Kiel Canal
a German canal, extending from Brunsbüttel on the Elbe to Holtenau on the Baltic and connecting the North Sea with the Baltic Sea.
About 60 miles in length, and with a depth of 36 feet the largest of war vessels could pass from the North Sea to the Baltic, or vice versa. This fact proved of great importance during the World War, since the inferior German Navy was able to effectively control the Baltic Baltic Sea, the English fleet being unable leave its base for the Baltic Sea or to divide its forces. The canal was, of course, prior to 1920, very heavily fortified and owned and operated by the German Government. Sea-going vessels, in going from the Baltic to the North Sea, save nearly 200 miles by using this canal.
The treaty of Versailles of 1919 contained important clauses relating to the canal; the most important being that it shall be maintained "free and open to the vessels of commerce and of war of all nations on terms of entire KIKUYU able to grant any preferential tolls to her own vessels, and is forbidden to charge more than sufficient for the operating expenses. Cases in dispute are to be settled by a Joint Commission of Allied and German membership. Thus the canal is really under international control.