Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-08-27
Fr0un Sea to sea.

DE Lessons Panama cana ,lnauS llrv ted
with such dramatic flourish Mt tie
beginning Of the year, is in a state Of
enduring pgssivi.y while its protector
is fetipg the rich Hollanders and Bel
gian and. French capitalists, endeavoting
to persuade them to subscribe the nee.
essary fu.ds to his mountain rifted
scheme. Meanwhile, the American
Provisional Society" which has been
engaged for some time negotiating with
Nicaragua for concession, has at last
received its franchise from the Nicara.
guam government. The concession is
! signed by Don Adam Cordenas, Minis
ter of Foreign Affairs, and A. G. Mono
cal, member and commissioner of the
Provisional Society. The concession
has been duly ratified by the Nicara-
guam Senate, and published as law by
tue republic. The Provisional Society,
/ inter the terms Of the concession, 80
cures the exclusive privilege to con.
struct ship canal across the territory
of Nicaragua. The canal is to be OF
sufficient dimensions to accommo late
steamers of the largest class used be-
tween Europe and America, and the
locks are to be not less than five hun
dred feet long and twenty three feet
deep. The con cession is for ninety. nine
years from the date of the opening of
the canal for general traffic, and at the
expiration OF that period the Nicara
guam government is to take possession of
the canal in perpetuity with the right
reserved to the Company to lease it for
another ninety mine years. During the
period of concession, the Company is
to have the privilege of constructing q
railway along the whole or any part OF
the canal, also such telegraph lines as
it deems necessary for the construction
and working Of the canal, and these
lines shall transmit public messages
free. The government of Nicaragua
will declare the terminal ports and the
canal itself throughout it's length to be
neutral, and that transit, in case of war
between other powers and Nicaragua,
shall be uninterrupted. The canal
shall be open to the free navigation of
all vessels, provided they pay the dues
and observe the regulations of the Com
pany. Troops of foreign nations and
vessels of war will be allowed to pass
through the canal under the regula-
tons of existing treaties. Vessels of
war belonging to other nations engaged
i'll hostilities with Nicaragua, or any
other republic OF Central America, will
be vigorously excluded. An effort will
be made to secure guaranty from all
powers of the neutrality of the canal,
and of zone along it, and of the sea
in the vicinity of terminal ports, where
dimensions will DO defined. This con-
cession, with all its advantages and
privileges, will appertain to the con-
struction company, and is transferable
only to the company which is to be or
ganixed by a provisional society, and in
no case can 1t be transferred to a for
eign government or power. 1t is to be
organized in the usual manner of such
enterprises, with its principal Office In
New York, or elsewhere, as 1t may deem
most convenient. Its designation will
be The Nicaragua Ship Canal Com.
pany." The Company is to be allowed
to bring Immigrants to Nicaragua free
ly from all parts Of the world, but it
is required to bind itself not to inter.
fere in questions which directly or III
directly may affect the public Of Mica,
raguu, aud not to give protection to
| criminal disturbors OF the peace. 1t Is
exempt from every form of taxation
during the period of this concession.
So far as orgaEization and concessions
go the American Provisional Society u
has made very fair start. The job of
raising the necessary funds will not be
| 50 easy. And yet il Is not only possible,
but quite probable, that ship canal
will pierce the Isthmus of DArien at
some point in the not distant future. -
Darlington Ha,ckeye.