New-York tribune., 1876-12-29


Daren aud Nicaragua routes. Major Mcfarland
describes and compares the two routes, and narrates
the advantages of each.
THE POINTS OF THE REPORT.
WASHINGTON Dec 28.-The substance OF the re-
mort of Major Walter NJ Mcfarland, u. S. T., to the
Interoceanic Canal COMMISSIONS as follows;
The scheme for opening the Nicaragua route TO navr
CATION provides for harbor at Pinto on the racine
coast canal 16la miles in length thence TO Lake MICA
raga with rise of 1O7 feet, whichis to be overcome
by 10 locks an open passage through Lake Nicaragua
So miles in length SO miles of slaekwater Navigation
In the San Juan River secured by the construction Oh
dams at Castillo Balas and Machuca Rapids ana at 'no
mouth of the Carlos respectively around tue upper
three OF which be constructed short sections OF
canal whose united length is gig miles, canal ABOUT az
miles I'm length leading from the basin formed by the
lower dam directly to GreytOwn and lastly the torna
ton Of harbor at the latter place. The lake anu tho
river are made Of far possible ana wnere tho
latter becomes too much obstructed by SAND deposts
which occur at the mouth OF the san On
los it is boldly abandoned, and canal
is run through tho valley and the swamps
and the low lands by the direct route to Grcyown
SO far there be choice nature having nareu
tho route which must be pursued
Between the lake and the Pacific Coast, however, the
route TO be followed has not been easily deterrneo
Examinations OF routes the by the valleys OF the
crs show that the choice lay between the route by the
Rio Iaas and that by the Rio del Medic Mr. Childs IN
his survey 1s51) chose the former route the hghest
point OF which only 40 feet above the level of Lake
Nicaragua On the latter or Del Medic route the summit
is s5 feet higher the Las route being 13i feet
above the leve Of the lake, but notwithstanding this
this route was chosen by Commander Lul for the reason
that though the cutting this route would Dc
decper than the other the line would be shorter ana
stragher deeper water would be found nearer the Ae
terminus than the other nc and the crossing OF many
troublesome streams would be avoided These reasons
consider sound and gard the route by the valley OF
the Rio del Medo therefore, the best one for canal
purposes yet discovered between tine lake and the Pacific
The level OF Lake Nicaragua ut its highest stage is
taken at 07 feet above mean tide on either ocean, Inc
level kept at this present hight by means OF tho
dam at Castillo Rapids which will prevent the ial OF nve
or six feet in the which usually occurs durngthe
dry season. Ten locks each side will effect the descent
to tho sea- those the Pacific side being distributed
over the distance OF 16 miles between tho lake aud the
ocean, with tide lock in addition at Brito. Those on
the Atlantic side be placed one at each end oil the
three upper DAMS and the remaining seven distributed
over the ~ miles OF canal which would lie between the
san Carlos Dam and Greytown.
HARDoRs.
The most serious question TO be encountered on this
route k that OF the formation of suitable harbors Mt its
extrenees The Pacific terminus of the proposed canal
is at Brito-cacd by courtesy harbor, although IL pos
sesses none OF the characteristics OF aud Ia In fact
nothing more than slight indentaon In the shore lne
IL proposed form harbor here by the construction
OF breakwaers or jetes which, in connection with tho
excavation OF q basin in tho sandy deposit along the
shore, would give ncosed area Of 81 acres as est
mated by the engineer This regard entirely made
ouato 70 the wants Of great interoceanc canal am
unable &c offer at present any suggestion as 10
the mode IN which this Is to be accomplished
other than that Il will involve the construction OF dc
f.-v v.d.,c sha yell ar lP
sary data In relation prevailing muds currents swes
and depths upon which complete scheme must depend
are not I'm my possesslOn but II may be set down
as a certainty that the cost viii be very nucn
greater than the amount which has been estimated
s sufficient for the formation OF hnrbcr at this point
The fine harbor which once existed at Greytown OF
San Juan del Norte long ago been destroyed by the
accumulation OF sand which closed s entrance In
pace OF the opening mile and threeqdarters vide with
five athoms Depth which tho charts show existed here
In s32 there Ia now commonly no entrance ~ all OK
ceptng where the pennedup waters OF the Day Drcak
through the sandspt which has closed the entrance ana
form channcl-way two three feet In depth through
which small boats aud canoes may pass In ana
ont when the breakers will permit them to do So
seagong vessels nowadays, In receiving or delivering
freight GreytOwn lie outside and make use OF lighters
entirely moving their cargoes between snip ana shore
No measurements have ever yet been innde Win SUI
ecient care or sufficient frequency enable MS to deter
m
taking place in the lines Of this sandspt That
Ia moving westward Ia certain but whether 1t Is moving
outward or Increasing in volume, but q long Sc
res of minute surveys made year after year referred u
the same bases and benches, and carefully compared
with each other can determine. It's movement appears
t he one Of translation only from west with the
usual building out scaward and washing away again.
Tho question which at once arises Is whether the
scheme OF Improvement suggested in the report upon
this route IL sufficient to secure permanent hnrDor
here That scheme generally OF the construc
tion of picr running 5000 feet In northwesteiy
direction from Pnta Arenas the formation OF harDpr
or basin by dredging under the lee OF TINS pier as wen
ms inside the former harbor and the chttlng on "i
tho waters of the Lower San Juan by the construction OF
dam or dixie its head, thus throwing tlem INTO
m. dIncues in the way Of accomplishing the desired
object by the indicated are: The lmpossmy OF
dredging m an open sea wnre. % snf,iont To- ore
vent the Of any drcdge; the certainty that tue west
thc angle between the pier and the shore Ia windward
and the then working around the outer emu OF tne
have been constructed inside OF IT. and the uncertainty
OF being able 10 close tho upper opening Vi 'nc oh
The harhor OF Greytown s in my opinion, irretreva-
bly, ruined and the only question relating 10 u Whcn
remains 90 be determined IA whether artificial hafDOr
can here be formed which expected to be perma
nently valuable for canal purposes DeleVe lnIs ctn
be done but III one way Ehg ~ anu % in' - ,cytown into
the sea into 80 feet Of water Gnd by constructing out
side Of it, and at convenient distance IRON Jus deen
water harbOr behind IT, and 10 give to the entrance 20
the canal sufficient protection against the action Vi to
water
SUMMING UP OF THE NICARAGUA CANAL.
To sum up then my conclusions IN regard to tho
rrosed Nicaragua ship canal are these:
The general scheme IL good and the route certainly
practicable
. Further examinations need to DO made OF the coun
try of the proposed dams on thG san Juan hVeri
mt HE