The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-20
NEW HERALD SATURDAY MAY 20 1871 TRIPLE SHEET.
The Darien Isahmus Expierat'eas-Ths
Nicaraaunn tho Rest Ieeutc fer . Ship
Canal.

The Daricn Isahmus Expleratleas-Ths
Canal.
From the results of the careful and lsborious
explorations OF the expedition under Com
mander Selfridge, United States Navy, in search
of feasible route at some pass across the
Isthmus of Darien for ship canal we con-
clude that there is no feasible route in that
quarter for a ship canal Of the character re-
quired for the worlds commerce. A dividing
ridge of seven hundred and sixteen feet alti-
tude above the sea level is too much for O
through cut, or for the lockages necessary, in
view of the vast reservoir of water demanded
to supply the locks in both directions from the
summit level South of Nicaragua, the best
route for ship canal, after all, is that now
occupied by the Aspinwall aud Panama Rail-
road The length of the canal by this route,
from sea to sea, would be, say fifty miles,
and for nearly half this distance the bed or the
valley Of the Chagres river would be available
The summit level is not much over three hun
dred feet, and appears, from its interlocking
II is probable that canal as large could be
cut across this isthmus route at less than the
cost of the Suez Canal and that it would be
much more durable when completed.
But nature has prepared the most available
line for ship canal between the Atlantic
and Pacific oceans in the Nicaraguan route.
Captain Pym, Royal Navy, British engineer,
has calculated that a ship canal may be
excavated over this route for about twenty
millions of dollars. The length of this route
from sea to sea for canal would be- say
one hundred and thirty miles, including the
river San Juan to the great Lake Nicaragua
(about two-tbirds the size of Lake Ontario),
the distance thence across that lake, and the
distance thence, some fifteen miles, to the Pa
cifc. The summit level of Lake Nicaragua
is some three hundred and twenty feet above
the sea level, and in this great lake we have
not only reservoir sufficient for all purposes
Of lockagc, and a fountain of cool fresh water
from which may be supplied all the ships in
the world but summit level harbor broad
and deep enough to accommodate all corners
ITOul Ill Vi TIC biOUc. leu niles
north Of Lake Nicaragua, on the same pla-
teau is another fine lake, called Managua,
and of the little town Of Massaya, between
these two lakes, Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, in
an essay on a ship canal by the Nicaraguan
route, has left his opinion upon record that
this little town of Massaya, in the future
trade across the American Continent by this
route, will rank in Importance with tho COM
mercial and naval position of Constantinople.
Captain Shufeldt has made a reconnaissance
Of the Tehuantepec route, and reports favor
ably upon it for ship canal; but for an
American isthmus canal on grand scale the
Nicaraguan route is the best, and, we think,
the only feasible route of them all. We
would suggest to General Grant, therefore,
the expediency Of an early exploration Of this
route, in view of its manifest advantages for a
great interoceanic ship canal