Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-09-11


T. is again rumored that work on
the Panama Canal is shortly to be re-
sumed The rumor comes from Colon
and has not been confirmed from any
other source, so mere is a bare posi-
biliJy that it is true and that is about
all.
Since the work on the Panama Canal
was begun, upward Of fifteen years ago.
the enormous sum of $220.000.OOO has
been expended upon the undertaking.
Despite the wholesale rascality and
robbery an along the line. which al
one time threatened the very life Of the
French republic. much substantial
worA has been done. Culebra. about
fifteen miles east from Panama. lies the
hardest work yet 10 be performed.
Here a cut through the Andes Will be
necessary, and the task will involve
a large outlay. There is nothing very
formidable about the dredging. Much
of the machinery for that purpose has
gone to ruin, although some of the
more valuable machinery of all kinds
has been carefully housed during the
interim OF idleness.
Experts who have been over the
ground are reported to have expressed
the opinion thar $10O.OOO.OOO would be
necessary TO complete the canal This
is probably an overesdmate. An Amer
lean engineer who has lived long on
the IsJhmus, IS Of cT;nion that the
work could Dc completed in five years.
with an expenditure of one-ffth Of that
sum. But, if the latest reports be true,
the advocates Of the completion Of the
scheme are sanguine of floating a new
loan adequate TO meet all outlay,
whether the amount be $4,000 900 or
whether it be $l00.0o0,00O. The build
ing of the canal would not be. as many
have supposed, a violation of the Mon
roe doctrine; for, although most Of the
stock would be owned in France. the
government of that country would
have no voice in its management When
the contract was made between the
Republic Of Colombia and the directors
of rhe canal it was expressly stipulated
that no foreign country should erect
f0r,idcatious in It's vicinity, or in any
way assume juridiction over the water
way; but that its control should be
vested wholly in Colombia, and that it
should be neutral to vessels Of all ma
tions at all times and under all cir
cUmstances.
The NiCaraguan scheme has decided
advantages over that Of Panama. In
the first place, the entire affair would
cost less than S10O.OO0.0OO. Then the
Nicaraguan route would be seven hun
dred miles nearer New York than the
Panama route, and a vessel going from
Liverpool TO the South Seas would save
several hundred miles by using the
Nicaraguan route. The latter route
would also be used by our vessels
bound for the Pacific slope, as we'll as
by British vessels going to Australia.
but the Panama waterway would be
more convenient for trade between
Chile. Peru and Europe.
If both of the canals should be con-
srucJed the question would arise as to
whether there would be traffic sufi-
cient TO pay the expenses Of each. TO
say nothing of a dividend upon the
capital expended Neither OF them.
however, is Vet completed. The chances
for the Nicaraguan route are represent
ed as good. But as TO the Panama
Canal the fu.Ure-and possibly the re-
mote fuure-alone viii decide. II is
surrounded by such an atmosphere Of
scandal and ignominy that capital viii
probably fight shy Of it for some time
TO come.