The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1909-02-05


became a generally accepted opinion
Some years passed sfter the seiale-
msnt Of these principles either BY pos
live expression or silent acqufesocnce
Of our public men. and thea one Cvh
War absorbed the attention Of the
people. to che exclusion OF every other
interest. But al. vas over
tbs 40 IN % ex-
cite seree he result
that y,both by public action
and private enterprise. examined. ex-
pDored and surveyed every praeticabie
route, and projects without number
were exploited In detail. Similar In
yestigatious were also made by French
engineers. and ms the resuh Of the
latter. ON the Initiative principally %
M. Ferdinand de Lesseps, the Success
full pnojector OF the Suez Canal. con-
gress Of engineers was convened al
Paris on May 10. 1873.
At the Congress OF Paris 135 engi-
neers scientists and statissicians were
present, and De LeseIs was made
President Five standing committees
were appointed-oue on statistics TO
estimate the traffic; one on econo-
mical and commercial questions, to es-
innate the saving of cost in Transporter
ton, opening Of new markets. &C;
one ON navigation, to consider the
effect on naval architecture, effect Cd
currents and such matters. depoh, Of
waGer and size of locks; one on tech-
nical questions, covering the dhferent
routes proposed, cost of construction
and maintenance and safely and speed
Of navigation, and one ON ways and
means. 20 calcu ate cost. revenue and
capital required
In view OF the recent discussion OF
the subject in connection with the
present operations at Panama, 1t is
worthy OF note chat eight routes were
suggested from which the TecnnfaRi
Committee recommended a tide-wRter
canal ON what was commonly called
the committee was adopted by vote
Of rs yeas, nays absent or not vot-
ing 80. The capital required was es-
timaaed at s15O,O00,0OO the cost at
s12O,OOO,OOO the manual revenue at SIS
OOO, 900 and the cost Of maintenance
at s1.2OO.OOO. OF the members Of this
congress about one4half were French;
England had no official representative
but permitted the attendance Of one
unofficial representative, and the
United States sen wo naval Off
Gers.
The Colombian Government had in
1878 made grant Of the exclusive pri-
vilege of constructing canal 70 a
French company, and by the terms
Of the concession the canal and It's
porIs were neusrallzed. Thus the prin'
ciple of naturalization was recognized
by the local authorities. and Ghe gTart
OF authority under which the French
operations were 10 be undertaken, as
it had been in divers negotiations be
tween The Uni.ed States and Great
Britain. This grant antedaited the
Paris Congress, but nothing had been
done under 1t, and in the same year
that the congress was held IL was trans
ferred % the company OF which De
Lesseps was the leading spirit. on II
latter company the first meeting for
practical busineIs was on January 80.
1881, and De Lesseps was made Presi-
dent with a board of "a Directors.
In October OF ttat year The oontrac-
tors commenced work.
PIdor to this the United States I'm
tervened dip lmainlly. Columbia pro.
posed a joint guarantee by European
Powers of the neutrality OF The canal.
Mr.. Blaine, then Secretary of State,
protested that such action would be re
garded by the United States as vio-
Ation OF the Monroe Doctrine, as we'll
as in contravenlon of its treaty obj
cations as sole guaranGor Of the dh-
tegrity of Columbian territory. This
was followed by a proposal to Great
Britain to abIogate the Claybon-Bul-
wer treaty, IN order TO allow our Gov
ernment to 1ortify and control cam
al Tin connection with the local Gov
ernment) II one should be buit. What
promised 10 be long diplomatic ne
gotaa.don was cut short by the death
Of President Garfield and the subject
was not resumed until recently when
the present project was put under
way