The Washington times., 1921-08-01
SHIPS ARE SAVING
g DAYS BY USE
Of PANAMA CANAL
Time Calculated in Knots
Means $4,000 Per Trip.
Boom in Ocean Shipping.
By HARRY l.. ROGERS,
International News Service.


The interchange of some OF the larg-
est battleships in the American navy
between the Atlantic and Pacific fleets
through the Panama Canal shows that
the big waterway Is functioning along
the lines laid down for 1t when the
United States undertook the task OF
constructing a seaway between the
two Americas.
When the work Of building the
canal was undertaken no one dreamed
what a tremendous amount Of ma
terial would have to be moved to
make II a disable waterway such as It
Is today.
At that time II was figured that the
total excavations for the canal proper
would be 10l zoo. 900 cubic. yards. But
by reason OF engagements and slides
the task continued to grow until APP
proximately a quarters Of a billion
cubic yards of material had to be re-
moved. The ran distance from Union
Station to the Pennsylvania Terminal.
New York, is approximately 22S miles.
Imagine, instead Of the railroad, a
canal with vertical banks, forty-five
IeGl uttD anu 1-f ASSN "ioc-uCNp anu
wide enough to accommodate the
biggest ship afloat and connecting
the nations metropolis with the Coun.
try's CapitaI-and you will have a pic.
ture Of the amount of material that
had to be removed to make the great
isthmian waterway a completed pro.
ject.
Greater Than Pyramids.
Nor does this comparison include
either the excavations by the French
or those of the Americans for the
auxiliary port works, coaling stations,
etc.
The total spoils which had to be re.
moved to unite the seas, divide the
continents and shorten the sea lanes
Of the world at Panama were equal In
volume, 1t has been estimated, to more
than one hundred pyramids of the
dimensions of Cheops. two such pyra.
mids for every mile of the big water
way from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
Saving Of 80 Days.
The saving effected by ships using
the canal has more than Justified the
hopes OF the Government in under
taking it's construction. In pro.war
days the cost of maintaining a freight.
er in commission was approximately
ten cents per net registered ton per
day. Thus IL. cotton steamship cost
for maintenance about 81. 900 per day.
It's average speed was around 250
knots a day. On the trip from New
York to San Francisco there is saw.
ing of thirty-two days because OF the
canal. With such a ship. this extra
distance would cost, on the basis OF
pre-war prices, $4,000. ON the basis
of present prices II would cost about
$50. 900. The vessel. by using the
canal In pre-war days. paying sl,20
per net registered ton, or $4,000,
saved it's owners or charterers S21 900.
on the basis of present-day prices
the saving amounts to nearly $40. 900
II, as Is now planned, the coastwisJ
shipping using the canal In exempted
from the payment OF tolls 0,0o0.ton
steamer will save s12,0 900 every time
IL passed through the canal In tolls
and at least $4,000 In distance elm,
mated.
While IL looks rather high to think
of a 15.752.ton ship paying SIS, 900 for
an eight.hour trip through the canal
yet to choose that route between the
East and West coasts of tho United
States rather than the Magellan routs