The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-07

Ii'tTs, lne CaIlal Deu OF ltSelI WOulu De
actually shorter than by Panama, though
the whole distance across is longer.
About thirty years ago. in 1S5O-51,
America and England, Nicaragua con-
senting, had special treaty for the pur-
pose of promoting the construction of the
canal, and New York company of capi-
talists had taken the enterprise in hand,
and had actually commenced operations
on the San Juan River. The interna-
tional treaty had stipulated for the joint
protectorate of the canal, exempting it
from blockade under any circumstances,
and agreeing that neither nation would
seek to acquire territorial possessions on
either coast in any manner relating to
the canal.
Scarcely had the work commenced
when England began to intrigue to Sc
cure possession of the Mosquito Coast
region, whence to dominate the canal
While carefully avoiding claiming the
territory in her own name, she neverthe-
less seized upon the pretext of putting
forward puppet of her own in the per-
son of pretender to the crown of the
ancient mosquito Kingdom" who had
been hunted up for the purpose. When
found he proved to be worthless vaga-
bond Indian, upon whom, as was asserted,
the royal right had fallen by descent.
This factotum was put forward by Eng
land as the rightful heir to the crown of
Mosquitodom. He was accordingly
dressed up in plumed hat and scarlet
coat from the cast-off wardrobe of some
British office. The Indian was pleased
with these gaudy insignia Of royalty as
well as with the Jamaica rum that at
tended them; but he obstinately scorned
wearing any pantaloons In this regalia
the farce of crowning the trouserless king
was actually performed at British insti-
cation, and thereupon England at once
assumed the protectorate of the Mos
quito Kingdom, and actually bombarded
Grey Town TO enforce the royal rights of
this besotted Indian, whom British Off
GERS amused by keeping him drunk.
Seeing this maneuvre and its purport
as an act Of bad faith on the part of
England, the United States withdrew
and terminated the treaty. Of course
the Nicaragua ship-canal was abandoned.
Warned by this example, the United
States have ever since kept aloof from
such special treaties with European
powers, preferring to treat with Nicaragua
alone.
At the late International Congress
held at Paris to consult on this subject,
the French took strong ground in favor
Of the Panama line. Under the somewhat
autocratic lead Of Monsieur De Les cps,
that route was accepted by the delegates
generally. The American representative,
Commodore Ammen, who thinks much
and speaks little, and that little very
slowly, declined to concur, and would not
sign the final report of the Congress.
He preferred the route through Nicara-
qua. '"
Under the sanction of that report,
Lesseps has proceeded to call ON French
capital and organized company to pros
ecute the work of constructing the Pana-
ma Canal. And now recently we read
of his arrival upon that isthmus, and of
the enthusiasm with which he was re-
ceived along his journey from Aspinwall
to Panama. He is said to have a back
ing of $1OO,00O,000. He will need it all.
Mons De Lesseps acquired renown as
the builder of the Egyptian canal across
the Isthmus of Suez, opened through in
1869, the same year that our Pacific Rail
road was opened across this continent.
But it may be doubted whether his ex-
perience in Egypt will avail him much
in Panama. The physical conditions of
the two regions are so different as to be
almost direct opposltes.
Egypt is a rainless country; on Pana-
ma the rains are incessant and copious.
Egypt is moderately hot and always dry;
Panama is immoderately hot and always
wet. Egypt has no sluggish rivers and
stagnant swamps; Panama abounds in
both. Egypt had no obstructing noun
tains; Panama is hugely mountainous
Egypt is sandy and reckless; Panama is
clayey and rocky. Egypt is timberless;
Panama is dense jungle below and
heavy timber aloft. The Egyp tian la-
borers were stout and willing; the Pana-
ma Indians are weak and indolent. Egypt
was free from malaria; Panama is putres-
cent with it.
Such is the unhealthfulness of the
Isthmus of Panama that it is asserted as
a fact of figures that in building the
Panama Railroad as many human lives
were sacrificed as there are ties in the
road-a life for tie-for the forty-nine
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