A NEW FACTOR.

North Otago Times, Volume C, Issue 13139, 21 August 1914, Page 3

A NEW FACTOR.

PANAMA CANAL SOON OPEN. / USAGE BY WARSHIPS

I In a weel s time, on Saturday, Augui-t 1% the Panama Canal will be opened to lominerce, for vessels drawing up to 30ft The right of wars-hips to pass through the canal is therefoie of great interest at the present moment The clauses referring to the matter 111 tho trooh between Great Britain and America, signed bj Sir Julian Paunic fote and Mr John Ilaj, on Isoicmbei 18, 1901, arc as follow - The Lmted btates adopts, as tho basis of the neutralisation of Mich 'hip tanal, tho following rule, stib-tintialh as embodied in the Contention of Con stantmoplc, signed October 28, for the free naugajtion of tho Suez Canil, that is to *sa> 1 The canal shall Le free and open to \e <|<r els of commerce and of wir ot ill nitioii'', on terms of entire eqtnhh, *o that then ■'hall be no draiminatiou again c t am «uch nation or it 3 titi/eth or "übjpcfs m respect oi the conditionf or tlnrg^e 1 of ii a flic oi othonmc Such condihpns nnd chirgcs oi tnflic ilnll. be ju c t and equitable i 1! The ciinl shall mnei be block ulcd nor 'shall an> right of wir le c\erci c (d, nor nn act of hos-tilth le commitUd within it The Lnitcd States, howeui shall be at liberty to maintain military j forco along the canal as may be. jioees- j fary to protect it against lawlessness i and disorder. . ' . | li. Yeshels of war ol" a belligerent shall; not rcvictnal or take any stores in the canal, except so far as may be .strictly. necessary,'and the transit.of such ves-j sels through, the canal .shall be effected, with the least possible delay, in accord-! mice with the' regulations in .force, and; with only. Euch intermission as may result from the necessities of the service, rrizes shall'be in all'respects'-subject-to the same rules as vessek'of war of the j belligerents. ~ j 4. /No belligerent shall embark or de- j bark, troops,'munitions of war, or war-j like materials in the canals, except inj case of accidental hindrance of the trail-'!' sit, and in such case the transit shall.:. bo pinned; with all possible dispatch^ a/The provisions of this article shallii apply to waters adjacent to the canal- 11 within three marine miics of either end.; Vresals of war of kelligprcnts thall not.., remain in tuch waters. longer than L'4l hours at any one time, except in case of distress, and in such cases shall depart as soon as possible; but a vessel of', war of one belligerent shall not depart: within .24 hours from the departure of.!, a vessel of war "t the other belligerents, 6, The plant *'istablishnicnts, buildings, and all works accessary to the con- . strnction, maintenance, and operation of . the canal shall be deemed to.be parts thereof j for the purpose of this treaty, and in time of war, a3 in time of.peace, 'hall enjoy complete immunity from at; tack' or injury by belligerents, arid from acts : calculated to impair- their usefulness as nnrts of the canal.