The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-12-03

Om inside pages to-day contain very interesting
document relative to the Nicaragua Ship Canal, to
which we have alluded elsewhere another chapter
concerning the Amazon and the Atlantic Slopes OF
South America letters from New Hampshire, Boz
tor, Nebraska, Halifax, Honduras, and Buenos
A7res; Commercial Reports, Sc.
The Proposed ship Canal In Nicaragua
VIII 1t be Builts
In another part of to. days paper we give sum-
mary of the report Of the Engineer of the Nicaragua
Canal Company, and an abstract Of the other
documents published by the Company. relative
to their enterprise, as also Of the letter of the
capitalists of Great Britain, declining to engage
in the proposed work. The documents referred
to have been for some time printed, but for some
reason or other have not been allowed to got
in possession of the public. But the question
of canal rises above the usual considerations of
private enter rise, and is one Of great general
and national Importance; and we have therefore, ia
ken the pains to condense into reasonable space the
results in which the public most interested For
it appears to u.s. that whatever the effect these
suits the public mind, whether favorable unfa-
vorable, no good can come from their mystifcaton
or suppression.
The report of Mr.. Childs, the engineer, seems to
be fairly written, and good reason for not
accepting it, with the usual allowances for the CO.
loring that the most conscientious engineer may
give in favor of an enterprise in which he has en-
barked his professional reputation. It will be
observed, that although the charter Of the COM
pany binds them to construct canal of
sufficient dimensions to pass the largest ves-
sells, the canal proposed is far from meet
ing these conditions. The surveys and esti-
mates are all predicated upon canal only seven
teen feet deep, fifty feet wide at the bottom, and
lis at the top The cost is estimated at little over
$3l, 100000. Most Of the vessels employed in the
Eastern trade, upon which such a work must chiefly
rely for its support are, from necessity and econ
omy, far too large to be passed through canal of
this size. They draw from twenty to twenty Eve
feet of water, and, for sufficiently obvious
and which Mr. Chlds does not attempt to conceal in
his report, to construct canal of the capacity to
pass these, and meet the terms of the charter would
even if 1t were practicable, treble quadruple the
estimated expense, and raise it to upwards of
| $100000,O00
Apart from all financial, the plan proposed by Mr.
Chds involves several great engineering difficulties,
which, even if surmounted would lead to results OF
doubtful value In the first place, the line surveyed
and Mr. Chids is satisfied that it is the only prao-
ticable one,) has harbor on the Pacific. This de-
fciency is proposed to be met by an artificial har-
Dor, which, feasible, in the language of the
British engineers, " would be, in shape and sze
unworthy of this great ship navigation" The
principal objection to the line to San Juan
del Sur has always been its ineficisncy as harbor
for great work like that of canal. But San Juan
del Sur is hundred fold better than the proposed
artificial work.
Again. to get sufficient depth of water for several
miles Of the lake towards its outlet and to supply
the western section of the canal it is proposed to
raise tina. vast body of water five feet above its sum-
mer level, by means of dams. Under the best of
circumstances, and with all the appliances Of waste
ways, this would produce immense overiows of the
lake during the rainy seasons, and would never be
permitted by the Nicaraguan government and
people.
The river San Juan is proposed to be used, for
most Of its distance, slack water navigation to
be effected by means Of number Of dams, at various
points. Blu. what dams could be constructed, in the
wilderness. to sustain the enormous rise Of water in
the river during the height of the rainy season.
vertical rise Of fourteen feet
But we do not care to impeach the physical posi-
bilty of the canal at this age we are disposed to
believe everything possible. Still this work cannot
be built without means, and to secure the means it
will not only be necessary to show that it is posi-
BILE and practicable, but that will prove profitable
And this is q point upon which, If we had not the
opinions of the first nancers and capitalists Of the
world, we might ourselves venture an opinion. As
1t is, we have only to refer to abstract, where
will be found the assigned by the capitalists
Of Great Britain for not cmbarking in the enterprise
They are cogent and conclusive. The proposed
work 10 inadequate to the wants ofrade and will not
pay and, therefore, very clearly, the money il not
to be had.
1t general and very natural error among men
who have not given the matter their special atten-
ton, to suppose that canal across the American
isthmus would greatly shorten the voyage between
the ports Of Europe and the great commercial
centres Of the East-Calcutta, Singapore, Canton,
&c. But this is an entire mistake. The distances
from the ports Of England to all these ports via the
Cape Of Good Hope, are less than they would be by
way Of the canal, even If it were built and capable
Of passing the largest vessels to Canton 500 miles
less, to Calcutta, $500 miles, and to Singapore
1900 miles. The sole advantage to Europe would
be in its communication with Peru, California,
Oregon, and the Sandwich islands, trade csmpa-
ratively Insignificant.
or course the advantages to the United States
would be very great; but her trade, even if the
canal were Of sufficient capacity to accommodate it,
would not pay the current expenses Of the ork For
these reasons it is utterly hopeless to expect aid
from Europe, or its governments, for il is not to
their advantage to have this work constructed If
built at all, or of any size 1t must be pursued pure
ly as an American object, by Americans alone. The
interest interference Europe in the matter will
only be directed to retard and prevent it. Such is
the scope and object Of its diplomacy.
Three years Of the twelve within which, by the |
terms Of It's charter, the Canal Company are obliged
10 complete their enterprise, have expired. The |
guarantee, both Of the United States and Great |
Britain, In their favor, has terminated by its own
lin.itations In fact, the company themselves seem