New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-11
CANAL. OR SHIP RAILWAY

eneerng one and I'm relation TO It's praccabity; It's
probable cost; the time needed for s completion; ana
it, utility when completed. The question Of the prac-
tcabuity OF opening tide level waterway through
the American Isthmus Is simply question OF
money and Of time. II sufficient money were sup
piled. and time enough were given, l have no houDt
that instead of the and toruous stream which
Count de ssep proposes to locate at the bottom OF an
artificial canon TO be cut through the Cordlleras at
Panama, engineers could give to commerce a magnih
cent strait whose broad and deep channel the
tides of the Pacific would be felt the shore Of the
Caribbean Sea- through which the commerce OF the
next century might pass unvexed. from ocean TO
ocean.
II should borne in mind by aymcn that the science
Of engineering based natural laws that are alb
solutey u aterableaws that are therefore, absolutely
reiabe aud that through the control which scientific
discovery has gwen the engineer over the forces
Of Nature, the only limit to the possibilities OF hrs pro-
esson hes almost wholly IN the cost OF the works winch
he proposes TO execute. For this reason, the hmii
winch should control the magnitude OF his pro-
lets should not exceed the real necessities ana the
financial abilities OF his fellow men. But should there
occur pressing need for tower high that 1t shall
peuctiate the regions eternal snow, or an arch 80
vast that its span may be- measured ny the miei or
tunnel through the broadesi base OF the Rocky Noun
tains; or "a railway that shall TRANSPORT, entire and
uni iured the graudost OF the EGyp an pyramids; or
ID channel through Dorien big enough 10 disturb the
~ q the Cult Stream aud alter the pulsaiion Of the
tdes you may be assured thst each and All OF these
things and lnagy with the possibilities OF his
prol s,ion If you viii ouy unlsh the money TO pay for
them. Hence any Intelligent engineer, having JUST
conception OF the immense capabilities OF his ar, VIII
40 once coucede that IL Is entirely possible 10 cut the
LITTLE uas,age through the Gs Imus Of Panama. twenty
eight feet below level, proposed by NJ &c
Le-seps, provided the money be supPcd 10 meet the
cost Bur If le -lncor Doe KIDD % estimate accurately
the cost of sucu cut he Will tel yon that
there is one Important element OF expense IN the plan
which It Is impossible TO ascertain with any degree OF
accuracy Tie VIII toll YOU that 70 long as the bottom OF
the canal is kept above the level the average n-
n n 40 Panama viii enable him 10 estimate With some
o. gree Of ceri ruy probable quantity of drainage
water that must taken " enable the work To
progress uuintcrruptodiy. But when the ocean
itself Is tapped. as 1t must be IN cutting the
canal tvcntycIght feet below It's surface natural tA-
oil. of drainage become impossible, and the quantity o.
wafer waio1 VIII probably enter through veins aud
assures below the ocean level, IN the uphed ana dis
turDed sia hcauon Of the CO4dIll-ras through which
the canal Is 20 cut unknown quantity, which Gu
giueering science cannot determine IN advance
TIE QUESTION OF rXrENsr.
Assume howoter, that the engineering difficulties TO-
voyed n the drainage Of The works during construction
and taose n.eparable FROM tho construction Of cara
through tie scky bottom lands OF the Chaeros Rivel
the damminc oH OF it's ghtfu floods. the creation o.
hew bed for and the deepen OF the Ole one
% cOnst tute part Of The canal all be overcome by
engineering skill the question OF expense sim remains
open and undecidedi Hor can IL Dc fairly answered
mill tie work has been completed Tie cost n ANY
work must ALWAYS depend upon the number aud char
acier Of the dicuncs 10 met and overcome and tl"
difficulties involved in the construction Of tdeovel
canal (only some OF which have mentioned arc Of
such character that it utterly impossible TO tx
with any degree Of certainty the aggregate cost OF the
wors True an estimate may DE made indeed 30 has
been 10y the engineers omIloYed by ". d. Les.eps.
They have agreed upCn tie sum of : 100000
"a the ultimate cost Of the work, exclusive
Of interest during construction; brt experience las
shown that such estimates quite unreliable, end are
always much below the actual cost pr.irye that toe
estimates FOR Tie construction OF the suez Canal
$40 100000 while It's actual cost was upward OF
s9O.OOOOOO l. is not unlikely that upon the couple-
ton OF the Panama Canal II would be found that the
money expended amount twice a. much al that
estimated
Another important question 10 consider IN connection
with tins matter Of expense Is that involved IN Oh"
maintenance Of the work after It shall have been
Melted Any one who conem plates the proposed depth
Of the cu through the several miles OF the CoIdiieras
aud thinks Of the tlgitfll rains and tempcsts which
prevail dnrng six months Of the year, can form
some conception perm Of The amount Of mate
rial which would be washed down the sides OF this inn
mense cut, as well from all other parts OF the canal
aud which must be continually dredged out Of It. TO
preserve its usefulness.
The great delta az the lower end Of the agrcs River
Is formed by the aluviOns contributed from the high
lands These have been washed down from them into
the river which by ITS current has borne them ~ %
sea where they have formed an immense dcpoSn ilany
mics IN extent. olmhr uep9sts mus FORM ~ lhe
canal from the same cause Dul as IL VIII ne "llhoul
sufficient current 10 sweep them out to sea- thcy must
ence I'm the maintenance Of works constructed through
districts visited by heavy rains proves that such main
tenauce Is always attended win very large expendi
DANGERS IN NARROW CHANNELS.
Should the canal ever be completed, with a cross
ton small that proposed and which cannot be in
except at enormous cost, aud stoppage o. is
traffic during enlargement. II viii not De practicable Tor
large ships TO IN at higher speed than two or
twoaud-aIalf miles per hour. Ships moving through
narrow channels depth OF water only foot or two
in excess Of their draught liable TO take what pilots
call &" sheer" suddenly change their direction aud
leave the shore which they are nearest to. ana
bring up against the opposite one before they
can be controlled Ia narrow channclway, n
the vessel be moving To one bank than to the
otber he water which flows RON the stem al the ship
fb side nearest the shore elevation OF the
surface tue water On that side OF the bow greater
than The surface OF the water Oh the other Dos" The
Keel being too close 10 the bottom % prevent an easy
flow II, ana the water between the bow aud tue
nearest shore being higher IMAM that on the 0hcr sde
the bow o. the ship Is forced away from That shore
and brings up against The opposite bank me more
randy the snip II moving the more likely ~ she
to take sheer" aud the more violent VIII be ihe con
tact with the bank Toe day recon- vs 70 me
suez Canal snip had been detained IN II lWeny 9ur
hours getting aground IN tins way. III can ne reAy
perceived that n tie canal were cut through Iok huc
am accident would involve injury the vessel Thu Ough
the auy ia portion Of the canal low raie OF speed
would also be Indispensable to prevent the Injurious
Ell CT OF the wash OF the made by the ship
While have always been an advocate OF those great
public mprOv which are necessary 10 meet the
wants O commerce. have constantly maintained that
these great enterprises should completed most
economical methods known, and thnk that engineer
would not DE justin ID IN advising the prosecution OF
work involving very large expenditures of money
un H. had satished himself that the results sought 10
be attained could not be as well secured IN ess costly
way
EXPENSES FOR WHICH NJ. DE LEssEPs HAS NOT AL