The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-11-27
THE GREAT SHIP CANAL.

| UNITING THE PACIFIC AND THE ATLANTIC
oCEANs-oNE OF THE GRANDEsT PRO-
JECTs OF MODERN TIMEs-A NEW ERA
IN COMMERCE.
The project Of opening canal between
the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, suitable
for the passage of ships of the largest class,
is of such acknowledged Importance to the
United States, and indeed to the world at
large, that any information bearing upon
the question is always eagerly sought for
The following brief digest of the results
of the latest survey of the proposed route
by way of the Atrato, Napipi and Dognato
rivers will therefore be read with interest:
The expedition was fitted out by the
Navy Department for the work. The ex-
petition sailed from New York on the 9th
of January by the Pacific Mail Steamship.
On arriving at Aspinwall they went on
board the United States ship Canandaigua,
and in it proceeded to the mouth of the
Atrato river in the Gulf of Uraba. In the
ships boats, towed by steam cutter, they
assembled the Atrato river 100 miles to the
mouth of the Napipi, in the valley OF which
stream lay the scene of operations.
The boats having landed the party at its
destination returned to the ship, and the
explorers were left to their work in the
wilderness. Having secured a sufficient
number of native assistants and canoes for
transportation, the regular labors of the
survey began on the 9th of February. The
work was continued without interruption
till the 2Sth Of April, when complete line
of survey from the Atrato to the Pacific
having been secured, the party re-embark-
ed in the boats that had been sent to take
them off, and on the 9Th of May all were
once more on board the Canandaiqua.
In reference to the character of the country
in every part showed its Typographical fea,
lures to be wonderfully systematic. From
the main "divide,' which skirts closely to
the Pacific coast come down to the east
ward long ridge forming the divide between
the valleys of the various tributaries to the
Atrato. These ridges send of the north
ward and southwark smaller spurs, and
these divide again and again till the whole
country is overspread with hills, running
the one into the other like the veins on
leaf. A detached hill is hardly to be met
The country Immediately along the line of
the survey may be divided into four divi-
sions as regards its typographical charac-
teristics.
For about five miles back from the Atrato
the ground is fiat and swampy. This re
gion is frequently under water during the
wet season, and even during the dry be-
comes barely passable. The great difficult
ty was experienced in carrying the survey
through the dismal part of the route, and
all the members of the expedition there
Beyond this swampy section the line runs
through very hilly region where the spurs
and ridges butt directly on the river and
could not be avoided by turning the line in
either direction. These steep hills delayed
the progress Of the survey very seriously.
Beyond these hills a length of about seven
miles was found where by keeping the line
we'll down toward the river all bad hills
were avoided. At the end of this section
the line crosses the Napipi and follows the
valley of the Dognato. From the point of
crossing to the Pacific, the country was
found extremely broken and billy. The
n wiz hofu ho N,11 IF ha IN
and the Pacific was crossed at an elevation
of IT'S feet. So steeply does the Pacific
slope descend that the summit of this di-
vide is but about mile and half from
the shore of the ocean. Lieutenant Collins
has prepared estimates of the cost Of a
canal by this route, following the general
plan proposed by Com. T. o. Selfridge.
This plan involves a summit level of 143
feet with 90 locks and a tunnel three and
half miles in length. The total length
of the artificial cut required is thirty-two
and two-tenth miles.
The estimates alluded to exhibit the sup
posed cost of all the work necessary to the
proper working of a canal. They include
the items of excavation in rock and earth
embankments, side drains, culverts, dams,
aqueduct for feeding canal, tunnel, harbor
improvements, &c. They foot up s7s, $751;
5l4 To this 25 per cent is added for con-
tingences, which brings the probable cost
of canal by this route up to sos, 1876, 500
of this sum SAL, 552, 400 are allowed as the
cost of the tunnel.