The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1881-01-29
The Trans.Isthmian Projects.

tanned most valuable concessions
from the Mexican government.
He has not only permission to
build his ship railway across the
Tehuantepec, but a grant OF ], ,000,-
600 acres Of land on the Pacific for
harbor and terminus, strip half a
miie wide. and a mile wide for
stations across the isthmus, power
TO collect a toll of 81 a ton on
freight Of ships and cargo passing
over the road. and Ia build a rail
way and telegraph line on which
ordinary rates shall be charged.
In return. Mexican ships of war,
munitions, mails, etc, are TO be-
carried free Of charge The road
must be begun in two years, and
completed in ten, dating from Nav
!, 1880.
The preponderance of Ameri-
can feeling Is still heavily against
the DeLesseps scheme, and lead
ing papers denounce it as a fraud
on Count DeLesseps' part, deny
ing that its financial success Is
genuine. In the discussion before
the house committee on the llth
instant, with regard to the Pana-
ma canal and the Monroe doctrine
the Nicaragua minister, Captain
Eads and his counsel, and the edi-
tor of the North American Review.
were among those who appeared
in opposition to the canal. Mr..
Rich. the editor Of the North
American, read a private letter
from France stating that the
French press had been subsidized
$4,000 in favor of Del .esseps
scheme.
General Grants fuur-column
article ln the Chicago Tribune Of
January l1th. was merely recapi-
tulation Of the subject. The inn
portaRt part Of the article i the
summary of the practical advan-
tages Of the two routes. The
General calls attention once more
to the admitted fact that the pre-
ponderatins opinion of engineers
is in favor OF the facilities of the
Nicaragua route. and that its sur
vevs have been much more ex-
haustive and reliable; the more
healthful climate Of the Nicaragua
route, the steadier water supply,
and the cost estimated at S4l ,0O0,-
600, and there fore very sure not to
go above $lO0,O00,O00, are con-
trasted with the sudden floods. the
impossible and malarial swamps
Of the Panama route, the calms of
Panama bay, and the engineering
difficulties that will bring the cost
of this canal to some $400,00O.OOO.
Ii is. of course, needless to saw
here, in parenthesis, that the
friends of the DeIesseps scheme
deny that the climate is more un-
healthy in Panama than Nicaragua,
that the engineering difficulties
are greater or the cost more threat
ening.
The article in question consists
largely OF summary of the need
and advantage of canal, estina-
ting the cost of the Nicaragua one
at S75,000,O00. its business at
100000 tons, its expenses at
100000, and it, earnings, there.
fore, lat 50 80 toni at IS, 100000.
The Pacific coast Of North and
South America Is credited with
the most of this 100000 tons.
the Asiatic trade being thrown in
unestimated.
As to the ship.railroad scheme,
no decided rivalry seems to have
been reused between this and the
canal scheme. Captain Eads,
nevertheless, though joining with
the friends of the Nicaraguan route
To oppose the Panama, urges
the advantage of his road over
either. 1t makes the distance from
New Orleans To San Francisco. he
says. one-thrd Q.20O milesl short.
er than by way of \ eIragua; and
his position in general appears tC
1 he that Panama i had \icara,y,,.