The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-15 00:00:00

CANAL, OR NO CANAL ?

Notwithstanding that the latest news from Bogota goes
,o strengthen the probability that a Canal Treaty with
the United States may be sanctioned (in one form or
other), before the adjournment of Congress, yet public
enthusiasm seems to be very much cooled on the subject.
There is a sort of inexplicable feeling abroad that the day
for a bond fide intention to make the canal has not yet
arrived ; that the United States' acceptance of the
treaty to be conceded by Colombia, will depend
infinitely more on its political than commercial
aspect—a suspicion which is fully strengthened by Gene-
ral Hurlbut's objection to Article 11, about which he de-
clared, that unless it gave full power to the United States
to object to armed vessels of any nation with which she
might be at war passing through the canal, it would not
be acceptable. Further, Mr. A. Curtis la Nauze, an
agent for an English Company (whose arrival at Bogota
we noticed in our columns sometime ago), who came
also to solicit a treaty
.for an inter-oceanic
canal, confirms the general impression. Mr. la
Nauze, before going to Colombia, visited the
United States, and had first an interview with
Mr. Fish, the Secretary of State, on the subject. Mr.
la Nauze states, in the pamphlet published by him in
Bogota, that Mr. Fish gave him fairly to understand that
the United States, as a Government in possession of the
treaty, would nevertheless take no direct action, pecu-
niarily speaking, in the construction of a canal, but that
Congress would be solicited to transfer the privi-
lege to a private company of American citizens,
who should carry the work through. Mr.
la Nauze, on discovering the anti-commercial
and political aspect of the treaty, wished for
by the United States of America with the United States
of Colombia, remarked that "neither co-operation nor
funds could be expected either from England or France."
In New York he found tlig. large capitalists there had
formed a similar opinion,, and were satisfied no canal
would be made or attempted by the United Staies of
America. In the first plabe, a purely American company,
aside from the political aspect of the treaty, would find it
very difficult to obtain funds in Europe, from the
notorious and scandalous frauds associated with
the names of " Fisk, Gould, Vanderbilt, Belden, and
others," in connection with railroad, steamship companies
and gold speculations in the United States. The capi-
talists of New York " also felt sure that although the
treaty might be sanctioned by Colombia and accepted by
the United States of America, the affair would rest there;
because, as the Congress of the United States of America
had to be solicited to transfer the privilege to a private
company ; such was the overwhelming power of the " Union
Pacific with other railroad interests in Congress, that they
would impede such a measure in a way that it could never
be effected." Before Mr. la Nauze left New York, the New
York Sun, of March 19, came out with an article headed
" The Union Pacific Railroad against the Isthmus of
Darien," with similar arguments against the Panama
Railroad and Pacific Mail Company. The sum total of
all this is or will be—that the United States Government
remain with the treaty, and the Isthmus without a
canal ; at least so long as the terms of the
treaty can allow them to prevent it. The canal
project through Nicaragua, so patriotically and per-
sistently advocated by the New York Herald, will
have the same luck and a similar fate. We may say
all these grand schemes for the benefit of the nations,
when once within the domain and in the power of the un-
scrupulous Railroad Kings and capitalists of New York
are as if they had fallen into the inferno of Dante. Be-
sides, what is the fine of $300,000 to be paid to Colombia
" in her own coin," if the United States of America does
not choose to make the canal in 15 years, nor allow any
one else to make it? What is this but a trifle
to the financial modern barons of the money
market and the railroad? We can only exclaim.
like the devout Mussulrnan; " God is great !" and so is
truth-- et prevalebit. Andther enemy to our canal hopes,
lays in the great distance,bxisting between the immense
railroad development in the United States and her mer-
cantile marine. In 1870, according to the Ferrocarril
American of New York, there were 48,860 miles of rails
laid down, with some 27,000 miles more in prospect.
Here we have at once an interest in which millions of the
United States people are concerned, and which
would be seriously affected by the opening
of a canal across the Isthmus. On the
other hand, the mercantile marine goes on
decreasing. A report on this 'subject, read before Con-
gress in December, 1869, said that" of the number of vessels
which entered our ports in 1869, there were only 350,
registering 346,620 tons against 451 vessels in 1868, regis-
tering 434,908 tons ; while in 1861, 1,932 American ships
arrived, registering no less than 1,647,076 tons. So that
of the vessels entered more than 42,000, and of the de-
partures more than 47,000, were English and foreign,
while American ships only counted 350." While this
state of things lasts it may be well asked, so far as the
United States are concerned, what chance is there for a
grand Ship Canal across the Isthmus ? As Isthmenians
we say then, viva Mr. de la Nauze and his International
Canal Company.—Panama Star and Herald.

SMALLPDX IN HALIFAX.—Halifax has become
alarmed by the rapid spread of the smallpox in that city,
and is looking anxiously about for some means of prevent-
ing its further destruction: How general the disease has
become there may be inferred from the fact that it in-
stances one medical gentleman who visits daily thirty
or forty persons thus afflicted. It is about time that
decided measures be taken in all our large cities to
meet the scourge when it comes upon us. Paris has
been infected for many months already, and the epi-
demic has not ceased if it has moderated its ravages.
There is no occasion for alarm, but all who are not
already rendered reasonably secure by vaccination ought
to attend to that precaution.—Boston Advertiser.