The Washington herald., 1914-03-19
ENGLAND AND THE CANAL.
Her Immcnses hipping Interests and
Vast Foreign Trade.

Editor The Washington Herald: In the
sense that more British ships than those
of any other nationality will use tn.
Panama Canal. Great Britain" as our
Ambassador at St. James is reported &c
have remarked. will profit most by IFS
use Great Britain profits most by the
use OF the Suez Canal simply because she
has so many ships and such a world wide
| commerce. In 1911 49s9 British vessels
| passed through the SueZ Canal. Carrying
! s. per cent OF the 100000 net tons for
| that year, which was about the average
| British percentage for the four years next
preceding. Great Britain paws more than
| half the tolls on the Suez Canal. and in
view of her external trade and the num-
ber and tonnage of her merchant vas-
sells. it is not improbable that more than
half the tolls on the Panama Canal will
be paid by ships carrying the British fas
for some time to come.
In 1900. when negotiations for the Hay
Pauncefote treaty were in progress
Great Britain had 7,90S sea-going steam
ers of 12.149.500 gross tonnage, while the
United States had $50 sesgoing steamers
of SIa.S4 gross tonnage: that is. Great
Britain had more than eleven sea-goinz
| steamers TO our one. and more than
fifteen times our tonnage. In 1872 she
y.
2n2.sIo gross tonnage, and We had lii
such vessels. with l.7s7.0e9 gross tonnage;
that is Great Britain had about nine
such vessels to our one. and nearly eleven
times our tonnage.
In 1911 the external trade OF Great
Britain had reached the enormous and
almost uncomfortable value Of SIX thous-
and millions Of dollars $500 GO O0GI in
exports and imports. while the external
than twice the population. was some
what short Of four billion dollars 0ICG.-
no.ON for the fiscal year ended June o.
1872. or less by two billions than that Of
Great Britain for 1911. Since then tn.
British external trade has increased bv
more than five hundred millions OF dol
lars ISI161DpI. a greater ratio of in
crease than that of the United States.
Canada alone. with 4 population OF
less than One-fourteenth of that of the
United States. has an external trade OF
over one billion dollars Csl.GOO. r,l. .O0n, or
about one-fourth of that Of the United
States.
1t is not strange that. with such vast
interests in oversee trade and shipping
Great Britain should appreciate and
guard her rights under the Hay-Paunce-
fote treaty.
Let me quote a sentence from the ad-
going figures are taken:
The commercial interests Of Great
Britain and the other maritime powers
being as extensive as they are in the
united oceans, why not return to the
original idea Of defeating the connect
ing waterway to the peaceful commerce
of the world pnder the guaranty Of its
permanent naturalization by the United
states and all the nations using the 18TH
mian canal in recognition Cand promo
tom of the freedom Of the seas. the
gospel Of commerce and the solidarity OF
mankind?'
We might capitalize the canal at its
actual cost, get back a large part of
our investment of four hundred million
dollars t$+oo, ,0u.0oO) in subscriptions to the
stock from other nations. raze the forti-
fCations, or plant them out as botanical
gardens, save the expense and danger
of the military occupation OF the 18TH
mus. and. with perfect safety Judging
from the history Of the Suez Canal and
other examples of naturalization. give
the cause Of peace on earth and good
will toward men such an impetus as II
might not otherwise receive in centuries
to come.
CRAMMOND KENNEDY