The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-04-10
The Darien Ship Cannl-Our Political and
War Necessities.

The resolution of Mr.. Wilson, of the Senate,
TO authorize the President to appoint COM
mission to survey ship canal or ship railway
route across the isthmus is most opportune.
Heretofore the whole attention of the country
has been attracted to our national effort to push
through to the Pacific Ocean by railroad
route. This is now virtually accomplished,
and the next great object which follows natu-
rally in line is the transit of the isthmus for
loaded vessels This done we shall have rem
dered our geographical position as nearly COM
plete as is possible under existing circum-
stances In addition to the numerous reasons
we have from time to time adduced for the cut
ting of ship canal between the two oceans we
now call attention to the political features at
tendant upon the enterprise. Our Atlantic
and Pacific coasts are very widely separated
in regard to naval access. The naval forces
which we use on this side cannot, under an
emergency, be used on the other. 1t there
fore, in time of peace as well as war, becomes
necessary to keep what may be characterized
as a double naval force where, in case there
was ship canal, we could freely use the same
vessels on both coasts. Our feet divided into
two sections would, in a combined attack Of
foreign countries upon us, run great risk of
disaster, and with the loss of our navy would
come the desolation of our coasts, both the
Californian and the Atlantic.
There have been many peace congresses,
philanthropic and somewhat Utopian argyll
ments used in favor of union of the great
maritime Powers for the purpose of piercing
the isthmus. This looks broad, perhaps states
manlke; but we believe that, as nations have
no worlds congress as yet, and selfprogress is
the great moving lever of nationaities, 1t
becomes the United States to study her own
political interests in the Darien ship canal
question, and not the interests of Europe.
Were France and England TO unite with us in
the prosecution of the work II would Of neces-
sity be under contract that, in time of war,
the canal should not be used for the passage
of naval craft. The isthmus would simply be
useful to the merchant marine of all nations.
This would be Of immense value to France and
England, and, while II advanced their great
commercial views, would not in any manner
affect their naval power, owing to the COM
pactness and the position of their territory.
SO far as the defence of the United States is
concerned the Darien canal, built under such
an arrangement, would not be Of any value
whatever to us. The war value of the work
would be placed entirely in the hands of our
maritime rivals, and we should thus forever
surrender 70 foreign governments one Of the
principal pegs to our future commercial and
national greatness.
Another political value which the canal
would give us is the greater ease of access to
our coast line on both oceans, as regards the
interchange of products. While freight over the
Pacific Railroad from San Francisco to New
York cannot be brought for less than four cents
ton per mile, or about one hundred and twenty
FIVE dollars per ton for the entire distance, II
will find its way through the Darien canal
or less than fourth part Of this price. Tho