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| Field name | Value |
|---|---|
| Collection Reference Number | GLC02763.03 |
| From Archive Folder | Five letters re: the Panama Canal |
| Title | John Walker to Thomas Gibbons regarding the treaty with Colombia for the construction of a canal |
| Date | 23 March 1903 |
| Author | Walker, John Grimes (1835-1907) |
| Recipient | Gibbons, Thomas |
| Document Type | Correspondence |
| Content Description | Thanks Gibbons for the beautiful walking stick he mailed from Manila; declares, "It reached me just before my birthday and I consider it one of my birthday presents." Happy to hear that Gibbons moved to the U.S.S. Helena and will be with Captain Staunton, his old friend. Declares, "The treaty with Colombia for the construction of a canal was finally, after a long delay caused by Senator Morgan, ratified by a vote of 73 to 5. It still has to be ratified by the Congress of Colombia which, I understand, will meet some time in April. I presume the treaty ought to be ratified there by the middle of May." Mentions that the President will select a commission after the treaty is ratified, and that no one knows who will be on the commission and everyone is scrambling for a position. Comments, "A work of such enormous magnitude and to cost at least two hundred millions before finally completed should be conducted by the ablest men in the country and should be kept absolutely free of all complications and scandals." Praises the recent increases in spending for the navy. |
| Subjects | Progressive Era Panama Canal Canals Infrastructure Treaty Global History and Civics Latin and South America Navy Global History and Civics Gift Clothing and Accessories President Corruption and Scandal Finance |
| People | Walker, John Grimes (1835-1907) Gibbons, Thomas (fl. 1902) |
| Place written | Washington, D.C. |
| Theme | Naval & Maritime; Science, Technology, Invention |
| Sub-collection | The Gilder Lehrman Collection, 1860-1945 |
| Additional Information | John Grimes Walker (1835-1907) was a distinguished Union naval veteran of the Civil War. He was appointed President of the Isthmian Canal Commission in 1899. Prior research suggests that Gibbons served in the Department of State. |
| Copyright | The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History |
| Module | Civil War, Reconstruction and the Modern Era: 1860-1945 |