The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-08-09
The Corinth Canal.

The Corinth Canal.
Although the opening OF the Corinth Canal
cannot be compared with the cutting Of the
1sthmus of Suez. either on commercial OF
historical grounds 1t is an event OF consid-
erable Importance. both on the score OF
utility to Mediterranean commerce and of
historical interest The idea OF piercing the
ridge Of land which separates the Gulf Of
Corinth from the Saronic Gulf occurred to
men not much later than that Of con-
Meeting the Mediterranean with the Gulf OF
Suez. But whereas the latter scheme was
carried out at least partially by Pharaoh
NECHO and more thoroughly by DARIUS.
and was made to render some degree Of
service for about fourteen hundred years.
the former project had to wait many an age
for it's execution. Conceived by ALEXANDER
the Great. definitely resolved upon by
JULIUS CESAR begun by NERO. it was not
to know completion until the closing years
Of the nineteenth century of our era.
There was a time when the existence Of q
waterway. natural or artificial, between
the Corinthian and Saronic CULTS might
have changed the whole history OF the
Peloponnesus. 1t would have blocked, for
instance. tho Dorian invasion under the
Heraclide, and would have permitted the
early civilization which Is depicted in the
Homeric poems. and Of which DR.. SCHLIE-
MANN has unearthed proofs at Mycene. to
survive until historic times. At the date OF
the Persian invasion. the existence Of such
waterway would have kept the Peloponne-
SLAMS shut up in their island home, and
there would have been. in all likelihood. no
battles Of ThermopylB and PlatRa. The
| occupation OF such channel by the
Athenian triremes would doubtless have
given Athens decided advantage in the
Peloponnesian war. So long as the Greek
cities were necessarily embroiled in
wars with one another. the Corinthi-
ans did not want O canal across their
isthmus: they had invented something
that suited their purpose much better,
species OF ship railway, a smooth.
solid. carefully graded road. over which.
by means Of rollers. their triremes were
easily transported from sea to sea. 1t was
not until all Greece had fallen under the
control Of Macedon. and subsequently OF
Rome. that the commercial value Of canal
which would save vessels from the long
and perilous crcumnavigation OF the Pelo-
ponnesus outweighed political considera-
siderable. even in these days Of steam. for
steamships bound from the Adriatic to the
Egean and the Black Sea will gain some
forty-eight hours by the canal: and even
steamships coming from the western
Mediterranean and. consequently. obliged
to round the Italian peninsula. will gain. 1t
is said. about eight hours. Formerly. when
vessels were propelled by sails and oars
n nnn hn 80
canal would have been incomparably
greater. to say nothing OF avoiding the dan
gers met In the proverbially stormy pas
sage around the Laconian capes. 1t re-
mains to be seen whether. under the exist |
Ing conditions Of trade. the time saved will |
justify the payment Of tolls large enough |
to produce satisfactory dividend on the |
cost OF the undertaking. The outlay. $12.- |
100000. seems inordinate. II one looks only |
to the length OF the canal. about four miles; |
but 1t is explained by the immense labor |
required for the excavation OF a trench |
through the high central ridge. The bridge |
crossing at the highest part OF this back
bone of the isthmus Is some 265 feet above
the level Of the sea. To pay dividend Of
five per cent. on the investment. the net
earnings Of the waterway from tolls must
be $500. 900 year.
resurrection Of the long famous city OF
Corinth will be one effect Of the opening OF
the canal. 1t has had two periods OF glory,
separated from each other by century Of
utter desolation and followed by long
epoch of decadence and obscurlty through
medieval and modern times To the earlier
Corinth which founded such powerful
daughter States as Corcyra and Syracuse.
we owe one OF the most beautiful orders OF
Greek architecture. the signal improve
ment of the arts OF painting and OF orna-
mental pottery. and the fabrication OF
bronzes that have never been surpassed
We know from the report OF an eyewitness
that. at the time OF Its complete destruc-
ton by the Romans in l46 b. c.. 1t was by
far the most populous city OF Greece proper;
We'd in wealth and luxury with Antioch
and Alexandria: and contained an incredible
number OF the masterworks OF Hellenic
art. For century the site lay waste; but
owing to its admirable geographical posi-.
ton. the colony founded there by JULIUS
CESAR had. as early as the time OF st.
PAUL. again become one OF the great CEN
tres OF Greek civilization. Sacked by Az
AFRO. 1t recovered prosperity under the
byzantine Empire. and. at q later period,
was fercely contended for by the Turks
and the Venetians. who were keenly alive to
both its strategic and commercial useful ,
hess. In later times 1t has sunk into q