The Washington times., 1903-11-22
MINISTER OF PANAMA
A NAN OF ONE IDEA
Of Pleasing Address and
Finesse of Manner.
TALENTED FRENCH ENGINEER
Has Wo-Aed Many Years to Realize
Dream OF Uniting Two Oceans
at Isthmus.
TALENTED FRENCH ENGINEER

As the chief representative OF "a now
born nation sprung into being with a
sUddeunesS that has made she whole
world gasp the limclight of public att
tontiou has been focused an AT once on
TIE person of H. Philippe Bunau-Narilla.
a citizel OF France. whom the republic
Of Panama. in recognition OF the intlC-
fausable work he has done i'm behalf
OF the bu1 ding OF canal across the
isthmu~. has named minister plenipoten-
tiary ami envoy extraordinary 10 The
United States-
Duly accredited by the State Depart
ment and President of the United States.
N. Bunau-Narilla is now fully empower
cd 10 negotiate with the washington
Government a treaty which apparently
VIII make possible the contamination of
the project 81 uniting the waters of the
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans across the
continent of America The swiftness
with which vents have occurred IN me
rapid evolution of a state into the fam-
iy OF nations is now 10 be followed
speedily by negotiations between the
two governments. NJ. Variua losing no
time 20 present these matters 10 the
state Department.
Personally a man of exceptionally
pleasing address. with charm. ana
hnesse of manner that stamps him at
once as a Frenchman, NJ VarilIa is
likely 10 take high rank i'm the diplo-
matte service. His career is of unusual
interest
His One Idea.
NJ. VariHa says he has never forgot
ten the fact that an isthmian canal was
one OF the greatest projects of the age.
Il have consecrated my life 10 it," are
his words, and my devotion is that of
a soldier 70 his nag"
Born IN 1559 at Paris. NJ Bunau-Va-
rilia WAS admitted into the EOle Poly
technique 10 1875 From this military
school he was grauated into the service
Of the Points ct Clauses. 10 which only
the highest members OF the class are
admitted NJ Narilla early conceived the
idea Of Identifying himself With the
Panama Canal project He went TO Pan
anna ia 1854 and spent the next four
years there. having been allowed TO
enter the service of the old Panama
Canal Company as engineer His com
mission as a captain in the engineer
service of France N. Varilla holds 10
this day
In his life on the isthmus NJ Varilla
fought with nature the terrible battle
of the Culehra which was deemed an
impossible BARRIER. he solved the Cha
gres problem. and his soluuou Is the one
adopted in Its .essentiaI features By tbs
Government
Al the age Of twen!y-seven years, NJ
Narilla was decorated with the Legion
Of Honor by President Grevy for his
works on the isthmls. Returning from
Panama in 1859. NJ Varilla devoted his
attention 10 other engineering works
lie directed the building Of the FIRST
great railway in Africa. connecting Ma
tagi with Stanley Pool, and putting
IN communication with Europe the wild
center OF the Dark Continent This rail-
road system. known as the Congo Rail
way. was opened in 1891. It's construc-
ton required the " 3rlz of years
He then turned 10 railroad building IN
Spain and was chairman Of the board OF
directors Of the fourth largest railroad
IN that country. where he lived Tie
greater part of the time between 1S9i-
1886 This railroad built by a syndicate
il may be Interesting 10 note was re-
GENTLY bought by the Marquis de Ca
millias the wealthiest man in Spain.
who practically owns the Compagrie
TrausatlantiQue. The system is now
known as the Compagnie Madrid Ca
ceras. and Portugal
Letter From Dreyfus-
An interesting bit OF history in con
nection with the reopening of me ia
nous Dreyfus ease and his final acaulr-
tai grows out OF Alr. Varilla's work
With lie Congo Railway. Il was by
means of "a personal letter from Drev-
fus 90 a. Narilla asking information
with regard 20 conditions IN the Congo
State. that the present minister through
his brother n. Maurice Esunau-Varilia.
proprietor Of the Paris Matln was en-
abied 10 establish the faIsity OF tho
handwriting in the famous bordereaux
which figured in the case
The letter from Drcyfus was found g..
II Narilla IN his library He showed II
10 his brOthes VINO had an original COW
If the document that had sent Drey-
fus 10 prison. and together they COM
pared the handwriting wien the result
that the forgery vas made evident The
story was published IN the ''Matin" the
next morning- and as result the inves-
tigation followed.
sight ~ his plans for the isthmian canal
and On le-2 he Published "a book pre-
seuting the whole situation az Panama
as % was ~ that time. and demon
strated therein how the canal could be-
finished It's contents were 10 the eff
feet that 10 was impossible % obtain a
satisfactory route across Nif fraEua and
the truth or the argument was admit
ted eight years later By the Isthmian
LectuTed IN Canal
Following spon tiIs NJ Variila began
vigorous campaign in behalf OF the
canal project. both in France and ia
America Iu this country De gave "a Sc
ries Of lectures an Cincinnati az the
guest of Myrou r. Herrick, az Chicago
as the guest OF James bearing. az Bos-
ton before The commercial bodies
there. az Princeton CONVERSELY. and be-
fore the Chamber Of Commerce of the
state Of New York 20 was through
this campaign that he gained a mum
Der Of friends in Influential circles in
This country.
Returning 40 France he again brought
rhe matter 40 before that govern
ment. Offering % take stock To- the
amount OF $500 to aid in raising the
sum ~ Si0O.e1e9g needed 20 carry out
the scheme. He continued AN active
opponent Of the Nicaraguau route and
wrote article iu an the French papers
. In this cc ntry. George AIorisoE. "a
member Of ne lsthmiau Canal Commits
sion, proposed 20 ne Geographic So