FOP TUE ons~t'uction of a Ship Cana B.,-p'tEE,5-; THE ATLANTIC and PACIFIC 00EANS, CE N TH A. \.IA ER HF I PCA. X EW, YO1 K: f,['.'BPO POI,, IN JoiB FUR N I N l G AN i i-. I VEAv lc Q'NG-.alLt.,..It 2 L.r 9I'.,;L at 9,1 A H:FUE PANAMA SHPn —N STJIP C.A NAL. C F'rorn T'h.e NXew Yorxk Helrald.]'Ve la-y beifoie the public to-day a most interesting and practical scheme for the opening of a grand ship canal through the Isthlnus of Panama, or some other point of Central Americae to whlich we invite the attention of the American rand all other government;s. rTile hpltn recommends itself above all others hitherto broughlt to public notice, by the great principles of international justice arld equality on which it is based, as well as by thb, adequacy of the means which are proposed for the completion of the work. It contemplates the opening, by the joint co-operation of all the nations of the world, of an ample ehairnnel for ship comiunnication between the Atlantic and Pacihfic oceans, and securing it fiom all liability of ever fatlling into the hands of any one nation by giving to each nation a share, a common proprietary right, in th.e country through which it is to pass, as well as to its sovereignty-unlder the enactment of new international laws-in a word, to mlake the canal an open narrow sea, as little liable to inteirunption in principle and in fact, as the ocean itself: The schemes which h]ave:re ently been attempted fail in these essential requirements. ]Every plan that does not embrace the principles of common international equality and justice will be defeatted. Nor, indeed, can the means be found to exeeute the Nwork without placin'g it on a basis so large, liberal anlld juist, as to disarml the hostility of rival nations. With these remarks we recoirmmend to the serious recorimmendation of our statesmen in power, and those who are to succeed, the well studied anndclearly elaborated plan of MIr. Niles, comn unicatCed to the government at Washington severtal years agor, while he was its -Minister in upper Italy, and submitted t, the Senate by President Fillmore: TumIN, June 30, 1849. i.lm —-]Tlie extraordinary development of colmmerce between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, which is to be a necessary and imnmediate consequence of the rapid settlement of the northwest coast of the American Continent, fiom California to Vancouverr's Island, by an active and enterprising population, gives an inereasing and pressing interest to the great subject of a ship canal'between the two oceans, not only to the United States, but also to the whole commercial world. Were such a channel to be opened on a scale commensurate with its present and prospective importance, it is probable that before the lapse of any great length of time the amount of coinmercial. transactions through it would be greater than has at any time been carried on through the Straits of Gibraltar. The magnitude of the commercial interests to be affected byr this artificial medium of communication through all time to come, presents an unanswerable reason why the work should be executed upon a most extensive scale. It is evident that such a channel of commercial conmurlni cation should not enure to the exclusive advawntage of any one nation, or to any limited number of nations, or be subjected to the liability of interruption by the eventualities of war. IT; should be a common international thoroughfare, always open and always firee on equal terms to the commerce of all nations, great and small, the weak as well as the powerful, those nations that are situated at remote distances as well as those in its immediate vicinity. To secure these objects it is necessary that it shotuld be constructed by means of a common fund and effectively placed under the guardianship of a universally acknowledged law of nations. As yet no plan has been presented to the public which at the same time suggests a practical means for the accomplishment of this great object on a scale that is likely to meet the wants of the commercial world and secure to all nations a common and perpetual benefit in its advantages when completed. Notwithstanding the United States have an especial interest in the early realization of this enterprise and possess perhaps the'means of executing it upon any desirable scale, yet in view of the implied rights of others and the jealousies and ultimate hostility which could not fail to be engendered among other nations, were it to be carried through as an exclusively national work, an elevated sense of international justice, as well as a wise policy, requires that it should not be taken in hand without previously extending an invitation to all the commeeicial nations of the earth to become joint proprietors and to participate in its construction under such circumstances of equitable contribution to the object as will give to it the character of being a common property and a common passage open to all upon such condition as shall forever prevent the work from becoming obstructed or falling in the hands of any one government or combination of governments. The only way to insure that paramount object is to make the whole matter of this proposed canal the subject of an international treaty, in which the governments of all the commercial countries in the world shall be invited. to become parties. In view of the foregoing considerations of international equity, and in regard to the establishment of a practical administration for the execution and preservation of this work under the common aulthority of nations, I have drawn i up, after mature reflection, a plan which seems to me well calculated to meet all the requirements of the case. It is embraced in the formN of a series of propositions, each resting on reasons that will be apparent to every reflecting mind. This plan I solicit the honor herewith to submit to the consideration of the President, and trust it will not be found unworthy of his attention and approval. In the summer of 1847 I had the honor to ead this scheme to the late President and Secretlary of State, both of whom I believe were favorably struck with it; but it has not in any way been given to the public, and I n6w submit it to the government in the hope that it mary receive that consideration in the coming Congressional discussions on this general subject, or in executive action upon it, to which it may be thought to be entitled. It appears to nle, sir, that the character of the Amnerican government cannot be exhibited in a mnore exalted and honorable light than by its taking the lead in proposing any practical plan. for a vast ship corrmunication between the two oceans, the advantages of which it designs shall become common anld perpetual to all countries. Such an example of abnegation of selfish and exclusive interests would be the more striking and admirable when exhibited by a great and powerful country, thus voluntarily preferring to accept the sovereignty of the great principles of nlatural justice among nations, in reference to a work of almost incalculably vast importance, rather than attempt to secure those advantages to itself which its geographical position and its power would perhaps enable it exclusively to possess. 1.-It is proposed that the work shall be executed by the united contributions of the commercial nations of the world, or such of them as mary'agree in the undertaking. 2.-It is proposed that the ratio of contribution among the parties shall be that of their respective aimount of tonnage en.gaged in foreign commerce, or some -analogous basis of equality that may be agreed upon. 3.-That the work shall be executed under the direction of seven commnissioners, to be appointed one by each of the seven Powers paying the highest amounts of contribution. 4.-That the said commissioners shall be empowered to explore the several proposed localities proper for the construction of the canal, and that a majority of them shall decide upon the points best adapted for the execution of the work, as well as oni the scale on which it is to be made. 5. —That the contracting parties shall empower the said commissioners to treat with the state, thro-ugh the territories which it is contemplated to construct the canal, for the cession of the required extent of territory with the entire sovereignty thereof friom sea to sea,: say a belt six miles in width, reaching firom shore to shore. 6.-That the work shall be completed within a fixed number of years, say eight or ten from the ratification of the treaty of agreement for that object by the contracting powers. 7. —Trhat each of the contracting parties shall pay into the hands of a banker, to be selected by them, one-eighth or onetenth of the estimated cost, pro rata, of said work each year for the eight or ten or more successive years. The estimate: to be made by the said commissioners previous to the commencement of the work. 8.-That an exact account of the detailed expenditures on the work shall be annually made by the commissioners to the government of each of the contracting parties. 9.-That the vessels of the country ceding the reqcuired territory and sovereignty shall have firee passage through said ship canal forever, without any charge whatever. 10. —That the said canal shall be open to the navigation of time vessels of a11 natio;ns upon the paymeut of a duty ccordig' to the valhi of ship atnd carlgo or sotle other equitable prlneiple calculated to meet incidental expenlses of administration, keep the works in repair and ultimately repay to the contracting parties their respective advances pro rata. 11. —It is to be stipulated that any attempt of any one of thLe ontracting parties or any othe power to get forcible possession of said canal shall be considered a fiagrant aggression upon the rights of each and all the other parties to this convention. 12.-It is to be stipulated that in times of war between any of the contracting parties no seizures made within two hundred miles of either mot;hl of said canal sha.ll be considered lawful prizes. 13. —-'hat ships of war shall nllot be permi t ted to approach or pass the canal with their egn.s xlonuted. 14. -That it shalJ be the duty of the said colmmlissioners to establish all needful regulation.s touching the interest of the canal, and that said regulations shall be linding on the citizens or subjects of the several lcontIracting p"art:ies anad on all other persons. 1'5. —lThat, no f'rts nor buildings of any k:ind shall be tolstructed upon the ceded territory but such as nmay be thought necessary by the con1mm1issionlers to c(airrv out tlle olbjects of the proposed convention. 1.6.-That crinmes ago'ainst persoi1ns commlnitted witbhin the ceded territory shall be turned. over for pnlisinent to the country ceding tthe territory, anid that the rights of extradition be accorlded to all governmients i;n regard to tl e:il respective subijects wo mlay have sought to avoid the payment of debts or to escape fi'om criminal. justic(e at home by takinlg refilge on. the said territory.:17.-It is proposed that the work be conlimellneed as soon as a convention to that effect shall have been (concurred in byv seven of thle pril ncipal goverjnlmeln ts —other parties being permitted to'sulbscribe to the provisions of the conlvention and( to share in tfho. e( —xeeutionl o th-e wor1k aft a Ili elio cdlninfr its progress. 18.. —llhat I;lhe contracting paart 11es pree to lelid the aidl of their individual friiendly instances, near the go'overnenlt holding the desired( territory, to induce it to i