New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-06-07

| under canal,
eowine only in the rainy season into the Nappi Az
rts season the lower Nappi overAows it's banks two
foot. but from this slight overflow the canal may DO
rroteced in places by moderate leyees. IL is expected
that the bed OF the canal viii be in rock its entire
course Thus constructed, 1t will last for all tme
and extensive dredging such necessary to Keep the
suez Canal open will be unknown.
At the point Of entrance of the canal the Atrato is
900 feet in width From this river TO the summit Lowell
e canal to ascend by eight locks feet The locks
will Pc Of iron in coupets, 60 feet wide and 400 feet
long TIE canal is proposed TO DO &c feet in depth,
feet wide at the bottom and 100 feet at the surface
The summit level is found 20 miles west OF the Arato,
and this level maintained until the passage OF the tun
mel Is made The western end Of the tunnel Is TO be but
5000 feet from the Pacific and the descent made by IL
locks 1913 feet The Canal is 100 miles in length and
passes cut at FL Guser OF IS feet In addition to the
feed water to be received from the Nappi at the summs
level an aqueduc three miles will secure additional
feed water from the Cua River but this will hardly DO
necessary. The range through which the tunnel is TO
be cut feet above the level OF the sea- It's
descent Pacific side is PERCEPTIONS that no open
cutting will be necessary while upon tho opposite side
the open cutting will enter the coast range but two
miles, leaving three miles for tunneling The tunnel Is
proposed be 60 feet wde and the opening "a feet hgh
in the clear above the surface OF the water From the
highest point Of the coast range shaft sunk to the
roof Of the tunnel would be 400 feet in depth
The route of the canal within tho limits OF the Co
lomban,province or State of Cauca OF which Gen. Mos
guerra Is President and POpYan tho capital The tract
to be occupied by canal ia unsettled and at present
forms part the public lands Of the Republic of Colon
ba Two or three treaties have been proposed with the
United by this RepubcTfOr the cession of tract
TO be occupied by ship canal but they have failed OF
ratification by the Senate, the probably being
that the terms demanded by the Government Of Colon
ba have been too 1t is understood that an
envoy Of that Republic, who remained at Washington
with proposal of cession during the last Congress, is
now visiting Europe in the hope Of inducing some Euro
pean power TO proceed with the work Capt. Selfrdge
was well received by such officers Of the Colombian Gov
eminent he met with in the course of his work. and 1t
IS believed the Republic is well disposed to the cession
Of the to the United States and the construction
OF the canal by Americans. The constructors
of the canal can depend but little for la
Dor upon Colombia. The cOOlie labor which
is engaged upon all the railways and public works Of
South America will be employed II estimated t9at
force of 10000 coolies must be engaged. Capt Shufeldt
proposes the labor for the Tehuantepec Canal 10
the republic be engaged for the preliminary clear
ing OF the lands and construction and lance upon
the narrow gauge railway which VIII be used 70 convey
supplies Of food aud material from the Atrat0 70 the
interior is expected that the entire supply OF 1000
and material may be drawn from the United states, and
thus large percenun OF the cost OF the canal be gwen
directly 70 our market inc esunlB TOT IIS ColsIu
is tOOOOO0O and this Is believed TO be amply sur
lis the proposition of tunnel for ships that princl
pa y eXCes doubt concerning the practcabitY OF this
canal route. distinguished engineer of the West has
said canal without tunnel II possible, but great
advantages in other respects shOrnes5 OF me ana me
harbOrs, compensate for short tunnel III is ne
ieved that this may prove work OF far less magnitude
than might be supposed on hasty consideration. It's
passage Will be shorter by five miles than the tunnel al
Mont Cents, and two miles less than the HOosac tunnel
II proposed sink three shafts that work on the
tunnel may proceed at the same time from eight faces
These openings VIII furnish lSht anu ar TO WolhihSn'
and after its completion to vessels passing trong the
tunnel Inc total lehsth OF Jhe taIee shafts WI" not
exceed that Of the single smart employed III the
construction of the HOosac tunnel II will be seen that
as soon opening has been pierced OF the size OF the
Bergen Railway tunnel tine remainder Oh Jhe Work VIII
be matter of ordinary excavation, and not require
more labor exceed I'm magnitude cuts which nave
been made upon several OF our railway llnes An e1,
animation Of the ridge gives evidence hdt the tunnel
scEpt4n, SP5Ges TI LAD XIX W0 J of oE
p0[I ol any hnI % ' me and "t6er ImbToyed
drills with ntrO-gycerne and hydraulics so mat work
which but few years since would have startled by its
magnitude may be engaged IN with certainty OF
speedy success IL is believed that the considerable
ease aud cheapuess with which the remainder of the
canal may opened Capt selfrdge has submitted his
Try. Gentlemen engaged on similar work, aud those
who have superineuded the larger cuttings upon our
railway s-prOmnenty the Erie, ana Baltimore ana ONO
confident that the work Is perfectly practicable
From Atlantic entrance 20 the canal easy OF ac
cess and well adapted 10 s purpose Is IounG IasSage
is made up the Gulf of Daren aud thence skrtnS the
delta the ArdtO iutO the andsheltcred aud secure
hdrDOrOf Colombia passage or lngress ana egreSsl
found into the river by the most sontnerY mouth OF the
delta the UraOa. This entrance unlike the luel5 10 the
Mississippi Is what is known permanent rance.
The movement Of the sea not being felt practicable
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million 10 form mOles extending short distance into
the harbor and Tor dredging IN the channel thus formed
remain perfect Tue River AtrAtO, from the delta 70 the
proposed canal entrance, has DeenA most thor-
Oughly examined SOundings have been made
every few rods, and bottom less than
q feet found Near the mouth OF the river the channel
sounded to depths upward OF 100 leet Inc now OF
the AtratO through channel considerably wider rs
we'll deeper than that Of the Mississippi is knot and
one half per the dry increased by about
hn4 T SnG 6e enfrey free of sarp bends rocks or
pf
party of Capt Sefrldge, 100 miles above the proposed
of the canal Uut IL was evident that above the
out let OF the Nappi route for canal INTO the AtratO
WAS 10 found equal TO the line conducted from the
west down the lett bank of the former rver. strict
estimate OF the width OF the AraO ~ the canal entrance
is 1000 feet, with depth OF u feet.
An examination OF the lower Atrato as a canal
entrance was made in 1851 10y Mr.. Kenulsh, at the
sririted ciIiZen OF New York MIR Kennish proposed a
cut from the AtratU, 65 miles above mouth, the
Pacific, jGO6 miles IN length TINS country was also the
scene OF General Mculers typographical survey just
pre yious 10 the rebellion. General Mcher proposed
canal to the AraO % miles above It's mouth, and
to reach the Pacific by cut OF 52g miles. The estimate
for the latter work $34,OOOOJO. The estimate Tor
the route Of Mr. Kennish not known. Az the Pacific
mouth of the canal TWO small break waters will he neces
sary. These may be formed OF the e1cavated matter
brought from out the tunnel which al tins side comes
within 5000 feet Of the sea secure anchorage may mere
had IN Is athoms OF water Fresh Dreezes from OF
the land only felt and there Is but moderate SURF
cross Cupca Bay has long been known as one Ot the
best places of anchorage on the coast. ,
Sailing vessels passing u OF from the Atlantic mouth
OF the canal may rely IN one direction upon the trade
winds OF tine Caribbean ana In inc OJhef ON Jn6 current
which sets along the northern shore Of the isthlus.
From Colombia Bay or HarDOr the sailing vessel VIII Dc
escorted Dy a powerful tug up the AtrdtO. The tugs
operating upon the AtrdtO and the passing
from ocean TO Will be able to supply themselves at
the rivers mouth with coal which, though not marketable
elsewhere OF such quality 10 be O value TO passing
vessels Its comparison with the best Welsh coal Il as 10
10 j. From the along the banks Of the river FISH
caught IN wers may be obtained for food and re-WOOd
can be purchased IN the passage Of the canal II II pro-
posed that sailing vessels be tOwed by small tug OF CON
sdcra3ly lighter draft than mat mpOyed IN the AraO
The LOCKS, eight In number the Atlantic side OF the
divide VIII be worked By turbine water-wheels, and
placed cOuplets order 10 decrease the number of
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