and some move looking to co-operative action in this
direction seems to be indicated. The obstacles which
confront any effort to work out mutually beneficial co-

Operation are not easy to overcome. Some of them might
be summarized as follows:—

The tendency of both nations to adhere to the principle

that their respective coasting trades should be reserved
to ships of their own registry.

Seasonal and one-way character of the traffic.

Disparity between Canadian and United St

ates port
charges.

Disparity in subsidies and subventions, paid by Canadian
and United States Gov

ernments to domestic water carriers
for mail service, etc.

Differential in wage levels between crews of Canadian
and United States ships.

A number of proposals have been advanced. It has
been suggested that an effort be made to take advantage of
lower transportation costs, on trafhe moving between
United States interior points and Alaska, afforded by the
rail connection to Prince Rupert, and that if no United
States water carrier interested in providing the service
between the Prince Rupert railhead and Alaskan ports can
be found, then the Canadian steamship lines might be
permitted to provide such a service.

Present arrangements in Prince Rupert provide for the
use of facilities there for inbound assembly and furtherance
to United States points of fishery products from Alaska.
No more formality than has been found Necessary in carrying
out the above arrangement should be needed to set up and
Operate at Prince Rupert a Foreign Trade Zone (Free Port)
for the handling in bond of goods moving in the reverse
direction, from United States interior points to Alaska.

Canadian ships are designed for and are well adapted to
the passenger trade, and are superior in speed and appoint-
ments to those of the United States, which are primarily
freight carriers. The suggestion has, therefore, been made
that in return for access by the United States lines to the
local freight business of the British Columbia Coast and
the Yukon, Canadian lines might be given access to the local
passenger and express business of southeastern Alaska.

It may be concluded that any practical approach to a
solution of the problem of ocean transportation in the

interest of both countries in the North Pacific should be
one that will produce savings to the carriers on both sides.

Automobile Ferry

The newly developed highways in Yukon and Alaska
may be expected, whenever post-war conditions permit, to
offer considerable attraction to motorists drawn by a desire
to see some part of these lands of mystery and romance.
The route to Yukon and Alaska over the Alaska Highway,
the only road access from the continental highway systems,
is long. In some part the terrain it traverses is barren and
featureless and even under full maintenance it may offer
some difficulties to the pleasure driver. Moreover, since
few drivers are inclined to follow the same route on their
return journey, it may be expected that most motorists
will want to make either their entrance or their exit through
the coastal gateways. Present accommodations for auto-
mobiles on passenger ships Operating between Seattle,
Vancouver, Prince Rupert, and Skagway are limited, and
expansion of these facilities is likely to be demanded.
Plans now being drawn for new passenger vessels are
providing some extra space for the transportation of tourist
automobiles, but such arrangements as are at present
visualized would be far from adequate to meet the increased
demand that many people expect.

Various suggestions have been advanced, One proposal
was the provision of a semi-weekly ferry service each way
during the summer months, between Prince Rupert, Juneau,
Haines, and Skagway. Such a service would enable auto-
mobile tourists from the south and east who have driven
through British Columbia over the Cariboo Highway thence
to Prince Rupert, to embark at the latter point. They
would disembark at Haines and reach the Alaska Highway
over the Haines Cut-off. For this purpose, specially
designed craft with substantial automobile capacity have
been proposed. Another Suggestion was that certain types
of released naval craft, such as beach landing craft, be
adapted for use as ferries. This subject is developed
further under the heading of “Highways”.

The question of the future maintenance and possible
extension of the Alaska Highway and the Haines Cut-off,
and of the establishment of facilities for the servicing of

S
cars and the accommodation of tourists alor

ig the highways
will have to be determined before any serious consideration
can be given to plans for tt

ne water carriage of highway
vehicles between road terminals on the Pacific Coast.

[95 ]