The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-08-14
READY FOR OPENING
OF PANAMA CANAL
UNITED STATES WILL BEGIN BUsr-
NESS SATURDAY, FoUR MONTHS
AHEAD OF TINE.
COST NE ARLY $400,OOO,O0O
TEN YEARS SINCE THIS GOVERN
MENT DECIDED TO START WORK.
INTERESTING DATA ON
THE IsTHMUs.
COST NE ARLY $4O0,OOO,O0O

Washington. Aug. 13.--More than
when the board of consulting engi-
neers In 1905 estimated that 1t would
take until January, 1915, to complete
the Panama canal along the lines
then under way, the United States
finds itself ready TO begin business
next Saturday in selling tickets of pas
sages to ships Of all nations through
the new gateway.
Preparations for the official open
ing are being fastened orders al
ready have been issued for all craft
10 remain outside the channel in or
der not TO impede the steamer Ancon
which will be the first vessel To make
the trip.
Merchantmen Rivals.
There is great rivalry between the
vessels follow the Ancon. Numerous
vessels are now at each end of the
canal awaiting an opportunity to
pass through the waterway.
The steamer Panama made the
third and last test trip through the
canal yesterday.
The American Ha waiian steamer
Nebraska left San Francisco for New
York yesterday via the canal. She
Will be the first merchantmen 10 pass
through from the Pacific coast. The
Arizona of the same line left New
York m the opposite direction Au-
gust 1.
1t is just ten years since The govern
ment advertised Its purpose to com
meet the oceans 1t is nearly 400
years since Spanish engineer first
suggested such project.
For time the epoch which this
triumph of engineering marks will
pass uunoticed so far az cele brations
go, for 1t is not until next spring that
the great demonstration will be made,
but from next Saturday on the Pan
anna canal will he an accomplished
fact and the worlds commerce will
gradually aceustom itself 10 this new
groove.
What 1t will mean to the world at
large and tn particular nations, and
especially TO the United States Is
question around which great deal of
controversy has waged, now to be
answered by the canal itself
After the passage of government
steamer next Saturday, probably the
tristobal any ship up to 10000 tons
register applying for admission To the
Pacific from the Atlantic, or vice YER
ss. may be conducted through the
afty miles of waterway upon the pay
ment of si25 for every ton tneD of
cargo, Crew and passengers Will not
he taxed.
At this nominal expense, some TIVE
months sailing time on a 10, 600 mile
voyage around the South American
continent may he saved, or the ex-
pense OF transhipment by railroad
/ done away with, If desired
Cost Nearly $500. 900. 900.
The canal has cost the United States
nearly s4o0, oo0 000. That is approx
mately what De Iesseps, the French
engineer. figured IL would cost when
he undertook the job in 1889. but he
spent that and more in making only
s slight Impression. and ended in ut
ter failure and financial disgrace.
A year from this time it is figured
the government will have 10 show re
ceipts OF some SIS, 100000 TO pay the
operating cost of the canal, which
will be about $4,000. 600 yearly, and
the interest on its huge investment.
Whether 1t will he able TO do so this
year or for many years is moot ques-
.tion.
Traffic experts have estimated that
/ 1900 000 tons OF freight will be car
ried through the canal every year
y
ii will be nearly doubled. This,
roughly. has been the experience OF
the Suez canal. Last year nearly g.
900 ships passed through the Sueg,
with a net tonnage of over 10000, 900,
The growth in tonnage In ten years
had been more than 20 per cent
The opening OF the Panama canal
crowns series of more than a score
of interesting points in the history OF
] he <x-t y1tfJ
Incidents OF Panama.
First crossing of the isthmus: BY
Balboa. who, September Is. 1919
I much To his surprise. found himself
gazing upon the Pacific ocean after
twenty-three days journey on foot
4 First ship to cross the isthmus: In
! 1914 Balboa and his men carried two
small ships, piecemeal. across the
isthmus, intending 10 use them for
further exploration OF the Pacific.
First settlement of old Panama; In
1917, to become known later for a
time as the richest city in the world
i First regular traffic across isthmus.
The spells of conquest sent back 10
Spain from Peru. which became SO
+ heavy that highways paved with stone
were laid for the pack trains
/ First thought Of canal: Credited
to Salvadera, a Spanish engineer, one
of Balboa's followers, who was about
I TO forward his plans to King Charles
I V of Spain when the latter died
First surveys of canal: In 1881
by Spanish engineers, who deemed
the project impossible of accomplish
ment.
First official decision on canal pro-
iect. By King Philip II. in 1920, adj
versely after referring the matter TO
the Dominican friars- TIE latter,
desiring to obey the kings orders,
but unable to report intelligently,
suggested that the project was sac
religious They quoted from the BIZ
BILE What God hath Joined toseth-
or. let no man put asunder." Ac-
cording3y. the project was put on the
shelf for three centuries:
First British interest In latter part
OF seventeenth century. when the ex-
petition launched by William Pat
erson. founder OF the Bank of Eng
land, attempted To found a communi-
ty on the Isthmus Of Darien. south of
the present Panama. with the ulti-
mate intention of establishing trans
isthmian route. The plan proved an
utter failure. Many other British
surveys followed in later years
Gocthe's Prophecy.
The German poet Goethe. hum