The Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder. — 1886-04-03 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

SWANSEA AND THE PANAMA CANAL.  If Swansea has to wait for her Prosperity until the opening of the Panama Canal we fear abe will have to wait until those who now direct her trade are, together, with M. de Lceseps, beneath the turf. While the old French engineer and bin staff were engaged in a series of banquets and pleasure parties at Panama on the Ist met., the commissioner of the Sew York Herold sought an inter, iew at Colon with M. Bunean Varilla, the engineer who has been in charge of the works ever since their commencement. and put to him several practical questions "Taking the whole canal how many drulgent and excavators have you in actual work ? ' "We have at present," said M. Vanilla, "seven American dredgers, three marine dredgere, and fire French dredgers. There are also fpnrteen French dredgers being prepared at the company's works, on the Isthmus. The number of excavators at work is about seventy, while the number en route for the Isthmus or in course of equipment is forty more." "At how many cubic metres do you estimate the total output necessary to complete the canal, and, secondly, how much work has been already completed!-" The total number of cubic metres to be extracted I reckon at 120,000,000—that is, counting all the cuttings at an angle of 45 deg., which in rocky spots, , may be diminished. The amount already done by contract is estimated at fourteen millions." "'Can you give me your decided opinion as to whether the canal will be completed in 1889!-" '• You are asking me a very delicate question and one to which I could not positively reply, but I will say that if difficultien miner there would be delays at the culebra and thereabouts." Now, I want you as nearly as possible to give me, first, the number of workmen at present employed upon the works, and, next, the increase of hands you. propose making underthe new " regime ?" "We have," replied M. Vanilla, "at present in our employ from twelve to fifteen thousand men. Tee number which will be necessary under our new eocees of activity I eetimate at from thirty to thirty-five thousand." M. Vanilla gives me (says the correspondent) the highest completed output of any one I have yet met. The largest amount I had hitherto heard of had been 11,000,000 cubic metres completed out of a total of 126,000,000. This latter calculation would tally with the reports of Mr. Kimble, of the United States Army, and counting the i,count of work eince done, I cannot help at loot placing them on an equal level with M. Varilla'a figures, which are obtained from engineers on the works whom I have found apt le quoting millions with wondrous facility."  Late on Mouday evening, a young woman, named Hannah Maria Noakes, cormnitted„.. hastily summoned Cabinet Council was called suicide under most distressing eirehhu "•' dahee. for 2 o'clock on Monday afternoon, and at a quarter. the River Taff, near Tongwynlais. The poor past 2 o'clock Lord Kimberley and Mr. Childers had girl, who was about twenty years of age, and visited the Prime Minister and returned again to join whose character was of the blohest, had, it ap- the Lord Chancellor, the Marquis of Ripon, Earl pears, been for nearly ei uneetic ser- Spencer, Mr. Mundella, and Mr. Morley. rant in the employ or of The Sir Charles Warren, amompanied by his aide. Hawthorne, Llandaff de-camp, arrived at Dover, by special steamer on The toll iwing state of trade Monday morning. in the Rhondda will at ones how serious Mr. Grain on Monday came before Mr. Justice the depression has been of late. Nine larze ' Greve and Hr. Jodice steam to the Queen's Beech collieries were idle last Thursday, aud ten on Division, and said that he had .to mention •caae that Saturday, excluding Ynyswen and Tynybedw had attained some degree of notoriety, that of Goose, cauterise, witteh have thee,n stopped altogether, v. Jardine." Their lordships had stayed execution 111100 the defendant by 12 o'clock on Saturday the latter heeler been now idle over six months In consequence of the depression of trade. Eleven bat sytng into oourt £34. This he had not. done. . Just:toe Grove 'rhea, execution could be aimed, pita were at a standstill on Monday, six on Mrs Grain said further some books had been ordered Tuesday, and t.-day (Wednesday) several by Hr. Justios Hawkins, witaiwid in tin, custody collieries, besides the four lerlire Ocean Pit., sre au. come sad the plaintiff now wished to have them again idle. Bute-Merthyr Colliery only worked books delivered task to her. Mr. Justice Grove add one day during the last fortnight, and has not that that applieatime had bow ho mode to Me. .141„, yet oommenced this week. A number of large Mee Revlon& tamlUee have recently emigrated from here to A fire at Keyweet has destroyed a greet poi.Amarelle, and others contemplate starting very tion of the city. The loss la estimated at one 1100 a. 1 million pounds.  Z;;"