New-York tribune., 1879-12-20
IgE INrEROCEANiC CANAL.


THE FRENCH ENGINEERs PLEA.
why rHv AMTRlcaN PLANS WERE REJECTED
AulkrCAN INrEEEsTS-THr MONROE DOCTRINE.
Ferdinand &c hessers IN ne noFfA A"eo'" H''''" ''
1t was with the most perfect infpartlanty
and hvh-st cla,ws to consideration 'hat tne Soh
cress Of $40 rendered ITS decision. after having listened
rs long and often they requested to the Amercan
delegates; among others 10 Admiral Ammen and Messrs
Menocal aud Scfrdge who had The opportunity 10 pre-
cent IN the fullest detail their several investigations
% .rcT tc enre Of decision on part
OF tue Cngcs the authors OF all the plans presented had
In favor OF Americans. Messrs selfrdgc aud MeEo
cal ksowns me can s enc Ssmped r" convince
himself 10 the contrary he has only to onen the Ie9ts
OF several conferences. where he Will discover what
large place occupied in the discussions III the Con-
eress composed as IL was OF inen OF high anlnory'
~ was because failed entirely satisfy the con
dItions OF navigation, with its 2o5 kilometres OF length.
its wentv-0ne locks its distracted San Juan River us
harbors blocked with sand 70 be created wholly anew
It's OF shor; radius, going down even 70 o.o
metres which would not allow room Tor the eV0"0"'
An obstacle which would tend greatly TO augment the
Difficulty Of keeping the Nicaragua Canal In repair Is tne
frequent recurrence of ear,hanakes IN that Nolean
m oc"ssonei bT eartnauekcs where il wouli be
cary construct locks wich would be rendered lh,
capable OF whenever The slopes o the canal shouu
be ccstroyeds
do not hesitate TO assert after my experience in
connection with the snoz Canal, thai the Nicaragua
canal could never be anything else than channel for
Interior navigation and that in spite OF the enormous
expenses necessary in its cOns.ructon. could never
acco mm odate the largo vessels which perform The
commerce Of the word. Besides. why shonld not tue
cider Il a useful work Tney would IN this way en-
the development o; the state OF Nicaragua ln
which they appear be particularly interested For
my part, should he well satisfied with such
course, for every highway is step forward; anu
moreover. appropriate 10 tho minor Navigation
vonld do Injury TO the canal Of Pannma, which l.
destined to perform who'll d.nercnt cnise-'nat o.
Since then we have sent engineers to 'he isthlnus
neeessrx Ter tSakDS Tho Investigations which are
being prosecuted aud the abors OF which propose 10
nircady mentioned The hour is come for the reaza-
lion OF what has. tor long time. been only dream-
gress which has performed one OF the most useui OF
public services cannot o to oG ny, eoeh onan nS o
the Panama Canal work So important as have above
Certainly not the United States that great nation
which with its practical good sense, understands better
manknd aud especially for Itself OF this maritime
highway across the Isthnus in binding togeiher the
Atlantic aud Pacific coasts, and III giving new impulse
10 ITS national prosperity.
Certain Amercau Interests. it h true have taken uul,
bragg The rviways already projected or IN process o
construction. and which are intended to unite the
Atlantic aud Pacific Oceans, have had nome ntary
alarm but reflection has led them 10 "e now
foolish and chimcIicl their fears have been: These
to-day what vii that transportation DC when, nuder
influence Of he canal. the intervening sections OF
afford 10 the tTans, Ontinenta railways wieh s-rye
them greater op2ottnllties OF long Sfiast II - snuun
communication Increase, FAR from inlnring oaeh
oter. they give rise TO industries aud To an en-
larged commercial activity and that tney thus create
new current Of business capable OF aordng them the
necessary support The United States have only To cas-.
their eyes the vast network OF railways whch tey
already possess, In order 10 verify TIE truth OF TINS
economic principle IL Is moreover 10 be remembered
that railways and canals supported by the carriage
OF different species OF handisei products OF great
vanc and small bulk voluntarily selecting the more
rapid channel Of the railway. while other products
choose the maritime highway,
In general company. such as that OF the Inter
oceanic Cna all decisions rest WITH The general asse-
bly, Of Shareholders who them TO he executed by
agents Of their appointment Now. iu the Inter
oceanic Canal Company the capital subscribed must
administered by those chosen tO represent IL, u VIII
right of the United states 20 have such snare in
the administration ia propOronei 10 the number or
shares subscribed by them they will. therefore, nave
nobody but themselves To bamc II their share ~ ns
cien Ii only because the French law Is more severe
IN responsibility O directors thereby more
whom the United states should BE- included, that ~ has
bcen proposed 70 organize the company under the
French law.
cannot conclude this paper without saying few
words concerning the Monroe dOctrine-though it can
he applicable to private enterprise, such
IA canal railway other similar undertaking. What,
Ance was formed for the purpose OF repressing the
OF nations the direconof free institutons
and wheD at the Congress OF Laybach France engaged
send 900 SPAN to restore the absolute SOW
ereignty of Ferdinand VII, the English Minister Can
ming entered engagement with President Mon
proclaim the independence OF the ola Spanish
colonies America, and TO attempt hos.e
that independence by European powers Hence, the
Monroe doctrine far from being opposed to our en-
terprise T. directly favorable to; inasmuch us is
the Republic of United states OF Colombia which has
granted the concession for the Panama Canal ana the
decree OF the President OF the United states OF CO0m
bia ga September, 1879 well the letter
OF Governor of Panama which Informed me OF that
decree, very plainly signify that the nations or that
part OF America heartily enstedn the undertaklng
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