Mammoth Cunarder Mauretania making her way to sea at night from New York harbor, along new Ambrose Channel, guided by light-buoys. (See page 281) THE TECHNICAL WORLD MAGAZINE Volume VI NOVEMBER, 1906 No 3 1 Hudson Bay-New Way to Europe By J. C. Elliot O annihilate a quarter of the distance from western Canada to Liverpool, bring uncounted millions of acres in the wheat belt of the Provinces a thousand miles nearer to market, and cut in half the annual transportation cost on fifty million bushels of grain-this is the tremendous opportunity waiting today for some commercial titan who will cut in twain the North American continent. Keen business men know that a revolution in traffic routes through Canada is bound to come. The freight now goes through the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River, to Montreal, New York, and Boston, and from there to Europe -a long, devious, and expensive route, requiring considerable rehandling. That there are much cheaper and quicker ways of shipping from the Canadi an Northwest to Europe, has been was acknowledged before, but the time not ripe for immediate action. Now, however, the recent industrial awakening of Canada and the great influx of home-seekers to her vast agricultural lands, have brought the matter of transportation to a crisis. But what is the key to the problem, and who will grasp the situation and secure the trade, are the questions industrial kings are asking themselves to-day, while the commercial world is alert, and watching with keen interest the coming titanic conflict. James J. Hill thinks that he can control the situation from the "States" end by building a road through Winnipeg and then north and west. Two Canadians, Mackenzie and Mann of Toronto, believe that the road they are financing, the Canadian Northern, a belt line running between the Canadian Pacific and the proposed route of the Grand Trunk Pacific, will give them the upper hand in the fight for freight. But the Copyright, 1906, by The Technical World Company (249) 1 haul necessary over the old line, with the consequent rehandling of freight. How great a saving may be made from the difference in rail haul alone, will be seen from the fact that the average rate per ton-mile on the Great Lakes is about one-tenth of the corresponding rate on the railroads of the United States. This tremendous reduction in the cost of getting grain to the consumer, means not only a complete overthrow of present shipping conditions, but cheaper grain for all Europe. The new route also traverses a latitude of much colder climate, and will therefore be better for the shipment of perishable goods. But, strange as it may seem, Hudson Bay has been neglected and ignored ever since the stalwart Henry Hudson, having |