Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1917-11-28
INLAND WATERWAY
ACROSS CENTRAL
EUROPE IS PLANNED

THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Nov. 81.
German plans contemplate the con-
struction or organization of a naviga-
BILE inland waterway for large boats
across Europe from the Black Sea to
the Rhine and the French river sys-
item. on one hand, and 10 the Elbe and
the northern German waterway sys-
tenn OF the other. This would enOr-
mously enlarge the facilities for COM
mercial intercourse between Germany
and Austria-Hungary and between Ger
many and the Balkan countries and
Turkey. The war has given rise TO
the desire for closer links between the
countries of the present central Euro
pean alliance, seems to have given
an impetus to these schemes and canal
projects are just now well to the fore
in Germany. according TO advices re-
ceived here.
The net of inland waterways on the
continent of Europe. apart from the
peninsulas. consists of two entirely
separate systems. The separating line
runs across Europe, from the North
Sea, between Hamburg and Bremen,
parallel with the Elbe, to Bohemia.
From Hamburg it is possible TO go to
Riga, and even to Odessa, the Russian
port on the Black Sea, by connected
series of waterways, but it is impossi-
Bile to journey from Hamburg to Han
over in like manner From Bremen a
motor boat can take you to the Medi-
terranean or to the foot of the Pyrenes
but there is no navigable waterway
from Prague to Vienna.
In recent years wide interest has
been taken in plans for joining the
Danube northwards with the Elbe and
the Vistula and westward with the
Rhine and so with the entire west
European waterway net. During the
war political considerations have en-
phasized the Importance of such plans
from the central powers point of view.
The strength of the Quadruple alliance.
as conceived for the future by the
statesmen of the countries concerned.
| lies in the economic solidarity that
might be reached if the wares of the
four states could be easily and cheaply
exchanged. Germany, it is pointed
out, might attain to a more vigorous
industrial development, and the entire
complex of countries. from the North
Sea to the Persian Gulf, would form
an economic block.
One essential factor for the realiza-
/ ton of such plans is a cheap means
of communication, a waterway joining
the various countries of the Quadruple
alliance. There are various plans afoot
for securing a Rhine-Danube waterway
navigable by good sized boats. Per
haps the most favored is that of a
canal running from Wertheim, on the
Main, past Nuremberg to Stepperg on
the Danube. II provides for barges
of 500 tons to 1000 tons. The canal
would be prolonged south of the Da-
nube to Augsburg and Munich, and
would. it is anticipated, bring great
prosperity to southern Bavaria, whose
unfavorable geographical situation has
so far prevented its adequate develop
ment The two chambers of the Bavar-
ian Landtag have passed bill for the
construction of a large canal joining
the Rhine, Main and Danube on GER
tain conditions.
Relatively. the waterways of Europe
today carry a greater quantity of goods
than its railroads, and the proportion
still tends to move in favor of the
cheaper water borne traffic.