The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-03-14
TEHUANTEPEUs CLAIMS.


TEHUANTEPEUS CLAIMS.
Notwithstanding the declaration Of Admiral
Ammen that there are only two routes worth
looking at-Panama and Nicaragua
indications are that not less than dozen will
be looked at and will be supported by argu-
ments equally MS plausible rs those named.
In fact, the advocates OF these interoceanic
canals are about as prevalent just now as tho
importunate book agent or sewing-machine
man, and each projected route is pronounced
In the most emphatic terms 1.-THE most direct,
safe. and economical" mode OF communica-
tion between the two oceans. And while
advancing arguments to show the vast supe-
riority Of one project over all the
others, It Is not unusual to cry down,
ii the most unmistakable terms, the
merits claimed by their opponents. Thus
we find M. de Lesseps adhering firmly to q
salt water canal and ignoring any other plan
Or water 60 mmunication, while Admiral Am
men Ia equally positive that the NicaraRuan
route with Its system OF locks Ia the only
practical water way. and that M. dc Lesseps's
plan Is too expensive. In spite OF this, how
ever, there are very many persons who favor
the real short-line, or San Bias route, while
the Tehauntepec route has warm supporters.
Among the latter may be mentioned Col.
julius w. Adams. who not long ago read a
paper before the American Society Of Owl
Engineers, In which he sharply criticised the
Inconsistency OF Admiral Ammen and advo-
Gated the Tehauntepec rs the most practi-
cable Of the various interoceanic lines before
the public. All but one OF these llnes--the
Teha untepec-he said are below the penin-
81 la Of Yucatan, and may be said to conpect
the two oceans directly. The Tehuantepec
would join the waters Of the Pacific with
those OF the Gulf OF Mexico, and Is the most
northerly Of NIL the lines proposed. The line
of the proposed interoceanic transit would
be about 1856 miles, but Of this only about
fifty miles would be altogether artificial
the remainder consisting OF the great river
CoatzacoaIcos, on the Atlantic side, and OF two
large lagoons on the Pacific. A canal admit
ting essels OF twenty feet draught Of water
and wit b a railway on Its banks to work as
an auxiliary would accommodate three
fourths Of the commerce Of the globe.
as ships OF greater draught
than that could be lightered and
reloaded. A deeper canal would only pre-
sent difficulties Of pecuniary consideration.
when we consider" said Col. Adams, "the
wonderful salubrity Of the climate OF the
Tehaunt epec isthmus, as all who have writ
ten Understandings on the subject testify.
the fertility Of the soil and the abundance of
building material to be had free Of cost, the
o%c 49, %ho nh md d,,. hi In
Der, with the facilities OF water carriage to
the works, the ample water supply, the alb
sence Of high floods, the absence OF
tunnels, heavy cuttings or expensive arti-
fetal structure Of any kind on the line of
navigation, the capacious and safe harbors at
each terminus, improved, as they will be, by
the railway company, as required by the
grant from the government Of Mexico, the
existence OF the railway itself, which the pol
Icy Of the Mexican government has placed
In American hands, to be managed by them,
side by side with the proposed CANAL the re-
duced length OF the excavation to 1O4 miles,
with the pr disability that future location,
under improved opportunities for selecting
an economical route, furnished by the rail-
way work In Its progress, will reduce the ca
nal proper and add to the slack water work;
the use of timber In lieu of stone locks adj
hitting Of comparatively economical change
in dimensions II the wants Of commerce
should Indicate such necessity; the reduction
Of thousands Of miles In the commercial
movement between our ports, and the safety
OF commerce from foreign aggression by
reason Of keeping the Navigation In our own
waters, and lastly, at 3 minimum cost COM
pared with any other route proposed; when
we consider all this" said Col. Adams, I'VE
cannot believe that statesmen, patriots,
Americans worthy Of the name, can be found
to hesitate one moment as to what Is their
duty in the premises to undertake, and, II
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