The Washington times., 1914-09-08
HOW CANAL GIVES
TRADE POSSIBILITIES
National Geographic Society
Gives Result of Study Of
Freight Problem.

The effect of the Panama Canal on
! the commercial geography of the world,
has been made a subject of study by the
National Geographic Society. and a re-
port just issued shows how the centers
of American commerce have been
brought closer together. The report
says:
1T seems that the Panama canal will
carry most of the freight passing be-
tween the eastern coast Of the United
States and the western coast Of Latin
America. and that the shorter distance
and lower rates which 1t offers will
greatly increase that trade; that the
trade between the eastern and western
sections of the United States will be
greatly increased and transported at a
much lower charge a ton; that IT will
sufficiently shorten the distances to
Japan, northern China. Australia, and
New Zealand to increase steamship
service and materially increase the traf-
fic with those countries. and that the
European countries will use the canal in
most of their traffic with western
America and in exceptional cases with
northern Asia, Australia and New Zeal
and.
Shorter Travel Routes.
The canal has shortened travel
routes between New York and Yoko-
hama by $3.50 miles: between New York
and Shanghai. about 1000 miles; be-
tween New York and Australia, about
3. 900 miles, and between New York and
western South America by from $500 to
700 miles. 1t also reduces the distance
70
by more than 5.0Oe miles. International
commerce doubled in the thirty years
following the opening of the Suez canal.
and business and personal inter-rela-
tionship between Occident and Orient
was increased in like proportion. Will
similar results follow the like shorten
ing OF trade and travel routes by the
Panama canal?
Highways OF travel on the ocean are
influenced by surrounding conditions
Just as are those on land. SO that the
shortest distance between two given
points is not always the best. Plenti-
full freight supplies. interchangeable
of the products OF the countries forming
the termini of the routes. way stations
tions, and cheap coal Of a quality suit
able for steamship engines. and even
favorable winds and ocean currents are
among the factors contributing to the
success OF routes OF travel upon lno
ocean.
Eastern Benefits.
The sections of the world which
may be considered as probably within
the sphere of Influence of the Pana-
ma canal are the eastern and western
coasts Of America. the eastern coast
of Asia and the islands of the Pacific.
All western America is nearer to Eu-
rope than formerly, and all western
America and most of eastern Asia and
OceaniCa are nearer to the eastern
Gas: Of America.
"a study of the production and con-
sumption of the various countries ly-
iEs within the calars sphere of influ-
ence shows that their various products
are thoroughly interchangeable. a study
Of distances also shows that both New
York and New orleans are now SO much
nearer to all western America than Is
Liverpool that We NAV expect an in
creasing share Of the trade of that Sec
ton to fall to the lot of eastern North
America: that the Eastern ports of the
United States are considerably nearer
to Yokohoma. Melbourne. Sydney. and
Wellington than is Liverpool by her
shortest route, but that Liverpool is
still nearer Hongkong and Ma
nilla than either New York or Now Or
leans by way of Panama
"One of the most important results of
the opening OF the canal, doubtless. will
be found in its effect upon the move
ments OF merchandise between the East
ern and Western sections Of the United
States. The data at hand seems to JUS
tifv an estimate of about 3. 10000 tons a
year OF freight moved by rail and
about 10000 tons by water from the At
lantic coast section to the Pacific coast
section. and about an equal amount
from the Pacific coast section and
Hawaii to the Atlantic coast section.
The freight charges on these 1000, OO0
tons are estimated at from $3.50. .000 C00
to $500 10000 a year. The canal will
chop huge amounts from these
charges"