The National geographic magazine . Cape , about two-thirds of ourcommerce with Asia and Oceania stillgoes across the Atlantic Ocean, ratherthan undergo the expense of rail trans-portation to the waters of the Pacificon our own western coast. The disad- vantage under which we thus labor inan attempt to compete with our Euro-pean rivals for the trade with the Orientis shown in the fact that while the dis-tance traversed by a vessel passing fromNew York to Shanghai is from 12, 500 to16,000 miles, the distance from Londonto Shanghai is but about 10,500 miles,an advantage to the Br
The National geographic magazine . Cape , about two-thirds of ourcommerce with Asia and Oceania stillgoes across the Atlantic Ocean, ratherthan undergo the expense of rail trans-portation to the waters of the Pacificon our own western coast. The disad- vantage under which we thus labor inan attempt to compete with our Euro-pean rivals for the trade with the Orientis shown in the fact that while the dis-tance traversed by a vessel passing fromNew York to Shanghai is from 12, 500 to16,000 miles, the distance from Londonto Shanghai is but about 10,500 miles,an advantage to the British merchant offrom 2,000 to 5,000 miles, according tothe route of the vessels from New spite, however, of the disadvan-tage under which our merchants laborin their attempts to cultivate commer-cial relations with the Orient, our actualcommerce with the islands and countriesof the great Pacific has grown rapidlyin recent years, and more rapidly thanthat of any other nation. Our importsfrom Asia and Oceania increased from. Map No. 1. Principal Productions of the Countries Fronting on the Pacific (see page 307) 306 The National Geographic Magazine 105 millions in the calendar year 1891to 162 millions in 1901, an increase ofover 50 per cent, while the total importsof the country were increasing but 10per cent. Our exports to Asia andOceania increased from 40 millions in1891 to 115 millions-in 1901, an increaseof 180 per cent, while the total exportswere increasing but 50 per cent. This brings us to a consideration ofthe Pacific and its commercial condi-tions today and its possibilities whenwe shall obtain access to it through anIsthmian canal, which we may reason-ably expect we are soon to have. Be-fore entering upon a detailed discussionof this, however, it is proper that weshould realize the enormous extent ofthis great body of water—its length andbreadth and its comparison in area withthat ocean with which we are much morefamiliar, the Atlantic. The superficialarea
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectgeography, bookyear18
