The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1879-08-02

0hr-Ihe lsthmus Canal Con
gress, recently held ia the city o
raris, has presented to the ciyili
sed world all the results Of the Va
rions surveys and estimates whicl
have been thus far made. Ibeliey,
in the effort to overcome the grea
barrier interposed by the Ameri
can isthmus 10 interoceanic navi
CATION.
The fact that the Congress com
prised among its members man,
o. the most able aud distinguished
engtneers aud scientists in chris.
tendon is At once an assurance
that iss estimates and opinions are
entitled to the highest respect
From these it appears that thu
most economic solution Of this
great question by means of cana
must Involve the expenditure of al
least $4,000, 900, and possibly
much more, aud that the execution
Of the work viii occupy from Ii
to % years from the time the work
iscommcncetl. These facts iustif,'
tho conclusion, lst. That the
amount Of capital required is SO
vast that It win net pay to execute
the work with private means
alone. III. That the amount can
not probably be obtained unless
the Governments Of the several
maritime nations directly intersst-
Cd IN the work can be induced 10
contribute literally in aid OF the
enterprise. Sd. That the time re-
quired for consnmmating the work
Is 90 great that the enjoyment Of
the complete canal must necessa.
rily be reserved to the next gen.
Grafton.
In yiew Of th.se facts. Is it not
wise to carefully consider other
engineering expcdicnts which have
been, or which may be suggested
for tho transportation of ships and
their cargocs across The isthnius ?
1t l., as | am informed, recon.
mcndcd BY the Paris Congress that
the lsthmns be cut down bclowihe
level OF tho two seas TO such a
depth as is needed for the passage
OF ships froir sea to sea, and thus
avoid the use Of locks In the canal.
TO do this involves tho construo-
iion of a Tunnel four niiles long
through the Cordillsras. Of sucl,s|
dimensions that the one under
Gems dwindlcs iuto insig.
nillcuncc when compared with 1t.
This method has been justly term
cd 'the heroic treatment" The
Term, however, is not limited in
It's application, and suggests simi.
lar treatment to the Panama Rail-
road, or to some other road which
may be constructed for transport
alton Of the largest ships with
heir entire cargocs overland from
'ccan, TO ocean.
My own studies have satisfied
nc Of the cntirc feasibility Of such
transportation by railroad, and
rave no hesitation in saying that
or a sum not exceeding one-third
II the estimated cost of the canal
namely, about 's5o,oO0,OOO, the
argest ships which enter the port
Il New York can be transferred,
When fully loaded. with absolute
afety across the isthmus, on a rail-
way constructed for the purpose,
within "a hours from the moment
hoy are taken IN charge In one
20 until they are delivered into
he other, ready to depart OH their
ourney. r
On such q railway across the
sthmus there need be no grades
teeper than those on our chief
Ines Of railroad, and the road-bed
eed not be over 40 feet wide, nor
ave more than eight or ter rails
lid upon 1t to sustain the car
r cradle upon which the ship is
laced. The vessel should be lift
1 from the sea to thelevel Of the
oai1 BY . loek or by other well
nown hydraulic devices, and plac-
1 upon q car or cradle Of ample
to sustain the vessel with
Or cargo without the possibility
injury. The lock should be
vice the length Of the ship, and
My one-ha alf Of Its length should
3 deep enough TO receive the
lips from the sea. The bottom
the otherhalf Of the lock should 1
. at the level, and on This the
lilwsy should commence. Into !
10 upper part Of the lock the q
'adle to curry the ship should be
n, and the gates at the land end :
lould then be floated:into the deep Z
ID Of the locks and the sea gates {
osed, after which the water .
,ould DO drawn of and tho gates 4
the land end opened, and the {
II aud It's burden be then started
] IL journey by rail. Al the {
"a 80 tho rno1 fin cnn4