The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-10-15
1HG CANAL Across THE lsTnfIus OF
DtRIEN

w" iin'l IN Tia" Washington &.lfs-n letter from
t"mi'n"i"r" rHu,.liu:. t" the Navy Department.
i"l'"'!Irg iaN"'n"ly "i'"n ihr >lhii'y "i the
Canal lh" lt'..r ,..l@ on the !Gih August the
writer or.un.:"'! 81 party and sta,tcd on, on II
rrr"nn"s nrc "i ,h- lsiImus Lc,wrcn AsI,in.
wall and Panama, with reference to the prac,ic.
ability "i ccmsti uciin.t IN incr"ccanic cuual
across the lshniis "i Dnrirn Ia This point,
Til" route hy which the Enlr, III passes wis in
every respect the nn>i desirable Tor This purpose.
and the means by whrh the character of the.
cu:nry could b" best known, far rs its to-
r":rnpy and tho features essential 10 the Object
in view c"u!! be- *rru. II wos. in fact, the ,.i-
rect means for the accomplishment Of the I,Ir.
pose.
1t is supposed that The canal will be united
wi;h the waters of the Pacific on either ride, of
the city, and that channel might be .lrrtlued to
the depth of 81 feet, to meet the naviua!e WA
,rrs tor slips "f large ,lrau.ht. Th. bay then
expands into an ample liarbnr. where the winds
are said never L" bow with VIOLENCE sufficiently
comprehensive Tor the commerce of the world
and studded with Islands, convenient for the
great purposes that the condition of things would
call for, by the construction of Il canal thiuurl,
lii" ISi.lnuS.
The Is;!.,n,,s i.rlr seems to present no scrious
"hsiacr Sccn"r for tire instruction Of IL canal
The whole extent, from the Atlantic to the Pa
citir. Is made up -! $wnmrs, hills, and plains:
and ir highest l'":nt I'll land where. the railioad
passes is no more than :.SG feet above the level
The hills through wli"h the canal woul,l bass
would he required for rnhankiuen;s over the
plains and Swain!s: and cn! perceive no itIsu.
rrrab" obstacle I" piercing the highest part. 50
as conveniently /" make the waters of the Cha
urcS, OlIs,iu and Rio t:r,nlc available for the
wants Of the canal
The truth is, that in climate less unfavornl,c
to the white man. the question OF "lcasiblity'
would not be- raised.
II seems 10 hc conceded. from experience that
the African race alone l'crs.s,cntly labor i'll this
climate.
y few thousand Of free blacks might b.. oh.
iaincd from til" West India Islands Lu, this re-
source would be- inadequate, experienced
by the operations On the Panama roa.l.
The wan, Of men I" labor would seem 10 be
the great obstacle 10 The successful ACCOMPLISH
mcnt Of Il work of 80 much magnitude.
On the Atlantic side the canal would enter the
Bay of Aspinwall the chart Of which is here
with submitted.
In approaching. ;his point, ii would pass a few
miles from Tie Chngrcs, aud enter the BAY near
the river Mid. Here, Il will br seen, us in the
Bay of Panama extensive dredging for Il chan
nrl tn meet ic deep war" would hc necessary
The Bay expands for tn. distance tf about five
miles between two !ic,,!.lmds and is open
to the sea. y brcal;wa."r would be necessary
here.
" ith such woad afford The necessary
protection ;Iiis: t:ic swell, the bay If AS
pinwa'l like Tho bay of Panama. would afford
ample room Tor the commerce If Eu:"pe as well
us America: and III contemplating these two
bays with the eye Of seaman, and in reference
Ia the great work in question. il woull look as
though na'u had provided them for the especial
convenience -! man III his a!orinIs undertaking
III the extension a! commerce. and place where
nli .s'i"ns niay in"rr, in their varied pursuits OH
tie great highway al the
la w"k lh" tia, Of canal through the
l.ihnus of Dar;ca i; is to Lc supposed that the
requirements of commerce and v.;t ioIl i'm its
ln"st extended application, would alone b. con-
s!'icrcd: and, taking this Tor standard, II canal
400 feet wide and 80 feet deep would seem TO be
the appropriate dimensions.
According /" Engineer Tolten's estimate, the
distance from OCEAN To ocean, along the proposed
line OF route for the canal is 4:Ji miles I'h. dis
lance from live ia''i"ms water i'll Navy bay to
thr"" latliunS dep i'll the bay of As;niuw;ll is
Isl miles Tie river Ctarcs has am lie supplies
Of water Il, all s"a>'ns of the year.
IT is calculated HAT the cost Of the canal, in
cin'iin5 harhor improvements at both ends will
not exceed %Sn, 0Uu, ono.