The herald., 1897-09-10
A PANAMA
FRANCHISE
Said to Have Been Sold to
England
1T IS IMPORTANT If TRUE
BUT NOBODY GIVES IT ANY
CREDENCE
1T IS IMPORTANT If TRUE
Secretary Sherman Has Heard Of Nc
Britons Anxious to Back De
Lesseps' Scheme
Associated Press Special Wire.

NEW YORK, Sept. "a dispatch to
the World from Washington says:
The Worlds special cable advices
from Colon to the effect that the fran
chise heretofor held by French COM
pany for the construction of ship can al
transferred to the government of Great
Britain, have caused a sensation here.
Officials and those closely interested in
| the Nicaraguan canal project frankly
| admit that if this transfer has really
been made, it will effectually prevent
the United States from controlling the
proposed interoceanic canal and render
the building of the Nicaragua canal use
| less. At the same time 1t is not general
ly believed here that the concession held
by the French capitalists has been trans
| ferred to the government of Great Brit
ain. 1t is considered possible that an
English company has purchased the
rights Of the French company, and may
continue the work now in progress, but
that the British government has as
sumed control of the project is not
credited
The concession originally granted by
the United States of Colombia for the
construction of the isthmian canal to
connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
to De Lesseps and his syndicate of
French capitalists, subsequently passed
into the hands of another French COM
| pany.
Notwithstanding all the scandals and
difficulties connected with the work,
much headway has already been made.
A force of 1000 or 5000 has been steadily
employed. but the uncertainty Of final
success has proved perpetual source of
Encouragement, and the concession Of
the French company has for some time
been offered for sale. The United States
and other governments have had an op-
portunity of purchasing it and continu-
| ing the work.
Experts here express themselves as
convinced that the isthmian canal, as
projected by the French, Is impractic-
able.
The proposal to construct 1t by sys-
tenn of locks Is pronounced unsatisfac-
tory if not impossible. 1t might be pos
sible to secure a sufficient supply of
water at the summit to operate the locks
at certain seasons of the year, while
during others the supply would be mad
| equate, the canal thereby being rem
dered useless at intervals. This OBJ
stacle will not be encountered In build
ing the Nicaragua canal. as the great
lakes Of the interior will furnish an
abundant supply of water at all seasons
Of the year.
Civil engineers and those familiar with
canal construction are not of the opin-
ion that company Of English capital
lists will meet with better success than
their French predecessors. The only
source of worriment lies in the possibil-
ity that the concession has passed un-
der the control of the British govern
ment in which event unlimited capital
and engineering science might obviate
existing difficulties This would pre-
vent any further efforts toward build
ing the Nicaraguan canal.
VERY GREAT DOUBT
WASHINGTON, Sept 9.-The atten-
ton of Senior Julio Rengifo, representa-
tive of Colombo, was called to the re-
port that Colombia had granted con-
cession to England to complete the Pan
|
moth enterprise from French to English
hands. Senor Rengifo said he had no
information from his government on the
subject, as the canal project did not
come within the jurisdiction of the re-
public at Washington. AT the same
time. speaking from an extended ac-
quaintance with the canal affairs. Cen
eral Rengifo expressed great doubt as
pointed out a number of circumstances
showing that it was impossible that
such a concession to England or any
other foreign government had been
granted.
| At the state department nc informa-
ton has come from the consular officers
at Panama that any change in the canal
concession had occurred. Secretary
Sherman stated that while he had no
official information on the subject, he
was convinced that there was no truth
in the report that Great Britain had un-
dertaken to complete the canal
England has no desire to embark in
such an undertaking" he said, land has
no such intention. Individual subjects
of that country have interested them
selves in vast enterprises in all parts of
the world, but, so far as I know, there
are no indications that they have gone
into the Panama canal scheme"
LABORERS SENT HOME
| COLON, Colombia (via Galveston),
Sept. 9.-The authorities have decide ed
to re-patriate the African laborers re-
Gently imported to work along the line
of the Panama canal and will send, them
back to Africa by the steamer Holy
Rood which is momentarily expected.
| After the epidemic of beri beri broke
out among them they gave much trouble
by refusing to work and demanding
wages without work, and committing
other offenses SO that the government
was obliged to send troops to quell the
disturbance. Order is now restored.
THE REPORT UNTRUE
NEW YORK, Sept. "a dispatch to
the World from Colon says:
| The World correspondent can get no