, 1891-03-11
(From the Daily Telegraph, Feb. 49,

The conversion of Paris into a seaport seems
to be in a fair way of being carried out. Paris
port de mer had long been the dream
of enthusiasts, but of late years the matter
has been taken up seriously by engineers, and
at an important meeting held yesterday at
the Hotel de Vile. the Committee of the De-
partment of the Seine appointed to examine
plans of this character decided III favour OF the
execution of the scheme, not a single member
raising his voice against 1T. Several lnSpec'
tors-General attached to the Ministry OF
Public Works warmly e~ulogised the plans
drawn up by VI. Bouquet de la Grye, member
OF the Institute, who for years has devoted a
considerable portion of his time to the pro-
posed work, and finally Senator POirrier was
asked to write a report in favour of the pro-
iect. So the measure has now effected q
great advance towards achievement, and the
chances are that eventually Paris will develope
into a seaport. 1t is scarcely necessary
to warn your readers against taking the term
too literally. If she be converted into a port
de mer Lutetia will scarcely be able to boast a
beach, with it's rows of bathing machines, nor
will her brave sons ever be called upon to
man the life-boat. 1t will be scarcely posi-
BILE even from the summit of the Eiffel Tower
to sweep a watery horizon in search of sails.
To all outward appearance Paris will remain
very much as it is now, with the exception
that large ships and steamers will be seen
making their way slowly up and Town the
Seine flying a variety of flags, and that the
animation on and in the neighbourhood of
the Quays will increase to a considerable
extent.
I have seen sketches OF the plans drawn up
for the conversion of Paris into a seaport
town. and, broadly speaking, the Seine from
Rouen hitler will be utilised for this traffic
--Lo~o 3ho oo,vroo 10 faIa,o hlv rtroiubt xrISJo ~
places where it meanders to an unreason-
able degree - quite unworthy of a river
with q practical character to maintain
canals will come to the rescue. One has
only to look at a fairly large map of the
Seine to understand how often the canal
will have to be called into requisition, for at
many points along it's route, the stream twists
and winds In the most eccentric and provok-
ing fashion. What with the widening and the
deepening of the river in places, the construc-
,tio1 of the canals, and other arrangements to
which only experts have the key, the work
will be one of extreme difficulty and magni-
tude but those who are in a position to Judge
are of opinion that M. Bouquet de la Grye has
succeeded in solving the problem. That the
idea is extremely popular here there is not a
shadow of doubt. The sole opposition to the
scheme might be expected to come from
Havre, which has for years excited the jeal-
ousy of Rouen by keeping in its harbonrs a
class of ships that formerly made their way as
far as the Norman capital but even Havre
would reap advantages from the innovation
which it does not now enjoy. More shipping
would be attracted to it's port than is at pres
emit the case, for Paris would become q yerita-
BILE emporium for all the inland Departments
in the centre of France. 1t seems rather in
ccngruous that such a project should be as