New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-07-25


THE CHARTER.
An association OF New York and Boston capital t. pos
sessing I'm the aggregate many millions Of money, apped
last Winter to the Massachusetts Legislature for the
privilege Of building the Canal and granted liberal
charter II gives them right Of way the I'hmus'
600 feet wide II fixes the capital OF the Company at
sl0OOlOo II authorizes the building OF brcakwaters,
wharves docks locks gates and other structures may
he necessary and the Of camug+ or Other suitable
means of assisting vessels TO and through the proposed
Canal "The said corporation may establish, for it, sole
benefit toll upon all vessels water craft OF whatever
description which may It's canal at such rates az the
directors thereof may determine" The corporation u 10
he EXEMPT from State taxes until the Canal shall have
been In operation for two years.
On Tuesday the 10th nst number OF gentlemen IN
tcrested in the Canal with the engineers and numerous
invited guests, left NewYork and Boston, and met al
the Marion House. which Is located at the head OF Buz
Yards Bay and opposite what will be the southern term
nus OF the Canal Among those who met al the place OF
rendezvous were James Hoy Gen. Rufus ingalls,, COL
Albert h. steinberger, Arthur G.. Bradbury, and Cen
william II. Morris Of the Governors stan OF NeW-fofk
The Hon. Mr.. Capp, wellknOwn citizen or Blnghainp
ton n w. was also Of the party. The delegation from
Boston was headed by zen. ]. c. Foster u Topographic
cal Engineers and the Hon. Charles Allen AttorneyGene
raj A. Boschke for long time Engineer to the Boston
IIarbOr Commissioners, also accompanied. Among
the numerous gentlemen from abroad was Judge
Hastings, a prominent capitalist OF California, the
same who conveyed Gov. Seward on lbs
memorable visit to Alaska. Coming from the
heated cities the party reshed exceedingly their cool
sccusion fresh breezes and tho comfortable quarters on
the Cape This charming Summer resort overooks the
Bay from an elevated lawn which slopes to the waters
edge in 'front.' where bathing houses are located ana Is
bounded at the rear by inviting nicely htted
up steam yacht which is used by the Canal Company,
was placed at the disposal Of the party Some ayailed
70. IA ffNg f In
trout and black Others roed for blue hsh, but IL
must be said with not very much Most of then
however found repo.e and sufficient enjoyment In smok
ing and chatting upon the wide yerandahs OF the hoe'
swept by the delicious bay breeze. After thus deVong
one day TO enjoyment and rest Thursday was given en-
tircy to the exploration of the line Of the canal HORSES
bucges sFs and the yacht used The natural adj
vantages Of the pointed out and the scientific
details explained The programme, devised by Col stein
berger was carried out TO the letter and tine presence Of
military officers, Gems Ingalls, and Foster made 1t an
occasion for many military "reminiscences
Having reached Sycamore HILL at Sandwich overlook
ing Cape Cod Bay and the mouth OF the proposed Canal
the party spent an hour in enjoying the magnificent view.
Then after dining in Sandwich the party took the cars
of the Cape Cod Railroad for their homes.
DESCRIPTION OF TIE CANAL
In MAY last Cen j. S. Foster US A. acting under or
der from the War Department made elaborate report
upon this canal project which was ordered toe printed
as public document by the United States Senate, and
short abstract of which has already appeared III The
TRIBUNE. It is complete and exhaustive Of the whole
subject He has not only compiled the results Of
previous surveys, but. being abreast with modern i'm
proyemcnts in engineering, he mas applied the latest
formulas and laid down the Interchangeable plan ana est
mates according 10 which the canal Is 10 be Dut FROM
his report and from conversation with him in actual
inspection of the surveyed line of the canal the follow
Ing data are derived Buzzards Bay is well sheltered
,-ftI, Il 1apl zlrI z4fp
anchorages eleven lighthouses up and down
it's shores the mouth of the canal VIII be
directly up the bay Back River Harbor The mouth OF
the canal viii be directly opposite Mashinee Island.
This island is OF the Ovccst spots on the New Eng
land coast 1t about seventy in extent and rises
about 20 feet above the water level One-haf Of II Is
natural lawn sOpng up from the waters edge II will
be the site of batteries to command the mouth or the
canal. At the point of cutting the mainland the bank
is about twenty five feet high From this there n
gradual slope toward the MOnUmet River, toward which
the line of the canal extends. The direction Of the canal
viii he nearly northeast II will be 10 miles in length
with such curves VIII prevent rapid flow OF the cur
rent The width of the valley is 200 yards ut its narrow
est point from which II gradually wdens toward each
end The hills rise, each side OF the valley, IN a
gradual slope, to nights varying from 60 to $50 feet Ma
ture has cut the cana down almost to high water level
The excavation Will be very simple, the powders being
few, and 40 rocky lodges having been discovered.
ton with the canal has been the operation OF the tidal
currents The bottom OF the canal will have slope Of
5 feet toward the eastern end But while the tides in
Back River HarbOr have mean rise ana fall Of al feet
those at the eastern end rise aud fall 97 feet Therefore,
the aggregate flow of water will DE from Cape Cod Bay
to Buzzard's Bay. Gen. Foster says:
The times OF high and low water in tie two bays
different that high water being hours and % min
utes aud of low water hours II minutes earlier IN Buz
Yards Bay than in Barnstdbc Bay The duration or the
rise and fall of the tides in Bamstabe Bay are nearly
equal while those OF Buzzards Bay differ about AN hour
and half, the rise being rapid, and the fall being de
hycd Low water occurs in Back River uarbOr soon
after high water in Barnsable Bay while high water IA
the former after the tide has risen considerably
The mean Of the greatest differences between high
water Of Bamstabe Bay and the corresponding Stage OF
low water in Buzzards Bay found by Mr.. Mitchell to
b. $40 feet while for the reverse relation Of the basin
the mean Is iGG feet. The maximum dihrrence was
observed the 18Th Of August 1860, when the high
water Of Barnstabe Bay was 78 feet above the water OF
Back Bay Iarbor These differences or lovel VIII neces
sary cause in canal If without locks, rush of water
from the higher the lower Level, which will continue
the other to the same level. when stand Will
for short time, until the water receives motion
increase to the time of the greatest difference OF level
and then diminish unit! another stand occurs and 80
i'm the same round Of motion and counter-mOtloil
1t has generally been suppo ed that me great mead
duce current in the length OF the proposed canal only
10 miles that would render navigation dlncut II not i'm
possible and thus render necessary the construction OF
costly locks ar each END Ihls luca mas Dth aioPeu III
all the that have boon heretofore proposed but the
great IN the cOdSfNSe tridc WHICH low mum
beers over forty thousand vessels that pass around Cape
Cod every year, Will render IL necessary to construct
double treble and, in time quadrupe tiers or locks TO
accommodate the vessels that Will present themselves
But he reports that the velocity Of 3s miles per hour
will he the greatest that will be generally met with,
has been demonstrated by the formulas that have been
applied There is found to be no need of locks, and
none will be built The sides of the canal will be COW
cred with asphaltum, some such substance But, the
velocity OF the current being so low, no considerable
.n.g,t VF.s
pated and the bottom will not be especially prepared to
resist the current whose velocity will be great
that of the lower Mississippi.
But about the formation Of nee in these waters Herein