The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-03-29
Er' M
The Atrafo Canal.

Among the various schemes Tor the eStab-
| lishment of inter-oceanic communication
across the Central American Asthmus, there
is none offering advantages equal to the
Atrato line. This proposed canal is through
an open cut from the sea to the waters of a
navigable river, having sufficient depth to
float the largest man-of-war and merchant
slips; and no locks or other impediments
are required. 1t lies in the Republic of New
Granada, in the province of Choco, between
the seventh and eighth degrees of north lat
itude, and the seventy ty-seventh and seventy
eighth degrees of west longitude from
Greenwich. 1t begins at a good harbor at
the mouth Of the Atrato rivers, in the Bay
of Candilaria, thence ascends the Atratio riv-
er to one of its affluents
In the early part of the present century,
Baron Alexander Won Humbolt, in his
Essays Politique," in describing the va
riousroutes for forming inter-oceanic naviga-
ton, designated the line of the valley of
the Atrato river, as worthy of considera-
tion. He came to this conclusion, from
having personally examined this and the
other proposed routes; and in his writings
urges the merits of this particular line
The transit routes at Honduras and Tehaun-
tepec, the canoe navigation at Lake Mica
ragua, and the mule route at Panama, how
ever, for many years drew the attention of
capitalists, from the route in question
In 1850, General Mosquera, ex-President
of the country, in a work entitled Physi-
cal and Political Geography Of Granada, j"
drew attention again to the valley of the
Atratio, and a citizen of the United States,
Mr.. Frederick NJ. Kelley, appreciating the
vast benefits to be derived to this country,
and the world, from any good route across
the lsthmuS, but more particularly from
any that could be made available for pur-
poses of canalization, determined in 1853 to
fit out an expedition at his own expense,
and have surveys made, to see if the impress
sions of the illustrious men named were
founded in fact or otherwise, which resulted
in the discovery of a route, by which ca
nal could be built, to connect the waters of
the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans scithout
locks, and at such cost as to be CONNER
cially available. These important results
having been attained and brought to the at
tention of the Thirty-fourth Congress, the
Government was authorized to detail Off
GERS for the Survey of the Atrotio route
These officers ave returned, and we are in
formed, report yorably as to the practical
bility of the line. The Importance of this
canal to the Unite.' States and the mari
tine world, is illustrated by the following
statistical calculations which we take from
the Hon. E. Wards speech on this subject
in the House of Representatives The total
tonnage owned by the United States, that
would use this canal, if constructed, is
Sl,S57,4S5 tons. The cargoes are valued
at 500, 294, ,687, and the ships at $92, ,874,-
$50; making total amount OF value aAoat,
belonging to the United States, Of $193, 1884,
a37. This includes the whale fishery, but
not the precious metals from California
Upon this basis, taking the diminution of
time rs a basis, the benefit by the gain in
sailing distance from one part of the world
to the other, by the Atrato canal, estimating
the saving by insurance, interest on money,
wages Of men, freight, wear and tear, it is
estimated that the sum of S35, 1895, $50
would be saved to the United States alone,
as follows: 1
Insurance vessels and eargoes saved S3, ,863 ,37S
Interest saved cargOoS COS $40
Saving of wearanltear of ships u cent. ,f43, ,Tl2
Saving of freight money (by time ,250, 900
Saving of wages, provisions crew, &C.,. Ii, go, 900
Total yearly saving the U. States .S35, ,995 $50
The estimated cost of this project is $73,-
G87, ,l4l. To raise the requisite means, Mr..
Ward proposes that the United States should
guarantee to pay interest at the rate of five
per cent. upon the amount expended in the
process of the work, from year to year, for
/ ha pariod of twofvo xraoru . Tho otnnunt in