The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1869-03-05
TIL Il PILOT.
MAN woo:
Friday, March S, 1859.
The Darien Ship Canal.

Inc Uarten S1lp Ca0al.
The answer to the question, Where has
CALEB CUSHING gone has been answered
by his appearance in Washington, with a
treaty which he has been successful in me-
gotiating with the United States of Colon
bia, for the construction of a ship canal
across the IsthmUs of Panama, and the
object Of his mission no longer remains a
mystery. The first project for constructing
an inter oceanic canal across the little neck
Of land that separates the Atlantic and Pa
cifc oceans, dates as far back as three and
half centuries ago. In the sixteenth
century PHILIP II. of Spain sent two
Flemish engineers to explore the Isthmus
fol proper route, but encountering both
natural and political difficulties, the I'M
dertaking was abandoned.
Since that time, says the Milwaukee
Wisconsin, almost every decade has wit
messed new schemes and plans for ship
canal across the Isthmus Of Darien. The
Government of New Granada has once or
twice undertaken the work France and
Great Britain have entered into it with
zeal, and our own country has devoted To it
extraordinary pains. The treaty negotiated
by CALEB CUSHING has removed all politi-
cal obstacles, ard the next thing to be done
is to remove the natural distractions, which
is no easy undertaking.
h.
extend the entire length Of the Isthmus,
and are one OF the greatest barriers to the
canal project that exist. To cross this
range involves an enormous system Of
locks, cuttings, and tunnels, but time and
capital will overcome all obstacles, and ten
years hence the wonder viii be, not that
the ship canal is constructed, but that it
was not constructed before. 1t is estima-
ted that the saving in money to the tlade
of the world, by the opening of this canal,
will be annually nearly $50, 000 900, and
the saving to tie United States no less
than $36, 100000. The saving in distance
on the voyage from New York to Calcutta
will be 1900 miles; from New York to
Melbourne 3, $40 miles; from New York
to Shanghai 5000.
The following table gives the routes
which have thus far been surveyed, TO-
gether with THEN location aud length
Routes. Location. Niles.
Tehuantepec Mexico 1913
The Nicaragua, from San
Juan del Norte to Brito, Nicaragua 194
Arato, by Napipi and Gu
plea New Granada 172
Cha gres to Panama, New Granada 81
Darien, Port Escoces to
San Miguel, New Granada 80
The latter route has been frequently sur>
veyed, and has been pronounced to be ems
tirely feasible, and to possess some manifest
advantages. It leads from and to deep
and easily navigable harbors, and would re-
quire but SO miles Of ship canal to complete
the Wo'e work. To overcome the barrier
presented by the extreme height and mac
cessibility Of the Cordileras, inlerposed
across this route, it has been proposed to
cut through them by tunnel seven miles
long, 100 feet wide and 1l5 feet high,
which would not only allow steamers to
pass, but even frst~class man of war,
with her topmast and top-gallant mast
struck and her yards braced. 1t is a SUBJ
ject Of congralulation to our country tEat
the lsthmus inter oceanic canal is to be
made under the auspices and control of
Americans. The text of the treaty has
not yet been made public, and we look for
ward to lis speedy publication with great
interest. 1t is understood that the cost of
Che canal on the short route Of SO miles
would be one hundred million dollars in
gold, but there is no good reason for be-
lieving that the investment would return
at least ten per cent. interest over and
above all expenses Of maintenance, taxes
al