The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-06-06
THE IsTHMUs CANAL.


session at Paris for some weeks past, and Its
choice of route for the canal which 10 to
connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans In
bonds OF brotherhood, are matters Of the
greatest Importance to the entire American |
continent, and particularly SO to New Or
leans, the chief city Of the Gulf, which would
OF necessity reap rich harvest from the
commerce that this canal must develop.
In one respect the Paris Congress has been
q success; 1t has called attention to the inn
portance the necessity and the practicability
OF this canal. There Is no need OF disgusting |
the fact however, that the congress was at
the same time unfortunate In It's selection of
a route. 1t was not fairly representative
body in any respect, being packed In French
interests and In the advocacy OF a French
scheme. The Paris clique, headed by Nine.
Ratazzi and number Of other ladies OF high
social standing, captured the convention In
the interest OF Lieut.. Wyse's plan-a plan
which was opposed by Sir John Hawkshaw
and the most eminent engineers Of the world,
and by the entire delegation from this coun-
try The American delegates were most
courteously treated, it is true; feted, cheered
and applauded; but at the same time the con-
adopted scheme to benefit France rather
than the rest of the word-a scheme which
the Committee on Technique originally op-
posed as impracticable and impossible.
The chief merit of Lieut.. Lucien Napoleon
Bonaparte Wyses scheme-the one Endorsed
by the congress-is the fact that 1t does
away altogether with locks, and provides
for sea level canal from ocean to ocean.
This necessitates some immense engineering
feats, notably tunnel four miles In length,
to be cut through the solid rock. This has
always been pet French scheme. Thirty
years ago it was advocated by a French
adventurer and refugee In London, a cousin
of Lieut.. Wyse, and known afterward In his
tory as Napoleon III. It was then to cost
S100, 100000. Wyse now estimates the cost
at $40, 100000 evidently very economical
calculation, as other efficient engineers make
the cost mount up to the respectable sum Of
1911, 0OO, 900. II the latter estimate proves to
be the correct one-and the history of public
enterprises warns US always to select the
maximum estimate-the canal can, under
no circumstance, be made paying institu-
ton. The yearly traffic through 1t Ia esti-
mated at 100000 tons, yielding an annual
revenue OF $7,5o00OO. When we deduct there
from the cost OF keeping the canal In repair,
the amount to be paid the Colombian gov
eminent as taxes, the sum to go to the Pan
anna railroad, which has monopoly OF the
right OF way over the isthmus and will have
to be bought off, it is impossible to see
where the shareholders In the canal compa-
ny can secure1 per cent on their investment.
Let us examine Lieut.. Wyse's plan. His
canal Is to 20 over the narrowest part OF the
isthmus from Panama to Navy bay, at Ltmon,
on the Pacific. It will be forty two miles long,
and requires Al 100000 cubic yards of excava-
ton and four-mile tunnel. contract to
construct this canal has already been made
by Lieut.. Wyse with the Colombian govern
ment. It provides that the canal shall be con-
structed within twelve years and allow the
passage OF vessels drawing tWenty-four feet
OF water. The tolls are not to exceed 10 francs
per cubic metre Of the vessels capacity. The
Colombian government Is to receive S per
cent Of the gross receipts Of the company and
to exempt all goods passing through 1t from
duty.
It is to be regretted that the congress did
not consider more carefully the other plans
before it, of which there were no less than
twenty-one. The surveys Of the Nlcaraguan
and Tehauntepec routes, In particular, made
under the auspices Of the United States. were
far more thorough and reliable than those Of
Lieut.. Wyse. The routes were carefully
surveyed, thirty years ago, and as late as
1875 100000 was appropriated by Congress to
make them perfect The adoption OF either
OF these plans would have reduced the cost Of
this enterprise hundreds of millions of dol
lars, and within reasonable limits, the highest
estimate by Lake Nicaragua being $82, O0o, 900.
But the French members OF the congress ev-
identity feared the power and influence of the
United States, and were anxious to locate
the canal as far away from this country as
possible. They feared that our people would
gain political or, at least, commercial control
of the canal, and to prevent this they located
it in disorganized, semi-civilized republic,
subject to revolutions, subject to earthquakes,
and In place where 1t will have to pay heavy
blackmafl to Its natural enemy and rival-the
Panama Railroad Company.
Despite these objections, there is no doubt
that the Paris convention will be productive
of much good. It has shown that canal
through South America Is practicable; that
it can be constructed at light cost and made
a paying enterprise While it Is doubtful
whether Lieut.. Wyse's plan will be adopted,
it Is certain that some plan will be, and the
canal constructed In g. very short time The
advantages Of this canal are too plain to need
repetition here. canal which shortens the
voyage by sea between New York and Shang.
hal 5000 miles, and between New York ana
San Francisco "A, 0Os miles, three fourths the
circumference of the globe, is canal that Ii
needed, and must be built. That 1t will be- O
benefit to this city is obvious, as New Orleans
Is 700 miles nearer Panama than New York
The Tehuantepec route would most assuredly
place the greater part Of tho business Of TIN
canal in the hands OF this city, as we would
then have the advantage OF 1900 miles ovel
New York and the Atlantic ports.