Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-09-11
CHANGE IN TRADE
ROUTESEXPECTED
Effect of Panama Upon the
Worlds Commerce Will
Be Marked.

Washington. ID. c., Sept. 1.-The
National Geographic society ut Wash
ington. d. c., issued the following
statement on the probable effect Of
the Panama canal on the commercial
geography of the world, today:
1t seems that The Panama canal
Will carry most of the freight passing
between the eastern coast of the Uni
ted States and the western coast of
Latin-America, and that the shorter
distance and lower rates which it
offers viii greatly increase that trade:
that the trade between the eastern and
western sections of the United States
viii be greatly increased and trans
ported at a much lower charge per
ton; that it will sufficiently shorten
the distance 10 Japan, northern China.
Australia and New Zealand to increase,
steamship service and materially in
crease the traffic with those countries,
and that the European countries will
use the canal in most of their traffic
with western America and in excep-
tional cases with northern Asia, Aus
tralia and New Zealand.
The canal has shortened travel
routes between New York and Yoko-
hama by $3.50 miles; between New
York and Shanghai, about 1000 miles;
between New York and Australia
about 5000 miles, and between New
York and western South America, by
from $500 to 1000 miles. 1t also re-
duces the distance from Europe to
western South America by more than
5000 miles. international commerce
doubled in the 80 years following the
opening of the Suez canal, and bust
ness and personal Internationally
between the occident and orient was
increased in like proportion. VIII
similar re-ults follow the like short
ening of trade and travel routes by
the Panama canal?
Highways of travel on the ocean
are Influenced by surrounding condi-
tiOns just as are those on land, so
that the shortest distance between two
given points is not always the best
Plentiful freight supplies, interchange
ability of the products of the countries
forming the termini of the routes.
way stations on such routes, plentiful
coaling stations, and cheap coal of
quality suitable for steamship engines,
and even favorable winds and ocean
currents are among the factors con-
tributing to the success of routes OF
travel upon the ocean
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 of western America is nearer to
Europe than formerly, and all of west
eTn America and most of eastern Asia
and Oceania are nearer to the eastern
coast OF America. A study of the pro-
duction and consumption of the vari-
Gus countries lying within the canals
sphere of influence shows that their
various products are thoroughly inter
changeable. \ study of distances also
shows that both New York and New
Orleans are now so much nearer to all
of western America than is Liverpool
that we may expect an increasing
share of the trade of that section to
fall TO the lot of eastern North Amer
lea; that the eastern ports of the Uni
ted States are considerably nearer to
Yokohama, Melbourne, Sydney and
~ tAiAhSAol IMAM Is Liverpool DIV her
shortest route, but Liverpool is still
nearer Hongkong and Manila than
either New York or New Orleans via !
Panama.
"One Of the most important results
of the opening of the canal will doubt I
less be fond in it's effect upon the
movements of merchandise between ,
the eastern and western sections of
the United States. The data at hand
seems 10 justify an estimate of about
100000 tons per annum of freight
moved by rail and about half n mil /
lion tons by water from the Atlantic :
coast section to the Pacific coast sec /
Ton. and about an equal amount from
the Pacific coast section and Hawaii 10 !
the Atlantic coast section. The freight
charges on these 1000. 900 tons are
estimated at from $3.50. OOO, 900 to $500
100000 per annum. The canal will
chop huge amounts from these
charges"