The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-12-31

OF tue cuEiheef. AbONe
the level Of the Atlantic, aud thirty eight reires above
that or the Pacific, whence there results difference of
about two metres between the levels OF thctwo
The Lake Of Nicaragua, therefore, according the
Belly scheme, will constitute an immense upper source
OF Authorization for the canal Its level varies in the
course OF the year between two extreme limits, the di
renee between which does not exceed metres ami
attans its maximum at the end Of the rainy season
During the dry the evaporation Of this immense
ace not being compensated for by equal of
its auents its level sinks nearly below the
highest mark but below this limit the basin OF
lake presents variable depth exceeding metres, On
the Line Of the proposed canal American engineer, Mr.
Guild has found depths of eighteen metres and is 10 BE-
presumed that towards the greater depths to
be met with Mr.. Baly, il is stated has sounded depth
OF eighty our metres in the middle OF the lake
With the exception Of few points offering favorable
arohorng places, the shores Of the lake in general
nat, and accessible only small vesses-a fact which
will necessiae the dredging Of channel in order to
lower the bed Of the lake at each OF is points of Junction
with the two branches Of the cana.
The making OF these channels will be the easy
from the fact that the bed Of the lake towards the south
IS recent aluvial deposit the increase Of which con
stany continues almented II by the soil which de-
cends from the forests bordering its ailuents.
The auxiliary channels viii be made by the aid of the
point by parallel wooden piles, indicated by lines OF oa
ing buoys.
both Tor timber work and dredging, win be $500 900
EASTERN BRANCH OF THE CANAL
The eastern branch of the canal will be the bed itself
or the river San Juan THIS river from its point Of depar
ture al San Carlos to the port Of San Juan del Norte
the Atlantic describes two inverted curves the direct
length OF which las kilometres, but the
Gus sinuosites of which extend it the full
measurement OF IT'S kilometres. The difference
in the level OF the two extreme limits being, as
II is seem So metres 80 cent the inclination Of
natural of the San Juan in five
tbousand If us This would incline
costly for vessels But this inclination Is
natural the bed Of the INSTRUCTED in its
upper region by bars Of rocks at times reaching the
face Of the water These bars modify the current which
precptates itself in successive falls OF difficult access
while IN the greater part Of its course the water OF the
river is waveess.
Three systems offer themselves the examination of
the engineer for the canazaon Of the river San Juan
l. The pure and simple improvement of the natural
Of the 2. Canazation by means of locks.
8 Canalizaton by uninterrupted current. To this
latter proposition the scheme before US inclnes
This plan NJ Belly says, is worthy of the most serious
examination, nasmuch il involves the adoption OF
mixed system which meets all the local difficulties OF the
route.
In view of the requirements of a canal calling
great draught Of water, the rgims of the river San
Juan only be maintained according 10 the natural IN
cnation OF in FIVE thousand. The total recovery of
this incline by Of system of falls effected by locks
practicable. far concerns the prompt
filing OF the intervening distances. Bars must In that
case be escorted to- and in doing this the engineer would
only be ge3eraizng by normal conditions, the natural
regime existing the rapids Of the upper basin but these
the canal banks the entire of
sbe river, the current Of which they would regulate
The adoption Of mixed system permits the obtanment
Of the desired depth by the lowering OF the bed OF the
river well by the OF elevation given TO the
surface Of the water by means Of the embankments of the
dams.
The Belly plan proposes the construction seven bars
the of the san Juan including the protecting
According to this plan the five rapids Of Toro Castillo
Baias Mico and Maohuca will be redeemed by three
Two other locks will also be established above the con.
ucuts Of the rivers San Carlos and serapqu sixth at
the Of the Colorado and seventh al the
dboue Of the river at San Juan del Norle, on the At
lantic.
will be regulated decline Of in thousand.
This sufficiently feeble TO oer small resistance
10 the towing OF vessels bot viii nevertheless su
maintain all obstructng matters IN suspension
Uutil they reach the sea
The locks will be constructed so as to contain four ships
al time order reduce their operations without
sby increasing their duration With this object the en-
tire works Of the locks will be crcumscribed within the
upper dam Of the river. which will permit the locking 10
he effected rapidly by the direct play Of the deep water
ducts along The full extent Of the canal walls.
The gates OF these locks will be thirty metres in width
the canal walls and eighty metres IN length from
busk TO the other The gales, when open will give
Tor four vessels OF given size will not appear exagge
who observe the tendencies OF naval arch
lecture, especially all that concerns the nav
CATION o. the Pacific They viii perm- during epochs Of
great activity in the CATION the passage Of more than
three hundred vessels 4 day
ESTIMATED COST or TIKI WORKS on THE EASTERN
BRANCH.
seven dams with locks $40 900 81 400 900
Embansments a, the descent OF seven dams,
pgcdgnq the bed 81 the river ............ 100000
Mining 70 lower the bars or the rapids. $4,000
Construction Of toN paths $50 900
sis2oo 600
WESTERN BRANCH.
Ths branch much shorter than that Of the River San
Juan bat by Of tie bodness Of the conhguraon Of
the ishmus the works planned for cutting
IT, the canal Of Salinas reality, the principal feature
81 the enterprise and ncoessates imposing accumula
ton of forces prompt execution be desired.
The Gu; Of Salinas tic part Of the line
which the project Of ~ Belly differs from
those o. all bis predecessors. An examination
OF the snchoages q the Pacific in the region
poasiug the lake 81 Nicaragua demonstrates their
complete iuguflcicncy Cor great maritime movement.
AZ the south this region the bay Il Salinas presents
the contrary nautical conditions comparable those Of
the bet ports Of the world. L deep, circular harbor.
with surface 81 Eve thousand hectares about
thousand acres) without low shores, aud whose
depth accurately sounded from eight % fourteen
situated NJ the entrance 81 channel stated by French
oalocrs 10 b. one q The best on the Pacific.
TIC Construction OF the Salinas canal will the
entrance Of tbs bay and Il into close port, by
Of ombaukment taxing is departure from the
pbc ad formed 81 the rocky debris OF the great project
"a getting II will he the much opportune 70 con.
por The lay q Salinas from the fact that this
port vii be, 10 addition, furnished With me open road
stead By The close coniiguty Of Thomas bay.
The magnificent hearings u the Boy q Salinas have
therefore struck Belly The natural aud indispuabc
tabishgd these regions, and the normal deovch "
tie Ca q The tao oceans OF the Pacific Mo- f.
stldg % The conformation ~ the lsthmus. 70 i'-e
following as the line q the Salinas canal -
Depart Il from the lake, the canal viii rcl
bed 81 IT, valley y the safos--about sA .e--
uni reaches tie river Las vuel,as, the tsaut SArIr
The sapoa spreads no large circular cxpans u standing
water and ceases % be naygabe ~ ms point the sol
r. tie lsihmus bly, u the summit q the Salinas
gap Itself situated at kilometres from the Pacific. II