Litchfield enquirer., 1868-11-19
THE DARIEN SHIP CANAL,

The Legislature of this State last year
chartered company to build and manage
a. ship canal across the isthmus of Darien.
to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Peter Cooper, +. M. Kelley, c. K. CARR
son, Marshal 0. Roberts, Robert Ell. BRYAN
Cyrus Butler, L. T, Merrill and F. A. Con-
kiln are the trustees in this charter. The
name of Mr.. Kelley is we'll known to all
who have taken an interest in this great
enterprise, as that of one Of its ablest and
most persistent friends. -
few days ago meeting was held at the
house of Peter Cooper to organize the
company under the charter, and to hear
the reports of the present state of the en-
terprise. So. $751;.
Congress, ten years ago. required of Adj
mlral Davis maps relating to the route )
proposed for the canal, and also to give his
opinion OF the practicability of building q
canal. -. .-
Admiral Davis recommended that the
San Bias route be resurveyed; and he urg-
ed also survey Of the Dariea route. which
has never been surveyed. The San Bias
route has been thoroughly surveyed from
sea to sea. The canal by this route would
be thirty miles long from sea to sea, and
for ten miles of this distance a navigable
river would save the expense of digging.
There would be but twenty miles of canal
The estimated cost of this canal, 100
feet wide and twenty-five feet deep. is
sixty-fve millions of dollars; no small sum
even In these days, when millions are flung
about so rashly. e.a' -
When Congress received the report of
Admiral Davis it appropriated forty thous-
and dollars to repeat and review the survey
to repeat and review the survey by Mr. Kel-
ley of the San Bias route, and to survey
the Dar1en route; and resolution was pas
sed instructing Mr.. Seward to negotiate
with the government of Granada for
grant to an American Company 1t should
be understood that private surveys, such
as has been made by Mr.. Kelley can be
made without permission from the gov
eminent; but the hostility of the Indians
and the difficulties and dangers of the
work are SO great that an armed force is
necessary to do the work thoroughly, and
an armed force cannot be used without the
| special permission of the government
which owns the territory.
1t is understood that our government is
negotiating, at this time, not only for such
permission, which will be given without
difficulty, but also for a grant of the best
route for the Canal; and there is reason to
AoPo Cn"o q Cio"vy SccuiAuS I1lS 1npolIdAI
object will soon be signed.
A ship canal across the isthmus of Darien
would reyolutionize the navigation of the
ocean. It would shorten the voyage from
New York to San Francisco fourteen thou
sand miles; to Canton, nine thousand; to
Calcutta, four thousand; to Callao ten
thousand; to Melbourne, three thousand.
Such canal would at once draw to it o
trade valued at over three hunded million
dollars per annum, and it is estimated over
three million tons Of shipping would pass
through it in a single year if it were now
opened. In fact, il would become at once
a great thoroughfare of commerce. a-
It is great and costly enterprise; it will
take years Of time, and probably hundred
millions of money. But it will lcbe done,
and we hope our own eountrymen will have
T the credit Of beginning and completing it.
In. ?. Eoening Post. -.