, 1876-12-30
ACROSS TIE CONTINENT.
Report of the Commissioners Upon the Pan
anna Surveys.

Report OF the Commissioners Upon the Tan
anna Surveys.
Dfsrdtc1 to ths Estc York Torld,
WASHINGTON, D. c.. Dec. 2B.-Shortly alter
the surveys Of the intcroceanic canal routes
across the lsthmus Of Darion and the contiguous
territory woro completed, the President destg.
mated Brig Gen. A. A. Humphreys, Chief Of
the Coast Survey; and Commodore Daniel Am
men, Chief Of the Bureau OF Navigation Of tho
Navy Department., Comnissloii to examtno
the various reports Of the officers In charge OF
the surveys, with Instructions to- recommend
what in their Judgment was tho most feasible
route. tbs following Is the report oi tho Com.
mission submitted to-day:
10 Ms ITtsidtnt ct The Uaitsd Stdfes: The
comms.on =, for Tho nni.sd States appointed BY
canal between the Atlantic aud Tacac Oceans
ncross Or near tho tsthInus connecting North and
South America, have the honor, In advances Of
the data for their conclusions after careful ana
minute stndy Of tho sovetal surveys Of tho various
routos acFoss tho continent unAnImously to TO-
III! Mr'tIIeat the route known az the. .Eicaragnan
fn9ass beginning on The Atlentte sIdo At near
oowinE Il By slack '1s nsvisa.,on an to
Hr.o q ho Pasao coast both Tor for Se
advantn2cs and Offers fewer difficulties from "a.
q view, than ,ny ono Of The other routes shown
TO ba practicable by survey sufficiently In detail
To- enable judgment to be formed OF their foln.
:, steoad-Tho summit level Of thtss rontc, Lake
Nicaragna, 10 designed 10 be kent at 4 ref1uanert
height Of 10H fcot nbove ths level Of tho sea-. This
height 70 oo overcome on the Atlantic slups with
and on tho Pacific slapc with ten lft-IacEs. Tho
sSa dlstanse 1s9m t6e dseytowa end 70 thst at
At'antse slopC division. from Greytown to San Car.
Lon. at Lake Nicaragua, comprises 108H miles Of
Whieh Wy 60 miles arc by slack:watcr navigation and
Carlos, At the head Of: San Juan 70 the lilo dei
a. MeaS T. Ths Paelac Slope division comprises ii
del Brto. Tho dimensions Of ths locks proposcd
ete ,. A99x5o feet, with 20 feet depth Of water.
ArthcIal hatbors must be constructed at lirto and
prsse,nts Unusual features reqalring careful .tnay
and skaifn treatment, there Is no question Of It's
7Hird-Tiiat the cost Of tho construction Of tho
canal and haEhors with all tho necessary ud}unets
VIII le IT least 100 G00 00O and that ilu cost By
any other route Will greatly excoed lilo cost by tAis
Fonrth-That a!l preliminary arrangements hay.
.nR ocen uadet tho time required for actual con-
fyfM--That ~ fasetocoanio canal across this
continent should bo under the protection nf MI tho
nnion' n! on Interested and taet they should guarantee
side Of not cas than fty miles Ia breadth, Ind the
oSSAH hrpEoacAts 10f atstAncG Of not less than
10o nautical miics In any direction along tAo coast
md out scawnrL from each end,
The prospects Of an curly commencement Of
Tic work arc considered extremely inyoroblo.
Under the direction Of tho President the nrinci-
ally addressed upon the aublect OF tho canal and
the satisfactory results OF Tho SURVEYS wjich
have been made, aud also the views embraced in
tho above report As to the best route. Answers
have been recclycd lro.n some Of the Goycrn-
'nents addressed, tn which thcy express them
selves favorable TO an early prosecution Of Tie
work, and admlt thu wisdom Of according II an
nteraatonnl al character by IN equal participation
Of the great commercial nations In Its construc-
tlon, anl tho maintenance for It of an ltylolablo
neutraltty. As soon NE tho Views Of all tho .la-
lions communicated With hayo been received,
tho President contenplates submitting Iii the
paPsrs and corrcsponacnce.in . special message
r. Go,1Etcss. " which he will urge that tie
Inauguration Of tho grelt enterprtsn