New-York tribune., 1879-12-10

PURPOSE OF CALLING IHE CoNGhbSS'
Admiral Ammen says that the Congress was not called
TO decide upon the best for ncroceanic SLIP
canal, but only upon what was possible via Panama He
adds:
"I quote NJ. dc Lesseps That which struck US most
ia the enthusiasm OF the United States Of America In
favor OF the establishment Of canal at Panama We
may ask with surprise, when and where was this enthu
siasm manifested nothing OF IL. so far az my
observation extended nor was IL conveyed by the Gov
ernment Of the United States In sending me TO examine
It's orders, work for the calmest practical compar
isou."
again quote ". de Lesseps: "Since forty years
have studied the question tof the snez CanaD have
always understood that. for profit IL Ia necessary to
receive az the least 10 francs per ton one can per
fecily well make the American canal pay doabe that
amount, whatever project may be brought about These
re considerations that one Is very glad TO Know Tor
The report OF the Commission Statistics OF the Con
gess gives the tonnage likely to pass through the canal
That OF tho United states 100000 tons
That OF Great Britain. lO2o.OOO tons
That OF all other Powers $4,000 tons
Looking It plain business matter could we not
the the citizens or the Two powers
first named, whether IL would not he worth while to
consider the construction Of canal on commercial
basis and with reference To careful examination OF all
the points nyolycd and u found practicable In that
view. do the work and II Otherwise develop thogh the
United States and the Canadas such additional railroads
would amcliorae the commerce OF which they are so
largely the factorsf resolution was introduced 10 con
form TO the wishes. Us expressed OF NJ dc Lesseps It's
as :. follows: 2 -. oou.,,on. ,,,, a.. ,,oro,r =,
iutcroceanc canal nj ntoDstant level desrble IN
the Interests Of commerce and navigation. s possible.
BILE facility OF access and utilization which work OF
this Kind should offer should be located between the
The official vote as given IN the proeeedlngs Is az fo-
yer HI' 10 ySa e INST "s"T rncant mt figure Is Omitted d.
As counted up on the record, SO were ahscnt among
and perhaps half dozen delegates who were not In at
tendance during the session.
Engineers IN other branches would naturally adopt
engineers
their con~cences would permit be disposed to support
expressed empbatcaly They would say very properly,
the execution Of the work was Tor NJ lie lrsseps and
the cnual nredu possible and they had obligncly
done lie Gld not think 1t worth while TO ask ls
bcst canal route; indeed, 1t would not have
SSn Ss 10 sou 3D. be su e o hda sd
niredU; expressed by an engineer very much In his
confidence, II they found it possible. The first thing
was to get the money the next was to build the canal
in the best manner that they found possible Even
great general needs the "snews of war;; the public
who made the demand through NJ de lesseps to have
canal ncedu should not desert him so cruey be has
met them iully halfway in reducing the cost OF con,
structon hail. as given Dy the Congress ana IL sfi
further shortening the time tor the construction o tie
signed by him IN the commission on the 10Th.
OBJECTIONABLE FEATURES OF The SCHEME.
The Canal Company a2rees 10 transport gratut0usly
ali persons In the civil and military service OF Colombia.
their baggage arms and ammunition and the company
provided with vessels suitable for their rarspor
tatOn to their passages aud Tor The transportation
o. armaments and ammunition.
The Government OF Colombia is to receive SENT
annually per cent Of the gross receipts of the company
fer The first twenty-five years per cent for the second
twenty-five yeurs per cent for the third twenty-five
years and for the remaining twenty -four years per
the end Of which time the canal rcverts 10 the
Colombian Government.
Tne company is authorized 10 reserve 10 per cent
OF the shares tor the benefit OF the founders and aders
The only hope for stockholdcr would seem to be in
the extraordinary mpost OF francs per cubic metre
Cf IN fnp
but The cubical contents of parae!Oppcd
by the length breadth and drausht of he
vessels Lieutenant Wyse supposed that this measure
Inent might amount to 80 frame; per toD which IL I'M
posed ordinary cargoes ordinary prize wheat.
wolld make voyage from sap Francisco around Cape
When Lieutenant wysc WIS before a Commission IN the
CongIess he was neNIoned as TO The Panama Raload
factory arrangement, by which tie Canal Company
would gam two millions Of francs yearly but
further explanation as TO the arrangement
GENERAL GRANTS INTEREST Is THE MATTER
SO far in general have been regarding the aspects
of the nteroceanc canal question from other points OF
view than our own, with occasional objections
marks thereon. Let now look at the question from
our point Of view.
The public is aware OF the Willingness OF General
Grant to assist IN the great work OF nteroccanio
canal under such conditions of organization Of con-
pany aud OF concession s would cnabe 10 be iose-
cued vigorously and effectively. lie has The subject
his careful attention for years - well satisfied Ia
the NcaIaguan route, which possesses certainty of
realization by developmont; he appreciates fully the
FOR the Of the world, and especially for the
full development of our West coast.
In II gratifying 10 observe that there Is an universal
expression of opinion IA to the advantage which the
construction Of the canal would derive from having
nous that IL would insure economical. intelligent
ana vigorous prosecution OF the WORK, and S couple
tiou within the shortest time ana that 10 would have al
OF the conditions Of practical utility ana permanency
that could be secured.
ARGUMENTS FOR THE SAN BIAS ROUTE.
letter was read from W. W. Evans. an engineer
He expressed decided opinions Of the Bias
route which he said acknowledged to be the best
by all engineers who have lived for any length OF time
upon the Isbmus. The Nicaragua project II pursued.
would result in complete failure. letter read
from Frederick Kelley, in which he wrote:
Twenty-seven years study of the question and ex
tensIve Intercourse with men engaged IN the shipping
interest Of the country and Europe have convinced me
that short sea level canal, with good safe harbor
which will require dredging and other Improvements
keep open. and which can be reached safely ut al
times wide open sea, Is what the commerce OF the
world demands and VIII have sooner or later cost whnt
II may 49,,
gln does not afford. il IL lsO miles long.
qres eighteen twenty locks, liable 10 get out Of
order in the wci lsthmus climate, and has 10 good
natural harDOrs on either ocean.
The san Bias route, surveyed by Messrs. McDou-
gal sweet Foreman Rude and FOuu tain in 1854. and
partially examined by Commodore Selfdge In 1871, is
but about thirty miles Ear long ~ wca es .s IS He
gable for ship navigaton, thus leaving onlv twenty
must be tunnel which the ensineering sk OF the day.
with and compressed ar drills now In
make without rious difficulty, the they have the
IIoosac Mont Cents ~. GOthard ana otner tunnels IN
this country and Europe. which twenty-five years
with the old mode OF hand ddrilliDg would have been
thought mpraclicaDle.
In attempting to solve so gleat problem that OF
which the best and only for ship-canal t is
important that additional surveys should be mace.
especially Of the san Bias route. which IS much the
shortest OF all proposed. Aud by this means
a lower and shorter pass will be found by
nankng the suEar-loaf shaped hills, which ex-
tend through that part Of the Isthiuus The party
should DO In charge Of competent army officer
like General " Mcller who in 1883. by order OF Con
grcss made the very crediiable aud able survey OF
the AtratoTruando route for canal without locks Via
the Atrato Valley.
As building the canal for all time. and satisfy
the expanding wants OF commerce. Ia the height
OF folly locate 1t where dangerous floods and almost