National Republican., 1881-09-15
EAps AT WORK,
PerTectIng Arrangements Nc>S the Tchunn-
tepec ship halfway.


While the preliE'1inary works of the
'anama Ship. Canal are in progress-ihough nc
,ording to the inzeperect information afforded the
'rogress is WY small, and the difficulties far
greater tsssan were foreseen-Captain Eads is ear
yM'ieveopng his project forthe construction Of
shHhp- railway across the ishmus at Tehuantepec.
The abilities Of Captain Eads, both as an engineer
and fnancier, have been too we'll established by
the successful completion of one Of the great en-
gineering works Of the world-the deepening OF
one of the mouths Of the Misslssippl-for this
scheme to be passed lightly on one side, and pro.
nounoed chimerical; on the contrary,
EMANATfNG FROM SUCH A SOURCE
II commands the most serious attention, both In
professional and commercial point ofvlew. II
would be at once tie most original and boldest
engineering work ever attempted, and, If success
ful, would have an inoalculable effect upon the
carrying-trade Of America, and TO less extent
upon that OF the whole world. IN the United States
the question Is one attracting great attention, for
not only Is the work Of NJ. de Lesseps generally
garded with feeling ofmistrust, and with senti-
ment OF Jealousy also, but the route located by
Captain Eods lies 80 much nearer
| THE DIRECT LINE OF TRAVEL
that II would naturally absorb nearly all the trans
isthman traffic. on a subsequent occasion we
shall consider this point In more detail, but at
| present we will content ourselves with few
| figures relating to the two routes. Speaking
roughly, the ship, railway route Is at the north and
| the ship-cnnal at the south Of the isthmus con-
| Meeting the two continents, the lines Of crossing
being about / 100 miles apart. This is q matter Of
| the utmost importance, especially since Captain
Eads has opened for large ships the great water
way of the United States and converted New Or
| leans into vast seaport. A ship leaving the
mouth of the Mississippi for California, Japan, or
China would, If intending TO cross the isthmus by
the canal, after passing
THE SITE OF THE RAILWAY,
be obliged to follow the coast for LOO miles TO
reach the canal, and, having crossed, pass UP the
coast the western side for the same distance be-
fore reaching Tehuantepec Thus the voyage would
ho necessarily 1900 miles further than by the ship
railway. This would represent a saving OF time of
about nineteen days on u round trip between New
orleans and San Francisco and saving of twelve
days on q round trip between New York and San
Francisco. Ship-owners and merchants alike will
understand the practical results Of such an econ =.
omy.
ALTHOUGH oAPTArN EADs PROJECT
has not yet advanced so far upon the ground as
that Of NJ. dc Lcsseps, 1t stands upon at least as
firm foundation, and its ultimate prospects are
probably far brighter, apart from It's physical ad-
van,ages. The concession granted by Mexico to
Captain Eads is peculiarly advantageous one
The estimate for construction only Ei5,OOOOOO as
compared with flS,0OO,OO0 for the canal and II
these figures are insufficient the excess of cost In
each case will probably be in the proportion of
the estimates, The work could be completed in
four years, and there Is no doubt as TO the amount
of traffic which would await the railway
on ITS COMPLETION.
Naturally the undertaking will meet with much
political opposition in the United States, but on
the other hand 1t will meet with widespread and
powerful support. The chief opponents will bC
those whose material interests lie in preserving
railway monopolies and preventing the carrying
out OF any work which, no matter how vast the ma.
tional benefit resulting from them, would produce
competition and destroy monopoly On the Other
hand, support viii come on all sides from thosC
who desire the welfare Of the country, and whC
also have
| GREAT MATERIAL INTERESTS
nj stake-such, for example, as the merchants o
New Orleans now possess. Under these condi
tions we think there is little doubt but that tn,
United States Government will accord the g,laran
tee asked of per cent on twothirds of the capita
for a maximum term Of fifteen years, subject Il
conditions which throw the whole responsibilit!
! OH Captain Eads, aud also to special advantage
which would well repay them for guarantees
which they might never be called upon to redeem
, | From Engineering.