Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-03-20
Independent in all things,
AsHfABULA, OHIO. SATURDAY, MARCH 90 1869
The Isthmus Canal,

Perhaps Mr., Seward's 5 most distinguish
ed achievement in diplomacy may prove
to be that which is probably bis final
performance Of note in the State depart
incnt Ito wit, the Caleb Gushing Treaty
just concluded with the government Of
Colombia, providing for the construction
OF % ship canal across the Isthmus of
Daricn, under the control of the United
States. 1t is difficult to estimate the inn.
portance Of the advantages that must
acorue--ih the first instance TO the com.
mereial world at large from the opening
of communication between the waters Of
the Atlantic and Pacific midway of the
continents that divide them, and. in the
second instance, to the United States
| from the possession aud command of the
gateway thus unlocked For more than
a century past the'eye of every CONNER.
cill nation has been fixed with ambitions
desire upon that narrow isthmian wall
which divides the oceans, longing to
break n passage through, but each one
jealous OF the custody of the KEYS. The
saving eff the distance TO be effected in
the carrying trade between Europe or
the Atlantic coast of America aud the
Eastern world is immense. TO saw moth.
ing OF The dangers of the voyage around
Cape Horn to be avoided by the shorter
cut. For example, the computed reduc-
tion of distance from New York to Cal
cutta is 400 miles from New York TO
Canton, 5000; from New York TO Shang
hal, 5000 and from New York to Myi
bourne, Australia, 3,34O. Mr. Kelley. of
New York, who has given the subject
much study, estimates the trade of the
United States that would pass through
an isthmus canal annually at the valve
of l0O,000,oo0, with tonnage of rearlv
two millions, valued at S93, 600, ,oOO.-
Similarly estimating the value of trade
and ships for England, France, and other
| countries gives the sum of trade with all
countries as S467, ,S3O, 900 to be effected
by the canal, if built. lie further esti-
mates the saving in money to the trade
of the United States at $4,000, 900 to
the trade of England, 50, ,0jO, 900; to the
trade of France, 81. 10000 and the an
nual saving to the trade of the world.
$4o, 100000. And this is saving which
augments every year with the steady in
crease OF the worlds commerce. How
e,e costly, therefore, the construction of
the proposed canal may bc-and it is a
work that must cost heavily, involving
rs it does by any of the surveyed rOut -
from two TO seven miles of tunnel hewn
through'th the solid mountains-it cannot
rise TO a cost that will not speedily be
extinguished by the resulting ccoromy
f distance and time.
The time is clearly ripe for the con-
summation of this great work. That
mighty energy of commercial enterprise
which rs digging ACCLAIMED for its nasies
through the treatherous sands of the
lsthmus of Suez, and burrowing a path
underneath the defiant Alps, will no long
er be balked by the slender laricr OF
Darien. 1t will be remembered that Mr..
Seward not long ago held conference
with some of the great capitalists Of n.
York city, which was understood 10 be
with reference To the project of which
we speak. Undoubtedly plans have been
arranged tor making prompt use Of the
splendid franchise which Mr. Gushing
has secured from the government of Co
lumbia, end we have reason to anticipate
The Darieh Canal among the near facts
OF the inture. Its realization under the
pending treaty with the government of
the United States in full possession of
the control over it, with power to regu-
late the tolls charged upon it and to close
1T to belligerentS in time of war, will be
monument to the memory OF Mr.. Sew
ard which may more than compensate
tor the losses which his fame has suffered
during recent years.