, 1875-12-01
INTER.OCEASIC S11Ip.CANAL.

Thc various Isoutcs-A Preference
Given to tho Nicaragua Onn.
WAsu1SoToS, Nov. 2S.-Tho Commission ap-
pointed by tho Secretary Of tho Navy to investf-
cato tho mori.s OF tho VARIOUS tbip-canal routes
for connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans
las prepared = preliminary report WHICH will be
presented to the President tomorrow. Gen.
Humphreys Of tho Army Commodore Am
mcn, Of tho Navy, and Capt. Patterson, OF tho
Coast surroy, constitute the Comlnisbiou. Tho
problem Of connecting tho two ans has occu.
pied the attention, 30 tho report Bays, OF atntos-
men, nAyigators nul mariuers for e,t Ioast 575
yeats. Tho enormous saving OF distance, timc.
cost, and risk which 1t would Givo to tho world
has boon carefully taoutated. Thore remains
nothing to show but tho feasibility Of
thu route. This, tho Commissioner re-
port c!alms has been dono In the surveys
made upon the Nicaragua routo- Tho Commits
aion examined atl the reporsa Of SURVEYS that
have been mado. Under tho Dsrien routo theto
ase heyeral dstinct surveys: The kap.pL, TO-
gently reported In these dispatches by Lieut..
Collins; the Catalonia, tho 5asardi. anu tho 6an
Bias. Besides these are tho roposta upon tde
Tchunntepeo, tho Nicaragua. and the Panama
ron&cs. The surveys OF the panama and ficarar
Gua routes worc made BY Capt. Lu, Of tho Navy.
AhpLs cEuukQHtt O4 ku0 navy 6QFF&fGu tAp A6-
huansepeo route, and Capt. seltridee, Of tho
Mary, the others. All theso gentlemen wero be-
fore tho commission in it's recent examination.
aud with maps aided In tho explanation Of tho
reports made by them. Upwarda of 100000 has
been already expended upon these surveys. 1t
Ia now regarded as Of the highest importance
that tho United btates take Hotuo action at once
to carry out tho foas.ble plans OF tho ship canal.
IL order to preyol.t el&hes France or England
from coming In aud reaping tue honor aud
nrnHt 6f tbtA tuEnrnttAn.
Tho result of this work cannot ia fully csti-
mated. Tho great saving IN tho carrying trade
and tic facilitating OF tho connections betweon
Eastern Asta aud Western Ame1lea with Europe
completed nearly ono'hnif OF tho carrying
trado Of ths wotll will be rovolutlonizch.
The commission has mad0 1nost thorough
examination Of all tho cvideucc bsiore them,
and warmly urge upon Congress the necd
OF speedy action. BESIDES thn testimony OF iho
naval olilcora who have made tho Burvoya. thev
had also tho testimony OF Civil Commission
made up Of hiess1a. Walton and Amman. AND
who have examined carefully the feasibility Of a
ship canal. In examining The various roports
ob}cctlons Of sn almost 1nsurmountabe
nasuto wore found III nll but tho Nicar~
otuess, with tho exception, perhaps, Of tho To-
huantepeo route, but it's other advantages moro
thau make up Tho bad feature Of length. It IL
tho only route where the climate ia not lnn-
geroua to hoath. In tho iowcr ronsea tho
u,alarla would destroy Tho greater por.
ton OF tho workmeh before tho canal
would bo completed. Il Ia tho only
route whero . proper supply Of wAtor
could bo found, Lake Nicaragua upon thls route
being capable Of furnishing a constan: and uni.
form Bupp!y Of water. Tie other routoa are
very defective In many other ways. They e1-
tunu through worthless waste Of conntry that
in tmpoRaible Of development. Tho route
Though Nicaragua Ii represented as the para
dlao of Central Americas aud would return uu-
| told wealth uuder proper development.
The cost OF ths shlp.cannl via tue NcnragnA
route Ia thus sccapitulated b7 4. q. Mcnocat
| Chief Engineer Of Capt. Du1lB expedition. Tho
total dln, anco from tito harbot OF G1eysown, OF
San Juan del Norto, IN I'LL 2g-l00 atatnte Mlles.
The coat for tue canal for this distance is thus
| summarized:
Wesesu pIrs!on GO III
Middle Dfyihinn ............,. .......... fla.ftt
E.stern Division. ...A...... 25,1 .glt