Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-01-23

of land that EXTENDS lIohi -hcAiS0 ~
Colombia. It may have served pur-
nose before man learned the art Of
navigation. and probably did but
since that time the tact that there was
no water passage between the conti-
nents has worked untold loss and
injury. and has been the means OF re-
tarding very considerably the devel-
opment of large portion Of both con-
tinents. 1t so happens that by far the
LARGER portion of the commerce of the
world is carried on between nations
living in the higher ATTITUDES OF the
northern hemisphere. Ocean com
merce would therefore pass along
circles to the north of the equator, If
there were no intervening land.
Africa cuts it off in the Orient, or did
until man circumyented it by digging
the Suez canal-a short cut between
Europe and the rich trade centers OF
old Asia. Almost on the direct path
of travel, this canal has proven one Of
the greatest of economies, and
source Of immense profit to all who
have invested in it.
But while mans genius has over
come the obstacle in the old world,
nature still interposes her barrier IN
the new. Baflled by the paltry strip
of land that as yet has not been pene-
trated. vessels wishing to pass be-
tween the Atlantic and the Pacific are
forced to take their course far to the
southwark and spend weeks and
months in steaming or sailing clear
around South America, ut immense
loss-a loss that falls on commerce as
a whole. and in which producer and
consumer both share. 1t is $4,000
miles from New York to San Francis
co via the Straits of Magellan. Were
there a canal at the isthmus, this dis.
lance would be reduced to 5000 miles.
With such a canal, ships could pass
around the globe in almost a straight
line. The whole world would share in
the benefit. But especially would our
own country, extending from Atlantic
to Pacific, and with possessions in both
great oceans, be served. A canal
would bring our two coasts, now so
widely separated, in close touch. The
great producing states of the Pacific
would be 5000 miles nearer their east
ern and European markets, measured
by water. The Mississippi valley and
the Cult states could easily transport
their products to the western coasts of
North and South America, and to
Asia. The advantage to our navy is
manifest at a glance. Instead FLEEING
separated by an almost impossible
distance, open to destruction in detail,
our Atlantic and Pacific fleets could
support and reinforce each other, Civ
ing us greater available force than
probably any foe could muster For
all these reasons and many more, the
canal idea has come to be accepted by
our people as a pressing necessity Of
the immediate future.
Having decided that the canal
should be built, an important question
presents itself. Where's Had there
been but one available route, the canal
would probably now be well on toward
completion. 1t happens that there are
several routes, each with peculiar adj
vantages, each open to peculiar obiec-
tions. Between the several routes,
adherents have fought and wrangled,
with the result that the whole matter
has been delayed, until now DISPOSE
ton is manifest to decide on one route
or the other and do something, mis-
take or no mistake. Not that nothing
has ever been done toward building an
isthmian canal. Hundreds of millions
have been expended by the French at
Panama, and large sums at Nicaragua,
but ships still sail to the southwark
because the isthmus has not been sew
cred.
DeLesseps, builder of the Suez
canal, turned his attention toward
Panama over 80 years ago, and with
faith in him his patriotic countrymen
subscribed hundreds of millions for a
canal to be dug under his direction
through the isthmus at Panama. By
the original plan, 1t was to be sea-
level canal, like the Suez. The earth
and rock were simply to be removed
and ditch cut connecting the two
oceans. 1t looked easy. But Panama
was not Suez. Instead of level
stretch OF sand separating two inland
seas, Panama presented most formi-
A Kill r;lo,o 900 c.