The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-16
DE LESSEPs' DITCH,
It May Succeed If Americans Will Take
Lottery Chances.
From the New York. Herald.

From the NeU York Herald.
In order to obtain more accurate details
regarding the alteration of NJ de Lesseps'
original plan, its practicability and the pro-
gress Of the work on the Panama canal, a
reporter yesterday called on Mr.. Nathan
Appleton, at the Clarendon hotel, and
questioned him on the subject. Mr.. Appleton
is generally recognized as the commodore"
Of the Panama canal company, although
he disclaims any such title. He was sent by
the United States government as a delegate
| to the international congress held in Paris
in 1879 to decide as to the route which should
be adopted, and has been connected with the
| enterprise from its incipiency.
He said that while he was sorry to see
that the lock system had to be adopted, I'M
| der the circumstances he fully approved of
it, for that was the only thing that remained
to assure the success Of the undertaking, the
many difficulties that had been encountered
| having necesitated much larger outlay
of capital than had at first been thought
necessary.
"Some papers," said Mr. Appleton, "seem
| to think that the adoption of this system
| will necessitate the sacrifice of the earlier
| investments. This is not so. Not one iota
| of the work that has been accomplished will
Oo bnTOWu away. III Will I'LL COIue IN nduuy
| In time. While have always contended
that a tide water canal is the proper one,
the temporary use of the locks will, as Mr..
| Colne said yesterday. enable us to earn
money forthwith, and thus they will pay for
| themselves"
"Will they not place the canal at a disad-
vantage, then, when the Nicaragua canal is
completedg"
mo. Even then we will be on a par
with it. Besides when the Nicaragua
canal is completed the chances are that
the Panama canal will be a sea level
one."
''Their route Is much shorter, Is it notm
Eyes; but we will be able to more than
makeup the difference in length when we do
away with the locks"
rs everything progressing satisfactorily
in PanamyP
eyes We have all that is necessary to
finish the work, now that this lottery bill
has been passed. That amount will GER
tainly enable us to complete the job We
have already fifteen miles of the canal
flooded on the Atlantic side. Ten miles re-
main to be dug out on the Pacific end, but
that will be easy work. The only hard spot
is the Culebra cut, which necessitates 800
feet of excavation, and that is progressing
satisfactorily.
Eyes, believe the canal will be COM
pleted in 1890, but certainly not later than
| 1892. believe the new loan will be taken
up with rush. for the French are very en-
thusiastic in this matter, and are DESTROYS of
seeing lie Grand Francois succeed.
1.-The Nicaragua canalf Well, l believe,
il they ever go to work at it, that it will
cost nothing less than 5000, 100000, includ-
ing interest. But there is nothing sure that
it will ever be begun. Anyhow, while it may
bring the Pacific coast 1000 miles nearer
New York than the Panama route, the lat
ter will bring the principal European ports
| 10 900 miles nearer the Golden Gate than
formerly. Yes, I am confident of its success,
but still think, as one of my correspondents
suggests, it would be better for all con-
cerned if America were to help the Panama
canal instead of constructing another one.
| Then its success would be assured in
stantly, and both countries would be COW
cred with glory and could divide the hon.
| org u