Part 1 (2/2)
Although at first sight it may appear to be a work of supererogation, to carry the Ca.n.a.l over that part of the Isthmus which is traversed by navigable rivers, it is by many engineers considered preferable in forming a Ca.n.a.l, to use the rivers in its vicinity only for the purpose of supplying the Ca.n.a.l with water, and not as a continuation of the inland navigation, on account of the variation in the depth of rivers from floods, or other accidents. Which of these two courses would be most expedient in the present instance, may be safely left to the determination of the engineer selected to carry out the undertaking;--it is sufficient to know that _either is practicable_, and that the expense of cutting the Ca.n.a.l the whole width of the isthmus would meet with a corresponding return to the undertakers.
The princ.i.p.al difficulty antic.i.p.ated in the execution of the work, arises from the unhealthiness of the climate on the Atlantic side of the isthmus--a difficulty to which the writer is by no means insensible. It has, however, been exaggerated, and by proper arrangements may be surmounted. The causes of this unhealthiness are chiefly the swampy state of the ground on the Atlantic side of the Isthmus (which the Ca.n.a.l itself, acting as a drain upon the surrounding country, will greatly tend to remove), and the malaria engendered by the closeness of the woods, and by the acc.u.mulation of decayed vegetable substances, which the opening of the country, incidental to the formation of the Ca.n.a.l now proposed, and the road afterwards adverted to, will tend to alleviate; and after all, those who have visited this part of the Isthmus, concur in stating that the mortality in the low lands about Chagres is princ.i.p.ally owing to the imprudence of the Europeans visiting the country, in exposing themselves to the night dews by sleeping in the open air, and indulging in habits of intemperance.[8] If an a.s.sociation were formed for carrying out the work now projected, one of the first cares of the managers should be to erect huts or barracks for the protection of the workmen against exposure to the weather, and the appointment of a medical officer, who should be entrusted with sufficient powers to ensure obedience to his regulations.
If the industry of the native population could be depended upon, there would be no want of labourers inured to the climate, but the inertness of the natives renders it inexpedient to rely upon them alone; although, working in conjunction with Europeans, and stimulated by their example, and by the love of gain, their services may, no doubt, be made available. There is, however, no difficulty in collecting from the Southern States of North America a sufficient number of Irish labourers inured to a tropical climate, as was lately clearly shewn by the formation of a railway at the Havanna, which was almost entirely constructed by this cla.s.s of men.
Any deficiency of labourers, it is considered, could easily be drawn from the mining districts of Cornwall, from Ireland itself, or from Scotland, or the North of England.
The next consideration is the expense of constructing a s.h.i.+p Ca.n.a.l across the Isthmus, and the probable returns. The estimates which have been made, and of which the result is given below, suppose the Ca.n.a.l to be cut through the whole width of the Isthmus, from the Bay of Limon to that of Chorrera, and they include a large outlay for improving the harbours formed by the two bays.
The first item that would occur in an undertaking of the same nature _in this country_, would be the purchase of the land. Here a great advantage presents itself in the present enterprise; for the Government of New Granada, fully appreciating the permanent advantages to be derived to the state from the execution of a work, which it is unequal to accomplish by its own resources, has repeatedly offered to grant the land required, for 60, 70, or 80 years, according to the magnitude of the works, free of rent, or burdens of any kind, and to admit the importation, free of duty, of all materials and provisions necessary for the undertaking.
EXPENSES.
The expenses of cutting the Ca.n.a.l, and of the direction and management of a Company const.i.tuted for that purpose, up to the period of the opening of the Ca.n.a.l have been estimated at[9] 1,713,177
But if it be deemed expedient to raise two millions, in order to provide for any unforseen casualties, the difference will be 286,823 ---------- Total outlay 2,000,000
RETURNS.
From information derived from official sources in England, France, and the United States of America, it is estimated that the tonnage of vessels belonging to those countries and to Holland, trading in countries to which the Ca.n.a.l through the Isthmus will be the shortest voyage, amount to 799,427 tons per annum; and there can be no doubt that the opening of the Ca.n.a.l would create a great extension of trade to the South Seas, as well as induce the owners of many of the vessels now using the navigation by the Cape of Good Hope to prefer the shorter voyage through the Isthmus; and when we add to this consideration, the fact that the above calculations do not include the vessels belonging to Spain, Sardinia, the Hanse Towns, and other nations of minor importance as maritime powers, but possessing in the aggregate a trade not altogether inconsiderable, nor the traffic that may be expected to flow to the Pacific from the West Indies, the British Colonies in North America, and the countries on the north east coast of South America, the tonnage of vessels that will be attracted to the Ca.n.a.l may be fairly estimated at 800,000 tons.
A tonnage duty of $2 per ton, on 800,000 tons will produce $1,600,000, equal, at 4s. 2d., to 333,333
Allowing a deduction for the annual expenses of a sum much larger than will probably be required, say 40,000 -------- There will remain a Balance of annual profit of 293,333
This in turn will give upwards of 14-1/2 per cent. profit on the above outlay of 2,000,000.
The Isthmus has recently been surveyed by M. Garella, an eminent French Engineer, whose opinions will be found in the extract from the _Moniteur_, contained in the Appendix. He was employed to make the survey by the French Government, and his official Report has not yet been made public. He differs in several material points from M. Morel, another French gentleman, who is stated to have lately surveyed the Isthmus;[10] but if the formation of a ca.n.a.l should be undertaken by an English company, the parties engaged in the enterprize would doubtless be guided by the English engineer whom they would employ, in the selection of the most eligible line, while the labours of his predecessors would greatly aid him in his survey.
As subservient to the grand project of a s.h.i.+p Ca.n.a.l, an improved road across the Isthmus has been projected. The abundance of hard wood to be found on the spot, would furnish a cheap material for converting it into a tram-road. The expense has been estimated by French engineers at 40,000 sterling, and the returns, even according to the present transit of goods and pa.s.sengers across the Isthmus by the miserable road now existing from Cruces to Panama, would, at a very moderate toll, be enormous on that outlay.
APPENDIX.
The following Extracts from Authors who have treated of the Isthmus of Panama will tend to ill.u.s.trate the subject of the foregoing pages.
_Dampier, (1681)._
”Panama enjoys a good air, lying open to the sea-wind. There are no woods nor marshes near Panama, but a brave dry champaign land, not subject to fogs nor mists.”
_Humboldt, (1803)._
”It appears that we find a prolongation of the Andes towards the South Sea, between Cruces and Panama. However, Lionel Wafer a.s.sures us that the hills which form the central chain, are separated from one another by valleys, which allow free course for pa.s.sage of the rivers; if this last a.s.sertion be founded, we might believe in the possibility of a ca.n.a.l from Cruces to Panama, of which the navigation would only be interrupted by a very few locks.”
_The Edinburgh Review, for Jan. 1809, Art. II. page 282._
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