, 1879-06-26
The Darien Canal.

The first route is, next to the Nlcal-
guam scheme, the longest. 1t tcroSScS the
State of Cauca, in the United States OF
Colombia: on line measuring 40 klIo'
metres. 1t leaves the Atlantic ut the
Gulf of Uraba, ascends the Atrato
river. thence crosses to the NappI river
and descends through the Doguado into
the Pacific at a point called Chlrl Chnl'
The actual number of kilometres to be
excavatcd are only so, computed at 39,.
100000 cubic metres OF earth and
stones. There will also have to be
100000 cubic metres of filling used.
There will have to he % locks, each hav-
ing decline of 10 feet ) inches, and a
tunnel kilometres in length. The ad-
vantages of this route are the small
amount of digging and the fact that
comparatively little stone is encountered
on the route. The number of locks, the
tunnel and the inadequate depth of
water at the Pacific terminus are the OBJ
iections. This route was surveyed by
American officers and engineers Self
ridge, Lull, Schulze, Sullivan, Conden,
Callins and others in 1871; and Collins,
Eaton. Sullivan and Paine in 1875.
The cost is estimated at $90,O0O,OOO,
and it is believed the work could be fin
ished in nine years.
The second route starts from the same
point on the Atlantic as the preceding,
but is much shorter, only having total
length of 235 kilometres 1t leaves the
Gulf of Uraba, or Darien, ascends the
Atrato river, thence by the rivers and
lakes Caquirrs, Puquia, One, Paya and
Tiryra into the Gulf Of San Miguel
One hundred and twenty.eight miles of
canal will have to be dug necessitating
the excavation Of 6O,00O,000 cubic
metres of stone and earth and 100000
cubic metres of filling. The number of
locks will be the same as by route No.
/, but there is no imperative need of s.
tunnel. The advantages are splendid
ports at both ends, and the ease with
which the excavations con be made, ow-
ing to the nature of the soil. A serious
objection is found in the fact Of the diff
fculties inherent in the use of two sys-
TENS of water supply. This route was
carefully examined by Wyse, Reclus,
Celler and others in lS76-77. The esti-
mated cost is $4,000, and it will re-
quire twelve years labor.
The third scheme, closely allied to the
two preceding, starts from the Atlantic
coast at Acanti and terminates in the
Gulf of San Miguel. Its total length
is only l25 kilometres, and it necessitates
"A kilometres of excavation, comprising
70,000,000 cubic metres Of earth and
stone. The chief obstacle is found in
the tunnel II kilometres in length. 1t
traverses region Of great salubrity of
climate. This route was examined by
the international commission, composed
of Messrs. Wyse, Rerlus, Sosa, La
charme and Nerbruggibe in lS76.77-7S.
Its cost is estimated at $l20,000,00O;
and the length of time required to COM
plete it is fixed at twelve years. These
two routes are what are known as the
Central Darien route.
The fourth project is what is called
'the" Darien route. 1t crosses the
Isthmus of Darien at it's narrowest
point, everything being sacrificed for
shortness. The entire length of the
canal is So kilometres. 1t leaves the
Atlantic at the Bay Of San Bias and
tunnels under the mountain range to the
Pacific, at the Gulf of Panama. The
actual length o. the canal will be only
AZ kilometres, but of these, l6 will be a
gigantic tunnel, sufficiently high to &C
commodate the largest ships. Thirty
four million cubic metres of excavation
will have to be made. The great claim
of this route is the shortness Of the line.
The port on the Atlantic side is very
good, bNt the almost insuperable OBJ.
stacles to the last two projects are the
tunnels. The frequent calms to the
north of the Isles Of Perles, Gulf of
Panama, are also an objection of serious
Importance to navigators.
Projects five and six cross the two de-
partments of Colon and Panama in the
State Of Panama. They leave the
Atlantic at Navy Bay and terminate
in the Gulf Of Panama. The two
projects are SO nearly alike that
they can be treated as one, the
only difference being at the Pacific side,