The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-04

rapidly and successfully -these are the matters
am TO report to my government. But in all
this am merely an observer and not judge. 1t
in the light of the facts lay before the govern
ment in my report the decision should be favor
able to the canal company, might be disposed
TO regard it as fitting recognition of the cour-
age and genius which have directed an enterprise
stupendous and of such Importance to the
world"
It must be remarked that NJ Rousseau's stay
on the isthmus is rather brief to permit him Ito to
study the matter fully, and he is necessarily
Obliged to rely, to an unsatisfactory extent, on
other evidence than that furnished by his own
observation. The question of the 'practicability'
of the work he may consider as satisfactorily
showing in the findings of the Paris congress of
1879. while the possibility of its successful COM
pletion on the general plans laid down by the
canal company may be too favorabiy shown him
by the agents and managers OF that company,
who are partiesi in interest.
Still, he has been commercially busy In acquir.
ing information and in visitingsall the principal
sections of the line where work is in progress.
The various classes of machinery in use have
been examined while in operation, and the re-
snlts they achieve carefully noted. The labor
question has been laid before him, and on that
point he has convinced himself of the difference
in the cost of work on the isthmus as compared
with European prices, and that the best native
West Indian laborer is nowhere when con-
trasted with his European brother. The trst
SecClon visited by M. Rousseau, ana, III Iact
the ''show" section Of the canal enterprise. was
that of the American Contracting and Dredg-
ing Company, of which Mr. Eugene Kelly. of
your city, is treasurer, and the Slaven Brothers
the general managers The machines of this
company are pronounced superb" and their
work considered exceptional. Of the l, 100, 600
cubic metres taken out in the month OF
January, the American company dug nearly
600, 600 cubic metres, and it is not surprising
that their work should receive marked COM
mendation. The other sections on which nota-
BILE work was done are Bohio, Soldado, Empera-
dor and Culebra, and on these there are thou
sands of men employed and many excavators of
American, Belgian and French manufacture
The Scotch dredges working in the Panama
entrance to the canal were also visited and their
work was pronounced excellent.
The brief survey the commission has made of
the situation has been interesting and instruc-
tive, and it is not at all unlikely that it's report
will lead the French government to grant the
canal company the assistance for which its chief
has applied, viz: Permission to issue lottery
loan for the amount of 600, 900, 000f. No
body here supposes that amount will finish
tide-level canal, but it will enable the
company to do so much work that the
world will not allow the enterprise to fail 1t is
among the possibilities that the original plans
will be changed, and instead of canal at tide
Jewel the lock system may be adopted, in which
case there is not the slightest doubt that ships
may pass through the Panama canal at the time
specified by M. de Lesseps and that the money
raised from this lottery loan will be amply Stiff
cent for Its completion.