The mirror., 1915-04-15

ing map of America, dated 15O6-O7
shows the two American continents
separated by a wide waterway. This
map was published in connection
with the book which gave America
it's present name, though in the map
only the southern continent was 80
named, the northern country being
called Parios. Another map publish
ed about year later in connection
with Roman edition of Ptolemy,
shows a narrow strait between the
two continents in nearly the same
latitude as that in which the present
canal is situated, though, of course
the longitude is very different in
accordance with the then prevalent
idea of the size of the Earth. Balboa
and his companion explorers dis
proved the existence of waterway
to Asia in that region, but the idea
of direct westerly communication
between the two oceans persisted
long after his time, and even after
Magellan and Drake had sailed
around South America and along
the western coast line of America as
far north as the mouth of the Oregon
river. Long before the quest for
the Hidden Strait. as the suppos-
edly existing natural waterway was
known, was given up, however. the
first proposal of an artificial water
route or canal was made.
In 1929, Alvaro Ceron, follow
er of Balboa, proposed the connec-
tions of the two oceans through
Panama or Darian, Charles V. of
Spain took first official cognizance
of these proposals in 1913, issuing a
decree directing a survey of the
Isthmus to determine the feasibility
of a canal across it. Such canal
was reported as impossible two
years later by the Spanish Govern
or of Panama, who made the survey.
The next formal step towards the
construction of an inter-oceanic
canal was taken twenty-three years
later by Charles son and successor
Philip II, who directed survey of
Nicaragua, which eliminated in an
equally discouraging report.
After this, no further step towards
the construction of canal was TAX
en- for nearly two centuries, until
the scientist Humbolt visited the
Isthmus in the early nineteenth CEN
tury. and aroused worldwide in
terest by protesting his belief in
the possibility of trans-isthmaian
Canal, and naming nine possible
routes, including the present Pana-
ma Canal route. In 1914 the Spanish
Cortes passed decree for the con-
struction of canal adequate for the
passage of ships. but no action was
taken under this decree, and soon
afterwards the Spanish Colonies in
Central and South America began to
throw off the yoke of Spain. In
1923 the possibilities of Spanish
Canal ceased when the last of these
established their independence.
The first efforts towards an Ameri-
can-constructed Canal were made
in 1825-26. when a company of
American business men headed by
Aaron H. Palmer, of New York, en-
tered into a contract with the Re-
public of Central America for the
construction of Canal by way of
Nicaragua with the approval of the
| United States Govt, expressed thru
Secy, of State, Henry Clay. in a let
ter assuring the Central American
Representative at Washington, of the
Deepest interest taken by the Govt,
of the United States in an under
taking so highly calculated to diffuse
an extensive influence on the affairs
Of mankind. This effort was aban-
doned in 1927. and like project,
by a Netherlands Company. three
years later, also failed. In 1885
Pres. Jackson, sent a representative
/ to Panama and Nicarapua to renOri