The Mena weekly star., 1917-02-08
Far More South and Central American Than United States
 Vessels Go Through.
CHILE AND PERU FORTUNATE
The Numerous saiIIngs Are Making This Waterway a Much Travelled Tourist Route--opportunity Big for American to See
 West Coast.

Panama.-South and Central Amer lean steamers are far more numerous than United States vessels as regular users of the canal at this time. This fact, with the fact that Chilean and Peruvian steamers make the Atlantic rather than the Pacific terminal their Canal port, is one of the greatest sur prises of Canal operation and most marked results of the European wars effect upon canal traffic.
 Chilean and Peruvian ships will prac- tcally have the canal to themselves If the closing of the ports of the British West Indies at night, just announced as a war measure against German na- val raiders, tends to take English and allied shipping away from the Canal as effectively as high freight rates to Europe have taken United States yes sells away from the waterway built for their special benefit.
 Berthing at the same pier, or at one immediately adjacent, to that of the regular passenger and freight steam CTS coming to the Atlantic terminal of the Canal from New York and Europe, the fine Peruvian and Chilean steam CTS now making regular weekly and scheduled trips through the Canal af- ford convenient and quick transfer of passengers and freight for even such far places at Buenos Aires and its nearby cities on the East coast.
 Popular Tourist Route.
 This opportunity to see the Andes and the Canal Is making the isthmus a much travelled tourist route In- creasing numbers of people bound from Argentina, notably Buenos Aires, for the United States are making the voy- age by way of the Canal They go to Valparaiso by way of the Transandean railway and embark there for the Isthmus on one of the two regular lines of steamers plying between Chile and the Atlantic terminus of the canal. The voyage to the Pacific entrance of the Canal is about fifteen days. At the isthmus close connection Is made with ships running to the United States, which are at sea from five to eight days.
 Steamship service to the west coast of South and Central America from the Atlantic entrance of the Canal is now almost as continuous as the steamship service through the Canal to other parts of the world is limited and irreg- ;;iar. <.
 The Chilean line, known as the South American Steamship Company, main tains approximately weekly service between Christobal, the Canal port at the Atlantic entrance, and west coast ports as far south as Cristobal.
 The Peruvian Steamship and Dock company of Callao maintains a week ly service between Cristobal and Ecu Peruvian ships, built in Europe before the war and in every way up to the requirements of first-class passenger liners, make their principal calls at Guayaquil and Paita. With sailings each way about once a week. the Pe- ruyian boats will make freight and passenger transfers whether It Is possi- ble and practical for an enterprising and thoroughly up-to-the-minute man. agement to do so, and at the same time keep close to its published schedule Chilean line steamers are also first class in the present use of the tray- cling world.
 Many Other Lines.
 The Pacific Steam Navigation com pany. an English company, operates steamers from Cristobal as far south as Valparaiso and Coronel and as far north as San Jose de Guatemala, call ing at all principal way ports. For the Central American ports north of the Canal this company's steamers leave For Tumaco and Ecuadorian ports as far south as Guayaquil the Pacific Steam Navigation steamers leave the Canal every three weeks.
 The Columbia Maritime Steamship