The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-05-09

working SESSIONS Of the years 1870, 1871,
1872, 1879, aud was very thorough and
complete, embracing all the routes hereto
fore supposed to be practical--Tehuaute-
pee, Honduras, Chirique, Nicaragua, Pan.
anna, Darien, Truando and the Atrato, Civ
ing very interesting and satisfactory ac- |
counts Of the climate, soil, productions, to-
Biography gcology,hydrogaphie operations,
and astronomical aud pharmaceutical obser-
vations, together with the sanitary condi-
tions. as shown BY the effects upon the
health Of the surveying party aud the
natives, and much valuable information in
reference to the Isthmus generally, which
Is no longer terra ineognita, or even
doubtful land, as to its practicability for
ship canal.
The report gives preference to the
Atrato or Napipi route, over all that were
surveyed. Its general features will, am
convinced, says Commander Selfridge,
"prove that here is the spot so long sought
for, shorter than any other upon the con-
tinent presenting no insurmountable en-
gineering obstacles, and at cost much
less than any rival routes This route as
described in the report of 1871, is as fol-
lows -" Commencing at the mouth of the
Atrato river, il includes 1850 miles Of river
navigation, to point below the mouth Of
the Napipi; through the valley Of the lat
ter on nearly west course, and terminates
at the mouth Of the Limon river in Cupi-
ca bay. The harbors at the termini are
in all respects admirably adapted to every
requirement. In the later report of 1873, IL
is described as follows -" The dimensions
Of the canal projected BY this route, are a
depth Of 25 feet, and width at bottom, in
earth, Of 80 feet, and in rock of go feet,
and surface width Of about " feet, which
is about the size Of the Suez canal. The
Atrato river at the mouth of the canal, be-
ing 40 feet above sea-level, nine locks Of
1e feet lift are used to reach a summit
level of 100 feet, and thirteen locks, Of the
same lift, on the Pacific slope. While
locks are not a necessity on this route,
moderate number would interfere but little
with the transit, aud reduce greatly the
amount and cost Of excavation. The arti-
fetal cut or excavation is % miles in length;
Of this p miles are over plain, three miles
Of moderate deep cutting and three miles
of tunneling The tunnel viii be liz feet
high and 60 feet wide, leaving 81 feet in the
clear, above the water surface. The canal
may be filled, at the summit-leyel, by the
Napipi river, distant but few hundred
yards, whose volume, measured April 1st,
at the close Of the dry season, when the
river was very low, amounted to 10000 |
cubic feet per hour, or daily volume of
1924, 200 feet Ten loekages a day would
represent about the work required of the
canal, suppcsing yearly transit Of 3,0OO,-
900 tons. This service would require
$3.50, 900 cubic feet Of water per day, or
5,467 200 feet less than the capacity Of
the river. This quantity of water supply |
can be doubled BY feeder from the Bo-
joya river, not more than three miles long.
-Four plans Of construction are given,
with the cost Of each. The first is put
down at s60,5S3,746; the second at
S53, 937 ,2iT /; the third at s72,51s,795;
the fourth, or open cut plan, without locks,
except three on the Pacific side, at $780,
113.445. This latter plan contemplates
an open cut through the entire distance,
using no part Of river bed, leaving the
rivers to perform their natural functions in
carrying off the immense rain-falls of the
wet season, thus preserving at all times
slack water navigation in the canal. This
plan, while costing the mort, is deemed the
best. The general advantages Of the canal
line via the valleys of Napipiand Doguado
rivers, are: shortness Of line almost en-
tire excavation in rock, material that
admits of closer estimate Of cost than
any other; simplicity Of engineering, pro-
duciug lower calculation Of cost with a
less uncertainty Of change from original
estimates than any other; absence of
swamp land but one river to cross gen
cral hatness Of the greater portion Of the
route freedom from earthquakes absence
Of high winds that tend to impede the nav
cation Of a canal by large vessels; an
almost land-locked harbor on the Atlantic
coast, and harbor on the Pacific equal to
my other route surveyed. This portion Of
The report concludes as follows The
United States has now. through tho various
expeditions fitted out for tEG purpose, the
whole data to decide upon the feasibility
'f project that has been the dream of
centuries, and the best location for an en-
'erprise the greatest and most important
he world has yet soon"
In connection with the above we pub
ish the following telegram taken from
Wednesdays papers:
PAyANA, April 23.--The United States
teamer Saranac returned here from Darien
:oast on the 10th instant with the United
states Commissioners who went to verify Cap
ain Selfridge, scana route. Experience there
o far has not destroyed feelings of preference
Or the route by Nicaragua, generally enter
aimed BY the Commissioners, The Commits
ion will now cross the Isthmus to Aspinwall,
nd thence be conveyedto Atrato river, which
hey will ascend and examine.
Annexation vas detected in Baltimore
ounty, on Tuesday last, BY majority of
% ! This Is rather an emphatic rebuff
0 the tender wooings Of the city, and is I