The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-01
DARIEN CANAL.
Work Completed by Commander Wyse,
of the French Navy.
THE ACANTl-TUPISA ROUTE,
Description of the Lines Surveyed
by the Expedition.

| The project OF constructing canal that shall con-
meet the Atlantic and PJci1c oceans is one IN which
the maritime world mucn interested and which
has attracted the attention of scientists for the past
twenty or thirty years. There has been quite num-
| Der OF explorations made behalf OF different gov
ernments and private individuals, with view OF de-
termnIng tho best route tor canal, and up TO the
present, although definite selection has made,
| there eight ten lines thoroughly surveyed.
| Lieutenant Commander Lucien n. B. WISE, OF The
French Navy, just returned from the aned States
Of Colombia, where he has been engaged for the past
eight months making explorations for the proposed
canal Lieutenant Wyse dad not 90 on the expedition
In an Official capacity IN charge of government cx-
petition. but merely in the general interest Of science
He was accompanied by Lieutenant Rsclus, OF the
French Navy p. Sosa. Of the United States OF Colon
bia; Vcrbrugghe. OF Belgium; /. Laoharme and r.
Pony dessour This is The second expedition organ
izsd By Lieutenant wyse as In the winter OF 1S76-17
! he passed SIX months IN the same country.
Lieutenant Wyss arrived In this city few days
ago and lett yesterday morning for France. on tho
Labrador. During his stay in New York he resided at
the Windsor Hotel, and bcoro leaving he held short
interview with HERALD representative, giving q
brief summary of The work that mad been accomp-
lished on hts last expedition Lieutenant wyse is
very mplished gentleman, OF excellent family.
His ialher the Right Honorable Sir Thomas wysc,
X. c. b., OF tho Manor OF ST. John, county Waterford,
ireland, formerly British Minister at Athens aud
member for Trperary and hts mother Letlta, daugh.
ter OF tho late Lucen Bonapartc, Prince OF Canine
As tn, family estates strictly entaed ana Lieu
tenant Wyse younger con, he adopted The coun-
try of his mother and entered the French navy In
which service he has gained honorable distinction.
| He evidently pleased TO talk about his work,
which with him is labor of love, he receives no
pay and in fact, detrays his expenses Tho con-
| versatiop resulted as iOlows:-
| HERALD REPRESENTATIVE should like to hear
something about your recent exploring expedition II
| 1t be agreeable TO you 10 speak on the subject.
| Lieutenant WYsE-I shall be glad to tell the repre-
sentative OF tho HERALD anything can regard 10
my explorations III Colombia, as It is paper that
takes great interest IN the advancement of science
HERALD REPEEsENTATIvE-Wbat are the results 10
be derived from your expedition?
Lieutenant WysE--That cannot tell you as Il Will
DO the work OF an International committee to decide
which is the most practicable for canal. and
present there four i've that have each some
thing. to mako them worthy OF notice.
| ROUTE.
HERALD REpRgsENrATivE-Whic route do you be.
lievs the moss available?
| Lieutenant Wysn--I am rather in favor of what ia
~ the AcAas, aud rupsa line. OF course like
all others, there are many obstacles overcome but
iauoy ~ Ntl aversgs better than any other line
portion u shs route viii have - be iunnolled for
HERALD axrKHsxsTArvK-rhrough what locality
does IL pasa?
Lieutenant wYsE-It starts on the Atlantic side AT
Acant distance south Of Cape Tiburouo. There
Is material at Acauti for making quito good por:
shortly alter ieuvng that point ran 70 hal
to be passed, through whicn tunnel will hsvs 10 be
driven Alter leaving that point the work will be
pass through the valley OF the Tupss, coming on, BY
tho luyra MARITIME that flows into the Gulf Of san
Miguel
work on the survey OF that Iincr
Lieutenant wYsE--; commenced tho survey on IN y
first expedition Ia tho winter OF 1861 and
IL this year.
HERALD REpRxsESTArIvE-Havo yeu laid out any
Llsutenart WYsK-we have done a great deal of
other work, which Of course, In some Instances
number OF lines In to select the easiest rou a.
especially IN the lower route commencing the
ing the A,ra,o Flsuve one, you win perceive on
the map, called Cano on Brsr dc Uraba and tho other
Brar do Barbacoas or the two the former appears
be the most practicable Leaving the Atrato at Lomo
Veja tue line selected follows tho Cucarica River
or some ais!anGs running nearly due north Tor about
and runs about west-southwest Tor fifteen miles,
following the course OF the River Cue Another turn
then made heading northwest Tor about ity miles
until II reaches the same outlet that OF The north
route, OF which have already spoken.
DIFFICULTIES IN
HERALD RErREsESrATIvE-Which OF the two routes
Is the longestf
Lieutenant wYsE-The Iower 10 almost double the
length oil the upper line, but with the exception Of
tunnel already alluded TO does not present as many
about forty miles In length. The great difficulty
overcome In the lower route Is found In the many
mountain ridges that have 10 DO passed. while in the
upper routo the only ridge OF any Is the
mountain spur soping down IRON the PIC de Gandi,
which, of course viii have TO be tunneiled.
HERALD RErhEsESTATIvk-Iow much time have
you devoted to tue survey Of these lines
Lieutenant wrsn-i started on my nrst expedition
In the TALL OF 1885, and after SIX months work re-
turned 10 France In the summer OF 1877 for ABOUT four
months res. started again last September and
hnuo lttl4 naAA nnn .lnr.s
HERALD RgPRrsESrATivs--were all the gentlemen
that accompanied you In the employ Of The French
Lieutenant wYsE--The expeditions which have just
completed were not carried out Tor tho French gov
eminent One OF the engineers that accompaned tho
party, Mr. Sosa native OF the United States Co.
lonba, and received his education IN The city OF New
York. Another, Mr. Verbrugghc, Is native OF Bel
\ gum. Tho majority of tbo gentlemen that formed
my party were paid Tor their services for my part,
served more In the interests oil science than any.
thing else: but OF course, II tho woiK carried
out shall be paid Tor my work
HERALD RsrREsExrArrvg--W What do you think Of the
other routes that have been sugg estedT
Lieutenant wrsr-rbat iss question rather drlcult
to answer, and had better be decided Ivy commission
appointed for the purpose. | have not examined all
the work that has been done very closely, but made
"Trip into Nicaragua aud took look at the lines that
| have been surveyed there The work completed by
the American officers Is very good, and of bcnct
| TO the project
HERALD RRrRKsEsrAnvE--Havs you formed auy
| estimate oil the cost OF tue csnaiG
Lieutenant WysE--Tne cost viii, OF course greatly
dspsn upon the selected aud the engineering
difficulties to be overcome. The northern route OF
two that have just completed, viii cost somewhere
In tho nciahbornood OF 200 VI course that
is only rough estimate, but think II anything u Is
! above the nguro. have not a. yet made any cacu.
latous lower route. but will furnish figures on
each OF he routes when make out my report oi the
entire work.
HERALD REpREsESTArivK-Did your party expert
cnce many hardsnIps curing the expodt ionP
l. eoenant WysN-Wo were very fortunate THIS
year regard health OF Our party, with to
exception OF hight attsck Oh tsver. experienced by
Mr.. Ponydessour, there was nothing to annoy u.s. ON
previous expeditions We were not fortunate,
We lost three OF our engineers do not think tho
climate Is very unhcsithy OF course there Is cerau
amount OF fever Ia these atitudos but person
becomes accumaicd. Tho country Is ratnor dinicuii
travel through, but there we're taccs
tered OF any great importance The Batlvcs were
iolerably friendly whenever we came across them,