor Denmark.
Neither have been reckoned in the
ports of the Pacific Callao and Val
l II,
Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane; Ba-
tavia, Samarang and Sourabaya;
Singapore, Bangkok, Saigon and Hong
kong; of the ports of the Philippines,
Of the seaboard and rivers Of China,
Of the islands of Japan or of Oceania.
There are few, indeed, of these which
are not awake to the situation and
/ oh
best foot.
| Nor has been regarded the expendi-
ture upon ships. At the end of 1909
the gross tonnage of all the shipping
In the world was very nearly 10000
900, steamers and sailing vessels.
wood and steel. This does not
take into account vessels of less
than 100 tons burthen, nor the
wooden vessels on the great lakes,
neither does it include Japanese and
Chinese junks, up to 300 tons in
burthen. nor. indeed, multitudinous
small vessels. European and Asiatic,
trading in the Mediterranean, the
Black and Caspian seas and in the
Malayan archipelago
/ Shipyards of the World Busy.
That mercantile fleet served the
/ world 1t is no longer sufficient.
Every shipyard in this country, every
shipyard in Europe. is busy preparing.
largo space is already at a premium,
IS sound SINNERS are only too well
| ware, In addition to that AZ. 900 900
ons there will have been built by the
inc OF the opening of the Panama
anal. mainiv 70 supply its needs, at
east an additional l4.Ooo,o0o gross