Arizona republican., 1903-04-27
DARIEN ROUTE AGAIN.

When the selection of a route for the isthmian canal was under considera ton and there was an apparent deadlock between the advocates of Nicaragua and those of Panama there appeared al Washington a number of gentlemen to urge the claims of the Darien route. They represented a company having q concession and full title to construct q canal across the Darien istrmus, and presented strong arguments in favor of adopting that route.
 With the ratification by the senate of the treaty with Colombia for the con struction of the canal across the isth mus at Panama it was believed the Darien project would be abandoned. It appears, however. the company is so firmly convinced of the superiority Of their line that they are now trying to have it financed by European capital ists and constructed as a competing line. It is also reported that the enter prise has been taken under considera- tion by British capitalists and that it is probable they will enter upon it's construction.
 The Darien project has many attrac- tions. The route is the shortest be- tween the two oceans. it is the onls one that offers an opportunity for sea level canal from end to end. and it has on each ocean 9 good harbor in which to provide for shipping while awaiting entrance to the canal The difficulty of the route is that it is tra- versed by a lofty mountain range of solid rock. The plan of the projectors is to cut through the mountain a tun- nel ten miles long and large enough to enable ocean steamers to pass through.
 The mere suggestion of such an ob- stacle few years ago would have been suffcien to put the project out of the range of practical enterprises In late years, however, there have been enor- nous developments in the way of inn proved facilities for tunne ling and bor- ing through rock. and it is now believed by the promoters of the Darien scheme that the san Bias" canal, as it is called, could be cut through the ten miles of mountain cheaper and quicker than canal can be constructed either at Panama or at Nicaragua.
 General Serrell who is promoting the route, is reported to have already ob- tained subscriptions of upward of s5O,- 000.000 in London to begin the work and, according to Washington authori- ties, the report has probably a good foundation in fact. A recent dispatch from that city says: Tn official circles an interesting explanation is given of the English interest in the San Bias route. It will be remembered that some months ago Sir Michael Herbert had a conference with Secretary Hay in which he asked certain preferences for British ships in the use of the con- pleted Panama canal. The reply was given that the canal would be for the use of the commerce of the world, and that the privileges asked could not be given. In consequence of this attitude taken by MT. Hay it is suspected that the construction O. rival canal across Darien has proved attractive to Great Britain. and there may possibly be some foundation for the report that is so interesting to Generel SerreI and his friends
 While the construction of a compet- ing canal would to some extent impair the value of the American canal by Panama, it is by no means certain that it would not be on the whole beneficial to commerce. At any rate the con- struction of the San Bias canal would be interesting by reason of the spec tacular feature of the big tunnel through which ocean ships would pass The achievement of such triumph O. engineering would give the twentieth century something to be proud of in the days of its youth and serve as an incentive to further engineering works