The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-17
THE NICARAGUA CANAL.

GENERAL GRANTS VIEW AS 10 THE MOST DE-
sIRABLE ROUTE.
In the book "Around the World with General
Grant," in process of publication by the Ameri-
can News Company. there is u conversation with
the General on the project for q transcontncntal
canal The General says:-
The question Of public i'm provements is one that
mus. attract the attention of our statesmen. have
been very much impressed with what France is
doing now. You the Republic has voted
81 DOC, 100000 as much the German indemnity, to
build railroads, improve harbors and on This 10
. magnificent work. In America tho mistakes we
made in the building OF the Pacific Railway have de-
TERED our people from gong any further. II that
road had been built by our own engineers, with the
system of accountability that exists In the army.
millions would have been saved. But because We
made mistake then should not oppose all plans
for developing the country
/ gave much thought when was President, to the
subject of q canal acloss Central America, q ship
canal connecting the two oceans. But somehow,
had not influence enough with the administration to
make IL an administration measure. did all could
to pave the way for 1t. My old friend Admiral Am
men did some admirable work. Mr. Fish did not
feel tho same interest but he did all that
sary. There several routes for such canal, but
the best one is that through Nicaragua The Lesseps
plan cannot succeed. studied the question thor
oughly and read all the reports. As young officer
crossed the continent on the Nicaragua route, and
have no doubt that it Is the true one. may not
live to see 1t done, but it must be some day. The
route through Columbia is expensive and difficult
account Of the rocks and streams. Tho Panama
route would be difficult and expensive. There
would be tunnels to cut. The tropical
winter rains. and tho torrents that would
sweep into the canal. carrying rocks, trees. stones
and other debris. would mako the keeping OF the
canal in order costly business. On the Tehuantc-
pee route the water would have to be raised HIGH
to have made tho route through
Ammen collected immense mass of Information
on the subject, which now is in the Navy Depart
ment. 1t Will DO found of inestimable value when
the time comes. Aminen showed great ability aud
industry In doing this work for another generation
Mr.. Fish made drafts Of all the treaties necessary
with Costa Rica and Nicaragua. He also con-
sidered and arranged all the questions that
might arise with foreign Powers az to the
control OF the canal and left everything to tho
State Department ready for action when the time
comes. After Mr.. Hayes came in called Mr.
Evarts and spent an hour with him going over the
whole subject, telling him what we had done and
explaining the exact position in which had left the
suppose. however. Mr.. Hayes finds the din-
Guilty that encountered, the difficulty OF Interest,"
ing people in the subject. But 1t will come.
come. IL we do not do IL our children will. Tho
governments OF Costa liica and Nicaragua are favor
able. They would be the gamers. Our capital, our
enterprise. our industry would 10 In and make y
garden tho banks OF the canal, garden from sea
to Coffee would be raised and crops
enough for our own use and to supply other nations
Hwould he q great gain to the Pacific coast. Whom
talked to stanford, OF the Pacific road in the antic
patton that his railroad interests would make him
ininica to another tr nsport route. found that he
favored II. II would divert the tea trade from
China. Anmen made calculation showing that IN
tho carrying OF wheat alone enough would be saved
to pay the interest the $50 100000 necessary to
build the canal. And wheat IL only OF the
many products that would be benefited. estimate
SsO.O0O,OO0 as the maximum figure l counted
the cost. Then I added twenty-five per cent
TO the cost TO cover waste ana proht.
then 100 per cent TO allow for the unusual
difficulties In the way of labor In the tropics. IL
would aid in solving tho Chinese question. Caifor-
MIA would find place for the Chinese iaborers VINO
are now worrying her. The more this question ~
studied the more people will see it's wisdom.
Public opinion should be educated 80 ns 10 press
the subject upon congressman. The press could do
no better work than to agtae tho question. The
only people who would be injured would be some OF
tho South American states. My opinion Is, 1t would
add largely to the wealth OF the Pacific coast and
perhaps, change tho whole current OK tho trade Of
tho world.