Evening star., 1914-08-09

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became a certainty. ChImbote was looked
on as possible coaling and naval sta
ton for the United States Navy Sue
cessive administrations In Peru were re-
ceptive on the subject. The Navy De-
partment OF the United States gave The
project some consideration. but SO far
as 1 am advised there never were actual
negotiations. Since the control of the
United States at Panama is now SO fully
established less is likely to be heard or
the matter.
The Peruvian government, as 1t gets
stronger, doubtless will take measures TO
utilize the advantages of Chimbote as
a military port. This can be done with
out overlooking its commercial poesttfi-
ites Henry Meiggs. who built the Peril
wan railways across the Andes and ar
compEshed other miracles, had a vast
project for irrigating the country back
OF Chimbote. and coionizing IT, His plan
was to establish what would have been
an American community. This was for
ty years ago, and that phase OF the rIo-
Ject Is not likely to be revived.
Callao admittedly has done very littie
in the way Of actual preparation for the
commerce OF the canal. Its port facili-
ties are still very badly coneested, and
some Of the big ships which viii pass
through the canal will not be able 10
obtain facilities which would justifrs
them In stopping. at least not for NAM
years. President Billinghurst before he
was deposed. had given his Endorsement
to the plan of connecting the mainland
with the Island OF San LORENZO, which
would have insured ample harbor faoili-
ties. The scheme however. would re-
quire several years and a large amount
Of money to carry Il out
It Is reported that the Dutch engineers
who were employed to make the SURVEYS
and prepare preliminary plans look WITH
favor on the project. Nor is Il undery
stood that the present administrator OF
Peru is against the plan. but time and
money are required for its consumna-
ton.
Mollendo. the leading port OF southern
Peru. stormtossed as It is most OF the year
has been regarded by many engineers as
a hopeless harbor proposition. though
large sums have been spent on improving
ii. so that II is gable to accommodate
the commerce OF southern Peru and of
the Lake Titicaca region Of Bolivia The
Billinghurst administration was rumored
to have a plan for abandoning Mollendo
and reconstructing the port of Islay, q
few miles distant, where there were
ample harbor facilities.
Opposition of the property owners. who
originally secured the selection of Mol
lendo as a port. and the cost of removing
the railway tracks. would in any circum-
stances be q formidable obstacle to this
plan. II is not understood to be part OF
the policy Of the present government :
The alpaca wool Of Arequipa. the ore .
from the mines of southern Peru and the
rubber from the river region will con-
tinue to flow out through Mollendo for '
a good many years to come In spite OF
its poor harbor accommodations. o..
Chile. although at the farthest radius !,
Of the canal. has been most progressive
parins ps the to tsRs % sSs saVantsss Of it IN Tse
railroad from africa to Bolivia has been
completed and is in operation. Though
this railway has q grade OF per cent
to compete with the Southern railway
Of Peru for the traffic Of a large section
of Bolivia. The Bolivian copper deposits
lie adjacent to It The facilities afforded
coast and shipping IT through the canal
may cause a noticeable development OF 2
the Bolivian copper resources. e..
=. --oI
One of the most interesting questions
presented by the opening OF the canal
has been in relation to the nitrates. Here
tofore they have been shipped chiefly ia
sailing vessels from Iquique around the
Horn to the United States and Europe.
After the rate of canal tolls was fxed
the steamship and the nitrate people be-
gan to figure on the possibility Of trans
porting the bulky nitrate cargoes through
the canal. The conclusion reached by
the experts was that shipment was prac-
ticable, and 1t Is not unlikely that the
bulk Of the nitrates will be carried in
steamers through the canal to American
and European ports, although there VIII
always be certain proportion which wiz
follow the ocean route around the Horn.
>hA Hfxrar nf
fic through the canal by means OF steam
ers will further reduce the worlds fleet
Of sailing vessels. This Is one OF the In
direct results Of the canal =. =
1t is still an open question how far me
copper and the tin concentrates and tne
silver ore which come out through tne
port of Antofagasta viii be diverted 10
the canal. England absorbs pracucally
Horn route may continue to be favored
for the shipment of the concentrates. Yet
it isAprobable that some OF the cargoes
will go through the waterway. since the
big English steamship company has an.
nounced its intention of running steam
ers through the canal to Europe.
The gigantic copper enterprise OF the
Guggenheims at ChuQuicamata is eei-s
When the model city on the copper
mountain was planned, and the com---
prehensive scheme for developing tne-
low grade ore properties was formu-S
lAISQ, q ldTBe QudHlity VI Aoe-
which had been in use in the construc--
tion Of the canal was bought from the
canal commission and taken to Chile
Enormous quantities of copper are ex--
pected to be produced in the Chu-
quicamata district, and it is presumed
that the bulk of this will be trans
ported through the canal.
Charles M. Schwabs purchase of the
Tofoe iron deposits in Chile probably
was directly due to the transportation
facilities which the canal would offer
Mr.. Schwab has been going steadily
forward in developing these proper
ties, and it is possible that within a
few years the prediction of million
tons of iron ore annually for trans
port to Bethlehem will be fulfilled
-. :
The feet OF fifteen-thousand-ton ore
carriers which 10 now under construc-
ton. for the TOTO mines is the most
immediate evidence OF the influence of
the canal in promoting commerce be-
tween the United States and Chile The
west coast harbors. unfortunately. do
not offer good facilities for large ves-
sells, and it is possible that for a few
years the Schwab neet will return to
the Chilean port in ballast instead OF
carrying cargoes Of general merchen-
disc. But this condition will not con-
tinue indefinitely.
The Chilean government In the exten-
sive improvements which II has UNDER
taken In order to create a real harkor