THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1913. THE PANAMA CANAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 29 September 1913, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1913. THE PANAMA CANAL.

Mr John Foster Fraser, who is one of the greatest travellers, as also on© of the keenest observers' of the day, has published a book entitled "Panama jand What it Means." Mr Fraser deals with the history of the great work that is presently being brought to a consummation, and he draws intelligent conclusions concerning the effect that the Panama Canal will have upon the commerce of the world. The canal mil, he says, shorten the sea journey between New York and the west coast of the United States by over 8000 miles. It is on the transit of merchant shipping that the canal must rely if it is to be a commercial success. And in the matter of sea-born© goods, the markets of the Eastern States will have an advantage of thousands of miles over their present position in. reaching California, Peru, parts of Chili, Australia and Japan. At present, however, the American mercantile marine is a bad last among the trading concerns of the world. There is' not, as far as Mr Fraser can see, a single line flying the United States flag running between , ports on the two sides of the Equator. The trade is in the hands of foreigners, chiefly British, and the growl is being heard in American circles that their dollars are being spent to build a canal for foreign ships. Except to West Central America, the canal is going to be of little advantage to British shipping. Per Panama, New Zealand is slightly nearer to England than by any other way; but, with the Suez Canal in existence, India, China, Australia—indeed, every ice-free port in Asiatic waters^—is more distant by the Panama route than by Suez. Americans are buoyantly confident that as a commercial venture the Panama Canal will pay, but on this point there is room for considerable doubt. Mr Fraser states that the real thought behind the canal is to provide a quick means to get United States warships from one seaboard to the other. Not only ia there the ever-posßible danger of complications with a European Power, but Japan has developed into a great naval force, and no love is lost between the Americans and the

Japanese. In the event of war between the United SCates and another Power, the canal would play an important part. Th© United States, instead of concentrating her fleet on one coast, would have it divided. The first aim of the enemy would be to prevent the two sections . from joining. Indeed, the canal would be the weakest link in the chain of defence. The calculation has been made that the canal, instead of being a fine investment for the United States, is going to* cost that country £4,000,000 a year in efficient upkeep. Preparing for eventualities, fortifications are being constructed, but if the entrance to the canal is to be really guarded, Mr Eraser thinks that it will be imperative to acquire the island of Taboza and tunnel it after the manner of Gibraltar. The expense of this will startle the American people-. It is further stated that when the people of the United States grasp the full consequence of cutting the Americas in twain, they wilK.be compelled to set about having a navy second to none in the world. If Mr Foster Fraser's conclusions should prove correct, Brother Jonathan will have more serious responsibilities ahead than were contemplated when the Panama Canal was initiated.