The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-11-16
fHR PANAMA. CANAL

Capt. osvviAss Replies - Capt. Bedford Pin.
To rm EDITOR or TIE SuN--yir: Capt,
PIN assumes" In his letter OF Nov. g. the
average height from ocean to ocean at Panama.
above tho sea level. to be $50 feet an estimate
generously In favor Of NJ. do Lesseps's canal"
The fact 10 that the average height from ocean
to ocean along tho line OF the canal, derived
from actual survey and location OF the route.
10 II feet.
Capt. PIN also statos that Tho actual canal"
at Panama has "a summit level. speaking
generously. OF only 800 metres." Speaking &C.
curately. the summit level OF the actual loca-
tion OF the axis Of tho Panama Canal 10 lol me-
tres 1891 y fest) above sea level.
The quantity and kind OF material to be ex-
cavated TO create Il canal at sea levolhcross
the American Isthmus are well known. now
that tho location has boon settled. the levels
we'll established. aud borlngs made at compar-
atively short intervals. No one pretends that
tho cutting OF a canal Mt sea level Is anything
but q stupendous undertaking. Natural OBJ
stacles so great Us to require exceptional men.
tai capacity to grasp and comprehend them
must be overcome. They will be overcome. and
tho Frenchmen will complete tho canal by 1890.
Tho substitution OF mechanical appliances
for manual labor is the real solution OF the
problem. Tho outing OF tho Suez Canal
dragged along for eight yoars. during which only
a. 900 900 cubic metres were removed. During
this time tho prophecies OF failure notably by
eminent Englishmen. wore as persistent and
as positive as the prophecies OF failure to COM
plete tho Panama Canal are to-day by English
men and Americans. During the eighth yoar
machinery was substituted for human labor.
the remaining IS. 900. 900 cubic meters wero re-
moved In the two following years. and the canal
was opened In the tenth year The French en-
Cineors start on tho American Isthmus with the
experience gained on the other work. They
havo taken three years to study their needs
and to prepare mechanical appliances. and the
work is now progressing rapidly.
Capt. PIN feels sure that the Panama Canal
cannot be completed for any reasonable sum
Of money. or within any reasonable time"
This feeling ought to comfort rather than dis
turb those who are Of the Same opinion as to
location. The promoters Of the Nicaragua
Canal and the Tehuantopec 1ntoroceanic Ship
Railway seek financial aid from tho United
States Government to carry out their plans. NJ.
de Lesseps seeks nothing from our Government
or any other Government He pushes his work
vigorously with money subscribed by people
who have faith In him. while his opponents
occupy themselves with prophecies OF his
failure.
Americans would much prefer that tho
American canal should DO tho work OF Ameri-
cans. I use the word In its broadcast sense.
Evidently Americans had neither tho courage
nor the means to undertake 1t. Tho Fronch
men had they have gone quietly to work; they
ask us for nothing. not even for subscriptions
to the capital stock they are spending their
own money in their own way. and a very con-
siderable part OF the money they spend reaches
this country in exchange for machinery. ma
terials. and food. Tho Frenchmen are engaged
in work that will benefit American commerce.
and especially benefit the commercial marine
OF the United States. quite as much as British
commerce and the British commercial marine
were benefited by their work at Suez. 1t is a
matter OF no consequence to tho United States
who cuts tho canal. provided 1t is out. When
1t is completed. II it becomes necessary or oven
important to our national welfare and safety
that we should control 1t. there Is no doubt
that VIC shall take possession OF tho canal and
tho country through which 1t passes. with as
little hesitation and trouble "a the British re-
comfy took possession OF Egypt and tho Sucz
Canal. and without the slightest consideration
as to who built the canal OF who operates it,
Some questions in Capt. PINS letter will DO
answered whom reply to Capt. Eads
HENRY II. GoIRISGE.