THE PANAMA CANAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3034, 8 May 1912, Page 80

THE PANAMA CANAL.

REDUCTION IN SEA DISTANCES. WORLD TRAFFIC EARLY IN 1914. CFaOM OUB OWK CORRESPOITOKNT.) LONDON, February 16. Mr R. S. Forbes, general manager of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co., has just returned to England after a visit of inspection to the Panama Canal. He says that the Americans might well be proud of their achievements in Panama. The completion of their work would mark an epoch in the history of the new world. It would have an enormous effect upon the prosperity of the whole of the- Pacific Coast, and would lead to vast developments in trade and to great changes in trade channels. It might not, of course, be all at once that shipping would readjust itself to the new route, but he could see no reason why the big ships which the canal would be able to take should not find it a remunerative route. The question of the toll to be imposed upon shipping was,' of course, very important, and jie hoped that the charge would be as small as the undertaking itself was big. The toll of one dollar suggested by the New York Chamber of Commerce would, he thought, be a fair amount to levy on ships using the canal. The work was being pushed forward so 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 19, 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 beginning to loom in the near future. They heard nothing authoritative yet as to the dues for which it was 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 l<i the bulk of its business competitive traffic, and secondly, it would be certain bo make the Suez Canal Company carry out itH engagements with its present users. It would be desirable to lwive this matter (■■leared up befuro the duos for the new route needed to be considered. It was not known how many foreign Governments paid part of these dues, or how much each paid ; but they did know that they h.id not got the reduction of the Suez Canal dues which they were promised when the canal dividend was increased, and that the 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 all American Pacific ports north of Panama a uniform reduction of 8413 miles, and to such ports south of Panama a uniform reduction of about 5000 miles. The corresponding reductions from Liverpool and Antwerp will be about 6000 and 2600 respectively. From Hamburg to San Francisco the reduction will be 6200 miles; Sydney will be 3806 miles and Wellington 2542 miles nearer New York. Between New Zea-

land and Europe there will be an average saving of 1600 miles. British ships which now pass through the Suez Canal on their way to China and Japan, and thence to Vancouver, Seattle, and San Francisco, will return to their home ports by way of the Panama Canal, when return cargoes can be obtained in those cities. Ships from Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand, and from Pacific ports of South America will sail to New York via the new waterway.