Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-07-06
Canal Surveys in Central America,


EaitOrof the Spy;-Your ar ticle in the issue
of this date upon the attempt of surveying
party sent by tho government of the United
States TO find a practicable route for a canal
across the isthmus of Nicaragua, recalls my
own explorations over the same ground. IhaVe
not seen the report of Commander Selfridge, but
will venture to predict that his discoveries will
not prove to be of the slightest importance The
results of the expedition will be-first, the pay
ment of large sum of money from the treasury
for its expenses; secondly, the tardy publica-
ton, after the subject is forgotten, of report in
bulky volume, badly printed and worse bound,
ILLUSTRATED" with trashy Autographs Ingenu-
Gus congressman will frank a few tons of these
books to the country post offices, to be distrib-
uted to the "hard-handed piow- holders" "the
gallant fishermen of our rock bound coasts,
and other free and independent toilers who vote
according to the views of the said congressman.
The incidental benefit will be to the wives of the
aforesaid toiers, who will ultimately trade the
volumes for tins with the obliging vendors of
that sort of ware. If the department of our
government undertaking this superfluous sur
yey had been organized according to the rules
proposed for a reform of our civil service, there
might possibly have been some one in its bureau
who could have suggested that the information
Commander Selfridge and his men have been at
such pains and expense to procure, might be
had from any library round the corner.
In 1881, under orders of the crown of Spain,
Don Manuel Galisteo surveyed the whole ground.
His reports were confirmed by other engineers
in the Spanish service Their routes and meas
urementS have been repeatedly published and
may be found in the appendix to ThompSon's
Guatamcla. Other surveys followed Galisteo
and in 1888 an elaborate examination was or
dered by the confederation of Central America
with view to a canal. This was conducted by
John Bailey, and his report eXtnguished all
hope, and set the matter at rest. He showed by
comparison with the expense of other similar
works that the cost of the section of the canal
from Lake Nicaragua to the Pacific would be
about $150,000 900. Other surveys followed
Bailey without favorable result About 1919 or
1850, when the rush to California commenced,
Cornelius Vanderbilt sent party of engineers
under the command of Col. Childs of New York,
TO make complete survey from the harbor of
San Juan del Norte on the Atlantic TO the Pa
cific ocean. This was done in the most thorough
manner, Col Childs reported that the route
was mpracticable for a canal, and | think his
report was published IN 1919 some French
schemers revived the Canal project, and brought
it favorably before the emperor, who had
dreamed of it himself when porting over his
maps in his prison at Ham. Procuring a char
ter from Nicaragua and Costa Rca, granting
not only right of way, but immense tracts of
lands exclusive rights and general privileges
they formed a company, sent out a small colony,
and a corps of engineers | met these gentle
men while engaged upon the survey OF the river
before they had reached the lake, or seen the
isthmus, and they freely confessed that they had
seen enough. In 1918 Capt. PIN of the Eng
fish navy made survey from Mona
point on the Atlantic to Realejo on the Pacific,
with view to the construction of railway.
His story is told in his book called "The Gate to
the Pacific" l mention these surveys to show
that exploration in this quarter has been
thorough, and that the results are easily acces.
sible. You state in the Spy that the Selfridge
party have explored three routes from Lake
Nicaragua TO the Pacific. 1t would have been
ripper Judgment" if the party had first attempt
Ci " Ntl IL liIoOl Ou tut LttldullC III WHICH
TO commence the eastern end of the canal in
stead of looking at the harbOr laid down on old
charts. The harbor of San Juan del NOrte is
only memory Of the past In 1858 | sailed into
it, and there were noble ships lying at ancher
there, among them three British frigates and
the United States men-of-war Savannah and
Jamestown The present Admiral John Wor-
den was a lieutenant on the Savannah, all un
conscious of his destiny, for | remember he told
me that he wished he could leave the navy and
get little farm to enjoy the society of his wife
and children. 1t was Il complaint then that the
water of the st. Juan river was passing out
through the Colorado branch, some miles
below, and that a bar was rapidly forming at
the entrance to the harbor. The next year
came down the river St. Juan in large
whale boat and we had difficulty in getting to
Greytown the water had grown so shallow. The
harbOr had filed up so much that vessels did
not dare TO enter. In 1868 the whole volume of
the San Juan was discharged through the Colo
RADIO branch, and the great harbor of San Juan
where, in 1859, an English line of battle ship
drawing % feet could swing safely, was lagoon.
AT the Colorado mouth there is no harbor, and
there is a shifting bar, on which the surf can be
seen rom lar al sea- 80 mucl fof the Atlantic
coast Inc oau Juan river Is not haViSaoie
stream. VIII not occupy your space TO describe
IT. Like inc i'i-calcuia'ed voyage Oh NE, II
"oouHus III sh"iowS anu III lniSer'eS' Col'
NnlluS' VINO starred Ill 1913 from a then none
hafoof on tue Atiahllc' CONSIDERED IL pracucaole
10 construct canal from inc Aualuc 10 tue
Lake. Instance OIL 81 miles, Dut mere comes
new ana greater difficulty Lakes" though
very convenient thlngs Tor canal constructors
MuoueNisc Pi''hs Win 'he asslslahce VI maps Ut
l"Is vi ""shlhstoh' are teirloie oDStaeles Wheh
al o"h CaIloS, inc entrance 10 the lake, the
80 ny '1,'' wv "eO - anu
IilcTe are Otner paris oil Inc lake where there