The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-03-24

The Lecturer said The interven-
ing continent which blocked the path
to the Indies for Columbus and his
successors was to them serious dis
appointment, to them it was an
obstacle. Centuries passed before
the sailors and the merchants of the
world became contented with the
new geography,-not, indeed, until
the interrupting lands, peopled with
an active race, gave signs of becom-
ing, themselves, goal to be reached,
of an Importance equal to that of
the Indies and far Cathay.
But again the old discomfort grew,
for the Pacific coasts of the ancient
obstacle rose before the commercial
eye, and their busy people thro, e
and multiplied, and became buyers
and sellers, shippers and receivers,
and though the way had been long
around Good Hope to the Indies, it
was still longer around Cape Horn,
to these Western shores of America.
Thus today, this discomfort of
commerce and shipping has so in
creased that we may truthfully say
that, through the old obstacle, there
must be cut a communicating way
between the Oceans, and that this
must be done now.
1t is proper to mention some facts
upon which is based so positive q
statement,-some details of the vari-
GUS plans for joining the waters of
the Atlantic and the Pacific, through
the American Isthmus, after which
we may glance, briefly, at some of
the possible results to flow from the
successful joining of the Oceans,
and reflect upcnits probable influence
upon the trade of the Pacific, and,
more especially, upon the trade now
dawnhg upon Japan, for it may be
supposed that it was, primarily, an
interest in that development which
has caused your distinguished Society
to honor me with your attention to-
, night.
Let us, then, consider briefly, the
question of communication between
the Oceans, across the American
Isthmus. ~s
Hardly had Nunez de Balboa's
first glance from the hills Of the 18th
mus, rested upon the broad expanse
of the Pacific, when the whole world
Immediately concluded, that as so mar
row a neck of land separated the two
great Oceans, throughout length of
nearly thousand miles, nature must
have provided somewhere in that ex-
tent, communicating waterway.
For two centuries this problem was
regarded as still unsolyed. "fhe
Secret of the Strait" occupied
Christendom then as does the dis
covery of the North Pole now.
Spaniards, Portuguese, French,
Dutch and English sought diligently,
from the Rio de la Plata, in South
America, to the st. Lawrence River,
in North America for this much de-
sired channel. The search, as we
know, was in vain, but before entire
conviction came there were already
projects being discussed for supple
menting natures defect by the work
of man.
From the days of Columbus to the
present time, almost all men of dis
tinction, whose attention has been
drawn to the American Isthmus, have
urged, at one point or another, an
inter ocean canal. Cortcz, Saavedra,
De Soto, among the earlier; Guzot,
President Adams and Louis Napo-
leon, among the later, are the more
prominent names which occur to me-
now.
We pass by, with brief notice,
earlier dreams and aspirations, and
note the fact that the Prince Louis
Napoleon, while yet a prisoner in the
Fortress of Ham, had given his APP
proval to an enterprise which was to
have been established under his
name, and to be known as the Canal
Napoleon de Nicaragua. Time will
not permit my -reciting to you his
eloquent words, published in one of
the reviews of that day, as to the
great commercial and political i'm
portance of the strip of land which
separates Lake Nicaragua from the
Pacific Ocean.
1t was shortly after the abandon
ment of the project by Napoleon,
dazzled by the glitter of possible
crown, that the first organized at
tempt was made. In l849 some
American gentlemen formed Com
pany known as the Atlantic and
Pacific Ships Canal Co., and under
concessions from Nicaragua, began
actual work on canal.
The financial world was not ready
for 1.-THE enterprise was trans
formed into transit company, which,
after some years of carrying passen
gers and freight, from one Ocean to
the other, by way of Lake Nicaragua
and River San Juan, presently faded
away.
The interest in this line for a canal
sli continued, however, and was
about to show some result when two
u.her routes were proposed,-tdut Of
ship canal through the ls.hmu- of
Panama, backed 10y the energy and
former success of DE Lesseps, and
. M r..I..u,-- .l-n.-. ILn I.lLLuLL- III