New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-09-20
THE fNrERoCh4NIC CANAL.

FRANCISCO DE GARAYs ADDRESS To TIE AMERICAN
SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGiNKFRs-wnY HE PRE-
FEEs CANAL WITH LOCKS.
The American Society of Civil Engineers
met at thrr rooms at No 1Oi East fwentieih-'i. last
evening TO hear from Francisco de Garay tho Mexican
delegate TO the Interoceanc Canal Congress recently
held at Paris some OF the Congress, and his
reasons for perrrng the TehuaneDec route. The room
was wcllnlled by members OF the society and their
guests, and william !. McAlpine was in the char.
H. dc Garay began 10y giving The recent history OF the
discussion nteroccanic canal which was begun In
1879 IN a geographical congress held at Paris The
C,mpagnee UniYcrsee GcOgrapnique was formed nj
that lime which undertook IT, survey possible routes
but after two wears reported that there was no feasible
route. Lieutenant Wyse, who IL the protector OF the
Panama route waa however sent out again, stimulated
by the interest and ambition OF DE Lesseps,e nd when
his report received the recent congress WAS called
made M largely Of adhcrens Of DE Lesseps and cowork
cts with him In the Canal committed to his views
which were xclusivcly for Panama the congress was
so managed as to shut on all discussion OF
thing was FASTENED tue plea % lack OF time Pre-
posterous estimates were roughly nade On tue same
nrrfcncr and a final vote forced without cOnpaIi-
son views in full congress- on the bare resolution dc,
carng that the cana without ns of
Upon this the delegates were allowed only to vote
YES /" or mo-" or TO wholly abstain from voting
Mr. de Gerav who expected that he. coming from
Mexico familiar with the ground under discussion, ana
mcni,ged with American interest. would be- asked at
Least for information found great difficulty. even I'm
committee of explaining his preference for another
rouie Objections features in the Panama plan were
answered by changing the features such as giving up
4, tunnel for n cut and changing BACK 10
a tunnel again. lie commented on the absurdity
~ rxucctnr 10 cur into the Chagres Ky"ri
and TO avoid s waters from flooding the canal. 10 una
n new bed tor stream hig - the Thames, ana thhi
in a conntry so rocky that cannot even trace the
cnns without cutting the PiDama Railroad three tne-
Tbs sneaker explained the feasibility OF bYsein
~ locks There are he said places AT Tehranepec
where "A canal with locks can be cut The country -
easy 10 work being an inclined plane from the Atlantic
10 lbe summit level Labor be had Tor 30 cents
dav as against ~ at Panama. Natural laxoOns render
I'M construction If an art III ial harDor on tho Pdcnc
side easy On the Atlantic side there Il sand bar tha
hAa remained same since the tlmr q.
Cort.z But" said Mr.. dc Garay, "even II
Iebuan epe were not most feasible ana the cheapest
route II is nevertheless. the best route; Ior GRANTING
H. greater length to CONNIE coming frOp the North
saves nearly 5000 miles OF sailing j. Iree from he
danger of bccslnng SHIPS, unlike FAhahi am l'Varu
from polricaI point ~ does not require Shps
coming II To psss the naval stationr OF me Kir"i
nov crs OF the world. At TriuHntrpec American anu
MEXICAN machinery AMI men viii he wanted. wDle
Frruch mon and material are nearer To Panama.