The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1880-04-13
SHIPS ON WHEELS.

When Capt. Eads first proposed his plan
. for carrying ships with their cargoes across
the Isthmus Of Dariep, the general public
were inclined to treat IL as purely ohimerical
and hardly worthy OF serious consideration
II seemed even q bolder and more impossible
, undertaking than the construction of the
great bridge Mt st, Louis. or the digging out
of channel Mt the mouth Of the Mississippi
Of less than eight feet to one more than thirty
feet deep by the means of jetties, and chal-
epged credulity. When, however. 1t became
known that the great engineer was really In
earnest, and that he deliberately proposed to
carry his plan into execution, there we're u
thousand and one objections ralsed by thoae
who had a aematterlng knowledgeof engineer
ing, as well as by those who knew nothing
whatever about II, and as child can ask
questions that seriously puzzle bishop,
go the Iaymen who knew least asked the most
difficult questions TO answer.
II was confidently asserted that even II It
were possible to lift ship out Of the water
and place her on the railroad for transporta-
tion across the isthmus that the main diff
Guilty would be the lmpossiblllty Of support
ing the vessel after the removal OF the water.
as II was claimed that the pressure Of the
cargo would burst her sides open. When this
objection was urged before the House select
committee on inter-ooeanic canals. Capt.
Eads effectually disposed Of 1t by showing
that vessels are always constructed sufti-
GENTLY strong to support the weight OF their
own eargoes II properly supported on keel
and bilgee. He pointed out the fact that the
strain Of ordinary oargoes was not burst
ing stralu. and that grain was the only cargo
likely to produce that effect. Wheat being
very nearly the same weight as water would
have q tendency to press the sides of ship
out II not properly supported; but he
had investigated the grain barges
on the Mississippi and was struck
by their very light construction above
deck 10 resist the lateral pressure
of the grain. All the support the grain had
was plank only two inches thick. held by
staneheons outside 4x4 inches square,
which, as he observed, compared with the
strength Of q ships sides, is like comparing
O bandbox TO treasury vault" The alb
surdity of the idea Of ship not being able
to stand the strain Of her cargo was forcibly
illustr rated by his showing that vessels are
frequently launched with their machinery
and car goes In them, and that 1t Is an every
day matter to dock loaded ships. The strain
on vessel going over by rail- would not be
nearly 30 great as In an ordinary sea trip
because che would be held firmly. and be-
cause In order to bend an inch she would
have to bend the solid earth beneath her.
We have before us the full report of the ad-
dress OF Capt. Eads before the House Select
,x,fN 1,,t.
lieve that no one can read IL without being
won TO the opinion that the ship railroad Is
not only practicable thing, but that It pre-
sents the most feasible solution of the prob.
lem presented 1T the isthmus. The difference
In the cost of constructing such rail way, as
compared with that Of digging canal, is In
itself great recommendation, and will. we
believe, turn the scale In favor OF the former.
At Panama the distance would only be about
forty-fve miles. and no higher grade would
be encountered than tifty-three or fifty.hve
feet to the mile. and 1t is thought grade OF
not over thirty feet to the mile can be found
there. There are many other practicable
points, but the distance would be greater and
probably the grades also. The cost of road
such as is proposed, II built at Panama,
against about two hundred million or three
hundred and fifty million dollars for q canal;
the road could be completed In from four to
six years. while the time of completing the
canal can be only guessed at. and under no
circumstances could be less than eight or ten
years.
The road could be operated for about 40 per
cent of Its revenues. and pay q 10 per cent
dividend, while the canal would almost certain
ly be financial failure. The canal Is the pro-
ject OF an European engineer. and II built at
ail IL will probably be with European mo. ey
and In the interest of England and France,
while the railway Is the emanation of our
most distinguished American engineer, will
be built by American money and Ia the inter-
est of American commerce. 1t would seem |
that national pride, as well as national
should lead us to favor the design of |
our own countryman, and certainly America |
will never be willing to see any other nation,
or any combination of foreign nations, rob |
her of the glory Of leveliDg the great barrier |
to commerce and civilization presented by |
the Isthmus.
1t would be cause for humiliation indeed II |
progressive and active America should sit
with folded hands. while the slow and cautious
capitalists OF Europe furnished the means
for their engineers to dig commercial path
way through the isthmus. We say let the
canal be built II proper guarantees be thrown
around 1t, but let our own people back their
own engineer with men and means to execute
hls novel but feasible design. In order that
others may form better idea of the details
aud plan by which Capt. Eds proposes to
transport ships by rail- we subjoin few ex.
tracts from his address, which will be found
interesting.
Mr.. Eads then presented to the committee
several plans and drawings OF his PROPOSED
ship railway and explained them. This line
referring to one of the drawipRs) is supposed
10 be the shore line of the harbor. To avoid
our railway out into the harbor we
AXE the cheaper method Of excavatinx narrow