THE PANAMA CANAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 39, 2 October 1914, Page 4

THE PANAMA CANAL.

Referring to the message from America which mentioned that dm Panama Canal is uow available tor warships as well as for merchant vessels, Wellington Evening Post says this news will be very pleasant to Britain, because this short cut between the Pacific and the Atlantic can? be much more important, at present, to Britain than to Germany for naval pui poses, and the advantage will be still more extensive for Britain in the matter of trade. The almost complete paralysis of Germany's trade overseas takes away one benefit which that country's manufacturers and merchants expected from the great waterway, and Britain's gains are, therefore, much greater relatively, than they would have been in normal times. Of course, the Canal can give some comfort to Germany—because the passage will be used by some neutral ships from which Germany may draw food and other necessaries—but this will be small compensation to show against the enormous good service which the Canal can give to Britain. Indeed, Panama is practically a member of the Entente; it is with the Allies against Germany, whose foreign trade has been checked. This interruption and dislocation of industry, with the possible permanent loss of markets won only by long years of very hard work, will he among the facts which will operate most strongly for peace in Germany. '' I ; , /"1