The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-02-09

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ceiycd at 10 pr cent. premium in payment OF
tolls on American vessels. Hence every
dollar OF advance made to the company IL
10 he repaid. Certain rights are als0,to be
given 20 the United States by which the
diyiaends OF the company are not TO exceed
8 pef cent. thus giving II to &, certain ex-
teni the right 10 limit the tolls that are to bc
charged. should the Government accept
thu proposition and the control OF the stock
aNerward pass into the hands OF English
capitalists, the United States would have
acquired vested right to have her COM
mercc carried at half rates for nincty-nine.
wears. no matter who were the directors OF
the company, and no other Government
could then be called upon by the company
TO furnish its aid 10 the road, because the
grant does net authorize IL TO accept the aid
Of more THAI one Government. Should the
United States decline the proposal j shall
certainly he justified in going where / can
get the necessary funds most easily. Should
the stock then or afterward be controlled
by English capitalists, the commerce OF the
United States will be. very differently affect
ed. British commerce will then doubtless
be favored TO the fullest extent, and the
commerce OF the world, except that OF
Mexico, may he made 10 pay all that IL viii
bear. More than this, the company will
have the right, IL II chooses, 10 ask the aid
OF the British Government, under the
terms OF the concession, and II given,
what Is called in England ga fighting in
tercst" in the works would be then ac-
duired by Great Britain, which would
never DC surrendered except at the end OF
a war that would cost probably ten times a.
much rs the entire ship railway.
British experts of the very highest stand
! ing and ability have, with wonderful una
nimity, pronounced the ship railway en-
| tirely practicable, but no partof the guar
antec asked OF the United States Govern
ment is to attach until an absolute proof OF
this shall have been given. There Is not a
single engineering difficulty in the entire
project which begins 10 compare with the
uncertainty, delay, and costumes involved
in undertaking TO construct Il harbor for
the Nicaragua canal at Greytown. The
san Juan river once discharged its waters
at this place, and ships of war, twenty
wears ago, were then able TO cross the bar.
The main volume of the river is now dis
charged through the Colorado river, which
runs through the territory OF Costa Rica,
and the immense volume Of drifting sands
moving along the coasts OF the Caribbean
sea have almost ii not completely oblite-
rated the harbor of Greytown.
am anxious that the ship-railway shall
re buiit and worked in the interest OF
American commerce, and that my country
men shall not be misled as TO The real merits
of the proposition which Mr.. Page so sum-
marily attempted to throttle. ii Congress
sees fit TO decline the proposition. the
United States will he estopped from object
ing to its acceptance by another Govern
menf, and any talk aiterward about our
right TO dominate q portion OF Mexico or
to control the inter-oceanic transit across
her territory will be as ridiculous as for
France TO forbid Swiss railway making a
srebate on through traffic to house that had
saved it from protest, or for England to as
sert the right TO regulate rates on the New
York Central railroad because Canada X ut
the other end Of il. Very respectfully,
JAMES Il. EADS.