Year: 1879

the route chosen. but tho Same may be SID win
greater reason of their two bitter opponents.


POSITION OF THE AMERICAS DELkGArIox.


There has been An impression produced on the
american people that the delegates from the United
Nicaragua OF the eleven American delegates only
seven went to Paris and of these three voted for tho
Panama route. The fact that Commander Selfridgs
voted also for this route tends to prove that the
general opinion of the American engineers who hsv9
studied the question ID not unanimous in favor Of
Nicaragua as the partisans OF that route would
desire. Besides the special knowledge which Conn
mander Sefridge Of the topography Of tho
Isthmus he has consulted eminent American epQi-
neers during the long years he studied the question
of an interoceanic canal At the Congress he sus-
tanned the Atrato and Napipi route to the last;
and Panama he openly supported the latter. Colonel
Totten. the veteran engineer Of the Panama Rail-
studied the different canal routes is of opinion that
the one through Panama is the best and that canal
with locks by tins route is preferable TO similar
work by Nicaragua trust III the good sense OF tho
people of the United States to agree with me thas
the opinion Of these two distinguished American
officers is entitled to some for besides
their high professional standing. they possess .
thorough knowledge of the topography and other
natural conditions Of the Isthmus based on mar
sonal experience and exhaustive labor.


EARTHQUAKES ON THE IsTHMus


One of the points on which the opponents OF the
Panama route have laid great stress that reatue
to the presumed earthquakes on the Isthmus Ad-
miral Ammen said. in lecture delivered by him last
winter IN New York, that this OF the serious
disadvantages OF that route. and lately he addressed
letter to the Paris Congress, in which he gave a.
an instance OF what may happen. the destruction
OF the old city of Panama by an earthquake l0d
years ago. 1t is we'll known to geogrsphers and
travellers that volcanoes exist on the Isthmus ol
Panama proper. and that no ignivomous mountains
are found north Of Darien or south OF Chiriqui
The merest tyro In history knows we'll the city Of
Panama WAS not destroyed by an earthquake. but BY
the English pirate. Morgan. This Is = sample o4
some OF the arguments against tho Panama route.


also wish to say before leaving the subject. and
in answer to the insnuation with reference to the
Congress, that none OF its members connected
with the financial association holding the concessions
from the Colombian government Al regards the
new company announced by Admiral Ammen. Il
may serve only to mask some political intrigue. or.
again. 1t may be the intention OF its directors to
launch the enter PRISE with subsidy from the gov
ernment at Washington; but the people Of Europe
and America will not risk their capital in under
taking which has been rejected by some Of the most
eminent engineers OF our times without second
thought and thorough conviction that the work
they invited to patronize is the that satisfies
best the exigencies OF commerce. not only with yo
gard to present need but also with respect to the
great development which is to follow the COM
pletion Of this great work OF humanity aud prog.
ress A MEMBER OF TIE PARIS CONGRESS-.


NEW YORK. Sept. 2. 1879.