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September, 1914 declaration, . foodstuffs Under the and commodities, 'which are not war mater- ials in themselves, can only be declared contraband when they are destined for the territory of a nation at war. Cape Cod Canal The Cape Cod was officially opened on July 29 with imposing cere- monies. The canal runs about north- east and southwest and connects Cape Cod bay with Buzzards' bay. A _ 2,400- foot stone breakwater at the Cape Cod bay entrance protects the canal from heavy northeast storms. The new waterway will shorten the distance 70 miles for coastwise vessels sailing into Boston and provide a safe route for coastwise trade which hitherto nas had to round Cape Cod. The length of the canal THE MARINE REVIEW 000. August Belmont is the president Of the Cape Cod Construction Co. which built the canal. The Fighting Tonnage of Nations The most recent issue of Nauticus, the German annual which deals with naval affairs, gives some valuable and up-to-date comparisons of the strength of the various fleets of the powers. The figures are brought up to May 15 last. The comparative figures. in terms of displacement are: Ready. Building. Tons. Tons. Le Great Britain. 4550.4 2,205,040 593,420 Avs GOTT Ue Sages, 1,019,417 325,988 3. United: States. ec: 909,780 228,860 4 SR rances Coss a hed oe 731,190 346,190 be ea panls So i oe e ey 558,560537182.1 50 Gta eee enn 402,140 202,540 ZC CRUSE ek) Sores an 327,960 429,170 8 Austria-Hungary 249,550 156,070 353 as to cruisers the variation is largely in favor of England. The fact that Germany has something more than half as many ships in building as England, is affected by this matter, that with us (Germany) the period of building is longer. For the build- ing of a war vessel in Germany four years is reckoned as against 3%4 years in England. So that part of the Eng- lish 1911-ships is now ready." The United States, whose prepon- derance in transports does not enter into the count, has now ceded the second place to Germany; and soon, it appears, will have a struggle with France for. the third..place. . Russia is making great efforts to regain her former place in the race of: arma- CAPE COD CANAL FROM THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY END waterway is 8 miles; its length from 30-foot water in one bay to the other is 13 miles. At the present time it per- mits a draught of only 15 feet but by Oct. 1 it will have a minimum draught of 25 feet at low water. Its minimum width at bottom is 100 feet and at Passing points, of which there are four, it is 200 feet wide. Rates and tolls on the waterway range from $3 for Passage of power boats and other small craft to $100 for commercial vessels of 999 gross tons. Merchant ships of over 1,000 gross tons will pay 10 cents per gross ton. It is figured that the tolls have been placed low enough to cap- ture all traffic. The canal was built by Private enterprise at a cost of $12,000,- Included in this list are -all tne ships specifically for use in warfare-- battleships, ironclads, cruisers, tor- pedo-boats, and submarines; but other types such as training ships and trans- ports are not reckoned. It is stated also that in the German figures the displacement 'of the submarines is omitted, as it is not accurately known; but it is estimated at 14,000 tons, which does not alter the rela- tive position of Germany in the list. "The result is," says the Hamburger Nachrichten, "that the German navy has only 46 per cent of the strength of the English, a proportion which in respect of ships of the line varies somewhat in favor of Germany, while Photo by Edwin Levick, New York. 'ments, as her large amount of new shipbuilding indicates. To all appear- ance, she will soon overtake both Japan and Italy, especially as a large proportion of her tonnage will be new, while theirs is obsolescent. The following figures showing the tonnage of over 20 years--which is regarded as old age for a battleship--are in- teresting: Proportion of obsolescent to ready Tons. tonnage. Great: - Britain: . 13.4... 139,710 6.3 Tinted: Statés i. ..5 555 102,800 11. Vale isl eee es 96,730 24.0 Rrance | 7 ei 87,150 11.9 Germany 252.427 -25. 71,815 70 Rassias cca 55,330 16.9 Gapan fs oie oss ce 51,260 9.2 Austria-Hungary ..... 21,000 8.4