l will reduce this distance by 7,873 miles, and will
bring New York 6,250 miles nearer Callao and 3,747 miles nearer
Valparaiso. The Pacific Ocean includes so large an extent of the
curvature of the earth that the effect of the Canal in developing trade
routes with Asia will depend very greatly upon their direction across
it. Vessels from New York which, after passing the Canal, trend
northward or southward upon the great circle, will find that the Panama
route will be much shorter than that _via_ Suez; they will save 3,281
miles on the distance to Yokohama and 2,822 miles on the distance to
Melbourne. But if their course lies along the equator the Panama Canal
will not curtail their journey very materially. It is surprising to
find that Manila will be only forty-one miles nearer New York _via_
Panama than it is _via_ Suez, and the saving on a journey to Hong Kong
will be no more than 245 miles. In trading with Peru, Chile, Australia,
North China, and Japan, the merchants of New York will gain very
materially by the opening of the Canal. They will gain, moreover, by
the withdrawal of the advantage which English merchants now enjoy in
trading with New Zealand, Australia, North China, and Japan _via_ the
Suez Canal. At present London is nearer to these places than New York
is by 1,000 miles or more. The Canal will not only withdraw this
advantage: it will give New York a positive advantage in distance of
2,000 to 3,000 miles. It is more than doubtful, however, whether the
Canal would ever have been constructed in the sole interests of
commerce. Its chief value to the United States is strategical; it will
mobilize their fleet and enable them to concentrate it upon either
their eastern or their western coastline. The Canal will primarily be
an instrument against war; but, like much else in this world, it will
incidentally bestow multifarious advantages. The importance of
fortifying it is manifest. It would appear that the locks at either end
are open to naval bombardment; indeed, those at Gatun are clearly
visible from the sea. Fortifications are being constructed at both
entrances, and it is probable that the Canal Zone will be garrisoned by
a force of 25,000 men. World enterprises involve world responsibilities.

CHRONOLOGY OF UNIVERSAL HISTORY

EMBRACING THE PERIOD COVERED IN THIS VOLUME A.D. 1910-1914

DANIEL EDWIN WHEELER

Events treated at length are here indicated in large type; the numerals
following give