Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-01-03
DE LEsSEPS' CANALS.
THE MOVABLE CAREER or THE
GRAND FREN Gilman.


100000. and IL Yet Only Began.
From the New York TribnneI
With the designation OF M. Ferdinand dc
Lcsscps and tho other officers OF the NOR
tund Panama Canal Company new era
must begin In tho work Of securing inter-
oceanic transit for ships through the Amer
lean lsthmus. Practically. too. the nctive
career Of M. do Lesseps comes TO an end--a
career long and active beyond ordinary
mortal compass. and iull OF such pIctur-
sequences as Is seldom to be observed out
side the pages OF romantic fiction.
His father. Count Matthew de Lesseps. was
born at Dayonne. and as he was equally
well acquainted with the Spanish and
French languages, was sent by Napoleon L.
to accompany Lucien Bonaparte. his ilrst
ambassador to the court OF Spain. While
In Spain the elder Dc Lesseps made the ac-
quaintancc OF Mr. kirkpatrick. United
States consul to Malaga, who first intro
duced him to the family OF Scnor Greyigny.
n notable OF Andalusia. This noble Span
iald had two fair daughters, with one OF
whom Mr.. kirkpatrick was already In love.
and It did not take the Count long to Iall in
lovo with the other. The Scotch American
Consul and tho Frenchman became broth
ers-in- law and while the son OF the latter
was to become Ferdinand. Duke OF Suez,
the daughter OF the former became Count
ess OF Montijo and mother OF Eugenie, al
Lesseps In 1903 represented the French Re-
public In Egypt. Bonaparte instructed him
to pick out from among tho leaders OF the
Turkish troops man OF energy and ability
who could be proposed at Constantlnopie
for the hitherto nominal dignity OF Pasha
OF Cairo. NJ dc Lesseps pitched on Me-
hemet Ali. the illitcrate commander OF a
corps OF bashi- bazouks. and advised his
protege as to a short method OF dealing
with the mamelukes. who were the oppress-
ors of the Egyptians and the enemies OF
France. Mehemet who might have been
one OF Carlyle's heroes. put the counseis
into practice at the massacre OF the citadel.
which Kinglake so dramatically described
in -Eothen." 1t was when M. Ferdinand de
Lesseps was himself French Consul General
in Egypt that he became intimate with Me-
hemet Ais youngest son, his future patron
and partner.
s0llles Nov. 10. 1905. and. alter acquiring
thorough diplomatic education by travelling
about in company with his father. entered
the consular service himself and held the
post OF Consul at Barcelona. Cairo, and
Alexandria. becoming Consul General at the
Egyptian capital, and receiving the cross OF
the Legion OF Honor for his heroism and
devotion during the plague. In lo4S he was
made French Minister at Madrid. and the
following year was sent to Rome to enect
negotiations between the popular govern
] ment and the French army. Owing to his
| too favorable opinion Of the popular move
ment in Italy he was recalled In disgrace.
Mohammed Said. son of Mehemet Ali. had
now succeeded to the Viceroyalty at Cairo.
and he invited the son OF his fathers friend
! to go to Egypt as his guest The idea OF the
Suez Canal then took possession OF DE Les
seps' mind. and Said became his first con-
vert The Sultan and the English bitterly
opposed the schome. but tho company was
formed in 1854. with cupital OF $4O.OJO.OOO.
! Tho work was begun I'm 1858. was pressed
with vigor and enthusiasm. and the canal
was opened with imposing ceremonies NOV.
! IL, l8G9--the same year In which the Union
| and Central Pacific railroads were connect
ed at Promontory. in Utah. Being. her kins-
man. DE Lesseps had the sympathy and
active interest OF the Empress Eugene IN
| this great enterprise, and il was largely
through her patronage that nc was enabled
| to carry IL to a successful conclusion.
The Suez Canal passes through low,
sandy plain. and is about 100 miles long. By
constant dredging an average depth oil
twenty-si six feet OF water is maintained. ana
ships pass in and out mt either end without
the hindrance OF locks. The business OF the
canal has steadily inc eased, In 1885 no
less than 1924 vessels passed through II;
tho gross receipts were Sl2,OO9.99J; the
shareholders we're paid dividend OF lIOs
per cent. after the sinking fund had been
| provided for; and the tonnage OF steam and
sailing vessels that passed through amount
ed to 1886. All tons.
The idea OF cutting through the Cordil-
Atlantic to the Pacific at Darien originated
with the Spanish conquerors. but their
plans lay for 200 years buried ia musty and
dusty archives ut Madrid, The speculations
Of modern science revived tho idea. and
when M. de Lesseps assembled his famous
congress I'm the Low Countries tn May. 1879.
| n variety of competing schemes were sub
mitted TO it. Tho choice was finally mar
rowed to the project OF the canal through
Nicaragua and that OF the Panama route.
| Nioa m m Ia "a
was the cheaper OF the two by $B.0OOOOO. as
It was calculated to cost only $lG0 100000,
But IL was much the longer, both ia time
and distance: It wonld be difficult ana ex-
pensive TO keep in check the luXuri-
ance OF the tropical vegetation: the
number OF ships would be limited by the
locks. and the gigantic stone-work ks
would be liable at any moment to DO
shaken by the Central American earth
quakes. SO the congress recommended the
piercing of the Panama Isthmus by an over.
whelming majority. A few Of the members
abstained from voting, and nj. de Lesscps
points out that the abstainers and the small
iisscRtient minority were mainly made up
OF Central American delegates. so that the
! decision may be said TO have been practical
~ unanimous, The route to be adopted had
been surveyed and recommended by two
French naval officers. MN, WISE and Eecus
| Tho congress finally resolved. by seventy
eight votes against eight. twelve abstaining.
that the canal, ut the sea-level without any
locks, should be made from the Bay Of
Limon 10 the Bay Of Panama: all the CONF
mittees agreed In favor OF this resolution.
Other recommendations Of the congre 50
have been followed by the company which
M. lie Lesseps formed to execute the work,
styled la Compagnie Universelle du Canal
Interoceanique de Panama"
In July. 1879. N. Ferdinand de Lessops
concluded an arrangement with M, Bona
| parte Wyse and his associates for the pur-
chase OF a concession granted to the latter
by the Government OF the Colombian Be-
public for a canal across the lsthmus OF
Panama On the Odd OF that month NJ dc
Lesseps published his first prospectus In
yiting subscriptions for 100000 shares VI
500 each. giving capital OF SSO,OOJOSO.
The shares were not taken up. but In No
vember. 1880. second prospectus was
Issued for GDDOW shares. and upward
OF 1.2O0.0O0 shares were then applied
for by 1Ol.23O subscribers. The COM
pany was thus constituted with a capital
OF SCI, 900 600 In 6OO.C0O 500 shares, which
have been paid In full. and the company has
con racted six loans. mostly bearing B per
cent interest. but taken at large discount,
the total amountof obligations In 1887 be,
In z s269, sos 800. which had produced In cnsh
only s14g. SAC. 740: the annual charge for In
terest with that for the sinking fund. is $13.-
342 800 The total cost OF the work. allow
ing 10 per cent. for contingencies. was esti-
mated In 1880 at $l6S. 74O. 600. but the actual
expenditure up to June 80. 1887, was $780,
100000. and yet the work was little more