27 JANUARY 1939, Page 22

CANAL DUES

[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR] Sia,—Mr. Spencer misquotes me. The words "Egypt would probably be forced to make the Canal free" were not mine, but Zaghlul Pasha's. The policy adopted at Panama by the U.S.A. was " to forgo direct profit from ownership," i.e., to make both ends meet. Her reward has been an increase of coastal trade.

Mr. Spencer will find full details of Suez and Panama rates in my book, The Suez Canal (Oxford, 1934): The Panama Canal cost 2f times as much to build and maintenance costs are higher; yet Canal dues at Bilbao, Panama, are to per cent. or 20 per cent. lower than at Port Said, Suez.—Your obedient