New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-03-14
IT,. S,,,r.xus Roate to the Pacific.

IN the same confederation, they must be Dro's"'
together and become Rear neighbors e. Wsi As
members Of one system Whatever tends 70 lessen
the distance between us and the Pacihc nas'
| therefore be hailed with prsfoupd satisfaction
TIE ultins.e completion Of the Nicaragua ship
| Canal viii Of course occupy considerable length
oftime bat IN the meanwhile the q0ery suggests
itself whether the River San Juan and the Lake o.
Nicaragua DO not offer the means Of greatly
shortening the time Of reaching the Pschc and
| California and thus cheapening the price Of pas
sage and trans ortation tbither. On these POINTS
we have been enabled % Obtain ex,ct and reliable
information which VII be found Of interes, 70 tie
| readers Of The Tnbane.
The River San Juan de Nicsrag1a is = miles 10
length and IS now perfectly nsvigabe through its
whole length at all sessons for steamboats, or other
craft drawine ! ! 70 feet water or by entering
through the COLORADO, which is in fact one Of the
mouths Of the san Juan no longer than the other
and the channel aud through which tie greater
part Of the waters are discharged boats Of three or
four times that draft may be employ d. All that
will be necessary 70 effect this vii be to re-
move a bar which now exists az the mouth OF the
river and winch alone occasioDed the recent failure
q the steamer Orus 70 effect an entrance. We
have taken pains % inquire on that subject AM
earn that even as It is, 1t IS probable sic mi-hi
have entered but Tor heavy gale which w's
blowing at the time and which rendered the plot,
who was not perfectly familiar with the channe'
On willing 20 risk attempt % lind H.
The river has two or three rapids ia It's course.
but they are not Of character to prevent navga-
ton The worst are the rapids Of the Castillo Nieio
or San Carlos some 800 90 yards IN length Thecu
rent is there about SIX miles an hour but with depth
Of water amply sufficient. These rapids are then
no obstacle over the rapids Of Machuca, which,
were the water flows withany perceptlbe increase
OF swiftness. are only about 90 Yards long there IS
at the present time above six feet Of water IN The
channel even after two months Of the dry season
nave passed With the exception Of these rapids
the san Juan, from the Colorado to the Lake, does
not average less than - feet OF water in the dry
season
The proposed Ship Csna will employ the whole
length of the Lake Of Nicaragua and Lake Leon.
and finally end at the port of Heaeio, on the Pa
ciiic, whereas we learn there IS a commodOus
harbor, fully adequate to the wants OF the immense
commerce which must pass through the Canal
The Lake is some 1870 miles in length At several
points along its Shore the distance from It 10 the
Pacific is much shorter than that from Lake Leon
to Realejo the proposed terminus OF the work
The reason why the last named place is selected
for the terminus is the excellence Of It's harbor and
the greater natural facility ofcutting the Canal TO t.
For the purposes OF present use, however the
shortest road from the Lake to The Pacific natural
ly suggests itself The most advantageous route
is thought 10 be that from the city Of Nicaragua on
the Lake 10 the port OF San Juan BE- Sur san Juan
OF the South on the Pacific. The distance IS Do
miles The distance from the entrance OF the Lake
10 Nicaragua is 80, making with "a miles OF river
navigation, l3I miles to he accomplished by steam
boat This can easily be done in eight hours.
Tie portage across from Nicaragua to San Juan
del Sur is row accomplished with mules IN houls
travelling time. The road though not regularly
laid out or worked has but 3 or { miles which IS
rough being the crossing OF the mountain and
even that is better than the road from Gorgous
10 Panama. From Nicaragua TO the foot Of the
hills there ia a good cart road running through an
open aud pleasant country From The hills,-ior
the mountains here are not nore,-there Is
level road to the hArbOr. The ascent is not difficult
only some three quarters Of a mile being steep
With a small expenditure the whole way could be
made perfectly easy and agreeable for the trans
portation of passengers and baggage. and the time
of crossing reduced 10 three hours. THIS would
bring the transit rom sea to sea to about twelve
agreeable hours by steamboat uEd horseback 4
good carriage way through would not cost more
! than five or six thousand dollars.
The harbor of San Juan Of the South i small
being about quarter OF mile each way but Is
well protected by hills on the north and south and
| uartiallv on the west The water within sN OF
eight rods OF the shore is from 10 10 20 iaihoms in
| depth The prev aing winds ere from the Lake
and blow in q south east direction. They render
the harbor Objectionable tor sailing vessels al GER
tain seasons but have rot sufficient force to affect
it for steamers
The distance from New York TO san Juan &c
Nicaragua is sI0 miles less than to Chsgres From
| San Juan del Sur 70 San Francisco is 200 miles
less than from Panama. This is equal to five days
steaming; from sea TO sea Will occupy twelve
hours, while 10 cross the lsthmus requires thirty
six This will make a saving OF six days between
New York and san Francisco, and VIII OF course
much reduce the expense Of the journey. W IN
derstand that no time will be lost IN putting this
| new route IN operation.