NAVIGABLE WATERWAYS play an important part in the move ment of goods from one part of France to another, and carry about one fifth of the total tonnage. They belong to three classes—free rivers, canalised rivers, and canals—and they are connected with one another so as to form an extensive and fairly complete system.
The Seine stands by itself. As far as Rouen it is navigable by ocean-going steamers of small size, and even to Paris it is ascended by vessels from abroad. Of waterways navigated by specially constructed boats, the most important are those which connect the north and east of France with one another and with Paris. A network of canals and canalised rivers extends from Calais and Dunkirk over the coal-producing and industrial area, connected on the one hand with the Belgian waterways of the Lys and the Scheldt, and, on the other, by the Canal de St. Quentin with the Oise, which is in turn connected by canal with the Sambre. The Oise with its canal extensions is the most important inland waterway in France and carries large quantities of coal to Paris. It is connected by canals with the lateral canals of the Aisne and the Marne, which extend eastwards into the mineral-producing regions. The Canal de l'Est, which runs from north to south, brings into touch with one another the Meuse, the Aisne, the Marne, the Moselle, and the SaOne. These different waterways enable coal and even cotton to be imported into Eastern France, and iron and iron ore to be exported.
The Seine is connected with the lateral canal of the Loire, which extends from Briare to Roanne, by the Canals du Loing and de Briare, while the Canal du Centre joins the Loire with the Saone near Chalons. The Seine is also connected with the Saone by its tributary the Yonne and the Burgundy canal. The Rhine-Rhone canal connects these two rivers by the Gap of Belfort.
On the Rhone and the Saone, traffic is much impeded by the character of the river, and the movement of goods is largely down stream. A canal from Arles joins the Rhone to the Mediterranean. The Canal du Midi, which carries only a small amount of traffic, places the Mediterranean in communication with the lateral canal of the Garonne and so with the Atlantic.
Bulky materials constitute the greater part of the traffic on all these canals. In 1906, for example, nearly 80 per cent. of water borne goods consisted of coal and coke, building materials, and agricultural produce. But, notwithstanding the fact that water transport is on an average nearly 20 per cent. cheaper than transport by rail, the amount even of bulky goods carried by rail is much greater than that carried by water. It is interesting to note that over 4,000,000 tons of cargo go between Lyons and Arles by the former method, but only 800,000 tons by the latter, and that even Paris, which has exceptional facilities for river and canal traffic, transacts about 54 per cent. of its trade by land.
Among the disadvantages with which French waterways have to contend are the slowness of transit, the greater length of the journey (60 per cent. on the average), the want of good inland ports, and the inadequate facilities on some of the canals for the transference of goods to or from the railways.
COMMERCE.—France, facing alike the North Sea and the Channel, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, with good internal communica tions, and with easy access to Central Europe, occupies a position very favourable to commerce. Her position, her varied agricul tural resources, her comparative poverty in minerals, and the skill and aptitude of her people, determine the nature of her trade, the general features of which are indicated by the following figures :— The principal food-stuffs imported are wheat from Algeria, maize from Roumania and the Argentine, wines from Spain, coffee from Brazil, and cocoa from Ceylon and Venezuela. Of raw materials, cotton comes from the United States, Egypt, and India, wool from the Argentine and Australia, and silk from Italy, China, and Japan, coal from Britain, Germany, and Belgium, oils and oilseeds from Italy, India, and the West Coast of Africa, and rubber from the Congo and South America. Manufactured goods consist largely of machinery and textiles from Great Britain and Germany.
The food-stuffs exported include wine, sugar, and dairy produce ; the raw materials are chiefly silk and wool ; while the manufactured goods consist of textile materials, furniture, clothing, leather, chemical products, and automobiles. Great Britain is the chief customer, but many of the articles sent there in the first instance are for transmission abroad. Among other large purchasers of French commodities are Germany, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Italy, the French colonies, the United States, and the Argentine.
The chief ports of France in order of their importance are Mar seilles, through which the bulk of the trade with the Mediterranean and the East passes ; Rouen, which receives very large supplies of coal from Great Britain, partly for Paris ; Havre, which has an extensive trade with North and South America and imports cotton, wool, and copper ; Dunkirk, which is growing rapidly as the port of the industrial region of North France and imports wool from South America; and Bordeaux which trades with the West Coast of Africa and with South America, and is the chief town in France for the exportation of wine.