April 28, 1856.] KELLEY. 67 



engineers as Walker, Telford, and others have done in the fen districts with 

 such simple means, he saw no reason why something equally effective might 

 not be done here. 



Dr. l^LACK said, that though no engineer, he saw plenty of difiGculties to 

 be overcome ; but the question now was not as to difficulties — it was as to the 

 discovery of a practicable route for a ship-way between the two oceans. He 

 thought that the repeated examinations made under Mr. Kelley's direction, and 

 at his sole expense, reflected the greatest credit upon him. The route thus 

 indicated looked as though it might be carried out. He concurred with the 

 opinion so ably expressed by Captain FitzRoy, as to the world-wide im- 

 portance of this subject, which no difficulties should prevent us from pursuing. 

 The whole of that part of the barrier between the two oceans, which is now 

 unknown, should be thoroughly investigated by the great maritime nations, 

 that the world might know what were the obstacles to be overcome, and what 

 would be the cost of overcoming them. The question would then be — has the 

 commerce of the world arrived at a point which would justify the necessary 

 outlay of capital to execute the work ? The time, if not arrived, is rapidly 

 approaching Avhen this great work must be done in spite of all obstacles and 

 any cost. He fully believed that the benefits to be derived would quite repay 

 any amount of capital that it would be necessary to lay out. If commerce goes 

 on increasing at the rate it has done for the last twenty years, it would be hard 

 to say how much capital might not be laid out so as to yield a prospect of a fair 

 return. Allusion had been made to the unhealthiness of the district : no 

 doubt this was a difficulty ; but from strict investigations which had been 

 made, it had been ascertained that the chief mortality in the construction of 

 the Panama railroad was not owing to the climate. The men were of a very 

 mixed class ; no care was taken to house or feed them ; good water Avas not 

 provided for them, and they were allowed to buy spirits as they pleased. 

 Like navvies, they were allowed to do what they wished, and when they died, 

 others were put into their places. If the men who may be employed on the 

 isthmus, hereafter, are attended to and protected as they should be, the mor- 

 tality will doubtless be much less among them. Allusion had also been made 

 to railways on the isthmus. He was sure that Mr. Kelley had no jealousy 

 against railways, but would be the more delighted the more there were that 

 crossed the isthmus, as the increase of commerce thus indicated would require 

 a corresponding increase of ships. Commerce arises from two causes : — 

 first, from the variety of natural or artificial products in diiferent parts of 

 the world ; and secondly, from an instinctive love of gain and the desire to 

 supply new wants. When different countries became acquainted with the 

 difference of their products, they were sure to trade with each other, whether 

 separated by mountains, deserts, or oceans. He thought that we were much 

 indebted to Mr. Kelley for his liberality and his boldness in bringing forward 

 his proposal ; and he hoped that the commercial nations of the world, the 

 United States, France, and Great Britain, and even Russia, would combine 

 in causing the barrier between the two oceans to be no longer unknown to us. 



M. DE Lesseps : M. le Capitaine FitzRoy, parlant d'un projet de canalisa- 

 tion de ITsthme de Darien, vous a dit tout a I'heure, dans un langage eloquent, 

 que beaucoup de grandes entre[)rises, paraissant d'abord chimeriques avant 

 d'avoir ete etudi^es, deviennent r^alisables aux yeux de tout le monde, lors- 

 qu'elles ont ete serieusement examinees sur les lieux ; j'espere qu'il en sera 

 ainsi pour le Canal Interoce'anique dont il vient d'etre question, et je fais des 

 vceux pour sa realisation. Quant au percement de ITsthme de Suez, sur lequel 

 M. le President a bien voulu m'inviter a dire quelques mots, je puis vous 

 assurer que I'entreprise est tout a fait praticable. J'ai reun^, il y a pen de 

 mois, une commission composee des plus celebres ingenieurs de I'Europe dans 

 les travaux des ports ou de canalisation, et dont font partie MM. Rendel et 



