What is the specific situation of the Panama Canal?

Panama Canal

An important shipping artery connecting the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, it is known as one of the seven engineering wonders in the world. Located in the middle of Panama, America, across the isthmus of Panama. The Panama Canal is 81.3 kilometers long, with a water depth ranging from 13 meters to 15 meters and a river width ranging from 15 meters to 34 meters. The water level of the whole canal is 26 meters higher than that of the two oceans, and there are six ship locks. It usually takes 9 hours for a ship to pass through the canal, and it can be used for navigation of 76,-ton ships.

The digging process of Panama Canal is an extraordinary history. For many years, imperialism has been trying to control Latin American countries, including their sovereign territory, energy and transportation. The Republic of Panama, which is located in this region, was once a country that was expanded and occupied. The Panamanian people have always been caught in complex international competitions in history, and the Panama Canal is the best witness.

History

In the distant colonial era, the isthmus of Panama was a transportation hub connecting the Pacific Ocean and the Spanish suzerain. The annual Portofuro Fair attracted agents from major European businesses. Tons of Peruvian silver traded profitably with European goods, and Panama became increasingly prosperous due to commerce and shipping. However, this did not change its subordinate position. In the 18th century, Panama was a Spanish territory, and in the 19th century, it became a province of the emerging Colombian Republic.

Perhaps from then on, Panama became a paradise for adventurers, and the city was filled with bureaucrats, officers, businessmen, sailors, craftsmen, slaves and agents from the Caribbean. The prosperity of commerce puts forward higher requirements for shipping. It is found that digging a canal in the narrow isthmus of Panama to connect the two oceans will be a feat with twice the result with half the effort and benefit all generations. In fact, as early as the 15th century, vasco, a Spaniard who conquered Mexico? Cortez put forward the idea of building a canal, but he didn't specify a suitable place to dig it. Later, in vasco? Nuneri? After balboa conquered Panama, in 1523, Spanish King Charles I (Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire) clearly put forward the idea of digging a Central American canal.

At that time, according to the known exploration data, people listed four alternative sites for canal excavation:

1. Tewantepec isthmus in southern Mexico;

2. A place near atrato river in the northwest of Colombia;

3. Isthmus of Nicaragua

4. Isthmus of Panama

In p>1534, King Carlos I of Spain ordered an exploration of the Isthmus of Panama, and the Spaniards paved a post road across the Isthmus with pebbles along the ridge, which was a preparation for digging. Since the 18th century, the Spanish colonial government has successively sent personnel to explore four alternative sites. In 1771, the Isthmus of Tevantepec was explored, and in 1779, the Isthmus of Nicaragua was explored. However, in 1814, when Spain finally decided to dig a canal, the outbreak of the Latin American War of Independence disrupted the whole plan. In 1823, the Central American Federation, consisting of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, was established. Although this small country in name only has a population of 2 million, it has never been truly unified. In 1825, it formally submitted a request to the United States to build a canal. In June of the following year, Simon, the father of Latin American freedom? Bolivar also put forward the same proposal at the international conference held in Panama, and the excavation of the Central American Canal was officially put on the agenda.

among the four proposed excavation sites, the Panamanian isthmus is the narrowest (61km), and the Nicaraguan isthmus can be used by nicaragua lake and the San Juan River, which gradually become popular.

Economically, the benefits of canal construction are self-evident. With the increasingly developed shipping between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, a more convenient route will obviously bring many benefits. If the canal is opened, the voyage from new york to San Francisco can be shortened by 16%, the voyage from Liverpool to San Francisco by 43%, and the voyage from new york to Sydney by 28%, which is of great significance.

the struggle for the right to dig-the triangle game between the United States, Britain and France

In the 19th century, the isthmus of Panama was under the jurisdiction of Colombia. From 1831 to 1858, Colombia was renamed as New Granada. This young country obviously hoped that the future canal would be within its territory, but its limited financial resources could not support such a huge project. However, the Latin American nation is naturally sensitive, which makes the New Granada government carefully stipulate that the concession right to dig canals can only be given to private companies, and foreign governments are not allowed to intervene. In 1838, a French company sent people to survey the isthmus of Panama, but they gave up because they could not get the support of the government. In 1843, the New Granada government sent a note to Britain, France, the United States, the Netherlands, Spain and other countries, proposing that they jointly build the Panama Canal, and that all countries should jointly guarantee the future neutrality of the Canal, but all countries except the United States ignored it.

As early as 1835, the United States negotiated with New Granada about the canal construction, but it was fruitless at that time. This time, the United States was naturally willing to accept the old story of New Granada. On December 12, 1846, after a year of negotiations, the United States and New Granada concluded the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Navigation and Trade between the United States and New Granada, also known as the Peterak-Mallarino Treaty, with 36 articles, valid for 2 years. Article 35 stipulates that the United States has the following rights:

American citizens, ships and commodities can enjoy all kinds of rights (all tax exemptions, privileges and immunities) that new Granada citizens can enjoy in its territory, and American passengers, mail and commodities passing through the isthmus of Panama should also be given the same preferential treatment. In the future, when building any transportation facilities in Panama, their right of passage or transit should be freely opened to the American government and citizens, and the new Granada government should not charge American citizens more passage than new Granada citizens.

On this basis, the US government has also made three commitments to New Granada:

1. Ensure the complete neutrality of the isthmus of Panama;

2. Ensure that the free passage of the future canal will not be interrupted or hindered at any time;

3. ensure that the new Granada government has the sovereignty and property rights of the Panama isthmus.

In view of the political turmoil in New Granada, the Americans also left a few hands to prevent accidents. After the end of the US-Mexico War in 1848, the United States signed the Guadalupe-Hidalgo Treaty with Mexico, and gained the right to dig canals in the isthmus of Tewantepec. In 1849, it signed the Squire Treaty with Nicaragua, and gained the privilege of digging Nicaraguan canals.

in p>1849, when a gold mine was discovered in California, the economy developed rapidly, and the digging of the canal attracted more and more attention from all sides. The fledgling United States foresaw that Britain, which was powerful, might take part in the competition for digging the canal, so it took precautions and put forward a proposal to Britain to neutralize the Panama Canal in the future, which received a warm response from Britain. On April 19, 185, US Secretary of State John? Clayton and Henry, the British Plenipotentiary? Bulwer signed the Treaty between the United States and Britain on Navigation Canal Connecting the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean in Washington, DC, which stipulates that neither the United States nor Britain shall acquire or maintain any exclusive control over the aforementioned navigation canal for themselves, and agree that neither side shall establish or maintain any fortress in or near the strategic area of the canal, nor shall it occupy or rule any part of Central America. The treaty promises that when there is a war between the two contracting parties, neither party can block the canal from the other party, and the United States and Britain are both responsible for protecting the property of either party that built the canal from infringement. When the canal is completed, both parties will protect it from obstruction, robbery or unfair confiscation, and both parties will guarantee the neutrality of the canal, so as to make the canal free and open forever, and the capital invested is stable and reliable. Through this treaty, the United States ruled out the danger of Britain monopolizing the canal by force.

However, the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty is a diplomatic document full of compromises and compromises, with many loopholes. Although it neutralizes the future Panama Canal, its wording is vague and ambiguous, and there is great controversy in its implementation. In 185, the United States spent $7.5 million to build a railway connecting the two oceans in the isthmus of Panama, which took five years to complete. In 1849, when an American company was preparing to dig a canal across Nicaragua with Gredun as the end point, the British invoked the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty and accused the United States of violating the legitimate rights and interests of the Indian mosquito kingdom, who was protected by the United Kingdom, and the project was dismounted. This setback made Americans realize that it might be a more economical choice to dig a canal in the isthmus of Panama.

According to the treaty signed between the United States and New Granada, since 1846, American citizens have been granted the right to cross the isthmus of Panama, and the flood of American tourists brought US dollars. However, to Panamanians who are afraid of their strong neighbors in the north, this kind of economic blood transfusion is almost aggressive, as evidenced by a seemingly accidental bloodshed in 1856.

On April 15th of that year, an American had a dispute with the stall owner when he was buying watermelon at Panama Railway Station, and refused to pay for it. The dispute between the two sides ensued. Due to the excitement of Panamanians and Americans onlookers, the conflict quickly turned into a gun battle that lasted for several hours. Naturally, it is difficult for visiting Americans to bargain, with 31 casualties and 15 casualties in Panama. After the incident, the American ambassador warned the government of New Granada that if it refused to compensate the losses quickly, the United States would immediately occupy the isthmus of Panama. In this regard, the new President Granada's answer is simple, but it vividly reflects the subtle mentality of the small and weak ethnic groups:

It is extremely unfair and tyrannical to insist that any passerby in the isthmus has the right to shoot at our citizens, and our citizens must submit to it. A nation that tolerates this humiliation is not worthy of survival!

However, patriotic impulse and passionate confession cannot conceal the weakness of the country. In July, two American cruisers "Independence" and "Saint Mary" arrived in Panama, and on September 19th, 16 American marines landed and occupied Panama Railway Station, which calmed the excited New Grenada government. In February 1857, the two countries began negotiations. The representative of the United States proposed that Panama City and Cologne City should become autonomous free ports. The two countries should control the isthmus with a width of about 4 kilometers centered on the Panama Railway, and some islands in panama bay should be ceded to the United States to compensate all the losses of American citizens in the incident. The representative of the United States also said that if the new Granada government accepts these conditions, the United States is willing to pay $2 million as compensation. However, the new Grenada government appeared to be insincere, and it refused to accept other conditions except compensation. Negotiations were delayed until the end of the American Civil War in 1865, and a treaty was formally reached. In 1861, New Granada, renamed Colombia, promised to compensate the United States for 41, US dollars.

on January 23, 1867, because the treaty of 1848 was about to expire, Colombia sent a note to the United States, demanding renegotiation. In December, Colombia submitted the draft of the New Testament to the United States for deliberation. The treaty stipulated that Colombia agreed that the United States should build the Panama Canal, provide the area for the construction of the canal, and the two countries should jointly defend the future canal. However, at this time, the United States was busy with the reconstruction of the Civil War and the presidential election in 1868, so the treaty was officially signed as late as January 14, 1869.

according to this new testament, Colombia leased the right to dig the Panama Canal and the canal area to the United States for 1 years, and returned it to Colombia after the expiration. The American government may not transfer the concession to other countries, but only to private companies. Impetuous Colombian public opinion thinks that the treaty has accommodated the interests of the United States, and the crowd is excited. In March, the Colombian Congress rejected the treaty.

in January, 187, the two countries signed a supplementary clause, which stipulated that American warships could pass through the canal at any time, and closed the country to American belligerents. Colombian public opinion thought that this clause actually made Colombia a military ally of the United States, and requested to amend it, but the result was rejected by the United States. The tough attitude of the United States disappointed the Colombian government, while Colombian public opinion believed that Uncle Sam was not in a hurry to build the canal at all, but was only interested in monopolizing the canal area.

in order to "punish" the United States, the Colombian government changed its course and turned its attention to the European continent, and began to actively discuss the feasibility of digging canals with European countries. It coincided with the opening of the Suez Canal led by France in 1869, and European financial capital naturally turned its attention to Central America. In 1876, the International Citizens' Association of the Ocean Canal Project, controlled by France, was established in Paris, and started to demonstrate the excavation of the Panama Canal, which was recognized by the Colombian government.

Soon, the Association sent a French officer, Lv Xian? The investigation team headed by Lieutenant Wise went to Panama for a field trip. Wise was very active. On March 2, 1878, he successfully reached an agreement with the Colombian government in the name of the Association to build the Panama Canal by France. Provisions: the Association must form a canal engineering company within five years and complete the survey of the canal project, and the Panama Canal should be built within 12 years from the fifth year; After the canal is opened to traffic, the Colombian government can get a proportional commission from the profits of the canal company every year, with an annual rate of 5% for the first 25 years and 6%, 7% and 8% for the next three 25 years, but the minimum figure should not be less than 25, dollars per year. The concession period is 99 years. After the expiration, the canal will be owned by the Colombian government. Before the expiration, the concession right can be transferred to other companies, but not to other big governments.

In May p>1879, the Association invited Fernand, a famous French diplomat who became famous for planning and organizing the Suez Canal. De? As the chairman, Rezeb held an international conference to consider the Panama Canal, and representatives from Britain, the United States, Germany and other countries also attended the conference respectively. Despite the strong opposition of the representative of the United States, the conference adopted the decision to dig the Panama Canal. On July 5th, the French Ocean Canal Engineering Corporation was formally established, obtained the concession right to dig the canal, and began to actively prepare for the canal project.

Fernand? Lesseps and the most difficult project in human history

Under the leadership of Lesseps, the French Ocean Canal Company worked out eight sets of construction plans after several years of preparation. Finally, it was scheduled to start digging the Panama Canal in February 1883, and the whole project was personally presided over by Lei Sai Bough, which made European investors deeply confident. Rezeb is a professional diplomat. Since 1825, he has served as assistant consul general in Lisbon, consul general in Alexandria, consul general in Cairo and consul general in Barcelona. Finally, he was promoted to minister in Madrid. Because he has worked in Egypt and Tunisia for a long time, Rezeb enjoys quite high prestige in the Arab world. In 1854, Egyptian Governor Saeed Pasha authorized Rezeb to dig the Suez Canal. Rezeb studied in detail the investigation report of French engineer Lepel on the Suez Isthmus during Napoleon's expedition to Egypt, and decided on the construction scheme of opening a direct passage between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Due to adequate preparation and funds in place, the project of the canal progressed smoothly. Construction started on April 25, 1859, and the Suez Canal was officially opened to traffic on November 17, 1869.

The successful construction of the Suez Canal has made the sound of Rezeb.