▁reli ant ▁on ▁wind ▁patterns , ▁but ▁steam ships ▁reduced ▁sh ipping ▁time ▁and ▁sh ipping ▁cost . ▁By ▁ 1 8 5 0 , ▁nearly ▁ 1 2 9 ▁countries ▁used ▁steam ships ▁for ▁trade , ▁and ▁approximately ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁imports ▁and ▁exports ▁were ▁made ▁to ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁cities , ▁thus ▁making ▁a ▁great ▁impact ▁on ▁the ▁world ' s ▁global ▁economy . ▁ ▁S ources ▁ ▁Category : E conom ic ▁global ization ▁Category : History ▁of ▁global ization <0x0A> </s> ▁The ▁N ou mé a - Pa ï ta ▁railway ▁was , ▁apart ▁from ▁several ▁narrow ▁gauge ▁industrial ▁railway ▁lines , ▁the ▁only ▁met re - g au ge ▁railway ▁line ▁serving ▁New ▁C aled onia . ▁It ▁was ▁opened ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁between ▁N ou mé a , ▁the ▁capital , ▁and ▁D umb é a ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁and ▁extended ▁to ▁Pa ï ta ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 . ▁The ▁ ▁narrow ▁gauge ▁tracks ▁of ▁the ▁railway ▁tra ve led ▁the ▁ ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁cities ▁in ▁one ▁hour ▁and ▁fifteen ▁minutes . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁idea ▁of ▁a ▁railway ▁connecting ▁N ou mé a ▁to ▁Can ala ▁on ▁the ▁North ▁coast ▁of ▁the ▁island ▁ 1 6 6 ▁km ▁North west ▁of ▁N ou me a ▁was ▁first ▁approved ▁by ▁governor ▁P all u ▁de ▁la ▁Bar rière ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 4 . ▁But ▁money ▁failed ▁as ▁the