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

Inc cost OF inc Work ii eSlmateQ Dy mr.. Cnlld6
in detail. The recapitulation, by dvinons, is As
follows
Eastern Division e.. from port Of San Juan
Middle Division (through to lake, 1OS5,s7s
Western Division from lake to PaciAc $3.50. 13 Se6oO
sT,424625
Add for contingencies. Is per cent l,l136s3
Total estimated cost Of canal .$3l 53s $40
The canal company have published pamphlet, in
which the estimates for the canal made at New
York prices and in which the total is put down at
Of $3l, 100000" Gays Mr.. Childs, :. are made up
with reference to the completion Of the work within
six years from the time Of breaking ground, and
commencement Of the settlement Of the country, in
the vicinity of the line previous to letting the con-
tracts"
CAPACITY OF THE PROPOSED CANAL.
The charter Of the canal company provides that
the capacity of the work shall be sufficiently great
"to admit vessels Of al sizes" And it is obvious
that work which will not pass freely the largest
vessels but imperfectly answer the purposes of
its construction, or meet the requirements Of COM
msroe But Mr. Oh Childs proposes one only seven,
feet wide at top-a capacity wholly inadequate to
pass the larger classes Of vessels and one which fails
to meet tho spulations Of tho charter. The larger
foreign trade, have . draught Of from twenty to
twenty five feet, and would require, to say nothing
Of war vessels. and large steamers, canal of from
twenty five to thirty feet in depth-which would
more than double the amount of excavation now
proposed, and probably treble tho amount Of cost,
and carry it up from $3l 500 000 to 800 600 OOO
Here i fatal deficiency in the whole proposition Of
To make the canal capable Of passing vessels
drawing twenty feet of water, Mr.. Childs says, on
the river section would increase to very great de-
gree the amount Of excavation, and still more the
expense. Any considerable increase to the depth
proposed, (seventeen feet,) would require under
water excavations between the lake and the Toro
rapids, distance Of twenty seven miles, to be al
mort continuous it would very much lengthen the
cuts on the other portions Of the river, and the a-
bty Of these artificial channels to receive deposits
Of earth to such m extent as the obstruct navga-
ton would be very much greater. On the inland
portion OF tho CANAL, continues Mr. Childs, 81
depth Of twenty two feet of water would, with fifty
feet bottom width, give transverse water section
about forty-fye per cent greater than q depth Of
seventeen feet, with the same bottom width ; and
reason of the greater depth Of excavation, be in
creased in stll higher ratio"
Mr. Childs seems sensible of the inadsquacy Of =
canal Of the proposed dimensions, but thinks that
by changes in the model, ETC., ships Of great size
could be built to pass sevesteen feet canal That
is to say the world may build ships for the canal
instead of the canal company canal for the ships
Of the world He states that most steamers draw
less than seventeen feet, and quotes from Aurrays
Treatise on Marine Engines" to show that of 26t
steam vessels, principally English, fifteen draw
seventeen feet, twenty one have seventeen feet
drsught, and 225 less than seventeen feet. But he
negects to tell us that experience and economy
point to the construction Of larger steamers even
than those now in use, and that such as weuld be
used in the eastern trade, in the event of the
struction Of the canal, would be still larger than
those of the Collins line, which draw over twenty
two feet Besides canal Of seventeen feet is only
adequate to the passage Of vessels Of fifteen feet
draught. No canal ought to DO contemplated with
less depth than twenty five feet and With proper
tionate top and bottom width.
The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal has depth
Of ten feet.
The Weland Canal is twenty eight miles long,
nine feet deep, thirty Eve feet wide ut bottom aud
ssventy-one feet at top. 1t passes vessels of $50
tons.
The Caledonian Canal, between the eastern and
western shores OF Great Britain, is fly nine miles
in length, Of which twenty one and half miles is
inland, and thirty seven and half through lakes.
1t is fifty feet wide at bottom, hundred and ten
feet at top and is twenty feet deep 1t capable Of
passing frigates of thirty two guns, and merchant
vessels Of one thousand tons.
The canal from Amsterdam to New Diepps, in
Holland, is fifty miles long, thirty six feet wide at
bottom, and one hundred and twenty.four at top,
and is twenty feet nine inches deep.
In respect to navigating the canal, according to
Mr. Childs' suggestions, steamers will propel them
selves, and sail vessels by tugs constructed for the
purpose, except on the portion west Of the lake,
and between the river and port Of San Juan, where
the delay of the driving steamers in passing the
locks would make the use Of animal power advisa.
BILE. Calculating twenty -four minutes as tho time
required for vessel to pass each lock, sixty vessels
it is calculated, could be passed in . day. The
average rates Of speed with which steamers might
safely move in the inland portions Of the canal is
calculated ut two and half miles per hour; on the
river portions, seven miles hour; and tho lake,
eleven miles hour. Sailing vessels propelled by
horse power might move on the canal ut the rate of
two miles an hour; and on the river and lake with
average speed of four miles per hosr For
steamers, therefore, the passage from sea to il
estimated at forty. six and q half hours, or about
two days. for sailing vessels, seventy seven hours
or three and quarter days.
FACILITIES FOR CONSTRUCTING THE CANAL.
There are many combinations connected with
enterprise Of this kind, besides its feasibility in
mere engineering point Of view, such rs labor ma
terials, etc. etc. Ts all Of these Mr. Childs seems
to have devoted Some attention.
1fnlbU.-As compared with ours, the original
forests Of Nicaragua inferior in size, and the
kind and quantity Of timber proper for USE loss in
proportion. The tree called the "cedro, or cedar,
is produced in considerable abundance, and can be
usefu]y applied. 1t grows to great height, aad
will produce timber thirty six to forty feet long,
and twelve to eighteen inches square. The "ro-
ble," species of oak is also tall tree, and fur
ni,hes timber equal to the cedar in size The
answer very COED purpose. The nispero" is
twenty nine per cent stronger than white oak, and
may be procured In sufficient quantities, in the
opinion OF Mr. Childs, to be relied on rs substi.
tue for all the purposes in which oak is required
He thinks that. in the aggregate, the forests of Nj
caragua, in the sections traversed by the canal,
will probably produce all the lumber required.
stone Along the river San Juan the rock is
chiefly trap, greywackc, aud shsle, in many local..
ties too friable for use bat in others, Mr. Chds
thinks it may be found at for the purposes required
On the west side OF the lake, limestone qusrries
were found capable Of producing good lime In album
dance. The stone, generally, between the lake aud
Pacific on the proposed canal limo, not good,
but It was thought that In case OF need IL might be
obtained for Granada sixty miles to the north vest
and from lower point on the isthmus. Very good
and abundant clnys we're found, and stone from
which water lime, Of fair quality, may be OBJ
tanned.
Lnbor Mr. Childs comedies that the prosecution
Of the works OF the canal would be attendei with