New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-04-23
DARIEN SHIP CANAL.

the facilities afforded by our Pacific rail-
road il Is already seen that the great bulk
OF the worlds commerce with Asia and
the islands Of the east is passing through
The Suez Canal, railroads being unable to
compete with the cheaper water transporta-
ion. Sleepy Venice, Genoa and other
cities Of the Mediterranean are thus en-
riched by trade which a canal across
Central America would divert to New Or
leans and other cities of this continent
Our wide-awake government has long
foreseen this, and is doing all in its power
to put US on an equality with European
competitors. II has at various periods had
partial surveys made of all the lines that
seemed at all favorable through the several
States on the neck connecting North and
South America. All of these, together
with surveys made by private enterprise,
were some years since reported upon by
Admiral Davis by order of this govern
ment. From this report, though acknowl-
edging the the incompleteness of knowl-
edge from the imperfect surveys, our gov
eminent has settled down upon some part
| of the State of Panama of toe United
States Of Columbia, as atfording the best
prospect for ship canal, as it had already
for railroad. Consequently, over year
since, Secretary of State Seward sent
Hon. Caleb Gushing as a commissioner to
the government Of Colombia at Bogota, to
negotiate for the right of way for canal
across some part of the Darien Isthmus, in
Panama. Like a portion Of our govern
ment in the matter of the island of St.
Thomas, treaty was agreed to between
Mr.. Cushing and fraction of the Colon
bian government, which the Congress of
that government refused to ratify. The
treaty has been reconsidered, however, as
all the people of Colombia are in favor of
it, knowing the great value of such canal
to them and 10 the world, and acknowl-
edgiDg their. inability to construct it, and
conceding the ability of the Yankee
nation alone to do it, and it will certainly
be ratified.
In anticipation of this ratification, our
government recently gent naval expedi-
tien to make full and definite surveys, and
to determine the most practicable route
for ship canal across the Darien 18TH
mus. 1t proceeded to Caledonia Bay,
which is the most favorable starting point
on the Atlantic or Gulf of Darien coast,
about one hundred miles east Of Panama
and some sixteen hundred miles southeast
of New Orleans. From this bay across to
the Gulf of San Miguel, on the Pacific, it
is only some forty miles in a direct line,
and from the favorable reports of the ex-
pedition received thus far there is no in
surmountable obstacle in the way. 1t is |
reported, indeed, that the surveying or |
exploring party have, in very short time,
accomplished wonders; more, says one |
correspondent, than all the previous TWEEN
ty-six expeditions together. But, of
course, these surveyors have had the bene-
fit of all the maps and work of the pre-
vious expeditions as instruments in their
favor.
Already is Great Britain knocking at
our door, as seen by yesterdays dis
patches, asking for a share in the benefits
Of the proposed canal. As large portion
of the worlds commerce will at once
flow through this channel when COM
pleted, and as it may require the capital
Of Great Britain as well as of America to
accomplish such o vast undertaking, prob
ably there should be no objection to let
our mother country share with our gov
eminent the benefits as well as the ex-
penses of this enterprise.
We remarked that Secretary Seward
sent Mr.. Gushing TO Colombia; but
whether he went on behalf Of our Govern
ment. or as a special agent of certain in
teroceanic canal ring in New York city, is
yet uncertain. 1t is certain that other in
terests than those of the government were
often taken into consideration by our late
Secretary of State, in his foreign negotia-
tons. All that is certain is that the priv
ilege sought was that of cutting canal
across the Isthmus of Da-ien, of which
the Bay of San MIGUEL, on the Pacific, and
the mouth of the Atrato, on the Atlantic,
were to be the termini.
That refusal to ratify Mr.. Cushing's
treaty took place during the then dis
turbed state of the unhappy republic of
Colombia, is not strange, when we con-
slider the Spanish character, and the past
character of our own people.
While the United States of Colombia has
so long aud justly labored under grave
as to the policy which our
great nation would finally pursue toward
her, 1t was but reasonable that the priyi-
lege of cutting canal across the Isthmus
should have been withheld; because, it
would have been but adding another
element to the flibusteriug dangers which
the favored situation of the Isthmus has
always invited. The concession to build |
the Panama railroad was not only excep-
lional, but purely accidental.
But while Columbia has withheld the ,
privilege from the United States her in
.egrity 10 republican principles has for !
hidden that she could think of conceding it {
to another nation, although enormous
-en nta tians have hem held ont to bor | !