The New York herald., 1879-09-07
THE ISTHMUS CANAL.
Advantages of the Nicaragua Over
the Panama Route.
VIEWS OF AN AMERICAN ENGINEER.
The Question in the Paris Canal
Congress.

the American Geographical Society to the Inter
national Congress held ut Paris last May. in which
the proposed routes for interoceanic canal
through the Isthmus OF Panama were discussed.
published in the HERALD last Thursday. Tho
question is one OF international interest and OF
great poranco to the United States This govern
ment will. more than any other. be affected
by tho action taken ut and resulting from
tho Paris Congress. and the matter Is one
that should be thoroughly understood here. to the
end that American interests may be properly pro-
tected DR.. Johnston. i'll his very able and exhaus-
tive report. not only intmates. but quite plainly
charges that the Congress packed convention
in aid of French spectators. Everything was pre-
viously arranged by scheming men to NJ. de Les
seps. gentleman who. the weakness incidental
to his age is above reproach or censure in support
OF measure which seems to have had its birth III
deception and its attempted consummation in some
thing that bears strong resemblance to fraud. In
reviewing the deliberations Of the Congress o cee
brated writer says
that for the Darien Canal which held by
little company Sf which General rurr i president was
understood that of 4ooDoof capital would be
psny and would Day the OF this
25O9oof for their privileges Thus zach share of 5oof
With the fall Of Sedan and tho fortunes of the Second
iss of and toand themselves
Of private resources among them Some had place
men or stock wie others haa been Tue reeu
privy These gentlemen began to look TO NJ
for ssp and sons this
and To psnsa the 'hs
Central America had boen cherished wish of Louis
oonsrs Was
under the sponsorship and direction of NJ do Les
Lieatsnant Bonapare wyse whose sister is married
careful examination of tho of the French dele
packed with suOsorvient frionds Of fallen dynasty;
1 As se I the ss
once Wen! to hexeo their fortunes
strac9n OF the Amerean Union should have failed 70
dospse the views Of tho American enyoys from Washing
Amoriea Am ri A'''''D'At 'A''' >-'''A ''''''''' "
DIR. Johnston says that Lieutenant Wyse COM
mtted to the Panama route. and that M. de Lesseps
was controlled by the same influence that Lieuten-
ant wyse acknowledged his master. OF tho
| motives that swayed these gentlemen the public
will judge by what has been done in the past and
| what tho future develops.
MENoCAL's VIEWS.
| To get an American view OF the question HERALD
reporter yesterday morning had interview with
| Civil Engineer A. q. Menocal. who is employed by
the United States government. He made surveys of
the Panama and Nicarag uan routes and was dele
gate to the Paris Congress- representing. with Ad-
miral Ammen. this government in that body In
| reference to DR.. Johnston's report Mr.. Nenocal
said
'His statement is lucid. and clear exposition of
the facts in the with one exception. 1t is true
that the delegates tho government aud tho eogra-
phica Society Hospitality treated by the French
| members OF the Congress. but have yet To learn
that this kind treatment exercised any in uence upon
a single vote OF the delegation. for one abstained
| from voting and gave the reason therefor-there
was nothing difficult to vote upon. claim to have
| a knowledge this canal question acquired by ex-
perience In 1928 was tho engineer under Com
Lull when the Nicaraguan route was surveyed.
| La 1875 surveyed the Panama route.
ADVANTAGES NICARAGUA ROUTE.
1.-The former route advocate because the canal an
be more economically constructed; the work will be
Panama. and the cost will DO about US Ave to one in
favor of the Nicaraguan Canal. estimated the cost
of this at $52 900 0OO and allowing twenty five
per cent for incidental expenses. . very liberal
| allowance the total would not exceed $6o,O00 900.
The cost of the proposedEPanama Canal will give
YOU in a few minutes. Again. the Nicaraeu uan
Canal could be built in half the time
Further objections to the last named route
these during the year there is Oh aggregate fall
OF to the depth of lao inches This swclis the
streams freshets from the rivers, especially the
| upper part of tie Chagres. where the water some
tines rises height forty feet There would DO
imminent danger OF carrying away the cmbank-
ments aud slopes of the canal hlling it with trees.
&C., and OF obstructing navigation altogether The
|
would make the canal drainage very difficult,
and drainage Is the most important consideration in
this matter. To construct this route 1t would re.
ouire twentyfour locks and make the summit level
ia feet above the sea. In dry season the supply
of water would be doubtful. and to make sure of a
supply an aqueduct would have to be built from the
upper part the Chagrcs River and that would cost
an additional slo.Oo00Oo. The wyse plan of building
without locks is simply owing to the
accidents arising from freshets Another obstacle
to this project will come from the Panama IL iilroad
COMPANY. which owns the land on both sides of the
| sod NAL n r.
| canal on tho Indicated line The railroad company
would have to be bought out. since the road must
disappear with the construction of the canal and
| this necessity involves any sum OF money Mt which
tho road may be valued by the directors II is
amount not included In the Wyse estimate. 1t would
ako twelve years to construct the Panama canal en-
| ploying 10 900 You know 1t has been alleged
that in building the railroad there they buried q
for every te that was laid Now. what would 1t
cost the company 60 care Tor their sck ana Dnry
the surveying party there N 1876 but one man died.
yet there were officers in our party who contracted
the Chagres fever. from the effects OF which tney
! have never recovered aud probably never viii.
| wYsE EsrIMArE
..The French estimate Wyso's canal to cost
s2iOOo 900 exclusive of the that will have to
be paid to tho railroad company. About three
fourths of the tonnage passing through 1t will be in
American vessels tho profits OF which. IL any. French
capitalists hope secure. can nett her Practc.-
biity prot.s in this scheme Let me Illustrate
| another point. Wysc wants a canal level with the
sea- because. he says. locks are au obstruction TO
free navigation. In the prosecution OF his plan II
| would be necessary TO have u twenty-four loot
lock on The Pacific eide to allow for tho
risc aud fall the tide. Dc Lcsscps' congross-or
rather the French members of it-assertcd that but
one ship an hour could pass through this lock. That
means ships per day. by the same logic
or process reasoning ii was stated by tho french
engineers that il the Nicaraugua canal had soven-
teen locks It would take seventeen hours
| for each ship to got through. MAIN
| tain that their tiac lock the Pacific
coast will reduce tho carrying capacity AZ
much as seventeen locks on tho Nicaraeuan route.
Their estimate of the time consumed in crossing
lock is not correct. 1t Will not require than
| twenty minutes the Nicaraguan canal Sir John
| Hawks shaw told the Congress that fifteen minutes
| gave sufficient time. and General Wcitzol OF the
United states Army, who IL now ON the st. Mary 5
canal, building tho largest locks in the world. says
that ten minutes is ample. Computing from my