New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-04
CAPT. EADS's SHIP-RAILWAY.
TERMS OF THE MEXICAN CONCESSION.

n REMARKABLY LIBERAL GRANT IN AID VI
sHIP-RAILwAY ACROSS THE IsrHMUs or TEHUAN-
TEPEC-ISTRREsT IN THE PRoJRcT-FRIENDLY
ACTION OF THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT
Iron AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIRUNgl
MEXICO, Dec. 21.-CaDtain Eads has completed
his negotiations with the MEXICAN Government for
the construction of his ship-railway across the
Isthmus of TehuAntepec, and has received from IT
the most liberal concession which 1t has ever
granted. 1t gives him the right to construct the
ship-railway on such line as he mag determine and
he is to be entirely untrammeedin the plans and
execution of the work, which is to be COM
menced within two years from the date
of the grant and completed within twelve years.
The concession grants right of way across the 18TH
mus halt a mile in Width which width is increased,
wherever stations are required. to one mile. 1t
gives him the night to improve such rivers and har-
bors he may deem proper and to collect liberal
tonnage tolls from vessels entering them 1t permits
him to collect 80 per cubic metre of the displace-
ment of each vessel transported on the railway
the amount Of tolls to be determined in the follow
ing manner: The greatest length and greatest
width of the vessel measured at the surface OF the
water, are multiplied by the great
est depth of immersion and for each
cubic metre or fraction of metre
contained in such parallelopiped of these dimen-
sions he is entitled to charge So toll. He Is also
entitled to charge $50 for each passenger OH the
ship and one per cent the value of gold or silver
coin or bullion precious stones and IN the event
of such yaluables not being declared to his agent,
to collect 10 per cent their value and to detain
the ship until the sum is paid He is also entitled
to such compensation as may be agreed upon De-
tween his agents and any vessels in transit. for
dockage, repairs or cleaning when needed
by them, and 10 operate telegraph line
and an auxiliary freight aud passenger railway
line i'm connection with the ship railway.
In addition, the Government grants him SUBSIDY
canal TO 900 600 acres of public lands to be To-
Gated ON the Isthmus or elsewhere in aid of the con-
structon of q suitable barber on the Pacific Ocean,
1t also gives HIM the right to consolidate the Ie-
huantepec Railway, now being constructed by NJ.
Learnard aud Others with the ship railway on such
terms as may be agreed upon between them' ana III
such event, the location of the Tehuantepoc Rail
way NAV be altered desired by Captain Eads.
The Tehuantepec Railway Company has subven-
tivp amounting to about 81. 800 900. to be paid by
the Mexican Government in Custom House GER
tificates. and has also a large land
grant In case of the acquisition of this
railway its obligations to the Mexican Government
are to cease and determine. and the subventon
would then attach TO the ship railway. The dura-
ton of the grant is ninetynne years. at the termi-
nation of which the Government is to take posses
SION of the works aud pay twOhirds of Their value.
Captain Eads, on his part, agrees to transport the
ships, property and troops of the Mexican Govern
ment without compensation during the existence OF
the grant, He has the right to export, free OF all
duties, all moneys required to pay dividends or to
purchase materials of any kind for the use
of the road, and likewise to import, free of duty.
during the entire period of the grant. all materials
coal and articles of ever kind required for the con-
structiOn repair and operation Of the road.
The most remarkable feature, however of this lib
eral concession is that which gives to Captain Lads
the right 10 hypOthecae the revenues OF the road to
any other Government which he may select to aid
him by money or guarantees in It's construction. 1t
gives TO such Government in Of any default on
the part of the company to such Government, the
right to intervene through the courts OF Mexico
and have receivers appointed to insure the faithful
application of its revenues in accordance with the
terms that may be agreed upon. No hypothecation
or conveyance of the grant or Of tho works them
selves or of the lands. however, can be made TO any
foreign Government without invalIdatIng the con-
cesson.
The permission to secure the cooperation Of an
other Government is intended by the Mexican Gov
eminent to give TO the United States the privilege
of cooperating with Mexico in aid Of theconstruc-
ton aud control OF the works, this is regarded by
the leading men in Mexico as the American route
across the isthmus, and the one in which these two
Kepublcs are most vitality and directly interested.
The route across Panama which is distant 1000
miles from Tehuantepec. is called in Mexico the
French or European route. Ships from NewYork
TO San Francisco would save about 1900 miles by
going bv way of Tehuantopec instead of bv Panama.
The one route is through the Gulf IF Mexico and
the other through the Caribbean Sea. FROM the
mouth of the Mississippi to California by lehuante-
nee is 2, 800 mics less than by Panama.
The tolls which Captain Eads rs allowed TO charge
are nearly three times as great as those Whch are
allowed IN the Colombian grant TO the DE LesSeps
n5Tty This is done for two reasons: tIrst, the
railway across the Mexican lsthmus Will need TO De
about 112 miles in length, as against f0rY-hye
miles at Panama; and. second, the great saving III
sea distances IN favor of TehuanteDec Will justify
much higher rates of toll.
The tolls allowed Captain Eadseven assuming that
the actual tonnage Will be only one-thlrd as mnch
as that estimated by the Paris COuyent0n VIII, II
is thought. insure such profits as VIII enable MN 10
secure sufficient private capital to construct the
railway. Acana at Panama, at the lowest estimates
that have been made fOrIt will be largely more Than
double the cost OF the shlp-railway az ehuan,epec
which Captain EadS estimates VIII be 5IO,OOJ,OOO'
He however, proposes to give 10 the united STATES
the right to lower these tolls to any point deemed
advantageous TO the interests OF American commerce
and TO transport its Ahps, property, 0thceB and
soldiers gratis. condition that viii guarantee
SIX per cent dividends on 100000 600 OF the STOCK
of the company. lie insisted OIL the insertion Oh "a
clause which would permit the United States Gov
eminent 10 lend It's aid tn this work. ana declared 10
the President and CABINET of Mexico and to he
leading members of it's Senate and House that such
q clause would be looked upon by the United States
az an evidence on the part Of Mexico OF confidence
likewise as an, evidence and a desire
TO cultivate tho kindost relations with the United
States The greatest delay IN obtaining the con-
cession resulted from Captain Eadss insisting that
such clause shoAid DO inserted IN the grant and
from bis declaration that he would not consent 10
appeaI to capitalists or to any other Government
without first giving to the United States this oppor
The utmost unanimity prevails in this country
with regard to the practicabilty OF the shp-rSil-
way Not a word has appeared IN any OF the papers
of Mexico expressing a donot OF 81 nor nave 1