New-York tribune., 1922-11-27
I,zaffic Boon,
Reported for
Panama Canal
,spuaI Survey by Gov. Nor
row shows Rapid Devel.
opn,ent of Trade Between
Atlantic and Pacific Ports
Resurns Jump $75O,O0O
d. 8. Vessels Lead i'm Nuna-
ber and Tonnage; Brit.
ain Second, Japan Third


WASHINGTON, Nov. 2s.--An in-
crease in Panama Canal traffic 20
duadrup!e it's present volume Is pre-
iicsed by Colonel jay J. Morrow, Gov
synor os the Canal Zone. In his an
nual report, made public to-day he
poin. 20 rapid development OF sne
co. ,wise ssade between the Assa'lSic
na saciiic ports and says nothing IN
ne IusuTe Is more certain thah shas
fae development of known resources
Of Coiombia. Ecuados, Peru and Chile
vii support rapidly increasing VOL
ums OF traffic through the canal.s
Colonel Morrow warns there will be
years when. FOR temporary causes,
growth will be arrested. He describes
shs last fiscal year 40 such one, add
ing that the widespread commercial
stsgnation. which resulted in q large
portion OF the tonnage Of all maritime
nations being withdrawn from service.
naturally refiected In canal operations.
Despite this, there was in increase
n the net operating canal revenue,
approximately s3,450.0 900, an increase
Of about $750,o00 over the total the
year pefore. It was brought about,
she report says, By a material reduc-
aon IN operating expenses.
Panama Railroad Shows Loss
Auxiliary business operations were
not so successful, it is said. The canal
business operations, including me-
chanicsl shops, material storehouses
and fuel oil plants, showed q profit of
1928 3,269, as against S554,211 the year
before, while the Panama Railroad
Company showed loss of S71o,sol. as
compared with profit of Ss3,2s2 in
1921.
The number of vessels passing
through the canal during the fiscal
year was 2,7S6, As compared with
1882 the year before, but the net ton
mage was slightly greater, denoting an
Increase in the average size of vessels
using the waterway.
Cargo passing through the canal was
1o,SS4.9io. or 93.S per cent of the total
handled in the previous year.
"The greatest shrinksge was in the
trade with the west coast of South
America" the report says. Exports
rom the Atlantic and Gulf ports Of
me United States to that region fell
from 983,261 to 244,514 tons. Euro
pean exports TO South America de-
ciined only from 297,16e TO 2s3,s04
TONS
Exports from South America
through the canal to the United States
we're 54S,6oe tons, as compared with
as compared with 922,A9q. Crude oil
shipments from Mexico to South Amer
Ca fell off from 654,659 TO 258,562
tons. The total loss of cargo In this
south American trade was 1856 ,565
tons.
Nitrate Shipments Fall OF
Nitrate shipments from Chile were
less by 1,659,796 tons, and this, to-
gether with the curtailed purchasing
power resulting from the collapse Of
the nitrate industry, is sufficient to
accounst in largo part for the whole
in South American business.
AS serious as this slump in South
American business has been, its eco
nonlic causes are temporary. Tndica-
lions OF partial recovery In the South
American trade were perceptible at the
close of the year.
"The trade with Australasia has also
fallen off. The total loss Of cargo
amounted to 664,413 tons. In this case
also economic conditions are in the
main responsible for the decline, but
there also has been some diversion of
traffic from Panama to competing
routes.
Exports from the United States to
the Far East increased from .1,213,eoe
TO 1,728,172 tons. Imports from the
Far East fell from 42s,o44 to ao3,315.
The most remarkable gains OF the
year were in the trade OF the Pacific
coast of North America. Exports from
Inc west coast of the United States
TO Europe were 1902, 1873 tons, as COM
pared with 164,513. Western Canadian
imports from Europe increased from
3o,416 tons to 1858 tons and Amer
iesn imports from 144,591 to 186,696.
Coastwise Trade Increases
Cargo moving East to West in the
United States coastwise trade increased
from 69s,429 TO 1,28S,075 tons, and
cargo moving from West to East from
G78,s59 to 1,274,452. This rapid de-
velopment of the coastwise trade is
the most conspicuous feature of the
Years business. It has compensated
Tor losses elsewhere and maintained
the volume of traffic at nearly the same
Ieyel as in 1921"
as 60 vessels using the canal, Ameri~
total oS 1905. British were next, num-
herring 935, and Japanese third, with
lSe. American craft showed falling
off in numbers. but an increase in ton
mage, compared with the year before,
whereas British vessels decreased both
in number and tonnage. The number
Of japanese vessels increased fifty
three and the tonnage rose from 6t8,-
PAS TO S72,a66. French, German, Dutch
and Swedieh vessels also registered an
increase.
American vessels carried A55 Per cent
OF the cargo moving through the
canal, British vessels S1.T per cant and