The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-10

Yesterday Capt Eads registered at the 81.
Charles Hotel, and, as usual, was the recipient
Of many calls, particularly from the engineer
Ing fraternity and the commercial connu-
nIty. IT was only on the thrty-iifst ultimo
that he arrived at New York from Europe,
after n four months leave Of absence, and his
speedy visit to this city was as unexpected as
pleasing. The Captain is q member OF the
M ississippi River Commission but did not
attend It's meetings, owing to his absence.
reporter of the DEMOCRAT last night
called upon Capt E,ds Mt his rooms, and
found him In evidently improved good health
by his trio. After eopgratuating MIN on his
appparance, the reporter asked the Captain
for a detailed statement OF his travels the
past few months.
HIS TRIP.
Cant. Eads-The principal object of my
trtp was recreation, and as had been for live
years unable to give myself this opportunity
| obtained u leave OF absence Tor Tour mouths
departed on the last day of August and re-
turned the last day of December, thereby ex-
aetly making up my time. Though tho main
object OF my trip WIS recreation Thought !
might also take tho opportunity OF Informing
M self upon other subjects.
Reporter What was the extent OF your
travels. Captain
Captain-I went into Europe, Asia and
| Africa I visited the Danube and the Theiss
rivers. though | had seen and examined the
| former before. / visited S8agedin, where the
terrible inundation occurred last year, anu
| investigated its causes. Travelled Tor 100
| miles on the Fheiss, which is n branch oil the
Danube and runs through Hungary; and
sailed 700 miles on the Danube, IRON Vienna,
going through a portion OF Turkey In Eu-
| rope, to Rustchuk, to Varna, on the Black
sea, and thence to Conslantinople. Before
leaving tho United States had received let-
| tiers from the President to various Ministers,
and In consequence WIS afforded every oppor-
| tnnity to make observations.
| From COnstauiinnpla | went to smyrna,
| thence to SYRIA, MitiIene, Piraeus, the port Of
| Athens. to Alexandria In Egypt, Cairo and
| then TO Suez, where, after o short stay, J
| crossed the canal, went to JhtTa, Jerusalem,
the Dead Sea- aud other places possessing
| Biblical interest. After providing myself
with Dead Sea fruit and other articles com
memorative of the Holy Land, | returned to
Brindis. In Italy, and afterwards took the
necessary measures for my return to the
| United States.
! COMPARISONS.
Rep What WAS the result OF your ohserva-
/ lions MT Suez, and how would the methods
employed at the canal there apply to the
| Panama isthmus
Capt-One of the business matters which
| had coupled with my trip OF reeuperatior
was to examine into the Suez canal, and while
4
engineering ability displayed In tbs
work. the circumstances are altogether
different from those Of tho Panama Isthmus
| The canal was dug In sandy soil. through q
/ level country where rains were unknown OF
infrequent In addition the climate Is healthy
and fayors work OF this character. Per contra
| at the American isthmus the climate Is un-
healthy, the country Is mountainous and
| rains are inCessant.
Rep-Are you still In favor of the ship-rail-
road for tho Isthmus2
Capt. am, and 1t Is gratifying to me that
| have received the assurance Of some Of the
most eminent engineers, both In this country
and In Europe, that they agree In the feasi
btltty aud desirabilIty of my scheme for the
| ship railroad. Notably, some prominent Eug-
lish engineers have seconded my proposition,
and II secure the requisite cooperation,
have no doubt | will solve the difficulty oil
the Panama Isthmus.
Rep-What characteristics did you observe
about the Danube or other rivers In Europe
resembling the Mississippi.
Capt-Thtre are many features about the
Danube which resemble those of the Missis
sippi. but all go TO demonstrate that the way
to deepen the river is to narrow 1t. This
| method has been found effective on tht
Danube, and 1t Ia the one which l advocate
for our river.
After some further desultory conversation
the reporter withdrew, the captain stating
that In "a day or two he would proceed to TIN
jetties, and thereafter return TO st. Louis L
attend a meeting OF the Mississippi River Con
vention.