826 THE KEPUBLIC OF PANAMA. 



with the rigor of iiiilitary di.scipline. Under such reasonable sanitar\" 

 conditions as it is entirely practicable to attain, and with proper 

 quarantine regulations, there is no reason wh}' the Isthmus may not 

 be maintained entirely free of yellow fever or from other tropical 

 epidemics. 



COST OF THE CANAL. 



The United States Government has entered into a provisional 

 agreement to purchase the entire property of evejT description 

 and the rights of the new Panama Canal Company for the sum of 

 $40,000,000. The cost of completing the Panama Canal under the 

 plan of the Isthmian Canal Commission is estimated 1)y that Commis- 

 sion at $144,233,358. The sum of these two amounts— 1184,233, 358— 

 represents the total cost of the construction of the Isthmian ship canal 

 by this route, to which should be added such additional costs as are 

 required to be incurred in securing the additional rights and con- 

 cessions necessary to ena])le the United States Government to enter 

 upon the Isthmus and l)egin the work. 



The consunmiation of this great work is apparently close at hand. 

 The creation of the Republic of Panama has solved the difficulties 

 which had gathei'ed about the negotiations of the requisite treaty, and 

 it will probably be but a short time before this, the greatest engineer- 

 ing work of the world, will be undertaken and carried to completion. 

 This achievement w^ll not only create new lines of ocean commerce 

 and stimulate some of the older lines into new life, but it will also 

 bring the Atlantic and Pacific shores of the United States into much 

 closer conununication than before, thus strengthening those )>onds of 

 mutual interest and natural sympathy which lie at the foundation of 

 best national life. In this part of the world's development the new 

 Republic of Panama becomes the center of the material activities 

 through wdiich these great results will be accomplished, thus attaining 

 the fruition of four hundred j^ears of effort. She is to be congratulated 

 in marking her entrance among the nations of the eartli by opening 

 the way to the attainment of this world improvement and giving the 

 work the impetus of her national sanction. 



