Romance of Panama Canal 149 



for conquest. That a canal might be cut 

 across Panama had long been envisaged; 

 indeed, in 1850, the governments of Britain 

 and the United States concluded a treaty 

 under which the complete neutrality of any 

 canal across this portion of America should 

 be guaranteed. 



Nothing was done as to the cutting of 

 the canal until some years after the Suez 

 venture had been carried to a successful 

 conclusion. The Colombian government 

 were approached and they readily under- 

 took to give the land for the canal on 

 the condition that at the end of 99 

 years the waterway would revert to the 

 country. 



Other conditions were that the canal could 

 not be transferred to any other nation and 

 that it should be completed within twelve 

 years. When it was known that M. 

 Ferdinand de Lesseps had consented to 

 take charge of the scheme, to visit the site 

 of the proposed canal, and then to super- 

 vise its construction, money flowed in and 

 confidence ran high. There was some 



