New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-03
N. DE LESSEPs AT PANAMA.
PROGRESS OF THE sURvEYs-HOw THE CHAGREs
RIVER Is TO be MANAGED.

PANAMA, Jan. 23.-The surveys begun by
NJ de Lesseps being rapidly and efficiently prosecu-
ted Eight working parties. or brgades, as the French
term them, In the field and hard at work. employing
in all over 130 men. These arc distributed along the
line Of survey where they contiguous TO the rail-
way and telegraph their rovsoning and supply well
as eir general direction from Panama or Aspinwa are
easily managed. The general headquarters are In
Panama and there the daily reports are SENT arranged
placed In ORDER and filed away with their corresponding
drawings ready for use In making final report NO
time lost in thinking OF other routes but so thorough
and extensive survey is being made on this, that
whether work In actual canal building succeed 1t OF not
the subject will be practically exhausted all doubts on
either side dspeed and the best or worst Will be tuly
and clearly known.
NJ dc Lesseps feels and has expressed the conviction
that the OF these abors will be satisfactory and
with them In his hand that he answer the arguments
OF all VINO do not ludorse the scheme. The general
suits Of the survey under very competent inspection
aud scrutiny. Colonel Tcten and General W. W. Wright
are the American representatives. what's known rs
the " International Superior Technical Commission"
and with them associated Mr. J. Drcks, engnecr In
charge OF the Holland Waer Works and the constructor
Of theCanal from Amsterdam 20 the North Sea- Mr. Dan
zats chief engineer OF the suez Canal and Mr. Boutan,
French mining engineer, IN tho employ OF the French
Government
The most difficult ana important engineering prob
lem involved IN the construction OF the canal is the
rccfcaOn o. the Chagres River, so that the noous 10
winch II subject will not affect the peTmaneucy or the
canal or interfere with iis operation when completed.
Two plans proposed effect this Object Doth OF
which considered feasible One plan Is 10 erect very
high aud strong dams above Maachin by which great
will be created sufficient 10 hold the hDodwaters
OF the ver, which will be let OF gradually through the
new channel built the ordinary flood OF the stream.
The other plan is TO erect dam In the same locality
only sufficiently high ana strong 10 turn the river a all
staees and the size OF the channel
and theproocon works between 1t and the river so as
TO enable carry on all the water OF the river drect
at any tine.
IL not expected that the surveys in progress
Will have been completely flushed by February g. whom
NJ de Lesseps intends 10 leave here for New-GOrk He
will be accom- panied by his secretaries and family but
the large corps OF engineers at work viii remain under
the direction, probably, OF Mr. Dicks and pursue their
labors until they thoroughly completed.
NJ de Lssscps extremely desirOus of uniting Ameri-
can and French public opinion on the subject or the
Panama Canal II needless to that the people OF
Panama and OF Colombia heartily wish HIM success but
there Is not slightest disposition by the Col
omban Government to grant concession for the con-
structOn of canal to the citizens Of ono nation more
than another. II Is regarded an international affair."
and difficulty would be experienced In having that
portion fhe STATE Of Panama embraced In the cities at
The ermini and reasonable OF territory along
the line OF the canal made into neutral zOe under
government guaranteed by the great powers and free
ID ALI.