New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-11-12

might be nacc TO ytelG, al TIE necessary inter-
walls, the requisite supply of water Ii is possible
that the river might be used from the lake to DEL
1oro though even this is not certain. am con-
vinced that the ground rises not very Tar back
from the river on the north and that stone and ali
the materials necessary for the construction Of q
canal might be obtained without difficulty very
nearly on the spot desired, These are things,
however which can only be determined from ao-
tua survey. canal upon the southern bank,
for reasons sufficiently obvious from what has
been presented above, is impraCticabe
1t has been conjectured by some that formerly
the volume OF water In the San Juan was much
more considerable than itnow Is. This conjecture
was doubtless founded on the circumstance Of
strong defenses having been erected BY the Span
iards many years since upon the banks both Of the
river and the lake, implying that it was an i'm
portant channel OF communication, and upon the
known fact that vessels denominated in early
times frigates were accustomed to pass from
the ocean to the lake and from the lake to the
ocean Indeed, it would seem that vessels some.
times sailed direct from Grenada to the ports of
Spain; but from the accounts of Gage, who visit
ed Nicaragua about 1910 it appears that the task
of passing 4" Ell Desaguadero, or the San Juan
was one of great difficulty and danger de says
" For though while the vessels sail on the lake
securely and without trouble, yet when they tall
from the lake to the sea- hjc labor, hoe eHs est
here is nothing bat trouble, which sometimes
makes that short voyage to last for SiTty days
for such is the fall of the waters in many places
among the rocks that many times they are forced
to unload the fr1gateS and load them again with
the help ofmules kept for that purpose by tile few
Indians who live about the river and have care Oh
the lodges made to lay in the wares, While the
fligate passed through dangerous places to ano-
therlodge whittier the wares are brought by mules
and again placed in the frigate. These vessels
here called "frigates were probably OF small
size, not exceeding eighty or hundred tuns bur-
den. Vessels Of this size may still with eXtraor-
binary efforts be taken up during high water IN
the river as was shown in 1896 by Capt. Peter
Shepherd, of San Juan, who took a schooner OF tit.
ty.two tuns through the riyerb removing her keel
aud warping the whole distance In this condl
ton the vessel drew three feet six inches The
task was accomplished in thlrty-two days. Ii
may be observed here, upon the authority OF cap
tad Shepherd, that this vessel with her keel re,
placed and loaded, drew seven feet OF water, and
that then, in the dry season, she could not APP
proach within two miles OF san Carlos, or the
point Of debouchure of the San Juan Such be-
irg the fact, extensive works would be necessary
to enable ships to pass from the lake INTO any ca
nal which might be constructed.
HmJor Of San Juan.-The harbor of San Juan
is altogether more spacious and better one than
is generally supposed The entrance Is easy, and
vessels of the largest draught find no difficulty IN
passing the mouth, and obtaining within safe
and commodious anchorage. 1t has been repre-
sented that, in consequence OF the peculiar make
Of the land, it is extremely difficult Tor ships to
find the harbor. This is true to certain extent
but although the coast in the immediate vicinity
is low vet q short distance back the land IS high
and characteristic, and cannot be mistaken. w lth
proper charts correct sketches of the coasts, and
with light house on Point Arenas every difficult
tv would be obviated. This is evident, even to
the unprofessional observer The harbor is fully
adequate to every purpose connected with the
proposed canal,
REHABILITATION.
The length OF the proposed line of eommunica
ton between the two oceans from San Juan to
Reaeo, is variously stated but is estimated by
Napoleon at 27s miles, as follows Length of the
San juan l04 miles OF axe Nicaragua 90 miles
river Tipitapa 90 miles Lake Leon or Managua,
- miles: and distance from the lake to Realeo,
90 miles, This is positively erroneous in some
particulars as for instance, the distance from
Lake Managua to Realeio, 30 far from being only
20 miles, is actually 40 to As miles. That the cal
cuation is generally erroneous will appear from
the following facts: The port OF San Juan is IN
10 sc n. latitude. and e5 ~ w. longitude the
port OF Realeio is in l 2 81 n. latitude So 9 w.
longitude; consequently the distance right
line between the two points is POO standard miles,
or only 10 miles less than the distance computed
by Napoeons authorities-a margin altogether
too small for the augmentation OF length conse
nuent upon the variations Of the route from right
line The actual distances can only be determined
by actual measurement; but nevertheless ven
ture to submit the following calculations
Length Of the river San 90 miles.
Length OF the port OF Lake Nicaragua necessary
to be uaversed ~ lLies
Length of river Tpitapa. IL mics
Length of Managna % hues
Distance from lake to Reacio 10 miles
Total. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. SIS miles
From this must be deducted 25 miles. in case
the line is terminated at the port OF TamanAda
in case it should terminate in the Cult OF Fonse-
ca, it is not probable it would be many miles lon,
ger than the Realejo line The extent OF actual
canalization would therefore be- to Realejo l45
miles to Tamarinda % miles and to the Gull
Of Fonseca, probably 135 miles.
The hight of the various lakes to be passed,
and the elevations OF land to be overcome, have
employed no means of ascertalnlng with accura-
cy From my observations, however, | am dis
posed to regard the following statement as very
Hea'iS 'o'''''' Aboye II. Atlantic
Hight Of The lake Of Nieagagga ~ { h.
Highest point OF land iohe passed H. II IN
The accompanying section, Nos, is on the. hori-
zonta scale OF Is miles, and the vertical elevation
of 500 feet to the inch that is to say, vertical
scale propor,ionably l60 times greater titan the
horizontal
1t is useless to enter into calculations re-
snecting the proper size and respecting the cost
OF such work as the proposed canal. Its dlmen'
sions in orderto make it fully answer the purpose
of its construction, must be sufficiently great to
admit the easy passage Of the largest vessels. Its
cost until there is detailed survey OF the entire
line. must be entirely matter Of conjecture. 1t
has been variously estimated from six to twenty
five and thirty millions Of dollars. Assume it to
cost Slo0,00000O, which may be as near the truth
as any other calculation: still it is enough to
know that it is feasible, and that its benefits, I'M
mediate and prospective, will be sufficient to com
pensate orthe expenditure OF double that amount
at IrS
Louis Napoleon estimates the size required IN
the earth.cuttipgs as follows
Width water 'ee'
Width al bottom -
Width al leye OF towing pam,
Depth -
In the rock cutting as fellows