New-York tribune., 1902-07-13
LINKING THE BIG OCEANS
JAMES HENRY LEARNS OF THE ADVAN-
TAGES OF THE ISTHMIAN CANAL.

any IL sDU -e-Sls z <A4-NA-e-N--C4- e-l-N So
That's good" when you looked at that picture
Of Uncle Sam with a big straw hat on instead Of
his white tile" asked James Henry.
The big hat was a Panama, and the picture
was a hint that Uncle Sam had decided in favor
Of the Panama Canal. The matter has not been
Settled YET, but Il seems that after many years
Of work in many parts Of the world, after much
investigation, speculation and experimenting,
We viii have a canal down in that part Of the
world which viii unite the two great oceans"
And would that be such a great advantage
IS canal Of that kind worth all the money it
would cost?'
7 don't know how much it Will cost but its
value Is beyond estimation in dollars and cents.
At the present time a ship bound from New
York or Boston 10 san Francisco or TO any
point on the Pacific Coast must go all the way
down 10 the southern point Of South America
and must pass through the troubled waters near
Cape Horn before il can reach the waters Of
the Pacific. With a canal across the isthmus Of
Panama the big trip along both coasts Of South
America VIII be cut of, and the journey viii
b. made shorter and safer. This is not a new
idea. you know A ship canal across the 18TH
mus was spoken Of seriously and a survey was
made by French engineer in 1S43. Subse-
Quently the chief engineer OF the company
which was formed made an estimate for a canal
Win locks 10 cost about S1o0O000oo.
After that the United States Government
sent a commission, under the command Of Cap
tain LuIl, Of the United States Navy, which
located a line for a ship canal twenty-six feet
deep 10 run from Aspinwan on the Caribbean
Sea 70 Panama, the Pacific. But the
pense was found TO be so great. so many OBJ
Etalles in the way of natural conditions and
bad climate had to be overcome that little
progress was made with the actual work. In
1873 vast company was formed, under the
management Of a Frenchman, Count Ferdinand
de Lesseps, IN which twenty-four countries were
represented. Concessions We're received from
the Colombian Government and work on the
forty-siI mile canal was begun. The cost OF
the work was estimated by De Lesseps at Sl2O-
100000, and at the close Of the year 1888 $500
10000 had already been expended, and the
canal was still long distance off. The French
Government sent commission to the scene Of
the work, and the report made by this body
Showed that $342 2Oo0Uc0 additional would be
required TO build the canal"
We'll, what did they do with all the money!"
They evidently did not build canal with It
There was a great scandal in France. De Les
Eeps was disgraced and the canal company
went into the hands OF a receiver and this man
reported in 1890 that it would require S600Oo0,
W. ~ LDLIp plcLc the ADIh Anu LOW lLS C4A4bCA
States wants 10 take up the work where France
let OF. and Il we can get a clear title We will
show them that we know a little more about
such matters than our friends across the water.
We had a demonstration at the time Of the
war with Spain Of the necessity for a canal
connecting the two oceans. The Oregon, one Of
oUT best ships, was on the Pacific Coast and
Ne needed her down in the Caribbean Sea,
whore the Spanish feet was ready TO make
things unpleasant for US. Captain Clark got
his orders 10 proceed TO the South Atlantic, and
lost no time in getting under way. His trip
down the Pacific Coast, around the Horn and up
OF the Atlantic side was the most wonderful Of
us kind ever attempted, and when, after
Journey Of 1900 miles. the Oregon arrived
safe and in time TO take part in the battle with
The Spanish feet. every American felt like
Cheering for Captain Clark. and also like voting
Ter ship canal When next We want ship
10 20 from one ocean 10 the other We want her
10 90 BY the short route"
But We may never have another war;
Even with universal peace We need the
canal. and the necessity for il is even greater
than IN times of war We want il for business.
Win a canal our trade in South America would
increase rapidly. merchant marine would
grow and il would be commercial benefit all
around The people OF this country know this.
ana feel pretty safe In predicting that We will
SoYh have q great ship canal"