National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-03-12
Internceanic Ship CnnnI.

TO the Editor of The National Republican!
SIR: The project of au interoceanic ship ca
nal at some point between the Atlantic and
Pacific shores of tho American isthmus has
much attention both in Europe
and the United States. With tho origin and
progress of negotiations looking to that end
the public is generally familiar; but associated
with the scheme is bit of unwrittcn history
known to very few persons iu this country.
Some time iu April, 1876, one AnUhoinc de
Gorgoza-a sort of cosmopolitan Of French ex-
traction, but possibly of doubtful nationality
made his appearance at the Colombian capital
representing himself to bo the agent of a syn
dicate formed somewhere in Europe for the
purpose of resurveying what is known ms the
Acauiacua- -Paya route" between the Guis of
Darien and San Miguel.
He was n person OF pleasant manners and
winning address, spoke the Spanish language
readily and well, aud had little difficulty in
securing an audience with the Colombian au-
thorities. He claimed to have conclusive evil
dence, obtained from the old Spanish archives at
Madrid, of the existence Of natural water
transit of the isthmus as late rs the seven
teenth century, and which he proposed to
demonstrate by actual survey.
This natural pass existed, he maintained as
late as the year 1850, when, to adopt his own
language, "a body of about four hundred buc-
cancers, in eighteen large canoes, laden with
stores, ammunition, and ornaments, crossed
from the swamps westward from the Atrato
River to Real dc Santa Maria, which they sur
prised and pilaged" GorgoZa claimed to have
personally explored this pass, which, in pri-
vate pamphlet printed in the French language,
lie describes as follows:
"The Northern Cordillera, following the At
lantic coast in general direction from north
west to southeast, diminishes rapidly in alti-
tude toward 50 z north latitude until it
finally disappears in the swamps of Cacarica,
while the Pacific range of the Andes, known
here as the Southern COrdilleras, coming in
| general direction toward north northwest,
ends abruptly at Cape Garochine without ex-
| tending any spurs across the valley OF the
Treya." lie goes on to say that he made his
discoveries known to Commodore Selfridge, OF
the United States navy while that officer was
engaged in making tho survey of the Atrato.
| Nopipi route in 1867, but that tho Commodore
refused to test the accuracy of his representa-
tions although repeatedly pressed by him to
| do so.
The Colombian Congress, which was in ses-
sion at the time of Gorgoza's visit, were the
more disposed to give evidence to his represen'
| tatOns, because they Corroborated certain views
put forth some time before by Senor QuGiano
Otero. Senor Otero was distinguished CO.
lOmbian engineer who had been commits
stoned by the Federal Congress to make q spe-
cial report on the feasibility of water transit
of the isthmus. In the report submitted In
1874 he had cndeayored to prove that natu'
raj water pass between the Gulfs of Darien
and San Miguel has existed rs late rs the
sixteenth century. He quoted from certain
old letters aud papers found in the archives at
Madrid to show that "the old buccaneers made
frequent transits of the isthmus in light
water crafts" and that this pass fell into dis
use after their disappearance, and all knowl'
edge of its existence was carefully suppressed
in so far as that was possible, by tho old
Spanish authorities
This report, written In that gorgeous and
swelling style Of composition so easy and nat
uIal in the rich and varied idiOm of the Casti
lian, read more like n romance or shadowy
legend than practical State paper addressed
to Il legislative assembly. And yet, possibly
for that very reason, il attracted very great at
tention. The resident diplomatic agents o
foreign countries translated IL into the Language
of their respective governments and transmit
ted copies of the original chiefly perhaps as
curious samples Of Colombian literature
Nothing more was thought of it until the
scheme of surveying this suppostious pass
was proposed and pressed by NJ. de Gorgoza
when an act was passed by both Houses anc
approved by the Executive authorizing the cx
plOr alton of the route indicated.
The contract with Gorgoza, authorized by
this act, is dated the 20th Of May, 1876 1t al
lowed the syndicate eighteen months TO make
report of the exploration, aud, should the re
port prove satisfactory, eighteen months more
for tho organization of an international com
pany to open the caual within ten month";
thereafter, or lat iarthest, within seventeen
years from the date of the contract" the cana
was to be Opened to the public service"
Among those composing the syndicate Cor
GOA gave the names OF General Daniel i
Sickles, late United States Minister TO Spain
General Stephen Turr of Prussia, and NJ. d.
Lesseps, of the Suez Canal. Up to this time
however, nothing practical has resulted iron
It, aud it Is needless to add, perhaps, that moth
ing Is likely TO result from it, unless 1t ma,
serve to stimulate curiosity aud lead to
better acquaintance with the topography o
tho isthmus. At any rate, it was schem
which the Colombians could very well afford +
, encourage, since all possible benefits resulting
from il would iuure to their government fire
! of cost. But the belief in tho existence Of
l natural pass from ocean to ocean somewher
between the peninsula of Yucatan and the Gul
q OF Darien Is not now. 1t is rs old rs the dis
eoyery OF tho continent IL haunted the mint
Of C1rtoz after hG had completed tho cOnquc3
e OF MeXico, Pizauo beloved such pass Nigh