Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1881-03-24
rHE rAHAnA CANAL.

York World, writing irom tanama unoer
date Of March /. reports q considerable
degree Of discomfort regarding the move
ments toward the construction Of De
Lssseps' proposed intsroosanio canal at
that point. This discomfort il expressed
not only BY the Colombian governments
toward our government. but BY the peo-
pie Who are jsalously watching the
movements and workings Of De Lssseps'
men and finding causes for disappoint-
ment and dissatisfaction. Among the
Colombian government officials q spirit
Of impotence Is manifested and sI-
pressed at the endless discussion in the
American newspapers. a. well as in
Congress. relative to the Msnroe doc
,rins and the attitude which should be
assumed BY the United States govern.
msnt with regard to De Lssssps' canal.
They do not admire the d~os-in-ths-
maDger policy Of our government Of not
being willing 70 do anything toward the
construction Of the canal itself, or allow.
ing anybody else to do 30. In fact q
strong inclination 10 manifested and
freely expressed In favor Of . French or
some other European alliance instead Of
longer ~scquisscisg to the ambitious
| ideas Of q government which has thus
far failed to ast with any degree Of pro-
nounced decision in the premises. The
correspondent. however. 10 Of the opin-
ion that by prompt and judicious action,
our government could make such q treaty
with the Colombian government a. would
place the whole canal proposition under
American control. with full power and
authority to equip and arm naval sta
tons in such positions q to practically
command beth ends Of the canal in case
IL should ever be actually completed as
proposed.
The correspondent 10 evidently OPP
posed to the canal enterprise, ut least
under its present auspices and plans,
and has but little faith that It will DO
carried through to completion. Many
letters arc received from other corrsspon.
dents at the isthmus. ~oommsndatory Of
the great project and sanguins Of its u o
osss, but Il Is sometimes a. well to be
posted % to the adverse views OF the
proposition. For this reason the follow
ing extracts from the correspondents
letter will DO read with interest:
Although . large corps Of engineers and
general employees are at present on tho
isthmus, sent out from Paris by N. de
Lesseps, nothing has been. done towards
the real development Of work on tho canal,
and nothing will be effected until the ar.
rival Of heavy machinery from Europe,
expected here In tho course Of . month or
siI weeks. But the Isthmian population
il already sadly disappointed. The golden
harvest which people In Panama and As
pinwall 90 fondly anticipated will never be
reaped. The French party seems bent on
establishing everything " meet their own
requirements. Bakeries. shops for the
provision Of meat and vegetables. lodging.
houses and laundries are being prepared
In Panama; their own boats and steam
launches are In process OF construction OF
already plying TO and fro on these shark
freauented waters; along the railway line
buildings arc being run up for the use oil
tho canal engineers and their families
thus depriving tho owners OF the sadly dc.
cayed residences in that neighborhood o.
all prospect Of tenants. This matter. 1t IL
limited, will give rise TO serious trouble, a
the property thus occupied 10 by nc means
included in the canal concession. and the
railway authorities Wow with natural dis
favor any encroachment on their rights
] for 10 will 30 remembered that the Panama
Railway bears NO enviable reputation Tor
generosity. These arc. Of course minor
matters, but among the laborers and the
trading classes have excited already . feel
ing Of animosity against the new corners
Nevertheless, the richer portion OF INT
! community hold 10 the belief that the canal
II once completed, must rebound to thsii
material benefit.
But here IL the rub-wili this canal ever
be complstedf Ask practical men here thi,
. II ulOHt l"pOI aht HatstAc. ~
will invariably DO couched In expressive
, but not highly elegant diction, mot or
this deall' The enterprise 10 much greater
and its difficulties are far moro imposing
, than entered the minds Of those whose
superficial surveys arc now forming the
basis Of n. do Lesseps' project. Sixty
millions Of dollars are now at his disposal
and S6s, 900. 900 moro will be given TO him
/ for the carrying out Of his plan. But
4 work which experience. science and com
mon sense value at $500. 600, 600 surely can
not be successfully prosecuted with lesi
] than half that sum, and also whom IL il
, recollected that . considerable portion oil
the very French idea Of giving interest "a
: tho bondholdcrs from the very inception Of
the work. II the suez canal, with lie enor
nous traffic and forming . steam lane "a
India and the East, only gives . yearly mel
profit Of $500, 600 on an original s1pendi.
ture Of S92, 00o, 900 what can be expected
from this almost impossible undertaking.
] These observations, made In the very camp
, Of the army Of operations. have been care.
; fully considered. Moro might DO written,
, but the principal deductions are the follow
ing:
. The strong opposition to any action from
, the Government Of the United States. q
decided preference being noted among the
Colombians themselves towards an alliance
with . European pOwer-this. OF course,
/ being daily strengthened BY the presence
and influence Of the French contractors.
should this alliance DO brought about, the
at once hesitating. occult and buncombe
policy Of Mr. Hayes Administration will
necessarily DO replaced BY vigorous. and
very vigorous. measures by his successor,
else this great thoroughfare may In tims
Of necessity become . al thoroughfare ="
10 the United States. Then tho extraordi.