The Hawaiian gazette., 1875-06-23
HAWAIIAN GAZETTE
DEVOTED 10 HAWAIIAN PR0GRES
Thn nnrien Canal.
AN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL,


the recently completed survey of the 18th
mus Of Darien. The labors Of the survey
ing party under Capt Lull hsve already
proved the complete praotioability of an
interoceanio canal across the Isthmus a
fact in itself Of no small importance; but
an carly publication of the full report is
desirable in the interests Of trade and
commerce, and therefore we hope it will
VIII not be delayed.
That 4 canal to unite the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans somewhere between the
two continents would one day be con-
strucied, has for many years been fully
believed in both by engineers and ship
owners 1t has been question only of
time and expense. The idea itselfis moth
inc new. Nearly three and half centu-
ries sgo, : proposal was made TO unite the
River Chagres with the Pacific at Panama,
and survey was actually made. But
engineering skill was st that time unequal
TO the task. and moreover, the King Of
Spain, fearing ihat it might tend to weak
en- the political influence of his country,
prohibited everybody, so far as his au-
thority reached, from ever mentioning the
thought again. The prohibition had its
desired effect. But when Spanish power
declined, there was no other nation ready
TO entertain the project, and 50 for three
hundred wears it practically lay in abey-
ance. Within the last fifty years ii has
been revived, sometimes with considerable
energy, and various surveys and plans
have been proposed Certain concessions
were also granted by the Government of
New Granada before the confederation of
the several Provinces into the United
States Of Colombia
But the greatest step in advance was
made thirty years ago, by two French
engineers. Messrs. Courtines and Garella,
who were sent ont under the immediate
auspices Of the French Government, in
consequence Of explorations made by the
la,e Baron Won Humboldt. Their report
was favorable TO the scheme, which, how
ever, required, according to them, the
construction Of : tunnel Of more than
three miles in length through the great
dividing range. Il appears that the pres
ent survey has been msde very nearly in
the sane line As that chosen by NJ Garella,
but the tunnel he proposed viii not be
necessary. Such 3 tunnel must, Of course,
have been Sufficiently high to permit the
passage Of full-riggei ships, and accord
ingly ; hundred and twelve metres was,
We believe, suggested in the French plans
IS the necessary height The amount of
labor and money requisite for such work
must have been considerable, snd the re
suit would have always remained more or
less unsatisfactory. II therefore well to
know ihst in the scheme approved by
Commander Lull, nothing more than 5
eating, whose mean depth viii be COM
paratively small, is necessary to carry the
water through the dividing range
If indeed the present survey should
prove IS conclusive as We hope and be
Eeve that It viii, there remains apparently
little left to be done before beginning &C
tive operations on the work itself But
how and BY whom Is this to be carried
outg We have seen It stated that the
United States should have no hand in the
canal The suggestion was graYely made
some time ago in an evening paper, and
the ground upon which 1t was Offered was
that the canal would be used by foreign
vessels, snd that It Is against the interest
of the United States TO do anything which
shall prove convenience to the com
merce Of foreign nations Such 3 propo-
sition needs bit to be mentioned to be at
once discarded from the mind Of every
American who respects the prestige Of his
country. We refer to Il only to show the
trivial nature Of the objections that are
made TO this great undertaking.
The canal VIII be built OF that there
Is no doubt whatever 1.-THE present sur
vey be not sufficient, smother viii be
made, and ultimately the project viii be
Before the construction of
the Panama Railway, the United States
entered into treaty with New Granada
guaranteeing the Perfec; neutrality Of the
and the interest thus sToEed
cannot Be vithdrzwn nov. The canal 4
should Be made : neutral highway for /
me1chant vessels Of al nations and st ali 4
tines Possibly It msy be more largely
used By EurOpezn traders than by our
own But under no circumstances can II I
be detrimental to American commerce,
while IN many respects Il Is likely TO give 4
Z considerable impulse, and shipmzzters
sziIing Under the American flag VIII Ger
.zinly shzre the advantages which foreign
zrs VII not Be slow 70 use. Any credit
that vii ultimately be due for the com-
plesion Of the canal must belong to this
Republic In one way OF smother, assist
lnee may, znd doubtless vii, be obtzined
from other sources, but It would Be an
set Of folly to stop IN the work At the
L Z