THE GLOBE. MONDAY, MARCH 8, 1880.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1884, 8 March 1880, Page 2

THE GLOBE. MONDAY, MARCH 8, 1880.

It is now some time since wo called attention in our columns to the importance to this colony of the question of the formation of a ship canal through the Isthmus of Panama. We then adverted to the completely altered position on the map of the commercial world which New Zealand would hold in the event of the project being carried to a successful issue. For not only would our commercial communications with the old country and the Eastern States of America he shortened to an amazing extent, but as in all probability much of the Australian trade would come that way, wo should be in the position of one of the stages on the route, and at all events should most certainly find ourselves the emporium for the South Sea trade, a position taken up at the present moment by New South Wales. The Press of the colony at large has not apparently exhibited any interest in the problem which enterprising spirits in other parts of the world are endeavouring to solve to our advantage, but the advantages to be gained by this colony by the construction of a ship canal are none the less apparent to any one who turns his attention for a single moment to the question. There are, up to the present, several distinct schemes before the public, going by the generic name of Panama schemes. The first is M. Lesseps’ scheme of a canal through the Isthmus of Panama proper, the second that of the Nicaragua canal, the third that of a canal through the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and the fourth that of a ship railway proposed to be made at any one of half a dozen points. The Panama and Nicaragua schemes are the best known, and of the two, M. Lesseps’ scheme has naturally drawn upon itself the lion’s share of public attention. The name of its sponsor has .been generally considered a guarantee that the scheme is practicable, looked at both in an engineering and financial point of view. It is certainly the one that New Zealanders should most favour, as the canal would lie in the most direct route to this country, but it is very evident that our good wishes will not aid the scheme in the slightest. The question will apparently bo settled by the Americans alone. Apart entirely from any feelings of hostility which the Americans may entertain for a scheme which does not originate in their country, and which seems to militate against the almighty Monroe theory, stands the fact that, as the French nation do not show the slightest symptoms of a desire to invest their spare cash in the speculation, it will rest with American capitalists to supply the funds for the carrying into effect of the ship canal project. Now it would appear that thoLossep’s scheme, according at least to his own showing, possesses the following advan-

tages. The Panama canal would be but one-third of the length of the Nicaragua canal; it has good harbors at both ends whereas the Nicaragua canal has at either end; it has no locks, whereas the other will have twenty-one, each of which will probably require two hours for passing a vessel, and it has long curves fitted for large steamers, while the Nicaragua canal has short turns, with a radius of only 700 yards. But taken from an American point of view it has one objection which will, in conjunction with the minor obstacle of its being a French scheme, probably prove fatal to it, and that is—that it is too far south. Naturally, to an American, one of the chief objects in any canal through Central America is to provide cheap water communication between the Eastern and Western States, and between the Eastern States and China, and the Nicaragua route would save vessels 500 miles of distance and three degrees of tropical latitude. This consideration will, in all probability, divert the flow of American capital in the direction of the Nicaragua scheme. As far as the question of cost is concerned, the Nicaragua Canal is not likely to be as expensive as M. do Lesseps’ protege. Owing to the difficult nature of the country, the cost of the Panama Canal proper is estimated by some as high as forty millions sterling. This sum would considerably exceed that necessary for the Nicaragua scheme. As for the Tehuantepec scheme, no specific report has been made on the nature of the country to be traversed, but those who advocate it apparently do so in face of the fact that enormous physical difficulties will have to be overcome, as the distance to he traversed is about one hundredand fifty miles, and the Cordilleras Mountains will have to be cut through. The main argument on which the favorers of this scheme depend is evidently the fact that the Tehuantepec isthmus being the furthest north of any of the three points suggested, a canal cut through it would save ships going from the Eastern to the Western States no less a distance than 1000 miles, and nine degrees of tropical latitude as compared with the Panama Canal. As far consequently] as can be seen from the information to hand, it would appear that the scheme most likely to bo carried into practical effect will be the Nicaragua scheme, and that, on account of its cheapness and by reason ef its suiting the American course of commerce better than the Panama scheme. On this latter scheme Admiral Ammen, who was a member of the Paris Congress held on the subject of an interoceanic canal, has been lecturing at New York, and has handled the affair somewhat roughly. He declares the Congress to have been a “plant” pre-arranged by speculators and stock-jobbers, and plainly accuses M. de Lesseps of being actuated in the matter mainly by motives of greed. It may be trusted that the gallant Admiral was in a bilious condition when at Paris, and was apt to see affairs through anything but rose-colored glasses, for the spectacle of such a distinguished individual as the hero of the Suez Canal lending himself to a underhand stockjobbing transaction would not be an agreeable one., But, at all events. Admiral Ammon’s statements have been received with a certain amount of credence by the Americans at large, and are not at all likely to advance the Panama scheme in general favor. The fourth scheme to which we referred in the beginning of this article is that of a ship railway. The plan of placing even moderately sized vessels on railway cars and transporting them across the isthmus to be dropped again into the Pacific on the other side would appear at first sight to be somewhat chimerical. But nevertheless it has been taken up warmly by several American papers, and Mr. E. J. Reid, formerly Chief Constructor of the British Navy, is said to be a convert to the idea. The danger of straining the vessels, the alleged impossibility of constructing a satisfactory permanent way, and the difficulties in the matter of the cars turning curves with a large ship on the top of them, have all of them been brought forward as so many reasons why this idea is purely visionary. But the scientific men who pin their faith to it assert that all of these drawbacks can be satisfactorily overcome, and that, given the necessary capital, the matter can be carried to a successful issue. In these days of advanced practical science it is hard to say what is and what is not impossible, but certainly the ship canal schemes are carrying the day except among a few enthusiasts, more particularly as they have the Suez Canal as a precedent, while the ship railway stands apart as a totally novel idea. Apart from the questions of ship canals and ship railways, that of making another trans-continental railway is occupying great attention in America. The next one will be, in all probability, across Honduras, or across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. At present the only ones in existence are the present one across the main body of the continent and the one across the Isthmus of Panama. A railway at either of the two points mentioned above would save travellers, who now go by Panama, the delay of descending to that latitude, and would besides pass through much healthier country. The question is of much importance to Americans, but does ■in no way vitally affect Now Zealand interests as do the ship canal and ship railway questions.