, 1879-07-31
THE PANAMA CANAL.
Reports Of Admiral Am1nen aud Engineer
MenocAls

M16noCAls
DttpatcA 10 St. Lon4s linte. Democrat.
WASHINGTON, D. c., July o8.-Upon his re-
turn from h!g Ysstt to Paris, On the Invitation Of
Ferdinand de- Lcsscps, as President Of the
Geological Society, Admiral Amnfcu, the ac-
credited representative of tho United States.
submitted To the Secretary Of State an a!ah-
Usatc report, il which he gives reylcw OF
Tie proceedings OF tho Inter.Oceanfc Canal
Congress, anl the remarks Of tho distinguished
engineers present on tho various projects pro-
posed for ship route from ocean to ocean.
In commenting on the general featurcs OF tho
proceedings, Admiral Ammen says ulat from
the first sitting II was apparent that there
wcro two parties, ono represented By NJ.
Dlunchet, who bad nu uncondrn1ed grant from
the Nlcarneuan Government, aud Lieut. Wyse,
Of the French navy, who has grant from
tho Colombian Government, embraced With d
reservation Of the right to construct ship
reservation applies. as understand, to tho al.
ready conceded right Of the Panama Railroad"
'rle Admiral continues:
II was quite apparent, Us the routes wero pre-
so1,ted aud discussed, that tlle ablrst engineers
gsnersllv ranged themselves on the aide Of tho
NrraraEuan route. Tte vcry able presentation
Of both routes by Mr.. Mcnocal, and the opinion
EXPRESSED by 1lr Johu uawkshaw. quite DIS
turbtJ the enu!librlum Of thu ranaU>n adgo-
Inittccs after much detail rs regards plans.
The report concludes: "ThAt peraonal inter-
csts arising from concession for the constrHc-
tiun of canal arc unf4vorablu to q relative con
alteration Of tic natural advantages as between
two or more rUl1tcB; TINT such personal tnterceta
.itd cxist was Hlttu apparent from nfht 70 last,
asnl the concession was frequently partially dis
cassea or ailowad 10 bc, especially in tho COM
Shown that hereafter in thu examination Of tho
question only the Nicaragua anl Panatla routes
noed critical examination, and thut sufficient
Information exlsts as 70 atl otl.er, routcH:
Panama, either With Or without tunnel.
bas bocn shown to bo hoplcssly tmpracticablo
OK consideration GB cosi1.eEcls! aueallons TINT
general and special knowledge now exists
icct Of q ahtp cailol across tha American tontl.
ucut which did not exist prior to the assembling
Of the conercas In Paris, 1u vtew OF tue actu.
aitirs It seems proper that the Government OF
Tho United States should consider the auestion
| Ut tlla Inter-Qccanc Shlp-cannl as still Jude
tor1lneu, Notwithstanding tho report ot tts
Commission on tlat subject, which has received
acceptance BY tlle people Of tic United States
| unll BY our a6lent civil caHsuscrs, .nasasaeh IS
| ttat has nut received criticism. Should ibis
be regarded as advantageous. It would seem
| necessary to tbrul n commission ot tho anteBt
| engineers Of cur army, aud to tnylto the allest
cyil engineers Of cir country, and, ~ roll, in-
| ytte Ill tho Governments which Wcra repre-
soMtcu at tho CoAgress IN Paris to kena their
engineers nlt to 0il i! iHti discussion, anu haY
l,Ig cnuai puncrs, With tho Wow Of removing tt
from ali o1traueous influences OF concessions pr
otler phlcctlona taan Tho consideration OF the
| CONSTRUCTION Of . ship canal across tbs Contt-
uent, gapablo Of fulfilling the 1culands of tllt
wurlds conmeEcc under tho most economical
| ro,tiitinAs.f
Thu accompanying report OF 4. 3. sfcnocai,
civil engineer ln the unltcl States navy, tlateit
| Juuo II, 1870. u.d who occotnEan!e! Admiral
| Asnsncn to Farle, contains q careful teehaical
review OF ths various projects considered "
the Congress, aud The approximate coat. al9
explanation Of tAr NlcaraKuan route Is full alIu
comprehensive. The CoMltnittse ot thirteen,
cotuposutt 0f the most able clelnecra present
aud the yiaws OF Sir John Ilawkst'aw, agreed TO
the mpracticabllity vi tho Panama allA tbs
Feasibility OF thu NIcuragusn Eouto. Mr: Memo
cal Significantly says In bis report: by thes1
proeecatt,gs tic remarkable condition b present
od oi engineers designing and estimating on the
cost Ut such N important work ~ the one IN.
der consideration, without proper knoWledgc OF
lilo ground on which The works oEs to to COT.
ssTucted, which Vas generally regarded, ss well
AZ tl,at Of cost, to be matter Of after conatd.
! erstlpu,n That It waa also demonstrated tha1
tje suryeYs s,lado BY the United States tlogeEn-
tneut were wrll known iu Europe. liz aide
ttat the Panama routo will soon 10 abandoned
for waut Of &uppottcfa