Litchfield enquirer., 1879-08-07
The Count De Lesseps.
woMAN's ACCOUNT OF AN INTERVIEW WITH
 r. l.l G sl n9rl HIM.

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 Mime. Blanche Tucker sends to the Paristos of July 10 the following account of an inter- view with Count Ferdinand De Lesseps:.
 ''He began talking at once, and with such animation that I could readily see that hissoul was inbislwork. He said: T first thought of canal-building many years ago, and discover ed that the affair of SueZ was not the only important one to be thought of; however, it's success was dubious in comparison with the Panama scheme People tried to frighten me with talking about the level of the sea, the difference of tides, the impossibility of harmo- nizing land and water to such an extent as to be able to mold both to my will, the elements, natural play of wind, wave, &c. but con- cluded first never to aggravote (cOzatrGs5re) nature.G but always to aid and work with it. For centuries the world has unfailingly turned oh it's axis It will probably continue to turn for centufies more; therefore, 1 have nothing to fear from Iiature-it is only human obsta- cles that are to be dreaded. The Panama Ca- nal, although much shorter than the Suez, pre- 1sents greater difficulty. First, the land is hily and unreasonable, and we must begin by blow ing up the mountain called Cerro Culebra. which lies decidedly in our way q smiled, thinking about his never 'aggravating nature ; of course, a little affair like blowing up a nc aiding it.)
 "tWe shall first dig wells or holes of a depth of from 40 to 50 feet, and from these 'tpuits" chambers or corridors will connect the whole top of the Culebra ; then the trains of powder being prepared, the whole top will be blown up at once To carry away the debris steam cars or tramways will be run on a ''chains sans fn'' (circular railway,) and as fast as one wagon departs another comes up ready to be filled. Thus we lose no time. I shall have my doctors first prove the salubrity of the route, so that all precautions as to health may be made, but we really only fear the cf- mate in the vicinity of the Atlantic coast, expect much of the work to be done by negros as they are very hardy and contented labor CTS when in a body or with their families. They can have their little cabins and remain settled and quiet for years to come. calcu- late that with everything furnished they will be we'll paid at francs day. The China man does not please me so much for this style of work. He is more dexterous with his fin- gers, perhaps, but less steady and less able to be driven The canal will be the greatest work have ever attempted, and am doubly confident from the fact that money will not be lacking. It will be AT miles long and 30 feet deep, with the same width of channel as the SueZ, with eight basins for anchoring passing
 
 canal. Thus 50 vessels in day, if necessary, could pass, and draw water as in open sea.
 I shall go to America in November and hope to find acquiescence and help from apeo- pie who are certainly the ones to reap the greatest benefit from the piercing of the Pana. ma Isthmus. The work will begin in Octo-
 ber and in January next hope all things tc
 be considered, to give the first stroke of the
 plck-axe in what will be the actual commence ment of the construction of the Interoceanic
 Canal We shall begin with several thousand
 hands, and before long give employment te about 40, 900 men. As to the funds, they will all be placed with trustworthy persons. have to work with me those of whom 9 years of trial and friendship guarantee the solidity, and not sou shall be lost or badly placed. have great idea of the American people, and confidently expect pleasant trip to the States. M. Appleton said the Count smil. ing, has prepared me for what 1 shall see, and hear, and count much on him and his judgment in this natter
 'sThen the Count fell into talking of his travels-of the different countries always
 came back to the one subject-'Panama. He is very fond of camels, and think would like to use them in America, although we have no such giddy mountains along the Panama route as would warrant their use. He said, laughingly: 'Ah, they are wonderful beasts they will mount, mount upward to the highest peaks where there is only room for their bodies in pass, never stopping for food, never tu.n- ing. They will break ones legs without com. junction should the rider not draw them out of the way, as the animal calculates to hairs breadth his own chances. They are Ego ahead at all hazards, all risks and that is what like and admire in man and beast
 ''The Count is really wonderful conyersa- lSot Hn in fho infrn the art of instructing and entertaining his lis- teners at the same time. His ideas are bold and ingenious, while 80 wittily and elegantly expressed as to become the very ideal of ter. seness and brevity. It seems that he could not say more, yet not one word is de trop. The rapidity with which he speaks and gives one daring plan after another stops all ques- tioning on the part of his listeners, and would
 take away the breath did not humorous smile play continually over his features, as much as to say: Be reassured; it sounds like joke, but am in dead earnest, and-courage will take me through Count de Lesseps is now in his seventy fourth year. and has the vigor and life of sturdy old-not too old-soltlier. He has the presence of a General-in- chief of an en- tire army, and is certainly the most competent, instructed, and wonderful Frenchman of the present day. He seems dogged and persever- ing as might be one of certain nation whose Declaration of Independence only dates back 1O3 Years Need 1 explain further or pay a higher compliment to M De Lesseps's endless ambition and courageous motto, 'era GoGnt
 'The Count comes of hardy race. His father, M. Mathieu De Lesseps, was the first French representative in Egypt of Napoleon's famous expedition, while from 1881 to 1888 his son, the present Count, was Consul to the Nile reglons, His father was man of wond
 rous vigor and capabiity, and any scheme that was thought impossible by allthe world
 was immediately decided upon as worthy tt
 be handed oyer to Mathieu De Lesseps. M
 Ferdinand's long residence in the country en
 abled him to calculate to cert ainty all chan. pces of climate. labor, dry and wet seasons and to know just what to and what not to de ! pend upon. The experience of building one canal has been great, one may say invaluable, and, as usual, America, the newest country zation, with her enviable luck, is the one ready to profit by it. We can only congratulate our selves long and loudly. About 1850 the Count retired from official life. but the idea of his Suez canal had ever been uppermost in his mind In 1854 visit to MOhammed Sad resulted in the charter, which had for 8 result the uniting of the Mediterranean with the Red Sea. dii ' 8a.5za.f...el So p .li q l'sThe Count is said to be the fastest travel CT, living Railroads for him are but name. I He prefers thoroughbred, and his voyages in Africa and Egypt were remarkable for in.
 trepid horsemanship,. and, as the natives said,
 beating the steam-engines.' During the l siege of Paris, he was always mounted, riding 1 from post to post with the rapidity of a scout and the vigor of the freshest and youngest of Frances soldiers. He was the wonder of the entire Army. t.. ...si,-s gs si,.,
 'Now, of course, you will like to know what the Count looks like, and 1 can give you | an idea in few words. His fine head is crowned with the whitest of snow-white hair, l and heavy mustache of the same color shad. es his upper lip. His eyes are deep, large, and piercingiy black-eyes that belong to 30
 rather than 70 Summers. The carriage is
 martial, aud the gait has 2 light, springy elas- l ticity that is unbelievable in man of his age. I The face runs over with good humor, while
 at the same time should not advise any
 0a0atcaise 2,laisaatesSe with his lordship., The Count has by a second marriage contracted al
 the age of 60, eight children; and here Vt
 must stop. Happy in every relation of life 1 the one which lightens all hearts and makel easy all labor is the perfect bliss which unite