The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-16

abandonment of Phillips idea explorers
from Italy, France and England made
surveys of possible routes across the
lsthmus, and from 1850 to 1866 no few
er than eleven parties crossed ana re-
crossed the country in search of the
best route for the canal, which all felt
must, sooner or later, be constructed.
The building of railroad did but
emphasize the advantages of a water
way. In 1879 an International con-
gress, for the purpose of considering
the matter was assembled in Paris,
and seven different schemes and TWEEN
ty-tWO different routes were submitted
AS result the De Lesseps enterprise
was undertaken the same year. Two
years later the actual work was I'M
der way, and in 1888 the company sus-
pended payment. Several attempts
We're made to resume operations, but
in 1891 came the disclosure of the con-
struction contract scandal and the
most colossal failure of modern times
became a matter of Franch history
Both France and Panama reeled un-
der the blow. 1t was more deadly
to the iSthmus, which had been en-
joying a season of prosperity never
before attained by a modern Spanish
American province. Ten or twelve
thousand laIborers had been regularly
employed by De Lesseps. Their wages
towns. To lose this revenue, which the
Panamaians had fondly believed to be
a mere retaining fee, was almost too
much for their philosophy. In their
distress the Colombian government was
appealed to, but unavailingly. The
authorities at Bogota were either I'M
able or unwilling to help. Some bitter
words were spoken at the time, and
there was even then talk of a separa-
ton. Ever since the best of feeling
has not existed between the state and
the federal government.
The two names most intimately con-
nected with the history of Panama are
those of De Lesseps and Morgan. To
the reader of romance the latter must
ever be the more esteemed. What
memories of delightful, if surreptitious,
reading about the, Spanish Main does
not the bold Welsh name call up!
Though his grim mark was made 200
years before, it remains to-day as plain
almost as the mathematical scars in
tiicted by the French engineer, for the
old City of Panama which the bucca-
neer destroyed in 1870 has never been
rebuilt. This famous buccaneer, be-
fore planning the stroke which was to
set the crown upon his genius, had won
fearsome name in new Spain. He
had headed many successful expedi-
tions and the rumor that he was about
TO essay feat beside which his other
exploits would sink into insignificance.
drew to his side lesser pirate captains
from all ports of the American Medi-
terranean. No more desperate crowd
of freebooters ever assembled than that
which sailed in 1870 under Morgan.
There were 1000 Of them, and thew
manned thirty-seven ships. Selling the
Island of Catalina and using it as a
base, he captured Spanish fort at
the mouth of the Chagres river and
marched overland, at the head of 1900
men, on the City of Panama The free
hooters did not use the Spanish high
way, which was guarded by forts, but
plunged into. the jungle and struggled
through it as best they might. Ragged
and almost starving, they reached the
Pacific coast and hurled themselves
upon the city,. The defense was weak
and yielded speedily under the ferocity
of the buccaneers attack. For weeks
the victors gave themselves up to the
carousal and pillage which attended
every success. Then, carrying with
them more than 100000 in treasure
and hundreds of prisoners, they return
ed as they had come and reached thei,
waiting ships in safety.
Then began one. of the most grimly