THE PANAMA CANAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 89, 10 December 1912, Page 8

THE PANAMA CANAL.

NEW ZEALAND’S OPPORTUNITY

AN AMERICAN VIEW

Rear-Admiral Ross, of the United States Navy, who retired some lour years ago, uas been spending several weeks in the North Island of Now Zealand, and last week a representative of the Wellington Evening Post had an interesting talk with him on tne subject of tiie Panama Canal, 01 wnieh Jte had made a thorough inspection, extending over two months, in too early part of, the year. In the first place Admiral Ross removed a misconcept.oii that has been spread abroad as to differentiation 01 rates charged for passage through the canal between American-owned and foreign-owned vessels. American-own-ed vessels engaged in foreign trade, he said, will pay the same rates as foreign-owned vessels, and he added that American-owned vessels that have been purchased abroad -are only allowed by the shipping laws of tne United States to engage in foreign trade. Ships owned by railway companies wil. not be allowed to go through the canal, but vessels engaged in coastwise trade will pass tnrough free, it tue present time, he added, very few vessels Hying the American hag are competing in the foreign trade, owing to the handicap with which they are burdened. American workmen work under the eight-hour system, and the cost of labour is greater in the States than anywhere else, the result being that it costs oO per cent more to built, a ship in America than in any othei ship-building country, it is only i\ year since the shipping laws were alt ered to allow the purchase of vessel: made in other countries, and even then they cannot agree in coastwise trade, and must bo capable of being used for transport purposes or colliers' in time of war.

Nsw Zealand’s Position, Asked as to his views as to the effect of tiie canal, on the trade oi -New Zealand, Admiral Boss said it wo til'd bring Wellington about 2500 miles nearer English ports, and about 1800 miles nearer to New York. The monopoly of the Suez Canal would be broken up. The rate per actual tor through the Panama Canal would be about 45 cents, against 75 cents through the Suez Canal. New Zealand would he enabled to land her produce in five of the Pacific ports of the United States and in eight ports on the Atlantic Coast, without having te use the railroads. In many newspapers, he went oi to say, it was represented that vessels passing through the Suez Canal would have to reduce the quantity of cargo carried so as to enable them to carry a larger supply of fuel. That he argued, was not likely to be tin case. A vessel going from the east ward would probably find coaling ports at St. Thomas or Jamaica, and at Christohel and Panama, and tin question was really one as to whcthei New Zealand would supply coal at the four great coaling ports of tin Paciffc-Suva for the English, Apia for the Germans, Pagopago for the Americans, and Tahiti for the French. If New Zealand could do that it would prove a great source of wealth foi the country. “The Tide of Commerce.”

There was no question, he added, but that the tide of commerce wouk How through the Panama Canal, and it must he of great advantage to New Zealand and Australia. To the ports north of the Panama it would mean a difference of about 8000 miles, and the trend of trade must afford New Zealand a great market for her pro duco. The revision of the Umteti States tariff would also probably be to the benefit of New Zealand’s wool and dairy produce, which were excel lent, and, having had a good opportunity of seeing the dairy farms o! the North Island, he predicted a great future for ‘the country, which it hatgiven him very great pleasure to visit, and which he hoped to revisit at t future date.