Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-30

and will be read with interest:
u. S. S. ADAMS, PANAMA, U. s. c.
February p, 1886.
DEAR --: Everyone is quiet around
the ship, having turned in for a sIesta, or
is reading, 80 in the solitude of the mo-
ment, l shall start letter for home, l
think the steamer leaves in few days,
and want to have this ready, instead
Of waiting until the last moment.
DeLesseps has occupied the attention
Of every one since his arrival, and con-
sequentiy great deal has taken place to
interest not only Panama, but the whole
world. Last Friday a number of officers,
/ among them, joined DeLesseps and his
party in tour of inspection Of the canal.
We left ats am. in special tram, and
/ got of at "Calebra," one of the IMPORTANT
cuts in the canal. There we found horses
for the party, fifty In number, and rode
along the line OF the canal for about 10
! miles.
DeLesseps, so years old, mounted the
most spirited horse and rode him with all
the grace and confluence of a "Chasseur
| dAfrique." AS progressed along the
route my eyes became opened to the
amount of work done and the chances OF
! completion. At "ObispO" the cut is
through solid rock, and there the party
was treated to a grand sight. About half
a mile ahead OF US was a hill Of solid rock,
| and at given signal we saw the hill rise
| from the earth amid smoke and dust.
When the smoke cleared away the
bill hill was level with the ground.
and half tons. This will
! give you some idea of the
size OF the hill. 1t was truly grand to see
this monumental nature utterly destroyed
i'm few seconds, when it had for csntu-
ries withstood all the stormy elements
hurled upon it. From "Obisp0" we went
| to "GambOa," where we found an elegant
breakfast spread for us, which l confess
we did justice TO, for by this time we were
all very hungry. After breakfast two in
| fants were brought forth TO be baptized,
| and DeLesseps stood as Godfather to
both. They we're negroes, but DeLes-
seps was as kind and atfectiOnate to
| them as If they had been of his own
family. The boy was named Ferdinand
and the girl Ferdinanda, for Count de
| Lesseps himself, and he gave each one a
| Napoleon as present, which, provided
| they do not spend them, will be handed
/ down from generation TO generation, On
4 leaving, DeLesseps kissedthe old grand
mother and the mother good bye, which
/ was very touching, for IL was done in
such simple, unaffected manner. De-
Lesseps certainly has the faculty Of draw
| ing people in all spheres of lite towards
him. He has q kind word and smile for
every one, and his manner TO the highest
land lowest is the same. To put it in n
nut shell, he is "a dear old man." who
wins every bOdy's heart.
After the religious ceremonies we took
canoes and went down the Chagres river
TO the point where they are going to dam
it. This dam is nothing more than build
ing another hill between two others, and
is to cost SCI, 100000. The contract for its
construction is taken by a French COM
| pany, and is next to the largest contract
ever taken, the largest being the one
taken by Meigs in building the railroad
in Peru. The success OF the canal de-
ponds greatly on this dam, for, unless the
Chagres river can be controlled, she canal
will not be q success.
After another short trip down the river
to Matachim we took the train to Pana-
ma, having been much interested through
out the entire route. DeLesseps' vitality
is wonderful, and every one / have seen
has commented upon 1t. After the trip
above mentioned, riding, walking, row.
ing, am sure he returned as fresh as
any OF the party. Furthermore, he had
b cen ON similar inspections every day
since his arrival, and every evening he
has dined out not getting 10 bed before
midnight. He rs a wonderful old man,
is the current applied o him.
Last night the Captain, Lieut.. s., and
by the Anglo American Association Of
Panama, which was a great success.
There were 80 covers, and plenty to eat
and drink. ! inclose the menu and the
programme OF the evening We took our
seats at 80 and rose at II. During the
whole Of the evening a very good band
played appropriate selections and national
airs.
DeLesseps said emphatically that the
canal would certainly be finished In 80.
This is several years sooner than most
people think IL can be do0e, but / guess
the Old man knows what he Is taking
about. The tribute paid DeLesseps for
bis genius, energy, and confidence IN the
canal were very complimentary and
commendable.
BY to-day's paper, see that the She
nand0ah has arrived In Callao on her way
10 Panama, 80 1 think we shall leave here
about the latter part Of March. We
shall sail for CallaO, but further than tins
! know nothing. The Tennessee and
Brooklyn have LETT Colon for Key West,
which shows, think, that everything is
quiet on the isthmus. The military Gov
ernor OF this Stale seems 10 be very de-
cided man. 30 / think he will manage TO
suDDreBs all rcbcllious