The Wilmingtonian., 1886-04-24
The Panma Canal.

NptSeSN+hN
tions and delegations from French and
American Chambers of Commerce for the
definite purpose Of investigating the status
Of the project.
1t was only tight and natural that NJ, de
Lesseps should do this. In doing SO he
merely made virtue Of necessity.
The whole world is demanding whether
there is any reason, prot ability Of success,
whether the undertaking is merely a Quix-
otic flare Of brilliant French mind, or
whether even there is any scientific substan-
tiality 10 the undertaking at all.
The whole world knows that the most
eminent American and English engineers
have coolly asserted that the project is only
barely within the range Of actual possibility
of accomplishment. This they gave out as
definitely literal statement. That is to say
the margin of natural difficulties so largely
prepondcrated and formed such au over
whelmingly largemass of physical obstruc-
tion that in reality the success of the under
taking was theoretical and not piactiCa'.
To settle the question in the minds Of the
American public the Chamber of Commerce
of New Tork city appointed Mr.. John Bige-
low as delegate from their body to accom-
pany the De Lesseps commission. With the
New York delegation were others from
prominent French commercial centres.
The investigation is over. The various
delegations have returned to their homes.
MIR. John Bigeow has handed in his re
port to the New York Chamber of Com
merce.
The value Of the report is no more nor less
than the assertion that the New York dele
gate cannot see how De Lesseps is to succeed
in building the Canal. Mr.. Bigelow cannot
see how the engineering difficulties are to be
overcome. But that refers only to that
branch of the engineering work in view, that
part which can be used as a basis for calcu-
lation in the items Of labor, money and
time But there appears to be an immensi-
ty Of work hidden which cannot be apl
preached theoretically even for the engineers
to make calculations upon. There is nc
basis upon which to 90. Science is entirely
in the dark.
Mr.. Bigelow makes an acknowledgment 0
''the human possibility of accomplishing th,
work.
But it is humanity possible also to build 6
shtp-caual from the Great Lakes to the Gul
of Mexico, or from the Caspian to the Ger
man ocean. The assertion Of the New YORK
delegate can be accounted as nothing els,
than ''damning with faint praise"
The American representative deserves
great credit for his cautious statements "Nt
bondholder will be deceived by his report
The only argument set forth for the com
pletion OF the Canal is the strange one tina
so much money has already been expended
upon it that would be wiser now to attemp
its completion. Mr.. Bigolow's concluding
remarks are as follows -
ITO determine when the canal will be flu
shed one must know, first, how much worl
is yet to be done aud second, how muc
, money the company will be able and dis
$ posed to spend annually upon it and, third
{ how many laborers are their equivalent il
n machines it can command. That inCormatio
@ has not yet been revealed to man. No on
a living can even now give anything MOI
than guess as to the amount of work to b
d done. No one knows whether the compan
i will decide to build dam or carry off ii
/ waters Of the Chagres some other way. N
a one knows what slope it will be neoessar
; to give the cut of Culebra, nor what ol
IS structions the workmen may have to encon
ter from subterranean water courses as the
If descend. Nor does any one know how muC
is submarine rock may be encountered in Il
chanel of the canal at or near the extren
d ties, nor how much Or little pumping, coffe
re damming and blasting may be necessary
le remove it. OF coulse, without knowing a
proximately, at least, how much work is
be done, it is not possible to give anythil
better than a guess about the cost of dor
ef it but, even if we did know the amount
work, in determining the time and cost
4 doing it it would not help us much, in til
: climate and so far from every base OF su
plies. Till we know how many men al
7 how many machines Of ascertaiued capaci
M can be counted upon, we have no data for
d. estimate that would conduct to any satisfa
Ia tory conclusion. All these uncertain el
=, ments are rendered more uncertain by
financial situation of the company. 1t
- about entering the mar kct for new loan
IN 600 900, ,000f. The price it will have to p
a. for this money is uncertain, and the price
to a future loan, if one should become nece'
!; ary, is still more uncertain. Till the mon
is secured and the cost of getting it asc
- tanned it would be as safe to predict t
OF quarter in which the winds will be settil
next Christmas day at St. Petersburg as
q. time when the canal will be finished or wi
:, it will cost And, for aught see, this i