New-York tribune., 1879-12-10

PAPER ny ADMIRAL AMMEN READ BEFORE TIE
AMERICAN GEOGR ,PHICAL SPECIFICATIONS
| FOR FAvoRiNG TIE NICARAGUA rOUrE-OBJEC-
| lions TO THE PROPOSED PANAMA CANAL
An interesting meeting of the American Geograph-
| cal Society was held last evening at CHECKER
| ing Hall. The subject of discussion was the
interoceanic ship canal. paper by Ad-
miral Ammen was read reviewing the pro-
| ceedings of the Paris Congress, showing
the objections to the Panama ronte and glaneng at
| the advantages Of the Nicaragua plan. Arguments
for the San Bias route we're presented in letter
from Frederick Kelley.
ARGUMENTS FOR The VARIOUS ROUTES.
Chief Justice Charles p. DAILY President of the
American Geographical Society. presided at the meeting
last evening. Among those occupying seats on the plat
form sgnor de Franco Civil Engineer Menocai, of
Washngton General George W. Cullum. U. <. A.; II. NJ.
Hoyt. T. F. Hall, General Egbert L. vclc Mr.. Bogart
and Mr. Finck, OF the Society OF civil Engineers; VIII
lam Remsen, Francis A. Stout w. H. Moore, A. S.
Sullivan. General W. Crawford, United States Army,
Francis Baker, John L. Body, y. +. Body, Samuel b.
Rugges. the Rev. DIR. Foster, and Clinton Roosevelt
At the back Of the platform there large mnp OF
Central America. upon which the Nicaraguan route
traced. also n profile diagram OF tho proposed
Nicaraguan Canal Admiral Ammen's paper was read
by Colonel I. Bailey Myers.
In the opening sentences Of the paper reference ia
made TO the report submitted 10 Congress by Rear
Admiral Davis, and published In 1866 and also 10 two
papers OF Admiral Ammen read before the Geo
graphical Society. Admiral Ammen next recitcs the
circumstances connected with his appointment as the
representative Of this Government at the recent
Paris conference lie suggested that as he
had been OF commission appointed by
the President in 1872 for the purpose OF examining no
and reporting the question OF ship canal across
the Continent. and this Commission had made its
port rs TO locality etc, which had been acceptable to
the Government, IL seemed him that other per
should he selected 10 attend the Congress second
objection that the selection of the canal
emIncntly question capable OF settlement only by the
abest engineers. and those of the highest character
Notwithstanding these representations. Admiral AM
men continues, the Government preferred TO have him
go delegate and therefore undertook the mission.
The paper speaks the highest terms OF Mr. Aeuoca
who was selected nj tho request Of Admiral Ammcn
accompany him and also OF Ferdinand de Leseps. the
champion OF the Panama The paper proceeds
follows:
On the meeting OF the Paris Congress. May -, an
immediate organization was Effected with NJ DE Les
seps president. and five ycepresidcnts. The names 0s
the members Of the different commssions were called;
numbered follows LIST, Statistics 2d. Economic and
Commercial; 81, Navigation; lth, Tcchuical; 9th,
Ways aud Means After naming the members Of the
com NJ DE Lcsseps remarked In a10cuar man.
mat work u cut OUT. that many OF the del
% %o 20 U whe l we ay S0s be-
translated with n rush." The fuIl meeting OF the Con-
eress was then adjourned until tho 10Th; the cOnmis
sons met at o'clock the following moruing.
Owing TO the ron-arrival Of our heavy package OF
books. maps. etc. not able to present them tho
next day. desired. put did on the morning of the
l7ih 10 tue Technical Commission On their prestRt
french and English. The following copies in
the hands of the for distribution to such per-
wished them.
This address, which is gwen in fun in Admiral Am
mems paper, presented to the Congress at Paris the
different recently executed under the super
vision OF the United States and brief account of the
commission which appointed by the President TO
anime aud consider surveys. etc. for interoceanc
canal IL then discussed the advanageI OF the thre9
principal routes-the Nicaragua, Panama and Atrato-
Nappi-aud argued that the considerations advanced
would to warrant the belief that the cost OF con-
struction, including material would be far less upon
the Nicaragua than upon either OF the other
named.
Admiral Ammen then gives at length the proceedings
OF the Congress The most important parts his ac
count are follows:
The presentation of maps. plane, etc. followed by
technical presentation Of the Nicaragua route by Civil
Engineer Menocal. Afterward, in answer 10 inquiries
hc gave the methods Of proposed Improvements; OF tue
served by HIM during several recent visits to that
locality. may add here pIopcT'y, that ne able sub
method, and well to the method proposed for con-
structlng the dams across the San Juan. Several
engineers of note at that time not favOrably dis
posed 10 the Nicaragua route made many inquiries, with
the view Of devclolng Its dhcuiiies ana us nieriorty
and became well Informed tO adopt the route
Offering relatively the ewcst difficulties and In the end
certainty execution. These engineers we're oInd az
terward aDicng those who abstened from voting.
ON the second general meeting Of the Congress May
a. an hydraulic engineer IA second 10 none. was pres
cut. The taken ~ in desutory discus
Rcclus OF the French Navy. considerable part OF the
discourse directed 10 the Nicaragua route which
was not under discusslon
DIFFICULTIES OF THE PANAMA ROUTE
1t will be remembered that previous TO last Autumn
after mailing examination OF the valleys of the
streams falling into the Bay OF San Miguel in ls7677
and visiting that region the following season, Lieuten
ant wyse made plans and estimates FOR two routes tho
one preferred by him, called the TuyraTupisa route
which by his report supposed equal. nearly
TO auy that had been developed through surveys.
This line seemed hopeless. from the existence Of
the gravest difficulties OF which mentioned in
rha presently quote, thet Lieutenant Wyse had
the fraukness to inform tho Society for which
canal across that region impossible He did not
present II at all In tY CONGRESS- nut took up the Pan
oped II for ship caual nitedu. which certainly was
sep IN the right direction IL may he said without dis
pute that for canal az the ocean level the llne from
Panama 10 Aspinwall Is lar preferable To any other
d amT crclai sense a. canal wherever made must
have that condition. The following day, May 90 Civil
esmates of the Panama route but was so Interrupted
by questions that Sir john Hawkshaw suggested allow
ing him 10 proceed and making questions afterward.
He stated that when Commander Lull and party be-
gan the survey Of the Panama route there was no pie
would be selected as the summit level. They found ut
Maachn tnat the Hoods OF ihe river passed some five
water the surface OF the stream was forty-:wo
feet above the ocean-level III considering the
| question 1t became apparent that II the ocean
| level were adopted, AN excavation would he
necessary. making the normal surface OF the pro-
posed canal foriy-tw0 feet below the present low
water in the river which would then make small cas-
cndr and IN periods OF foods would be transformed into
cataract of 81 900 cubic feet per second of height
OF nearly feet the decrease being due To
the measure OF the velocity OF the water as It APP
above The ocean level after falling, which would give
corresponding velocity its course 10 the 10 was
apparent that eher this great volume OF water must be
received into the canal from elevation which would
eff CT destructive, or lhati would be necessary
10 lock up So as permit tnc floods to pass beneath The
! aaueduct, thus bringing the surface level Of the
L nIou M MIN ana