The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-02-13
INTERoOEANIU CANALS.
expense.

In the DEMOCRAT OF yesterday allusion
Was made especially to the project Of M. de
Lesseps to construct ship canal across the
iathmus and the opinions or Senior Ferrp. n
commissioner OF the Colombian government,
were get forth In support of the same. In
doing SO, however we took occasion to say
that the Nicaragua route appeared to be the
one which should command the attention OF
American capitalists az II was essentially mn
American enterprise and therefore, would be
more likely to promote American interests.
It would seem that all plans for an inter-
oceanic canal are narrowed down to the PAN
anna and Nicaraguan routes. aud. therefore,
II the subject ts TO be discussed at all 1t must
turn upon the relative merits of these two
enterprises. The plan devised by Lieut. Wyse
provides for an ocean level canal and Ia COM
monty known az the Panama canal" Lieut..
Wyse originally estimated the amount
OF earth and rock excavation for such canal
at 100000 cubic yards. When this plan was
considered by the Paris congress- 1t was de-
cided that, provided this plan were adopted,
''cross section would be necessary. But
when they came to estimate the amount Of
excavation necessary, with the cross section
added. the estimate fell to 1926, 900 cubic
yards. The greatest obstacle In the way of
constructing such q canal AZ that proposed
by Lieut. Wyse would be found In providing
new bed for the Chagres river, which.
although but an insignificant stream In the
dry season, Is subject to sudden and enor-
nous freshets. rising In very short time to
thirty-six feet above Its ordinary level It's
natural fall Is from three to four feet to the
mile, but during the freshets 1t often
attalEs q velocity OF seven miles an
hour. The proposed canal, without locks,
the whole line of which was carefully sur
veyed by the government expedition, will be
forty-one aud quarter miles long. Some of
the disadvantages Of this route are-tirst.
that feeders would be required, and probably
could not be relied on the year round. de-
cided disadvantage Is the great length Of the
tunnel, and another disadvantage Ia the lack
Of building material In that part Of the coun-
try. On the other hand, the advantages may
be summed up az follows: first. Its short
ness; and, next, It's proximity to the Panama
Railway. or the Nicaraguan route, which was
surveyed In 1873. It may be said that In making
the exploration nothing was taken for granted,
but the geology of that part OF the country
was carefully examined as the surveying
party went forward. The most distinguished
engineers Of the navy. after examining the
plans for this route, have agreed that 1t can
be made perfectly feasible and profitable
with but slight alterations of the original
plan. This route is ISL miles long and pro.
vides for making the River San uan navi-
gable by the construction OF four dams, the
longest OF which is to be about one thousand
feet. The chief objections to this route are
Its length. the poor harbors at its termini
and the proposed lip-locks. Building ma
terial Is abundant and communication with
both coasts and with the interior by water
and by rail can be made excellent during the
work of construction. The above statement
of facts taken In connection With the opinions
of eminent engineers would, therefore, seem
to warrant the following conclusions:
/. A canal on the ocean level cannot be made
practicable or profitable.
. A canal wi tn locks Is certainly practicable.