DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA CANAL 99

 The possible adverse effect on the passenger trade through confining passen-
ger vessels to inland navigation for so long a period of time under unknown
weather conditions was another factor presented. Conversely, it was stated
that the existence of the waterway might augment passenger traffic, by adding
variety, scenic beauty, and general interest to the route, and would constitute a
good advertising point.
 Time savings.-Quite aside from time savings translated into dollar savings,
which is discussed previously in this text, the question was raised as to what
use could be made of any time saved. 'Theoretically time saved must be made
commercially useful if it is to be of value. A ship arriving in port at a time
or under circumstances which do not permit of working cargo saves nothing by
early arrival. (For discussion see pp. 19, 20, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic
Commerce, Trade Promotion Series Bulletin No. 129.) Operators stated that
in case of certain vessels which arrive in the early afternoon cargo is not
worked until S o'clock on the following morning in order to avoid overtime
payments for labor. If such vessels could be brought into port during the
early morning, a full port day would be saved for the ship without overtime
payments. In this case the use of a waterway might be dictated by conditions
affecting a ship's port time, irrespective of any possible direct savings due to
navigation through the waterway.
 Other operators, serving Florida coastal districts, saw changes in schedules
and service requirements. Possibilities of revised schedules, change in coastal
movement and in competitive position of local ports and services materially
affect the probable value of the proposed waterway. Operators stated that in
these trades at least a third or more of their operations would not be interested
in the use of a waterway.
 Public-interest values.-Conflicting views were held in respect of the ultimate
definition of public interest in the waterway-reduction in transportation cost
to the shipper. Some operators held that under current tonnage conditions
rates approximate costs of operation; that shortening of route tends to increase
tonnage surplus and thus further to depress rates.
 Other operators held that use of the projected waterway would reduce
transportation costs to them by a small amount if vessel transit could be made
free of all charges whatever. Any charge would materially affect the margin of
savings and under no circumstances could this saving be passed on to cargo and
consumer.
 Car-carrling vessels.-The position of car-carrying vessel operators indicated
possible utilization of one or more points along the waterway as points of
transfer and classification. It is considered that cost figures for this type of
vessel are not typical for purposes of waterway calculations, and they are
omitted from this report.
 Foreign tonnage.-Charterers of foreign tonnage were interested in possible
time savings features of the proposed waterway as a further advantage to them
in connection with vessels on a time-charter basis. Foreign vessels operate at
considerably lower cost, which, in turn, would make any service charges for
use of the waterway materially alter the position of a foreign vessel in respect
of using the waterway. Time savings, however, in this case, especially in
regard to bulk carriers like tankers, would be of direct benefit to operators
of vessels on long-time charters.
 The consensus of opinion of that part of the shipping industry with which
contact has been established in the preparation of this study appears to be
that the probable cost of building the projected waterway is not justified
through any benefits which might thereby accrue to the cargo or the vessel.
The significance of this is that it rests primarily upon the considered opinion
of the principal and naturally most interested group, the tanker trade. While
there appears some division of interest in the general trade as to the use of a
waterway, based more nearly on the regional services involved than on the
navigational features, the obvious benefits to a strictly navigational problem
like the tanker trade appears too obvious not to have had the considered
thought of that trade.
 The above may be compared with the diametrically opposite con-
 clusions reached by the Public Works Administration, in their re-
 port of October 19, 1933 (Doc. No. 39), where on page 7 it is stated:
 The purpose of the above table is to show that the inbound tanker move-
 ment in both foreign and domestic trade is almost entirely a ballast move-