The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-30
ENGLAND WILL BUILD 1T.
British Have Secured Control of the
Panama Canal.

New York, Aug. 3O.-Eng lish capital
will undertake the completion of the
Panama canal in order to insure Brit
ism control of the waterway to the Pa
cIftc- From a source that is wholly
creditab bile, it is learned that British
capitalists have secured all the rights
company, organized with a capital of
s., 900, 900 francs, on the ruins of the old
De Lesseps corporation.
These financial Strategists have Sc
cured a seven years extension of the
Colombian grant. which Will expire Oc-
tober "A, 1897. This renewal was secur-
ed from Colombia, it is declared, by
means that will not bear investigation
The second French Panama company
was thwarted in its efforts to secure a
further extension of time in which to
complete the canal
The financial agent of a British syndi-
cate, named Farquharson, had been
automatically at work at Bogota for
nearly year to prevent the renewal of
the privileges to the French by the Col
ombian government
His efforts were crowned with sue
cess; then having the French company
at MS mercy, F'arquharSOn made terms
by which the great English syndicate
behind him secured all the working
property of the present corporation and
a controlling interest in its stock
Tactics similar TO those employed to
wrest the control of the Suez canal from
its French constructors have been and
will be used by this English corpora
ton.
Coupled with the purchase is a secret
agreement. executed in Paris by other
British agents of the same principals
that the French Panama cOmpany's Of
ficerS will not make any application for
a renewal of the concession.
This remarkable agreement it is
charged by members of the company
not included in the deal, was secured
by gross bribery and the payment of
large sums of money TO French officials
whose duty is to safeguard the interests
of French investors
With the transfer is included 80 per
cent of the stock of the Panama rail-
road company that belongs TO the
French Panama Canal company.
The Colombian government receives.
besides money considera ton, a small
interest in the stock of the canal COM
pany- OF the former the BogOta gov
eminent is greatly in need, as its treas
ury is sadly depleted.
The English will have absolute con-
troll of the Isthmus of Panama Own
ing the Panama railroad. as they will.
they can limit its use in time of war to
military purposes.
English capitalists being in possession
of another vantage point. from which
they can strike at the trade of the Uni
ted States, the British government NAV
be confidently expected to fortify Colon
and Panama Ito protect the interests of
its commerce.
Every reason exists for believing that
this Panama coup is to be the croWning
diplomatic success of the Victorian era
In the hands of England Colon will be-
come commercially greater than Singa-
pore, military Storehouse as important
as Gibraltar or Malta, strategicaIly
more valuable than any outpost in the
western hemisphere
Transfer of the property to the new
company will take place as soon as pos
SibIe, because the English contractors
desire all the time they can secure TheV
will prosecute the work according to-
the plans of Mr.. De la TOurnerie which
receive the English communication from
the English engineers.