The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-10
Has ENGLAND GAINED coSTRoLs



ma Canal Is Revived.
NEW YORK. Sept. "a dispatch rom
Colon says. II Is announced here To-Day
that concession to complete the snanaA
canal has been given TO England
A dispatch from Washington says tots
announcement has createa = seisaefVi
therA Onclais and those cicsely ih.et
ested IN the Nicaragusn canal pro1sct
frankly admit that, IL this transserence
has really beer made. II win eTecfuaily
prevent the United States from control
ing the proposed futer-oceanic canai. ana
render the building Of the Nicaragua caadi
useless. AZ the same time II Is not sen
orally believed here that the concession
held BIZ the French company mas peen
transferred 70 the government OF Grsat
Britain. II IS considered possible that an
English company has purchased the
rights Of the French company and may
continue the work now in progress, put
that the British government has assumed
control OF the project is not credited
The concession originally granted ny the
United States Of Colombia 10 De Lesseps
and his syndicate subsequently, passed.
into the hands OF another French COM
pany. Notwithstanding all the scandals
ard difficulties connected with the WORK,
much Roadway has already been made.
A force OF 1000 or 1890 men has been
steadily employed, but the uncertainty OK
final success has proved perpetual
source OF discouragement, and the con-
cession has for seme time been onered
for sale. The United States and other
steadily employed but the uncertainty o.
purchasing 1t and continuing the work
Experts here express themselves as con-
WINGED that the Tsthmian canal. as pro
jected by the French. IS impracticaole-
The proposal 10 construct IL by system
OF locks is pronounced unsatisfactory, X
not impossible. 1t might be possible 10
secure sufficient supply of water al the
summit TO operate the locks at certain
seasons Of the year. while during others
the supply would be inadequate. the canal
thereby being rendered useless at inter-
walls This obstacle will not be encounter
ed in building the Nicaragua canal, as the
great lakes of the interior will FURNISH
abundant water at all seasons OF the year
Civil engineers and those familiar with
canal construction are not or the opinion
that an English company will meet with
better success than their French predeees-
sors The only source Of worTfment lies
in the possibility that the concession mas
passed under the control OF the British
government. in which event unlimited cap
ital and engineering science might ooViate
existing difficulties. This woula prevent
any further efforts towards building the
Nicaraguan canal.
WASHINGTON. Sept. 9.--The attention
If Ssnor Julio Rengifo. the representa-
tive OF the republic Of Colombia, was
called 70 the report that Colombia hao
granted a concession TO England TO COM
plete the Panama canal. thus transferring
that mammoth enterprise from French 10
English hands Senior Rengifo said he had
no information from his government on
the subject. as the canal project did not
come within the jurisdiction OF the repre-
sentative in Washington. At the same
time, speaking from an extended acquaint-
ance with canal affairs, Gen. Rengifo ex-
pressed great doubt as to the accuracy or
the reports and pointed out a number of
circumstances showing that IL waf I'M
POSSIBLE that such a concession 10 Eng
land or any other foreign government had
been granted.
At the state department no information
has come from the consular officers at
Panama that any change In the canal
concession had occurred. Secretary Sher-
man stated that, while he had no official
information on the subject. he was con-
WINGED that there was lao truth In the re-
port that Great Britain had undertaken TO
complete the canal.
England has no desire TO embark in
such an undertaking." he said. and had
no such intention Individual subjects OF
that country have interested themselves in
vast enterprises In all parts Of the world.
but so far as l know, there are no indica-
tons that thsy have gone into the Pana-
ma canal scheme
NEW YORK, Sept. "a dispatch from
Colon says: The correspondent can get no
official confirmation Of the report that
the Panama canal franchise has been Sc
cured by British corporation under the
protection of Great Britain. The report Is
at least premature. although English en-
gineers have been inspecting the route.
The isthmus was thrilled by the an
nouncement in the Colon Telegram that
the government Of Great Britain had Sc
cured the franchise and would control the
waterway. ! am informed from Bogota,
the capital Of the republic. that the re-
port is untrue. The canal company has
suspended payment.