National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-12-12

I VTTHHTtI
| upon their moderation, but which have failed
Ia ipc, i've full attention. doubtless On account
| OF more pressing present requirements and
| ohig'lions. aud who VIII clearly realize that
| dutips constantly post poncd are certain To he
| more dlffGult and much more cxpensivc when
| performed IN haste, under the pressure OF i'm
perious necessity. Tho department has had
NO NECESSITY TO ovRRsrEP lis ArPRoPRIA-
| TIoNs.
| even II 10 were lawful to do SO: but the press
| ipg demands of the present Will consume no W
| what was proviaed Tor the service OF the year
IN several OF the working bureaus. These
| must he promptly relieved. " their work Is To
| 90 on. The occasion has clearly shown, l
| think, that our navy Rs II exists should at
| least he put IN condition Tor active service.
and, in any event. moderate appropriation
| for TINS purpose ought ut once 10 bo made,
| and " war should by any possibility come, we
must be literally provided TO ntiuzo the means
we have aud TO provide Others TO meet the
| emergency.
THE PoLARIs.
The Secretary, In speaking OF tn. Polaris
says her cruise has been decidedly the most
| successful of Arctic expeditions. The geo
| graphical knowledge ,f thg AtCav 'egIOns mas
been largely advanced. yer, particular
questioning OF every one or the officers aud
| crew OF the Polaris and OF the scientific corps,
except the three persons rs yet unexamlned,
| has completely satisfied his associates and
| himself that capt. Halls death occurred from
purely natural causes that his med cal treat.
ment was judiclously adapted 10 his case, and
| that he was tenderly nursed and cared Tor to
| the last. The evidence has also made 1t mani
| test that Capt. Hall was always faithful to the
| trust reposed IN nm IN assigning him the com
mand OF the expedition; that he was KIND,
| firm, and humane III the exercise OF his au.
| tnOrity that he was earnest IN his desire and
| In MS attempts TO reach high northern latl-
| tude, aud. If practicable, the Pole itself. and
| that his untimely death was an irreDarable
| loss to the expedition. IL Is also apparent that
Capt. Buddlneton, who succeeded to the ch ef
command on the death OF Capt Hall. proved
himself to be a good seaman. ami that IN all
dangerous positions in which the Polars was
placed his conduct as her commander was
skilliul and Judloious the natural result OF
long experience at sea ana IN command IN
northern latitudes, The department takes oc-
casion to express its Indebtedness to the otfi-
clals of the Danish Government IN Greenland
for their uniform courtesy to the officers of the
United states Navy connected with the recent
expeditions to the Polar seas, and for the faci-
itIes extended to those expeditions to promote
their success
INTERoCEANIc CANAL.
The expeditions organized under the author
ity OF Congress for the survey OF the Danen
and Nicaragua routes, with the view to the
construction of an lnterOceanlc canal, have
comple ted the duties intrusted TO them.
DARIEN sURvEY.-rne favorable report OF
Commander Selfridge OF the survey OF the
Isthmus OF Darien, III 1871, rendered 1t deslra
ble to explore more thoroughly the region of
the Napipi. and to definitely settle now tar the
surveys to the south could be profitably car
Ileu on IN tlt NalitN OI AlIdlb, SUIDudUutT
Selfridge vas accordingly ordered to organ re
another expedition. which arrived IN Panama
in January last. The Tuscarora, Commander
Bclknsp. of the Pacific fleet. was ordered to
cooperate with 1t, aud form "A base for the de-
sired surveys. lt is very gratifying that the
expedition has been SO successful as to mate
rally improve upon the route already discoY-
cred and surveyed, and has marked out "A llue
for this great enterprise that can be construct
cl within the limit OF an expenditure more
moderate than could have been expec q.
when compared with the mmeuslty of the uu-
dertaking and the great benefits that cannot
taii. upon its completion, to occur to our com
merClll Interests.
Brlefiy stated the route selected by Com
mander Selfrldge, includes 100 miles OF river
navigation of the Atrato, which has been care
tully sounded, and found TO be fully capable
OF being navigated by the largest class of
ocean steamers. Between AtratO and the
Pacific a canal or artificial cut Is made but 2s
mIles in length. The canal for % miles of ttIs
distance passes through plain. with grdnaI
Use of 90 feet. There VIII then remain SIX
miles to the Pacirc, OF which there are n
modei ate open cut and three miles OF tunnel
ing 1t Is estimated that the w0ik Wi cost
between $50 600 600 and $50. 600 GOO, and that 1t
can be completed within len years. A careful
survey and soundlngs Of the Atrato resulted In
the tact that, though capable of navigation tor
steamboats,, even in its lowest stage, to Qui-
beto, the head OF ship-navigdtlon was reached
but a snort distance above the line selected
Tor the canal. Surveys OF the interior settled
the fact that 1t would not be profitable to ex-
the westerly trend of the coast made the area
that would have to be canalized broader in eX
tent, but also that 1t was traversed by numer-
o,Is streams, forming the water shed of noun
famous ridges that would have to be cut trans
versely. Moreover, the Cordilefas, which
present a marked depression near the head
waters of the NapIpi, lncreas1 rapidly in altl-
tude as YOU proceed south. The bealtn OF the
cxpQdltlou has been as satisfactory as the pre-
cedng ones These surveys. which include the
whole Isthmus OF Darien, have not resulted in
Ia 4, nj, -
Much of tins immunity from disease IN a sicky
climate and an arduous duty, Is due to tue
pIoydent care ana well-laid plans OF the
officers III command
NICARAGUA SURvEY.-The Nicaragua sur
veying expedition, III charge OF Commander
L. p. Lull, sailed from the United States in
December, 1872, and returned IN July last.
The result OF Its labors prove the existence OF
practicable route for an lnteroceanc ship
canal, having Lake Nicaragua at It's summit
level. II Is proposed TO connect the lake with
the Pacific by canal 1888 miles IN length,
beginning at the mouth OF the Rio del Medic,
aud terminating at Brito. The first $50 mules
will require an excavation averaging 64 feet
IN depth, and Will be the most ex peusi rc part
of the whole work. The profile for the rest
Of the distance is lower than the proposed
!eve OF the surface OF the water; embank-
ments will be built up with the material ex-
cavated, Ten locks and one ude-loek VIII De
required between the lake and the sea. There
VIII be Sc miles OF lake Navigation; 26 feet OF
water can be carried within $50 feet OF the
mouth Oh lut tsIt htl Ehtulu. ou tHt N'o' oitS
"a channel will have to be deepened, from six
o eight feet tor nine mics. The bottom Is a
firm mud without n single rock.
Slack-water navigation IN the san Juan, from
its mead to the mouth OF the San Carlos, is con
sIdeled perfectly feasible; and 1t is proposed
to improve the river by four dams. one each ut
CASTILLO Rapids. Balas Rapids. Maehuca
Rapids and at the mouth OF the san Carlos, at
all of winch places excellent locations for
dams exist A short section Of canal with one
lock VIII be required to get around each of the
upper three dams. From Just above the
fourth dam to GreytOwn an independent canal
Will be required Al 80 miles IN length, OF which
SO miles viii require an excavation less than
the prism OF the canal; the remaining four
miles are made up OF short reaches, where the
line cuts through hills. Seven locks, besides
those abreast the dams. VIII be tedulred, ana
should be located IN the MUS III of1ef 10 take
advantage Of the natural rock lounda.lon.
some Improvement VIII be required In places
IN the river bed for which the amount has
been computed and the cost estimated
The total length OF the proposed canal is Oh
"A miles of which 47.37 miles are In excava-
ton and embaukment. The average depth OF
excavation through hout is but nine feet above
the prism of the canal. No tunnel Is required.
The harbor of Greytown has been partially
DESTROYED by a silt which comes from the San
Carlos, and others of the lower tributaries OF
the San Juan. and the branch OF the river
leading to Greytown has become so much hlied
up that il Is now, at the lowest stage OF the
water, but 324 feet wide and six inches deep at
the fork. 1t is proposed TO shut on thus branch
and send all the saitbeafing water
through the Colorado mouth, wnlch empires
INTO the sea Is miles from Greytown. and to
admit TO the harbor only the water of the
canal, whicn being drawn from the main river
above the mouth of tho San Carlos viii be per
fectly clean The harbor then once cleared
out Will leave nothing TO deteriorate IL again.
A short breakwater VIII be required 10 protect
I he entrance from the surf. also one at Brfto, |
both OF which ale included IN the estimate for
the work. Careful gauges at the lowest stage
show that Lake Nicaragua VIII supply 3e
The climate is considered perfectly healthy
for temperate people who adopt the simplest