THE PANAMA CANAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2130, 27 October 1885, Page 2

THE PANAMA CANAL.

M.- de Lessepa' report on the progress of the Panama Canal, which was read at the annual general meeting of the shareholders, held at Paris on July 29th, is a document of unusual interest.' M, de Lesseps admits that modifications of detail, necessitated by circumstances, have been introduced into the general programme of the work, but the leading principles of that programme have not been altered, That programme consisted, first, in the cuttingof a canal from Panama to Colon, nine metres deep below the average height of the waters in the two oceans; second, the width of the canal was to be 22 metres at the bottom ; third, the canal between the two oceans was not to comprise any tunnel, but to be an open cutting in its entire length; fourth, at Panama a lock was to be established, to prevent the tide creating a swiftcurrent in the canal; fifth, in the middle of the course of the canal a long station or siding, five kilometres in extent, waß to be created; sixth, at Ha Gaboa an immense dam was to be coustrueted, so as to intercept the waters of the Rio Chagres, and to give them another course. The execution of this programme has been proceeded with during the current year, and the machines necessary for the completion of the works of the canal have already reached the isthmus, or are in course of construction. In support of this assertion M; de Lesseps quotes a passage from a report received from the director-general of tho works to that effect, and which concludes thuslt therefore follows that even if we had only commenced the dry excavation work of the isthmus on January 1, 1885, and only begun the dredging work on January 1,1886. the canal could bo completed on January 1, 1888. To be provided against all possible accidents there is all the dry excavation work executed before January 1, 1885, and all tho dredging, which was to be done before January 1,1885." M. de Leßseps goes on to say that, there is no doubt that half the effort necessary for the cutting of the canal has already been made. M, de Lesseps says:—"The regular continua-. tion of the piercing of the isthmus and the completion of the canal in 1888 are the best replies that can be opposed to the adversaries of the canal. We will no doubt do our partners in the work (the shareholders) the injury of supposing that they are moved by Buch nianceuvreß."