: DIVERSION OF TRAFFIC. 273 
‘Op ortion of our surplus labour. If these railway enterprises 
e completed in five years, they will open almost as large a 
Id for emigration as the discovery of a new continent with 
mference equal to the combined length of the railroads 
estion—4,644 miles; for, without highways for trans- 
ion of produce, land is comparatively valueless to the 
us first inquire to what extent the existing currents 
opean traffic will be affected. 
2 improvements now in progress along the present lines 
travel between Europe and the East must be weighed 
t the new routes across North America. 
de between Europe and our Indian empire will not, of 
, be affected. Our trade with China requires a little 
eration. For quick passenger traffic, the completion of 
railroad system across India will cause the following 
id 7+ ~ : 
er 
London to Hong Kong . 39 days .- ee as days. 
Pgh «8. a Ben pean eer 
of the passenger traffic to China, therefore, will cer- 
avoid the tropics and go by San Francisco. The 
mers through the Suez Canal, and save a distance ex- 
g 4,000 miles of sea. Very little traffic goes to China 
Panama ; none will cross the American continent when the 
z Canal is open to navigation. If the import duties at 
ork were not so heavy, it is far more likely that the 
ms oe 
