New-York tribune., 1879-10-30

/ G-en prr-ent.d t. thn President does hn' r's"i"
,h. oH n on ol Ioutc ior tic lnttroccanc 'a"al '
,,t d.oiard. lie says thar thr survey n"vr "'''
lneonl Icic and stat the topography 81 'nc f"n."'"
,.r,e is NOT yet we'll enough known To enii'i' "
to preference over Others
His.utrfcsfiur e. obtain ~ this moment an OK
prc@sioi of the y.cwa of Senor Arosenena Ihe en-
,ne,r- OF tie Untcd states are ct the sane OPINION
=. tbe new Minister. Only they go further.
Tho interesting report made hy Admiral Nmmem
to the Government about the proceedings o. lHc
Paris Congress on the luteroceanc Canal 10 WHICH
br WIS a de- cgatc. was accompanied Win ihe SHS-
pcstlon that there should be a new congress- 10 be
held IN AuicIica, to review this question oi route
lor the canal The suggestion has been c>pons"d
heartily m this county. and u may be CON
sidercd to be the position OF the American en-
ntcis.
Tie advocates here of the conference say
that the Paris Congress acted upon incomplete IN
formation; they do not believe that men, either
IN Europe or America, will be- content to subscribe
for an intoroceanIc canal until a route i chosen
for 10 80 thoroughly good, so free from defects III
every respect tnat there viii be no danger OF later
cxpora ION, revealing a better one, and prompting
fhc construction OF another canal. \ new railroad
is at tins time about 10 br bur across the American
isthmus. The existing road Is inadequate, IL
a thousand miles out Oi the way. and Is frequently
closed To traffic ny the floods which bury S ra Is III
places six feet under water. If the nieroccanic
canal should bo hastily placed so as not to answer
all the demands OF commerce and naVIga-
ton. or il 1t should be 50 costly as TO
compel tie imposition Oi cXrraYagant tolls, sec
oud and competing canal viii be necessity ana
tie new canal viii Ice bnilt If 1t should ruin the
company constructing and operating the first one
IL IS therefore important engineers declare that
There should be full discussion TO routes before
! the building OF any canal IL begun, and they say
! that such discussion has not yet been had.
Inereisan almost reconciahlc difference Il opin-
o, a,,onr ku.rirsn engineer, about the best route
acfo.. tie lsthmus. Some OF them desire that a
crossing be made at Nicaragua, where, though
& will take fOdr AID half days
for ship 10 20 through the canal. the
rapfal required for tic undertaking VII bc no mo-"
than rs6.OJ0ODO. Another party Of engineers
favor a csoal across tiie l,thmus of Daren' where
..e expense ail a. in be comparatively small.
piop.biyu,t over *1Oo.0J0.00O at tac iurhcst.
! fnc canal proper being about 31li miles long
/ and iavin- two icces. \ third and numerous
/ ..fi. or engineers prefer tie magliicsnt san Bias
raitc the shortest of ALL region Tree from floods,
wlsr.-he ground T. h.rl, and where a canal caa b.
.,a-. -r.trd on Ule eea level. vi lout locks,
.u 59-No1C00. Iais Is the tunnel
fp,.c. or which the mountains VIII have
| ,o oe nrl for 6li miles. Tho al
/ ...4l.sof tlc,e several plans are enthusiastic
ll. r.Is.saut ia regard O. thcmi and ii - nof easy
/ tl ..e lsn.. decision is cyerto b. nldt between
| .ri. ev.n l.u.l O. n.W Coeeress be- convened t.
/ consider 500 matter.
! One tIfu., indeed. appears to bo 'a'n. IAf
.fa az ihr Americans were no. adequately
/ .rcailaat Paris. and thc Con-Ie.s -eily voted
-aucwlutin tlc daih This appcal, tcfona quos-
! tnn from the printed volume ot the proc c.inrs oi
| ..c lma.e,-, which lLE IEI.rNL has just
| received from b. lIouu Bio1ne. She Secretary
! General of the Congress. Valuable rs was
/ the work performed by that gathering
OF eminent philaufhropisfs aul geOgraphcrs. IN put
ung on record cine Ipe opinions Of experienced en-
| giucers concerning the interoceauic canal and its
idvantagcs io the world at LARGO, an examination ot
fhe volume o. proceedings ot the Cousrc's inspires
| some regret as well much admiration for what
WAS done Few of the delegates had, previous 20
| the meeting, any adequate idea OF the colossal na-
! fire a the question with which they were 10 Toe
,ancd upon to uapDlc. They came together expect
ug 90 adjourn ia GIT days. When t.ey confronted
/ hc pioblea5 presented u, tle ca..l. ,ne
.eit dlys tut.h.d out 60 tve wcs.
.ycu thcn al tnr ps.ceciin-s became SD
| hurried ;lai the siding officers were compelled
fo rciu % hearing 90 fhc p.Al- ol large number
| off American engineers. The Concre.s ,.cf sped
ft NNf l. iIfi y lAit .i''i' 'i ttN
/ f.cla. Nor Was shat all When the Committee ol
3autes reported ,o tl, Cnusrcss, the cost of all the
nur.'y Amer .In routes was estimated q. double tao
r~ircs fixed h. tleir r.ra-.t4r. authors. ih, cost
| al the san BIAS Canal Yls raised o. tc00J.uOo;
| f..t Oh the N,car e1u project 90 02aooO0,GoO;
! .i the Atrl..-,.p. .,l IDut. ~ ri-DpoJO,jOO .uis
| ra. n iueXplcllic proc-c ing uniess % "e adj
ntt,d tn.i tae Americans agc al NIolg
! about the canal. Inc figures were raised
a-ain,t The protest If ,he delegates from tno
United States. and no res SON was given as 10 WHY
ihry r,rr 80 raised except thAt thc committee re-
| p4.lei tine estimates as too low. The Panama
! Canal was estimated at about S22pooDooO
! Nv Tie committee: and it was upoI this show
| ing of comparative cost thai the whoe
/ Congress. in general session assembled, voted.
! Their, anpears to b. some foundation there
| fore for the unanimous assertion of the dele
gates from tins country, and OF engineers IN g'n-
cral at home. that the decision of the Paris Con-
| l-oss was not based upon an accurate knowledge OF
the facts Their position justified by the record.
Even If The Couarcss acted hastily, however, II
does 40 yet appear that lis decisions are likely 10
| have much weight with VI. Ge Lesscps, or that
he is iiAey to begin an intcrocoaEic canal without
- complete knowledge of all the facts. lie Las, in
deed suspended the business of taking Subscup-
! tious for the capital stock of the canal company.
| until a new survey of the Isthmus of Panama of
| the most serious and thorough description can
be made ; and his engineers, under the lead of
! N. Blanchet, lave been sent to Panama To make
| that survey. Until they report, ard public conii-
el CO In the route i, established, there Is no poba-
bity that puck will be struck INTO tho ground OF
a dollar of capital be expended for the constitution
of a canal al Panama. The cana from sea to sea IA
- br the crowni.g achievement in engineering Of
brilliant age lts successful execution Will gid tie
name of its projectors with undying lustre. There