The semi-weekly Republican. (St. Francisville, La.) 1872-1872, 1872-04-23
N.7Rl0Yyn1l LOUISIANA TUESDAY, APRIL B. lHA
Tsic Ejns';els Sssf,, Canal.

Inc ldea-lOnp cntcrtalneu-O
connecting the waters of the Allan
tic and Pacific Oceans by means of ;
ship canal cut across the Ishmus O.
Darlen, appears to give promise O
being at least Investigated, with q
view to determine whether it is prac-
tlcabIe or not. 1t is true, the Darieu
route has been surveyed, and one at
Iehuantepec but, aside from Il f;a-
vorable report Of the engineers en-
ployed in the work, little has been
accomplished toward carrying out
the project. BY recent advices we
;lre informed that the President is
about to send 4 commission to the
lsthinns, whose business it will be to
carefully examine the several pro-
jected routes, the obstacles to be
overcome to insure success, and to
estimate the probable expense, and,
as near us may be, determine the
length Of time required to complete
Il canal, SO that ships may be enabled
to pass from ocean to ocean. Tao
successful completion of q project so
vast as was the undertaking of the
S'loZ Canal, has given increased con-
ti;lence to the friends of the transit
route between North and South
America. -
Shortening the routes of commu-
nication ly water, as well us by land,
is a fayorito theory with commercial
men in these days of steam and tele-
graph, and, as a saving OF time is
acknowledged to be saving OF money,
the undertaking cannot but prove
profitable, let the cost be never so
great, or the difficulties to be sur
mounted never 50 formidable. The
grandeur OF an achievement Of this
character, even in these days CT rc-
niarl,st'5io engineering tl.,unpiiug
trillnpha, would be something cutie
wonderful, when we examine the na-
;ilre Of tie cbstuclas to be overcome.
The report OF the chief engineer
OF the Tei,nantepcc route, proposes
to have The canal start at tie head
waters OF ship navigation on the
Coa!Zacoa!cos river, follow the valley
Of its chief tributary and the Giyil-
iug ridge Of Tariff, and thence
through tho pass of Tariff. and
across the plains to salina Cruz on
the Pacific. The cntiro distance
would be 172 miles. by tlis sur
voy an elevation Of 732 feet would
have to be overcome by locks Tile
advocates Of the Daricn route pur-
pose to ascend the river !Atrato from
the G;iif of Darien to TIE mouth Of
the Nap;pi, $50 miles, and thence
from the mouth of N;lp;loi to Cup;ce
Bay on the pacitic, BY using the
river Atr;ito, Which is navigable for
vessels OF the largest size through
out tho entire distance, canal of
only % miles in length would be re-
Ynired. Twonty-threo miles of the
distance has no greater elevation
than SO feet bat along the remain
der Of the route, when nearing the
Pacific, q beetiing ridge Of hills 600
feet high presents formidable bar
rier to its further progress Topiercc
this ridge three miles Of the distance
must lie cut Of 1-25 feet in depth,
and the remaining five miles Of rock
mast be tunnciud.
Here is a natural barrier greater,
than any that have been assa;led by
engineering skill even in this age of
progress but there are those who
believe that it will not deter Amcri-
can enterprise from engaging in the
work with q full determination to Sc
cure its speedy accomplishment.
It is silid that ut a New York
house lately, a party Of some half Il