El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-04-01

w ASHlNGIONs u g, April l.
W. The adage that time is mon
w ey' never has been more fOrci-
b1v illustrated than in the methods en-
ployed to fix the rate Of tolls which
shall be charged vessels passing
numerous elements entering into the
rate of S120 per net register ton which
has been proclaimed. but chief amon5
these elements is the question OF time.
South America has long been bar
rier to more than half the commerce OF
the world. Ships have used the route
around the southern tip of South Amer
lea for centuries, freight has Deeh
transplanted by railroad and mule
across the lsthmus of Panama for half
a century and for nearly as long time
freight has been transhlpped across
the ISthmus Of Iehauntepec, the lower
tapering stretch of Mexico. But of all
defective devices to overcome the
natural obstacle of the South American
continent, the Panama canal promises
to be the most effective. 1t Wtll short
en- most OF the commercial routes OF
the world. The nations of the earth
have been linked more closely To-
Distances Shortened Greatly.
Vessels bound from New York to the
west coast of South America will have
their voyage shortened greatly. A YES
sci bound from New York to Valparaiso,
Chile, viii save S747 miles by using
the canal. A freighter making nine
knots an hour will save II days on
that trip A vessel bound to Callao,
far north on the coast of South Amer
lea, and therefore a shorter distance
from New York as the crow flies, will
save $3.50 miles or 26 days for nine
knot vessel Ships bound from New
York to San Francisco will save &c
days; from Liverpool to Valparaiso, IS
DAYS: from New TS-k to Melbourne, u
days; from Liverpool to Melbourne, SIX
days; from New York to Yokohama,
16 days; from Liverpool to Singapore,
81 days.
Professor Emory Johnson, in prepar-
ing a report on the subject of tolls,
made complete distance tables show
ing not only the actual miles that
would be saved vessels using the Pan
anna canal, but the time n hours that
vessels of different speeds would save.
An exhaustive inquiry among steam
ship owners revealed the fact that II
costs about 10 cents per day net reg
lister ton to move modern freight
vessel Although scores Of operating
sheets were examined, the operating
cost was found to be nearly 10 cents
and the general average ascertaI1ed
is almost exactly 10 cents.
Tolls Carefully Figured.
Having found these different ele-
matter of arithmetic. Obviously, If it
costs 10 cents per day to move a net
register Of ocean freight, the ship own
er can afford to pay 10 cents TO save
New York to Valparaiso, saving IT
days steaming time. could afford to pay
$17O for the privilege Of passing
/ thrOgh the Panama canal A higher
toll would make it cheaper, so far as
this single element is concerned, for
/ the vessel to adhere to the old Cape
Horn or Straits of Magellan route. Con-
( sequently there is a limitation on the
amount Of tolls Which can be collected.
!. Out OF the fErao average of savings
il vas ICulHrHIt me greatest amount
of shippind br0baa5ly would be at
tracted to N Eana1 ma canal by toll
slightly in excess on 81 per tor and the
exact rate of S120. 4subJ5ct 70 change
by presidential ordet +, firally was de-
cided upon.
Grcater SafetJ by Canal.
Owing to the CRED ter safety Of the
Panama route, ship pwn'rs VIII make
an additional saving q hroigh their abll-
ftv to purchase insuraE lceat lower rates
than when they risk ter vessels IN
the uncertain weather tat Is encOun-
tered at the Horn. Blu THE main con-
sideratiOn in fixing toll ~ was the saw
ing of time. So muchl time saved, so
much money saved. AMI by the amount
Of money which 5ye. P4na ma, canal viii
save the shippin5%of, the world the toll
finally was fixed.