The daily gazette., 1880-02-04
From the New York Herald.
LSaseps NJ she Isshm ms.

Our interesting letter fromP Panama. pub
hshed herewith, conveys much iDforlna-
ton relating 70 the woIk Of NJ. de Les
seps' surveying parties, and the opinions
and estimates Of some OF the most COM
petent engineers. /; is the most yAlua-
BILE description which has teen given To
the public Of The preparations nov max
ing for the most gigantic work even OF
this age Of great engineering achieve
ments.
1t does not become any part of the
American people 10 judge II. de Lesseps'
visit in . cayailipg spint or to look uD,u
II through the jaundiced eyes Of national
jealousy. The world has reason TO h.
grateful 70 N. de Lesseps for the vivify-
ing impulse be has given to . projrtt
which concerns every commercial ma
ton, and specially the United States.
which will be more benefited than ali
other nations together by its successful
completion N. de Lesseps has rendered
1t certain that this TOO long DELAYED en-
terprlse will presently be taken out of
the limbo Of unfulhllsd dreams and
converted into q magnificent realitv.
" he1her i b done under his suuerinteI-
dence or some other superinieudepce
whether by French or American, or COS
mopolitan capital, il is now certain to
be done. The choice Of routes IS no
doubt important, but Il Is OF d-sp-r
consequence to have the canal construct
ed by some route. The D litlcal ou..s-
tions will admit Of easy settlement wter
the line Of the canal is finally determine
ed; and apart from the political oues-
tous il matters little TO our commerce
or to any commerce from zhst source
the capital comes or by wha, guarantee
II Is protected. The Cured States sx-
pect 70 pay the same toll. as all otbe-
nations. Even If We ned the lie ritory
through which the canal is 10 pass an,
our government or citizens were to fur
nlsh All the capital We should not vary
tie rates in favor Of our own vessels
Like the Canadian canals and like the
Ere Canal in our own State, ii would
establish the same Rates of toll for ali
commerce passing through it. There is
no reason for apprehension on tits scors
since il would De the interest Of any
company TO invite business by impartial
and uniform rates.
An immediate good effect ofthe activity
OF III. de Lesseps is the pr, parton Of a
eiii, which will probably pass Congress
this week, authoriz Rg the President 10
despatch commission Of engiaeers 10
Nicaragua and the Isthmus 70 do
cisely what NJ. de Lesseps is doing
namely, 10 verify and extend form er
surveys and make final estimates We
rejoice that the slum berous repose of OF ?
gosernlnent has been disturb, and thai
u Is likely to do from emulation vha, il
should have done carried from forecss- :
log sense Of the magnitude of b. in
terests involved. II NJ. de Less-ps Las
PIT . spurin our 81 es be has done US ana
In- nIerpFise q reAi service.
If his route is the better one, by all
means let it be adopted. There has been
. cur .ous change in the attitude Of our
engineers toward the projected of NJ. De
Lesseps- II is but q short time since they
d srided his plans and declared them i'm
practicable, aud they now betray alarm
lest he should put them in execution.
y me OF the eminent engineers who are
with him at the Istkmus doubts their
feasibility, provided be can command the
necessary capital A tide level canal
will be four times a. cos ly as one vi h
locks, but thin it would have great ad-
vantag-s bath in safety sni qulckness of
passage. The tolls would necessarily be
higher, but there would be compen.a-
tion in time and insurance rates. When
the est mates have been completed il will
be for capitalists TO deCi which form Of
c Inal they will perfer. Il IS cersan thai
they will desire and apply for a gun an.
tee by our government, wh ch will Of
c u se be refused except on just and re
asonsble conditions. MeAJwhile it is
better to encourage the enterprise than
10 eaYil at it.