THE PANAMA ROUTE FOR A SHIP CANAL. 253 



prosperity in 1585, and was called with good reason the toll-gate between 

 western Europe and eastern Asia. Meanwhile the commerce, whose tolls only 

 brought such benefits to Panama, enriched Spain, and her people were gener- 

 ously rewarded for the aid given by Ferdinand and Isabella in the effort to open 

 a direct route westward to Cathay, notwithstanding the disadvantages of the 

 isthmian transit. 



This commercial prosperity suggested to those interested in it, and 

 soon after its beginning, the possibility of a ship canal to connect the 

 waters of the two oceans. It is stated even that Charles V. directed 

 that survey should be made for the purpose of determining the feasi- 

 bility of such a work as early as 1520. 



The governor, Pascual Andagoya, reported that such a work was imprac- 

 ticable and that no king, however powerful he might be, was capable of forming 

 a junction of the two seas or of furnishing the means of carrying out such an 

 undertaking. 



From that time on the city of Panama increased in wealth and 

 population in consequence of its commercial importance. Trade was 

 established with the west coast of South America and with the ports 

 on the Pacific coast of Central America. In spite of the fact that it 

 was made by the Spaniards a fortress second in strength in America 

 only to old Cartagena it was sacked and burned by Morgan's buccaneers 

 in February, 1671. The new city, that is the present city, was founded 

 in 1673, it not being considered advisable to rebuild on the old site. 



The project of a canal on this route was kept alive for more than 

 three centuries by agitation, sometimes active, and sometimes ap- 

 parently dying out for long periods until there was organized in Paris 

 in 1876 a company entitled ' Societe Civile Internationale du Canal 

 Interoceanique,' with Gen. Etienne Turr as president, for the purpose 

 of making surveys and explorations for a ship canal between the two 

 oceans on this route. 



The work on the isthmus for this company was prosecuted under 

 the direction of Lieut. L. N. B. Wyse, a French Naval Officer, and he 

 obtained for his company in 1878 a concession from the Columbian 

 Government conferring the requisite rights and privileges for the 

 construction of a ship canal on the Panama route and the authority 

 to do such other things as might be necessary or advisable in connection 

 with that project. This concession is ordinarily known as the Wyse 

 concession. 



A general plan for this transisthmian canal was the subject of con- 

 sideration at an international scientific congress convened in Paris in 

 May, 1879, and composed of 135 delegates from France, Germany, 

 Great Britain, the United States and other countries with a majority 

 from France. This Congress was convened under the auspices of 

 Ferdinand de Lesseps, and after remaining in session for two weeks 

 a decision, not unanimous, was reached that an interoceanic canal 



