The New York herald., 1879-09-11
ACROSS THE ISTHMUS.

MIR. NATHAN APPLETON ENUMERATEs THE
RESULTS OF THE INrsR-ocEANIc CANAL CON-
oREss.
Mr. Nathan Appleton, of Boston. one of the Ameri
can delegates at the Inter-Oceanic Canal Congress
which lately held in Paris lectured last night at
chickerng Hall upon the finding of the Congress and
its various committees Peter Cooper and members
of the Board of Trade were present upon the plat
form. Mr.. Algernon S. Sullivan presided. The
theme said the latter that not only touched
the greatness of the United States. but the COM
merce, civilization and progress of the world. MT.
Appleton, it well known, favored the Panama
route. which Ferdinand de Lesseps approved and a
majority of the Congress had voted The lecturer
was then introduced.
He began by tracing his personal connection with
the scheme. He had represented the Boston board
or Trade at the opening of the suez Canal in 1862
and his imagination being fired by the grandeur oil the
enterprise he had decided promote that idea OF mar
rying the Atlantic and Pacific. which had been the
dream of ages, and was almost as oid as 'ho
continent itself. He had started a preliminary
company in 1870, which collapsed, ana haa
enlisted General Grants sympathies IN taVor oi
the Panama route. which were afterward changed III
favor of Nicaragua. Survey parties were iormeo
anu every point from TehEantepec to Atrato NAPipi
carefully explored In the summer OF 1873 the Pars
Geographical Society sot mp an exhlDiton III one OF
the wings of the Tuieres and the project of canal
without locks first formulated and French IN
terest first stirred in the matter. In March. 1876,
under the presidency OF II. de Lesseps. the aid OF
other countries was sought for. Then practical
company was formed which sent Lieutenant Wyse
to survey the Isthmus, made agreements with the
Panama Railroad Company, and, having conceded
all its rights TO NJ. de Lesseps for TO- 00of., is
now on the point of dissolution. Henceforth, said
Lesseps, a company should be organized whose
doings were open the gaze OF the world "Brave
words added Mr.. Appleton, .from one who swears
positively that OF all the millions spent on the Suez
Canal not centine was misapplied."
THE FIVE coAfMIrTErs
The Congress met on Ma! 70 hast 10 Simplify
matters it At once split itself into hve committees
America well represented Her delegates
held in high esteem. II de Lesseps was president;
Admiral Ammen, ". Likhatchof, Sir John Stokes,
Commander Cristoforo and Sehor Coello. presi-
dents The first committee, Statistics. headed by
Minister Aendes Lesl. OF Portugal concerned itself
mainly with the income realized by the Suex Canal.
which had in 1876 TO S5OOOOUO and in 1877 70
$6.500O0O. The second committee, or which Mr.
Appleton himself president. discussed the
nercial and economical side OF the question, and A.
Simonin. OF the editors OF La Franc calculated
the various savings in ght tHa would result from
shortening TIE distances rom port TO port, Inc
third committee, led by DR.. Broch, reported that
neither locks tunnels should be adopted by any
possible mems they could be avoided, The fifth.
the guidance of Mr.. Ceresole, exPresident of
the Swiss Republic. considered ways and means and
report that receipts would be certainly in advance
of expenses. The fourth and most important COM
mittee which had TO determine the route. met under
MIR. Dauorees presidency. This was its report:-
The Tehuaniepec route would be las miles long,
would have l20 locks, no cutting or tunnel, and
would require days to pass from end to end.
Its expenses impossible to calculate.
There two Nicaragua routes. The first on
the plan of Lull and Menocal, would be $50 miles
long; locks, II; no cutting or tunnel; cost,
$l5i 000.U00 running expenses, S260OO000; time of
passage four and half days. The second, planned
by Blanchet, would be of much the same dimension,
form and cost.
or the three Panama routes the first and best
known was the work of Messrs. Wyse and Recius.
1t would be level water canal, IS miles long, with
perhaps one tidal lock; tunnel. 1872 miles; cost,
s2liooO.Oo0; running expenses S2600O,0Oo; time OF
passage, days. The second, by Lull and Menocal,
AS miles long; locks, %; cutting or
tunnel cost sl74,oooooo; running expenses
S26. .000 time OF passage, "a days. The third,
by Wyse Reclus, would be IS miles long; locks.
-; cutting tunnel; cost STA OOJ.OOO running
expenses $4,000 600; time passage. 2 days.
The San Bias route the scheme of Mr.. Keller.
of New York. Length 33 miles perhaps ! tidal
lock; tunnel, miles; cost, 1854 900 ,o0o running
expenses, S26. 900; time i'll passage. day.
Artrato-Napipi route, by Seliridge. Length, 179
miles; locks, - tunnel 25 miles; cost $500 0Oo
running expenses, S26,ooo,ooO; time in pass ge 3
or these routes the technical committee reported
in favor OF the level water canal from Colon to Pan
anna. The report was read at the final meeting of
the Congress- Ninety-eght delegates present.
Seveney-eight voted yes IL voted no. Then the
proceedings ended.
DrssESsIoN IN THE CAMP
Peter Cooper was then introduced by Mr.. Sulli-
van. He spoke in favor of the San Bias route. He
said il was many years since Mr.. Kelly broached
the subject to him that he had almost
believed that the long tunnel which was
the great obstacle OF this scheme might be
bored with the aid of sand blast. and he illustrated
his views by displaying plate of glass which he
had himself seen bored with stean-drven sand. He
also believed that tine ships might be drawn through
the canal by a continuous chain worked by water
pressure.
The spectators were on the point of depart
ing when u boomshen suddenly thrown
among them by the Introduction of Mr.. Francesca
de Garay. He was OF the Mexican delegates at
the Congress. He dissented altogether from the
views OF Mr.. Appleton and Mr. Cooper. IN de
Lesseps, said he, lis great man. He will not ad-
init OF contradiction. You cannot contradict
who won't let you speak. ~ de Lesseps
wanted this thing done on the American plan. He
meant to have it done quickly. The technical COM
mttee, OF which l was a member, held only four
sessions. Much time occupied in translating
the speeches of foreign delegates, lost in
discussing absolutely Impossible routes All tha
routes modified bat that OF Panama. and from
the latter discussion was carefully STAYED off, TX
objected to the tunnel, they proposed cuttng
to the tunnel We all agreed that canal without
locks was preferable TO canal with locks. That
not the point The point was whether the former
was possible. For my own part, think the Panama
toute the worst. favor the Tehuantepec. think
the tunnel an insuperable obstacle. Louis
Favre, contractor OF the st. Gothard tnn-
mel, who died the other day. told that
the difficulties of a tunuel on the lsthmus
would be fifty times greater than that beneath the
Alps Nor is the cutting of the vale Of Mexico any
parallel. 1t took $50 years to make Nor is this
all. belonged 10 the Subcommittee on Estimates
and know tnat part of the financial report was de-
hberately suppressed. Our estimate ,30Of. The
call on the public was only for 4OOOc0,0O0f The
public deceived. And then, again. what laborers
can be found 10 work at PanamaY They would all
die in three months. When the railroad was built
they died of like nies-Chinese. negroes creoles.
Irish. and all of them. The Chinese the wisest;
they committed suicide"
Mr.. Appleton said he glad that his remarks
had provoked so lively discussion, and General
Cotton having spoken. Mr. Sullivan added that
another meeting would be held at very early date
UNITED STATES BOARD OF TRADE.