| Francs. | |
| The purchase of the concession | 10,000,000 |
| Caution money to the Colombian Government | 750,000 |
| Expenses incurred before the company was founded | 23,393,605 |
| Repayment of advances to founders | 2,000,000 |
| Cost of administration at Panama | 26,415,927 |
| Expenses of the company | 26,036,551 |
| Interest on money advanced and shares | 55,700,148 |
| Construction, purchase of land, &c. | 25,289,743 |
| Purchase of materials and equipment | 83,537,568 |
| Installations, &c. | 115,137,354 |
| 368,260,896 |
[181] This was a journal, published at Paris, which, at an early stage of the enterprise, was issued periodically as the official organ of the Canal Company.
[182] This sum was raised by the issue of 409,667 4 per cent. bonds, sold at 333 francs on 500.
[183] 458,000 shares out of 500,000 offered, were taken at 450 on 1000 francs.
[184] The manual work is and has all along been performed mainly by West Indians and natives, the number of Europeans employed being relatively very small.
[185] The Consultative Committee of 1879 based their Report on an anticipated annual traffic of over 4 millions of tons.
[186] The Times of the 17th December declared, in a leading article, that “it would be surprising if the collapse of the Panama scheme had not a momentous effect upon French politics. The small investors who have lost their money would not be human if they omitted to turn and rend the Parliament which, after affording legislative facilities to M. de Lesseps, now refuses to lift a hand to save the colossal scheme from ruin. Some of the French journals are already beginning to say that Saturday was the beginning of the end for the Republic. It is possible to commend the action of the Chamber, and at the same time to feel that ‘Parliamentarism’ hardly realised the magnitude of the forces which he challenged with such a light heart. All the vague discontent which has been accumulating against Parliamentary government will now naturally be brought to a head. The Panama collapse will furnish a specific grievance which will appeal with irresistible force to the unfortunate subscribers, and send them crowding into the ranks of the enemies of the Republic.”
[187] ‘Isthmus of Panama,’ p. 35.
[188] ‘Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers,’ vol. xcii. p. 447.
[189] Prestley’s ‘Historical Account of Canals,’ preface.