THE PANAMA CANAL.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14314, 27 March 1912, Page 11

THE PANAMA CANAL.

REDUCTION IN'SEA DISTANCES,

WORLD TRAFFIC EARLY-IN 1914,

(from our ovv.v cobrespondent). LONDON, February 16. Mr 11. S.;, Forbes, General Manager of the Koyal Mail Steam Packet Co., has just returned to England after a visit of inspection to the Panama. Canul. He says that the Americans might well bo' proud of their achievements in Panama. The completion of their work would mark an epoch in the, history of the Now World. It would hare an enormous, effect upon.'tho prosperity of tie whole of the Pacific coast and would lead to vast developments in trade and.to great changes in trade, channels. It might not, of coqrse, be all at ,onre that shipping woultl readjust itself to the new route, but he could see no reason why the big ships which the Canal would be able to teke should not find it.a remunerative route. The question of the toll Jo be imposed upon shipping was, of course, very important, and he hoped that the charge would be ua small as the undertaking itself was big. The toll of one dollar suggested by the New York Chamber of Commerco would, he thought, be. a lair amount t<o levy on ships using the Canal. The work was being pushed forward co rapidly and in such splendid sanitary conditions that it was certain that the Canal would be formally opened by the passage, of a ship from the Atlantic to -the Pacific on July 19th, 1913. It would not, however, be open to the general traffic of-the world until perhaps the beginning of 1914. Sir John Glover, presiding at the annual meeting of the Mercantile Steamship Company, remarked that the opening of the Panama Canal was l.eginnmg to loom in the near future. They heard nothinij authoritative yet a* to the due* for Which ift watf to be placed at the world's service. But there were two facts to remember by which, they would have to be governed. First, it would be in regard to the bulk of its bust■jieas competitive traffic, and secondly, it would be certain -to make the Suez Canal Company carry cut its engagements with he present lasers. It would be desirable to have this matter cleared up before the dues for the new route needed to be considered. It was not known how many; foreign Govemliients paid pa*t of;theie dues, or bow xmi6n each paid, but they did know that they had not got the reduction of tie Suez Canal dues which they -were promised when the Canal dividend was increased, and that (He British Government received from the Suez Canal Company more' than £1,000,000 per annum. , When the Canal is opened there will be from New York to ail American Pacffic ports north of Panama a uniform reduction of &Jl3 miles, and to eucfi ports south of Panama a uniform reduction of about 5000 miles. The corresponding reductions from Liverpool and Antwerp will, be ahxit COOO and 2000 respectively. From Hamburg to San Francisco the Toduction , will be 6200

miles; Sydney will be 3SOG wiles and Wei- , Jtngton 23i2 "miles nearer New York. BβVween New Zealand and Europe there will be an average saving of 1600 miles. , British shipe which now pnsa through too Suet Canal on their way to China end Japan and thehoe'to Vancouver, Seattle, and San Francisco, will return to their- home ports ly way of tho Panama. Canal, when return cargoes can Tw obtained in thoee cities. Ships from Japan, China, Australia, TTew Zealand, and Pacific ports of South America will sail to New York, via tho new waterway. • ■•