Year: 1877

Few projects connected with the develop
ment OF commercial prosperity appeal more
powerfully to our interests for recognition
and execution than that which promises
navigable passage across the American
isthmus. The magnitude and costliness of
the undertaking are such as to deter most
people from even considering its feasibility
but when compared with the results to COM
merce that must inevitably follow its COM
pletion few will hesitate to admit that it has
already become necessity to our progress.
The question of an interoceanic ship canal
across the isthmus derives importance from
several causes which combine to that end.
The narrow neck of land which separates
two great oceans and compels long and dan
gerous voyages to accomplish the transporta-
ton by water of merchandise from the
Atlantic ports Of America and all European
countries to the Pacific coasts of America
and Asia, lies as q barrier across a
natural and very direct highway, and
as such must be overcome. The
difficulty has boen, since the inception
of the idea Of canal, to locate route pre-
senting the least engineering obstacles to
its construction, and consequently necessi-
tating the least cost. Physical conditions
generally dominate schemes such as this
more than considerations Of expense, for the
arbitrary laws of commercial competition
point out the shortest routes as those along
which success can be found.


In the case of the Suez Canal the question
of short route to India governed all others
except that one of the practicability of tho
scheme. None of the projectors doubted
the degree to which the worlds commerce
would sustain the undertaking if once COM
pleted for they knew that as water seeks
the lowest level under the influence of grav-
ity so also would merchandise flow through
the shortest channels between the producer
and the consumer. 1t therefore became
mere question as to the practicability of cut
ting channel through the sandy desert
to unite the waters Of the Red Sea and the
Mediterranean. Engineering skill demon
strated that this could be done, and it
has been done, at great expense, it is
true, but not greater than the BEN
efits annually accruing to commerce
have fully warranted Now, taking the
parallel case of the American isthmus, we
find that if the projectors of the Suez Canal
were justified by the conditions of commerce
in executing that stupendous work, still
more imperative claim may be said to be adj
vanced in behalf of what we have already
called a necessity to our progress. The trade
between the United States and Japan and
China is yearly growing in magnitude. We
have at present only long sea water trans
portation or q part overland and part oceanic
route for our goods, the one involving delay
and risk and the other expense and the ne
cessity of transshipment at San Francisco.
If the canal across the isthmus was once
opened q vessel could leave New York and
deliver her cargo in Yokohama without
breaking bulk, and in nearly as short time
as it now takes to send freight to Japan over
the Union Pacific Railroad. We therefore
regard the proposed canal across the isthmus
as the most important work to which the
government and people Of the United
States can direct their attention, and hope
to see q vigorous effort made during the
coming year to insure its construction.