The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-03-29

Minister Silva Files AcmOra n Il u IN
With f;le State Department Which
Deals IA Blow to the Expectations
of the French Panama Company.
The expectations of the new Panama
Canal Company TO dispose of its prop
erty to the United States for large
sum - money have received a blow
which, strange to say. comes from the
Minister from Colon a, through which
country the canal runs.
Minister Silva has formally filed a
memorandum with the State Depart
ment which ON its face proposes a basis
for negotiation between Colombia and
the United States for the completion Of
the canal through Colombian territory,
bat which, il is believed, really rieans
the complete elimination of the p mama
Company from any connection with its
present project.
1t is ascertaine that Minister Sflya's
memorandum proposes. on behalf Of his
country. to give the United States alb
solute control Of any canal that may
be built across the Isthnlus Of Panama.
together with a lease in perpetIity over
the necessary territory. IL other words,
Colombia is ready 10 give TO the Unit
ed States anything short of sovereign
ty over the proposed canal
The proposition is not bUrdened with
any specific reference to the Panama
Canal Company, but is so direct ia its
provisions that if it is agreed to by the
United States it viii sirnpIy mean that
the Panama Company will be wiped out
of existence with Colombia's assent, IN
less the Canal Company chooses to dis
pose of its property at such figure as
may be deemed reasonable by the Unit
ed States. This reasonable figure is
said by State Department officials 10 be
about $50, 900 900, which sum. however,
is far below the amount President
Hutin, of the Panama Company, be
lieves he can obtain from this Gov
eminent
Mr.. Hutin has been in Washington
for several months, and while he pro-
fesses to be very confident of the out
come. some State Department officials
consider the position of his company
to be very preearious- They point out
that the Panama Company's original
concession expires in October, 1904 Be
cause of the impossibiIity of raising
sufficient funds to complete the canal
within that limit of time. the company
recently secured an extension Of It's
concession until 1910.
Recent advices at the State Depart
Dlent from Colombia show that the
question has been raised there as to the
right of the Government to grant this
extension. The question may be re-
ferred for decision to the Colombian
courts
AS the Colombian Government is in
terested more in the completion of the
canal than it is in the welfare of the
French company, it is possible that the
courts of Colombia viii re the view
that the extension is Illegal This
would absolutely prevent the French
company from raising more money for
its enterprise; its canal would be IN
finished in 1904, and then would revert.
under the terms OF its concession. to
the Colombian Government to dispose
of as it pelased.
The eagerness manifested recently by
the Colombian Government to bring the
advantages Of the Panama route to the
attention Of the United States. has led
the State Department to believe that
some such proceeding as above out
lined is contemplated