The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-12

g
pirates they could not have presented mora .o,~~
spectacle than we, and few could restrain a smlA az
the general dilapidated appearance or the marty
But am confident that had we been absent three
months the welcome extended to our party could
not have been more cordial or sincere II seemad
as II the on1cers almost Wed with each othsr m
their endeavors TO make their visitors comforta-
Bile and supremacy happy; and, altogether, 1 do
not know OF sny feature OF the expedition having
greater claim to kind remembrance than the
event to which now refer. The Saranac got nm
der way at eleven O'Clock for Panama, where
Commander Selfridge and the party will leave for
Aspinwall to join the United States steamship
Gettysburg and proceed to examine the mouth OF
the Atrato River and the harDor adjacent thereto.
The Last OF the Expedftion-The Rival
Routes Compared-Opinion of ExPerts-
The Panama Line To BE Recommended
for STRAIGHTFORWARD Bound.
ON BOARD THE u. s. 8. GETTYSBURG
GULF OF DARIEN, April 70. 1874.
The examination Of the Atrato- Napipi route for
an interoceanic canal has at length come to an
end. The last OF the labor was completed this
afternoon, and in an hour or 30 the little vessel on
which pen these lines viii heave up anchor for
taking-whether the commission at Washington
win decide in favor OF either line OF survey, that
by way OF Nicaragua or the Atrato route-certsin
is 1t that the important task assigned to the ofcer
upon whose Official report so much depends, has
been performed with great deiicacy and faithful
ness Pear, favor or affectl0n has not, l think,
entered into his calculations; and whatever state
ments or recommendation Major Mcfarland may
make In summing up his report, there can be little
doubt they Will receive that attention which care
full observation and conscientious adherence to
the existing state OF facts must necessarily demand
THE BAR AT THE URABA.
When the Gettysburg arrived here from Aspins
wall with Commander Seridge and party par
tlai examination OF the bar was made at the mouth
OF the Uraba. On the following day Commander
Seliridge, with Major Mcfarland and Captain Huer,
assembled the Uraba about twenty miles to the
Atrato, for the purposes OF observation, while
Professor Mitchell and General Ammen made
more extended examination Of the bar, uron which
there was some five feet OF water. 1t was their
opinion that serious diniculty was presented by
the bar, that its removal would not require much
engineering skill and that, In fact. the surround
tngs Of the gull were all that could be desired.
THE RIVAL ROUTES.
Apart from minor details, which should hardly
be taken into consideration In . matter OF such
canal think may venture to assert that as to
the feasibility OF the Nicaragua line no one who
has examined it entertains the remotest doubt;
and the question OF feasibility means simply the
amount requisite to carry on and complete the UNI
dertaKing. From frequent conversations with
Major Mcfarland and the other engineers con-
nected with this expedition am satisfied that the
route mentioned impressed them all favorably, and
will doubtless receive earnest approval at their
hands. But one aud all agree that the bar &C
Greytown presents ANTIQUITIES which only very
large expenditure can remove The estimates SET
forth by Commander Lull for its Improvement they
consider far below the mark, for, instead OF
100000. 1t would require from $780, 900 to
$5,oO0.0OO to bring about the necessary changes.
1t Is the opinion Of the engineers that an artificial
harbor should be constructed such as exists at
Cherbourg The line itself presents no obstacles
whatever, and the supply VI water Is inexhaustble.
As for the harbor the Pacific side Brito the
place selected, is nothing more than an tndenta-
ton in the coast, and there can be no gainsaying
the tact that should the Nicaragua route be chosen
1t win require
ARTIFICIAL HARBoRs
ct both ends. With the exception OF the Gulf Of
Darien there rs really no route yet surveyed Tor
canal purposes that can lay claim to . harbor.
understand 1t Is the intention OF MAJOR Mcfarland
to recommend q survey OF the line from Aspinwall
to Panama. For years 1t has had able advocates,
and 1t Is no more than just that its merits as .
highway OF water communication between the two
oceans should be settled one way or the other.
But lar the engineers VINO have examined the
Nicaragua route have expressed themselves de-
cidedy In its favor. Should better one be dis
covered let US have 1t, BY all means Is not with
out some difficulty that come now 70 speak OF the
Atrato-Napipi route Tor which Commander Seridge
b0o oIw DIV mo- o afou urJo kot
Major Mcfarland and the other engineers, have
yet to take it's various features into consideration
before any opinion can be arrived at Just as in
the case OF the Nicaragua route, the estimates for
Its construction are necessarily guess work, to
some extent, the advantage, however, with the
former being that the character OF the country
has, from time to time, been visited and exam
ined by eminent engineers, whereas In the latter
nothing more than an instrumental reconnois-
sance or preliminary survey for section has been
made along the rivers, on the banks OF which the
proposed line runs, SO that there Is yet room for
further development. But whatever may be said
In favor or disparagement Of either route, no one
can deny to Commander Seliridge and the corps
Of able young officers who accompanied him
the credit OF boldly entering region entirely
known and producing results such as could only
be accomplished by the most unremitting perse-
verance courage ana commendable ambition.
Little remains to be said. The expedition
has throughout been marked by the most har-
monious feelings and on earnest desire to deter
mine the relative merits o. the two routes. TO
Lieutenant David G. McRitchie, the commander Of
the Gettysburg the members OF the party re.
peatedly expressed their Acknowledgements for the
courtesy and numerous acis OF unofficial kindness
when he dispensed In their behalf. The Gettys-
burg leaves this evening for Asp'nwall, and, having
that RI Wi r.
route to Washington.
THE CUBA CABLE
The supposed "fault" or imperfection IN the
Cuba cable, which had interrupted communication
during several MONTHS proves TO have been com.