The Tomahawk., 1917-07-26

w
the River RhOne came the
announcement that Marseilles was to
become free port In direct competi-
ton with Hamburg. The object in
view when designing the canal was to
connect Marseilles, the premier French
port and one serving numerous indus
trial establishments, with the center
of France, by waterway sufficient to
deal with larger amount of goods Of
greater bulk than could be carried by
the existing railway lines. There be-
ing a number Of French canals con-
nected with the Rhone and it's tribu-
tary, the Saone, the new waterway will
put Marseilles in direct communication
with q large part Of northern Europe
and permit a more effective distribu-
ton of those products which come to
the French port from countries border
ing on the Mediterranean.
The Marseilles canal, which threat
ems serious consequences to Hamburg's
trade, is one Of the important public
works that were carried on despite the
war. The waterway connects Mar
settles with Aries, on the Rhone, and
for part Of the distance runs in tun-
mel under the Nerthe range Of hills to
the northwest of the great port. 1t
also connects London with the Medf-
terranean by an almost straight line,
making Marseilles the greatest gate
way to the East and the central clear
ing house for all North African trade.
Fifty miles long, it has taken IL years
to build, and cost about $2O,OOO,OOO-
The scheme has been carried out with
financial aid from the state, the de-
partment Of the Bouches-du-RhOne,
and, more especially, from the cham
Der of commerce of Marseilles, which
expects great results from the work.
Rhone an Interesting River.
Engineers point out that the Rhone
is certainly the most interesting
French river. It has been utilized In
the past in large measure, and since
1878, under the influence Of the great
enthusiasm shown in France in favor
of internal navigation schemes, it's
now has been improved from time to
time. The river in it's main portion
runs in a north to south direction, and
is continued northward at Lyons, and
in an almost straight line, by the
Saone, thus forming water course
which should be capable, according to
q writer I'm the English journal, Engi-
neering, Of placing the Mediterranean
in direct communication with northern
Europe. He adds:
1T is even, it might be said, the sole
watercourse available in this respect,
for there are practically no other i'm
portant watercourses which flow south
ward into the Mediterranean"
The new canal, in the sections on q
straight line, is 80 feet in width, with
a normal depth Of eight feet, two
inches. The depth is nine feet, ten
inches between Marseilles and the
Etang de Berre, as it is hoped that in
that portion Of the canal larger craft,
sea-going barges, perhaps, will be used
owing to the prospective development
of industrial establishments on the
Etang de Berre. This presupposes the
transshipment of some Of the goods
loaded on these larger barges and
destined for towns and districts up the
River RhOne.
The canal section in the straight
will always be five times the immersed
section of the present Rhone barges
when loaded to their maximum carry
ing capacity, or 600 tons on five-foot
nine-inch draught.
Something About the City.
Marseilles already is the chief sea-
port of France and the second city of
the republic in point of population. 1t
is on an inlet Of the Gulf of Lyons, 25
miles east of the principal mouth of
the Rhone. The location is very pic
turesque, the ground rising On all
sides in an amphitheater of wood
crowned hills 1900 to 1900 feet high,
which terminate in steep promontory
a few miles south Of the city.
A century ago the city was cluster
of narrow, crooked streets grouped
around the cove that formed the old
harbor. Now several wide avenues
traverse this old portion, and nearly
the whole city is laid out with broad
and straight streets, and generally pre-
sents q modern aspect. The city is
dominated by the hill Of Notre Dame
de Ia Garde, which rises to height
of $50 feet between the town and the
shore. This hill is encircled on the
water side by the picturesque Corniche