VICOMTE FERDINAND DE LESSEPS.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 4, Issue 199, 28 May 1881, Page 2

VICOMTE FERDINAND DE LESSEPS.

-*• Z'umvi iW i'<-»ittty JiHintnt. Tin- name of Ferdinand l"»e Injsseps will ever he associated with ih« successltd nccoiiiplishmeiil of, perhaps, tin-groa- | test work of the nineteenth century, the Suez Canal. Conceived in the busy and scheming brain of the third and probably the hist Napoleon, it remained for tlie j great, engineer, whose name heads this ! article, to develop and bring to a sturdy I life, that, which, when lirst proposed, | seemed hut as the shadow of a dream. i l.esscps came, saw and e.inipieredi Africa | became an Maud and the short highway 11.1 the Mast that men had dreamed of, Mint scarce!\ dared t.. hope even (.. see : realised, became an accoiuplished fuel, i The thought of the astute Napoleon was 'to strike' at the power of Kngland by | tlireateiiimr her possessions in India. | It was bold pla.i ; but his antagonists, j though apparently sleeping, were really i keping a keen watch nit every movement connected with the undertaking. i The canal was completed and ipiiek'lv j became the commercial success its French j projectors sni.l il would I.e. Then Kngjmii'd came into ih" held. The Khedive lof Iv'Vpt reipiiie.l moui.'V, or said he did. j Then'came the l'.eaeoilslieid .•»«/;. Kui rope was astonished one line morning I by tie. announcement that the Khedive's 'share-, bad 1 u purchased for C 1.000,- | UO'l,and that, to all intents and purposes. •I ftnghiud was master of the canal, and j possessed a second road t;i the Fast, . With I-'.gypt under surveillance, the ["sick man"' at, ('onst'aiitinople under [treatment at the hands of British pnlijticiil attendants, England's grasp of India is tinner than ever, mad • so by ; her command of the great, work coiii eeived as a bar lo her power, and carried .nit bv one of the most, remarkable men. I and skillful engineer, of the day. Xnl eontenl with one aekii.-vemenl, Slllle II- ill It:. 'lt in .\lll for its | •!"■: ( » tor ]aii undying fame, J'arnn Lesseps lias : projected another great engineering work. ■ This is no less than the' realization of I the iuiig-lalkcd of work of the construe | lion ofa ship canal through ih" Istlinius I of Panama, connecting tiie l'aeilie with | the Atlantic. This work has actually | been coinineliceil. The whole subject j li.i.s been milch debated throughout ' Europe, and lias recently formed the i subject of important action in the l-cois-jlature of the l'nited Stales. The following particulars in relation to the great : work will prove interesting: i stiiv. ! On the 20th March I!S7S. was Signed |bv Mr. Sal-ar. Minister of ('oloiiibia, and I Mr. Wv.,', engineer, delegated Fellow lot the Civil luiernatioii.il Company for j the canal, established in Paris, the agreement for opening an interoceauie canal j ihrougb the Colombia territory. I Said agreement was approved by the ICoiigress'of the l'nited Stales of Ci'ilonij bin. 'by Act, of Mav 17. IK7S. Th ■ 2li Jarlielesof said agreement contain, a ng .other provisions, the following material

■ Art. I. -.1.' Tin' privilege tiiciintiniic : I'..r !)!> Veins from tin' il.'iv when I In; canal is open. ••>. Tin' Cu'luinhiaii eovernI llll'lll l.'Ullllut 'THIII ;1! 1 V llllll'l' canal, n 11-

! ImiM il liv themselves'. •"».' Tlir canal j-hnll |„. 'teriuiiinied in I'.' years, mill ■ ..!i mlil Iti'S I. mi imjii. n till-, will in IN _\.Tit- I'iMiii !ii" furnmtinti nf tin' '■'iin- ; |>: IT l\- til lII' organised till' present I'all.'llini <'uiupuny'. '.■*. A 'strip nf Inii.l, -."in

iiifti-i-.- wide, "ii each .-ill.-, is granted fur I In; service nf tin' canul. Art. I. --~jIJI>,flllil li.'.'l.'tri-s "f lands with tl,.' initios tl,.'\ una cntaiii. shall !..■ In ill"' iiielertukeis, in Mti-li place* ns tin' eninpiinv will i'l s.'. Alt. 11.- :t. Tin' navigation .lutv i'iniii..l ixc.'il liil'r I'nr .-.-ml, ciiliio in.'liv ilicit would make

Ultra li.ii. lull V. .1" 1..the till-ill' lu I ."iff per to

Ail. 1.'..

■ J' l'll.: (Invernnieiit -hall colled .'l. (I, 7.and , : S per Cell). -,;il uf lh" LOO-S li-Ci-ipl-, fill' I each period uf \eiirs. Art.. 11. ■ No ! lax -hall he imp.,-. ,1 hv ihe state upon I tin; n-iv.'Ui.'iil. share.-.' houds, or oilier ■ iloeuilicut.s ~f the eniiipanv. Aecnrdini,' In lh.- ayivenieiits made M.'tween M. l-'eidiiu.n.l' do Lesseps and lie Civil liitei-iiational t' pau\ to which ihe I'anaiii.i Canul i- i!i-iinle'.l. M. ,le i.e-sep- hrinjrs t,, the present, Company. j urn 1 I'nivei-al Company ,-.i the Inte'r- ; oceanic Canal, ihe -aid jjmnl \> i, 11 the Isi.'lleines. work-, iloiiiiineuts, and li'iielil nf all a-iee nl.- enteieil into liy said ; 1 'iiinpain-, including the piii'chnsc uf the I r.iiiaina' laiiw.-n in coiisiilei'miuii uf a ifrross iinnilitv uf f.dl.-'i.oililfi-and :l.silil- ' IHMHV ml. at.' lh,- eu-i. uf in millions of ! francs, live millions ~!' which 11111 paynhle , in In.Hilii I'ananm shares. The l"ii"th of the I'a .-.llla ('illlill shall I he ;:| kiliitnetivs; lh" Suez Canal i.- Kill jkiloni. long. Tim iua\i-iimni highness of Ihe I'littinn -it euh'hia. nliove lh" water. i- lllllV S" IlletlVS nil "lie kilolll. I"l|u|ll. i The Imildiii" -hall la-l six vent's, it is I saiil, and iicco'nlino tu Mr. (''oiiviviix's I Sllltelllelll tl Il"ritleer eld I'llsl." 1 with i tile pieiciiej live veal- lllld a ii:w months, , The fulseell Illlill lii'l of Wulklnell is 1111111 l ; il. lll!t\ Ulisily he lll'OUßlll In 12,00(1 ill i i.iik'l" in hasten the opi'iiilie; of Ihe canal ; hy on all plnees, as every day •spiuvtl in (he lilili year wullld nllWd a 'daily ceoiininv nf !IH,UOO tn IOO.OOOfi' , loi 'int"ie-l-, 'ami !l()ll,(ll)0fi' of receipts. of I lh iiiiliiuii- in lli- y.-ni. Il\ tlu|.,|U.'lil ,'lllered illln I e| Ween lie euinpanv and Me—r-. (.'nitvi'iMlX atnl llel'-, nt, elleill.."'!.-, foflni l' lillildi'ls nf the Sue/, ('until, these gentleman utnleftiiki; the works uf piercing the l'niiainii Canul I'm- oli miliums of franc*, and an net I'l". .fit 'hull he divided between llietn ami the e. nipaiiy. It may lie very ni'eal.as appeals fioi'u p, I'i'o-li lepoi't of Mr, So-a,

engineer iMitriisttHl with the s.inniliin.. ; at Panama, which states a new saving „[ 33,7JW,00»fi : . Competent parties nlreadv

say that no nmto Ihatv W' millions will I lip spoilt, li is calculated that .-'-Vi millions shall he laid out in • Fiance ft* ' machines, Ac. • .

< his useless to say that the i-ompleli,-,,, of the. ' Panama Canal iloes nut depend [on the life! of one man. Kvurvthiug has j I..VH provided for. The deiirii iifth.i iJllUlill .rallies, ile UotUsehihl ill 1.-'IH, : eottld not prevent the marvellous exten- ! simi of the Northern railway net work, j ami the northern share has since that time ' trehled its price. The total expense for Ihe I'annma ; Canal is valued from .Vdi to (lt)0 millions 'of francs.

Tim f.illowin" short notice of tin. Suhjeet of our article is from the latest cdilioft of .!/<•« uflh,' Thm:

J.i:ssi;is. VieoMii; KkKiilnami iii:. dipl,,. lilntist ami engineer, hnrii lit Vcrsnille,., Xnvemlier 111, ISO,-., was nppeiiiled in IKl's! Attache to the French Consulate at l.ishou, uml sifter holding various consular oili.c.in Kmiipc uml the F.nst, was mmle cuiisiil at litiivcluna in l«l-'. during Ihe homlmrdmeiit of which town he zealoaslv devoted himself l.i protect French life Mini prnpcm, hesides nlVordiii"; an asvluin to Spaninrds uml others on hoard French ships. His fame rests i-liii-ttv on his scheme to pierco I lie Isthmus of Sue/ hv menus of a canal, uml in >n.c ssfullvia r'vingil out hcshuweii much zeal and w;i- in IS.VI. when in Kfjvpt 0:1 a visit In M-h.-iiici S.-iid, that he op'cncl the prnject to Said l'uslui, who. seein- the advantage that execution, invited him lo draw up a niciuo. rial mi the suhject. This was dime with lull details, under the title of •' I'-rccmcat de rislluue de Suez .\pose. .T lineaments I llliciels." M, de 1., sseps received ,| tinuau ; on tilling tin eiiterpris: m 15..-] and a letter ofciiiicssiim was mauled hvth.i Vicrov of Kjrvpt in .luuitarv. Ik.",i;.* Fminent Kuelish eueineers awl'nii.oiijr them the late S: ph iisini ijiiesti .ued i-s pra:-ti:a-l.ilitv. which, h'nvever. has since heen clearlv deniollslrated. 'ihe wnrks were comiuenee.l 5,„,„ alter the cuupanv wn-

iMiisiihit •(!. in IH-'ill; lur-v .-um- w-r- snli-s.-<lilf)itlv -xp-lli.l-<I, mil tin- Int.. ] Villi ... K-Vpl WHS illlluc. (I t.. tllkl'H lll'-v 11inu1,,.,■if shams in tin' umliTtiikiiiff, 1,-il-, ,„.,.. milthij, M. il" Lcss-ps in .n.i.1..v nativ-labuur-.s. Tliis i>.--.,iuus srli-urn mis .it lust I'liviiiii'i'il liv ii imrtiiiii uf tin. c-,,nmi-r----filll Imhl.V ill Hlis -ulllllrv; but :, l„.|i,.t' sum. p-air-il jr,.„.ii : il tliiii tit - prujitt whs virtually u |„,:iiiiiil i,iic. inul iu tiii. jiui t uf view ii r—iv-,1 no fii,(.uiii-riiii.nt I'ruiu tin • l'.ritisli (.'nv-ruiu-iit. Until • ili-iitli ut' tin. hit,. I'lislui uf i:.iry t .t in l.Sii.i tin. .pi-s----tiuii ut' tin- saiirtlun nftliu Ot iiimii Purtn- inotv ur.iv-N ilisus.,,l, „„1 t!,.. ri-ht uf tin- Suit:,n t.i vtriint it I'lirmiilh' iusist-,1 iipun. Tlii.. n suit Hii. tin. wi Inlriiwal ut tin. p-rinissinn tu tin- ruinpniiy tn liulil any |iiirtiuii nl' i-.^V].tin.i l-t'-itury—th-suppus-d i-ivi-rt di'siirii nl' tin' imij.it: :ml iift.-r niin-h Jisput- li"t«-..|.ii M. .!.• Kisses im.l tit.. K--yptian tiiivrriiiiiriit, tin- i.'iiiin I'm- rum. [iriiMitiiiii tu Ih- i-uiipauy lir !•,.[, r, siil-ii was 1-ft tu ill- nrbitratiun uf tli- Miiijhthiuf tin- Kivlli.ll, win. ilnpus-,1 r-i-tain rnlnliliuasui, hull, jiai-ii s, ami ulluw-,1 th-wurl.. I-i I.- i-uiiiinii-,1. A u.iual, with siijlin-nt wat-r t. admit tin- passa-v nf st-amlmats. was ~|„-ii-,l Au-ust l.i. l.S'iu. l!y ,1.•-,.,.,... ~wini_ f,t!i-,-niplnyii,-ntuf -j-antirur-.1-.-., anil a iiuv-1 svst-iu uf iiiai-hiii-s I'm- raisin-,' ami ran-vi,,-away th-saml, ill- liril uf th-,-iiiial was-aim--,.,! „., that -mall ships ami srliuunrls u-, „al,I-.| tu pass lli,-,,ti-h in Miirrli, 18117. Al l-n-t't lli,. Hii'.-is uf ili-Mi'ilit-rrau-an iniui.l,.,l wit!, tin— „f ||„. I.Vil S-ii in lli- 1i.11,.,. 1. ; ,1;,s Au-ust I.". LHii',l. an -v-nt vvhi.li was ,-.,iiiiu-mi,rat-,| In .i-aa-l 1-1- at Slll7, ami uli Nnv-nih-r 17 tin- .-1111111 was formally up-n-.l at I'uri Siiiil aiiiiilsl a s-ri-s uf f, stiviti-s, narli-i----pnt.'il in hy Ih- Kmpnss uf th- l-'ivn'.-li, tin-fiiiip-mr i.f Austria, lit- ('ruwii Priniv ~f Prussia. I'l-un-i. William uf lira- , tl„. Ki.-lish ami liussiuu iiii.l.u.-ii.l..rs at ('„,,. stanliiiupl-. ami a lui-- uf ami Cuiiiinciital iii-r.-liun* ami jmiriiulists. A -rami pru,:-ssiuii;,l 11,, i. ~,„,j, ~,,.,! „f 111 V-.-s-|s. tlli-II sil ..HI I'rnui I'url >.,i,| iii th,, ilir—iiuu uf Isinnila. A f-w ilavs ufl-r lli-inaii-iiraliui, M. ,1- 1.->.s,.us iii„,-i-i,.,l M,1U,.. Aiilanl ilr P.ni-arit, a v-ri vuiui- ,-r-,,!- ~f I'Ji-ii-li-Mr.i.liua. In ]•'! I,'rimrv. 187(1, tinParis S.ni-lr ,1- (l-u-rnphi- a'wu,-,|,-,l ll„, Knipivss's n-w priz- uf in.noil fi-un-s tu M. irilmliiin tn Ih- prnjcc't-il -xp-.li-liuti tn Ivpialurial Africa. II- was appniat-il Iu th- nil,), ul'li'i-iiml I'nw uf th- 1.-..r,'un ~f lluauur, X..v. i.il.i-v p.). 1B'»1; r-.-iv ,1 lli • r-.1-ilun uf Ih- Italian UruVr nf St. Mauri.in P—mli-r, IStii); ami was „,„,,„,.,t, ,I I-Uiir-n Virtuviii an l:nn uarv Kiiitrhi (innnl luiiiniaml-r uf th- I Inlrr' nf tin: Star -I linlia. Ail-iisl 1(1. mm. Th- hun .run I'l hun m' lli- City ~f Luiiilnn was pitliii.-l. pr-s-iiiril t.i hiin. .lulv :iii. is;n. In ,lul\, 187:1. Hi- Paris .Acail-inv nf S.-imu :i s , li, - ■ Al. .1- 1.-ss,.ps a I'l— ,u'-,iil,-r in th- lilmuf M. .I.' V-rii-uil. ,l—.-,s-,1. In IS7'i liu pulilisli-il •• 1.-ttivs. juiirinil, -t iluriiaii.ii's pnur s-rvirn riiistuir'c tin i-iilml ■!•- Sin-/." fur this wurl; lli- l-'r-m-li Arail-mv tiwuvl--1 I" him Ih- .Mnn-lin-liii-riu pii/, nl' .iMHI iriiiirs llitv IB7li .