Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-10-18
Tho Projected Enfer-Oceanfc Canal
EnPycYR.


The Navy Department has selected Com !
mander Edward p. Lull to take command
of the projected expedition to survey for
inter-oceanic canal route through Mica |
raguan territory. Commander Lull was
second in command of the two expeditions
of 1870 and 1871. No orders have yet
been given with regard to fitting out OF
vessels. Commander Lull will have the
! assistance of some of the most experienced
| officers In che navy, including Lieut.. Com
| mander Schultz and Lieut.. Jefferson Z.
| Moser, both OF whom served on the barren
! expedition. 1t is not expected that this
! expedition will find feasible canal route
! in Nicaragua. Still the Government is
anxious to establish by accurate surveys
! the practicabilty or impracticabiity of the
/ different routes. 1t is evident that the
| choice lies between the Tehuantepec route
or the Napipi roulette latter being the
short one, near or by the AtratOr liver, in
Colombia territory, which Commander
Selfridge first surveyed. This officer is
confident of being able to alter the route
by location just few miles below the
surveyed route, and for this purpose will
make a reconnaissance from the Atratol
river to the Pacific, during the coming
winter, Congress, at its last session, having
appropriated five thousand dollars for that
purpose. The Colombian gOvernme Mt is
very anxious to have a canal route fixed
! and the work commenced, in order that
the resources Of the country bordering on
the AtratOr river may be developed, /
being considered about the finest portion i
he nited States Of Colombia. i Ii,
we. kuees of that gOyernm-Ilt ana u'
; hostility OF the Inditiis to ItlIni grafton las
pIeH ented any attempts II The "as VI az =
cultural Or mining opel atIoi.s.
The report Of the tugin er il charge &
- Ift lel mr. ., Iil
= i1z the tennessee liver with the Atlant
! | ocean It Savannah, Ga, which reached Ia
y | Mar IJtlaItln-Mt too late to pre- "a ali,
,uesei.t 10 Congress at is last session, Ia.
been put i'll proper order, and Will lie sen
= 10 Cong. ess early in December ncXl, hA
!, led to an interesting discussion On tile sub
i rect. iLe growing importance CT the c:Ieal
freight question seems lik-!; 10 result in
Il rlunru1lS CONGRESSIONAL agitation. Repre-
i sentative Sawyer, OF Wisconsin,, Was lier
n \ slurJ time since iii furthei anc5 If TN
Fox river improvements, which is to COZ
Is II ct The two great lakes. Illinois is I
u make d new effort towards conhec' in
= L TX, Nj .higan anG the Mississippi. Their
a.e several bids pending fer S0uther
>, ais. aud Il movement is on tlot in Ne'
4 York to procure tie aid Of Congress turth
81 &, NJ pletion ct Inc famous ONO AMI Chess
is D AXE water route. French en9in, era ear
5" here, ana as IeSiIt Oh LI'II tHqthIt
ID n.arly a million dollars was invested
n lands along the route for the the, enipeio
&c The scheme which lay behind this purcha:
5 vas to obtain conditional grant Of ton
million acres Of public lands at 81 PER ac.
r. the company to pay the Same, and to !
9 allowed to receive 1GO-acre warrants, or f
r. a less amount for each len mile section
II, the canal as finishetl-thc same to Ua as,
90 by European emigrants who were 10
NJ brought over in colonies. This scLell
co which vas known TO be endorsed
m French 'inanciers, was never put in shal
w E0IUE Gi0be.