Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-01-27
BURLFIGH 4 FLINT. Pubs.
Augusta, Maine.
The Water Way to the Pacific

The reasons why all sincere and thought
full American, should feel lively interest
In the question. of tn" Panama and Me
aragua canal projects, must be- obvious 10
the public. To get shorter water passage
between the Atlantic and Pacific i of vast
importance to III" commercial interests
and national prestige of the nitcd States.
And to get rid of all picking contro-
versics about the Panama route. the Nir-
aragua scheme il the most practicable.
The interest in the latter r. on the increase
among the enterprisug and far->rcing men
of the country.
Commander Taylor, who /, ia charge Of
the expedition now at Nicaragua. has lust
read a paper before the National Board of
Trade now in session in Washington. and
commercial bodies All over the Union are
taking decided steps tomallc their Influence,
felt upon Congress-. All idea of obtain
ing Il money concession or a guarantee
from the government has been abandoned.
and the only request that is made by the
organizers il for an act of incorporation.
This should be granted ~ a matter of
course. The Ncaraguan government has
made most liberal CONCESSIONS The
United States will have the granted pro-
tectorate both ON account of the provisions
of the Clayton-Bulwrr treaty, and of their
violation by the British government
This is what Commander Taylor said of
the advantages that would accrue to com
merce from the building of the canal
"Thc Nicaragua Canal will be but little
west of the longitude of New York. 1t
will make Chill, Peru and Ecuador conf
merCial neighhors of Our Gulf ports and
a trade will be created between them which
by reason ofrthe favorable circumstances.
will exclude all rivals twill bring CaIlao
1000 miles nearer to Liverpool than the
route by the straits of Magellan. Three
quarters of the existing commerce between
the Atlantic and Pacific oceans i to and
from the ports of the North Atlantic and
the North Pacific. For all this trade the
canal will shorten the water route hv : 900
miles. The already rapid development of
California, Oregon and Washington must.
from such facility of traffic, take wonder
full increase of impetus, particularly in
the leading articles of wheat and lumber
now already amounting to many millions
annually. The lumber trade of Oregon
and Washington presents the most notable
development of any line of commerce
during the past year. In 1850 the whole
shipment was 6.000,o00 feet. In Iss7 the
shipment averaged 1000 900 feet permonth
or eight times the total of lSG6. The canal
will quicken the commercial life of Mexico
and Central America. aud their wants will
be supplied from our adjacent ports, while
their productions will find in those ports
a ready and profitable market For the
United States the canal will he the en-
trance to commercial empire. 1t will
make our along-shorc Interests include
the coasts of half of the world. ana our
coastwise navigation lines will only need
to reach out and share of the expansion
Of business.
This is an enterprise with which party
politics and sectional preiudices and
feelings should have nothing 70 do. Ii
appeals directly to all that is broad and
comprehensive in our national aims and
interests and to all that is lofty a. we'll as
grandly substantial in commercial states /
manship. The Atlantic and Pacific States
must have an available water road for +
lines of steamships. and the Nation must
have an eye to the vast Pacific trade. else .
American States will be ligmies when
they should be giants.