Year: 1872

American Isthmian Canal.


The latest advices represent the prospects Of
the long-proposed Isthmian Canal as bright
and Frightening. The timely surveys ordered
three years ago by the President takes a
lively interest IN the enterprise not
exhausted for engineering purposes, are now
sufficiently matured to justify several undenia-
BILE deductions.


In the hrst place the various surveys put
beyond all doubt the fact that there are no
physical, meteorologic or climatic impediments
IN the way of its construction that are not
easily surmounted. Heretofore the chief diff
Guilty was conjectured to be the torrential rain
fall OF the tropics, which, during the rainy
season, makes every streamlet river and
every ravine roaring rush Of waters. The
objection to any kind Of canal, which is sug-
gested by this fact, is, however, obviated by
two considerations-the canal can be made as
tunnel over portion Of the Napipi route,
which would not be exposed to the washing
and tearing force of the debris drifted by the
heavy rain and, furthermore, by system
OF lockage over the Nicaraguan route the
canal can be built on the crest of the inter-
oceanic divide, and, thus elevated, its bed
would not be liable to injury from this source
The total altitude of the last-named route, over
which the water would be carried would
be only one hundred and six feet to the level
OF Lake Nicaragua and by slight detour hard
and solid ground can be obtained north of
Greytown.


Besides establishing the feasibility of this
great undertaking the surveys already made
greatly simplify the problem by reducing the
choice of routes to that by the Nicaraguan
Lake. or by one of the natural routes along
the Napipi valley. The determination of this
fact is important rs showing that there are
none others Of the many routes proposed that
will at all compare with these two. BY next
Spring the final surveys of the Darien and
Nicara9uan lines will be in the hands of the
government, ready for immediate use in the
actual prosecution of the work.


Without desiring to anticipate the decision
of the engineers it is obvious that, other
things being equal, the American people will
prefer the Nicaaguan route. But, however
this may be, the time has now arrived for
bringing the matter actively before Congress
for such early and decisive preliminary legisla-
ton as may best serve to expedite and adj
vance the construction OF the canal rs soon
as the route is chosen.


There are of course many who. like those
who a few years ago derided the idea Of Suez
Canal, Mont Gents Tunnel or Pacific Rail-
road will treat the whole scheme as Utopian
But, with the Presidents earnest advocacy
and the known urgency of its need and its
already great popularity in the United States,
it is to be hoped that nothing will be allowed
to delay the beginning of active operations
and the adoption Of such measures as will in
sure its early completion The Suez Canal,
with not half the natural advantages that
would be enjoyed by the American Canal, has
proved magnificent success, both engineer
ing and financial. That at an early day the
Atlantic and Pacific will be united by SINH
lar structure no one doubts. The only ques-
ton is Shall the United States or some other
Power reap the golden. rewards of building it?