Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-05-18
INTER0CEANIc CANAL.
Senator Booths Views Regarding
the Question.
NICARAGUA ROUTE PREFERRED.
Reasons Why It is the Better and
Cheaper Scheme.

ESPECIAL BY TELsGRAPH TO THE RgCoRp-uNdoEI
WAsHINaToE, May 17th-Following is >
full report of the remarks made by Hon.
Newton Booth in the Senate to-day on the
Interocean Canal question
RHE sPEEoH.
MIR. President l rise to present the
memorial of the San Francisco Board of
Trade in favor of the construction of ship
canal to connect the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans. The Board of Trade OF San Fran
cisco represents a capital of more than $50
600, GOO invested in commercial pursuits, un-
der the control of 224 business firms. While
an interoceanic canal is Of vast importance to
the whole world, the construction of which
will mark a new era in the worlds commerce,
there is no community more Immediately in
terested in its early completion, and which
will derive greater benefits therefrom, than
that of San Francisco 1t is natural that the
merchants of that city should ask hearing
on this subject by the Cougressof the United
States. Accompanying the memorial is re-
port adopted by the Board on the 7th OF April
last, on the
PRACTICABILITY OF THE VARIOUS ROUTES
Which have been surveyed. The report is
one of rare intelligence, evincing close and
impartial study. 1t is q model of diction, at
once clear, concise and comprehensive It
can be studied with profit by those who are
most familiar with the subject it discusses.
The conclusion OF the reports is " that in point
of economy of construction, availability for
commercial purposes and certainty Of returns
for the capital invested the Nicaragua route
for an lnteroceanic canal, as surveyed by
Commander Lull, of the United States
Navy, in 1873, offers the greatest advantages,
and should therefore receive the unqualified
Endorsement of our Government and the
capitalists of the world" One reason
assigned for preferring the Nicaragua TO ihs
Panama route is that the latter would be an
experiment, the engineering involving vast
expense with doubtful results, while the for
mer involves no problems which have not been
already solved. The report well says: I'VE
see no reason why the philosophy that
nature teaches should not have been made
use of to conquer the obstacles that nature
placed before us, and we claim that it is bet
ter and more reasonable to carry ship over
a summit by means OF lift-locks than to build
a sea level-but at an incidentally increased
cost-which must necessarily receive the
drainage of the country with an average pre-
cipitation of 124 inches annually"
sUEZ AND PANAMA.
1t is frequently assumed that because q
low-tide level canal has been constructed and
successfully operated at the Isthmus of Suez
it is also practicable at Panama. The con-
ditions, however, are radically different. At
Suez the annual rainfall is less than four
inches. AT Panama it is over 120 inches.
Booth at this point read the extract from
Commander Lulls report, which is embodied
in the Board of Trades report to exhibit the
vital importance of the question of drainage,
and confined: When we remember that the
bottom of this canal viii be thirty feet below
the level of the sea, the statement of Com
mander Lull will be regarded as far from ex-
Aside from the great, if not in
difficulties in the construction of
the Panama canal, the report adopted by the
Board of Trade urges that the location OF
this great work is factor of vital i'm
portance. He then read long portions of this
report, showing the advantages of the
Nicaragua route for sailing vessels as COM
pared with the Panama region Of calms, and
also quoted bodily from the report its COM
paratlve resume OF the respective features of
the two rival routes with regard to distance.
cost of construction, resources of the regions
traversed, etc.
STRIKING CONCLUSION.
Senator Booth brought his remarks to a
striking conclusion as follows: "It is possi-
bic that there are no difficulties in either of
these enterprises which will not yield to the
science, skill and determination of the COM
merce of the world. The multiplying wants
Of civilization demand the completion of this
great work, and OF all nations ours has the
deepest interest in it, and can the least afford
to obstruct it. Such work so grand in de-
sign, so universal i'll its benefits, should never
be committed to joint stock company, with
shares to be handled in the market, the sport
Of bulls and bears, and subject to secret pur-
chase by great premiers whe may desire to
obtain control for the countries they repre-
sent. The American people will abate no
ot or little of
THE MONROE DOCTRINE
In its just and true meaning and interpreta-
ion. When that policy was announced it
vas hoped in the glow of enthusiasm that the
people on this continent, who achieved politi-
al Independence, would at once enter upon
;areer Of prosperity, liberty and order The
nope has not been realized. Then we were
people of less than ten millions Our sea-
BOARD was more than thirty days removed
rom the nearest European port. Our COM
1ined exports and imports were less than one
hundred and twenty-eight million dollars per
rear. Now, we are in instant and constant
with every portion of the civ.
lized world. Our combined annual imports
md exports are twelve hundred million dol
ars, and we are fifty millions strong. Our
athers had visions of great future, but not
wen the vision of prophecy could reveal the
means by which it has been attained. We
re strong enough to-day to maintain any
,olicy on this Continent which is right. /
rust we are great enough not to desire any
hat is wrong. There are
TWO MODES
By which this canal could be constructed.
md by one of which it ought to be. Lst the
,reat maritime powers Of the world agree by
treaty to build it, guarantee it's
neutrality forever and make it free gift to
he worlds commerce. Why not, Why
hould not the nations which annually lavish
lui dreds of millions on armies and navies
,uild one monument TO peace, to coinmemo-
ate the nineteenth century. and to perpetuats
/ high mark in the advancing tide of civiliza-
ion? III this be impraeticable, OF the mere
'ision of what ought to be, there is another
say, in which the honor shall be all our own.
let this Government adopt the Nicaragua
oute which is pre-eminently the Amer
can, take the necessary preliminary steps
% acquire the exclusive right to it,
,uild the canal, own it, make it free to the
world in time Of peace. In time of war, if
ueh should unfortunately come, we shall be
trong enough to maintain the right to it
which we indisputably possess. We ought
o rise to the hight of the occasion and do
his to repay the debt we owe to history and
o the memory of the great Admiral who,
eeking tie nearest passage TO the Orient by
ailing to the west revealed the new world
n which it is our happiness to live. I move
he reference of the memorial, with the ac-
report, to the Committee ON
foreign Relations"
The motion was agreed to, and the ordinary
usiness Of the morning hour proceeded,
,hile the Senator took his seat and received
umerous compliments upon the terseness
nd eloquence with which he had spoken