The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-11-01
IMPROVING FRANCE.
The Paternai Government of the French
Republic Preparing t0 spend several !
Hundred saillinn Dollars for Internal
np!eyeempntg,
From In Frnnce.l ]

HMhMFen NAaaanm bs9ataFS for Internal
! improvements.
| From In Frnncel
The Minister of Public Works, in the exccu,
| tiOn Of q programme carefully elaborated in
| the Cabinet, has visited Bouogne, Calais and
! Dunkerque. At Boulogne the Minister laid
the first stone OF the new basins about to be
constructed to permit access TO the largest
vessels at all tides. At Calais and Dunkerque,
! his visits have entered into the improvements
| claimed by these ports. The Minister pre-
viUusly visited Rouen, Havre and DicpDe
| He tells us in strong terms that he was led
on different occasions, to an examination OF
these ports from desire to satisfy the ma
iority of interests of the country, and as Il
prelude to commencing works of general
utility which will consolidate the interior OF
tho republic as well as elevate France
throughout Europe. All OF them are of first
Importance Study on the map the cOnfigu-
ration Of France bathed on three sides by the
sea.
Between the Mediterranean and the Manche
1t is detached like an i9thmus. In order to
it is necessary to pierce this isthmus, not by
q maritime canal, as Ferdinand de LesseDs
pierced the IethmuS OF Suez-that would be
too costly, and at this time beyond human
ability-but by railroad and continuous
canal. The railroad exists, but unfortunately,
not 80 direct as might be desired. The line Of
canals is not open throughout, but it will be
soon. The minister has studied the canal
from Havre to Tancarville, and he has in
duCed Parliament to decide on the improve
ment of the Seine between Rouen and Paris
The lower Seine, the canal OF Bourgogne the
Saone, the RhOne, will be likewise improved
II some bliud OpDOSer, some ignorant cOuu-
selor, imbued with ideas of another epoch,
endravOfs to arrest, i'll their budding, the
projects Of which the country imperiousiy
clai Il the prompt execution, these OppO-
nents will be summariy defeated by the
decisions Of the ministry and the
country. These matters concern the
future of France not only commercially and
industrially, but politically. H,tvre, Dieppe,
Boulogne, Calais and Dunkerque are the out
lets OF France on the Manche and the North
sea, as Marseilrs and Cctte are on the Mrdi-
terranean. Between Marsellcs and Havre,
the two largest commercial motropoli of
the country, it is necessary that the transit
from the Mediterranean, the MaDche, and tho
North sea be pres.rved Eng!a is in
ran to Boulogne to .fete NJ. de Freycinet and
NJ. Leon Say. The English send us heir pit
coal, their castings, their machinery; we in
return send them the produce OF our gardens,
poultry. wines, grains, silks, worth hundreds
tween the ports OF The Manche and Medter-
ranean; principally between MarseIles and
Havre, we find the greater part Of the Brit
annie transit for the Indies and the extreme
Orient. France must not lose these advAn-
tages; she must preserve, at all price, this
transit, and for that reason the programme OF
NJ, do Freycinet must be executed at all
points and as promptly as possible. The
railroads, canals and seapOrts must be com
pletely repaired. If MarseiIles has in Genoa
and Trieste redoubtable rivals, Havrc is
equally menaced by Antwerp and Amster-
dam. Antwerp especially has an interior po-
sition, whose basins are fed ky the Escaut,
which finds at hand the canals and railroads
uniting this place with the centre OF Europe.
For the past few years Antwerp has increased
more rapidly than Havre; the tonnage Of the |
vessels entering and departing is much
greater. 1t is necessary to struggle against
this competition, to develop and progress in
the same ratio.
In recent circular M. de Freycinet exam
ined the tariff on railroads. He will lower
them to the minim um, and will so arrange |
that no vicious application of the different
tariffs will favor the foreigner to the detr-
ment of the native, and will not permit the
outsider to overthrow national industry. The |
Suez canal should have proven q greater ad-
vantage to France than to Italy, even though |
the latter is nearer the open door Of the Orl- |
ent. All the projected works will shortly |
commence, and all measures adopted to main |
tain for France her commercial transit.