The courier., 1901-12-21
Isthnian Canal


excavations for the ship canal across
the Isthmus of Panama, the world ex-
pected that within fifteen years trans
oceanic ships would be making their
way from the Atlantic to the Pacific
ocean just as ships We're making their
way from the Mediterranean sea into
the Red sea. De Lesseps, who cut the
Suez canal and collected the money
for the cut. was at the head of the
American project and there was good
reason for believing that the canal in
the New World would also be success
full. The idea is old enough. The
earliest known surveys in Panama
were made under the authority of an
order issued by Charles V. to Cortez
in 1884. The Nicaraguan route WAS
suggested as early as 1851. Great Brit
ain, under the influence of William
Pitt King William | of Holland. Louis
Philippe of France, Napoleon Bona
parte and Commodore Vanderbilt of
America, have severally tried to build
or organize Il project for building an
ISthmian canal
Poor De Lesseps spent on the Pana-
ma canal and in bribing influential
newspapers to help him get money for
the great cut more than S35S 900. 600.
When he began work ne promised that
the canal would be finished in 1889 and
would cost only $500 OO0. 900. Eight years
after the first spadeful of earth was
dug out % the right of way De Lesseps
announced that the company was
bankrupt and hundreds of French peO-
pie. who. influenced by his Suez sue
cess had invested their money in the
scheme. lost all they had. In 1898 after
a long trial. De Lesseps and his son
Charles We're sentenced to five years of
Imprisonment and to pay a fine of
5000 francs. The sentence was never
enforced against the father and the
sons sentence was set aside on tech
nical grounds, after he had spent a
few months in prison. In considera-
tion of his past services the Suez canal
company made him an allowance which
kept him from want. In the last years
of his life there was none so poor as to
do him honor Though there is no evil
dence that he was not first OF all
Interested in the canal and believed
from the first that he would dig
through from Colon on the Caribbean
sea to Panama on the Pacific ocean.
That is. he went into the scheme with
a pure motive and not as a stock 1ob-
Der to make money merely. The hnal
failure ard the company broke his
heart.
The Panama route is freer from the
dangers of seismic disturbances. The
deepest cuts have been made, innu-
merable lives have been sacrificed TO
accomplish the work and more than
s35S. 900. 900 have been spent to accom-
plish this idea which began 10 stir IN
mems minds as soon as the first map
of North and South America was pro
mulgated. Is it not a pity TO take any
other rOute than the shortest and
safest across the Isthmus, to let the
labor of the thousands of fever
stricken men who labOred in the great
ditch go for naught? The commits
sinners who have been sent by the
United States government from time
to time to investigate the relative mer-
its of the Panama and Nicaraguan
routes have reported in favor OF the
former as safer from earthquakes not
needing so many locks. hence cheaper
Nc shorter and on account of the work
already done. requiring much shorter
time to complete. But the French
company which owns the abandone"
site holds the right of way and the
49,. .,Ironhr rnade at a higher