Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1880-03-11
BARON DE LEssEPs, SCHEME.
An Inter-Oceanic ShIp-Canal,
and What 1t Will Accomplish.

WASHINGTON, February l9.-The
construction or an inter-oceanic ship
canal through the Isthmus of Pana-
ma is daily becoming q subject of
greater interest to the people of
America and also to those of other
nations. Many surveys have already
been made and not less than ten diff
ferent routes proposed. Three of
these at least have been proposed.
Three of these at least have been
pronounced practicable. In deciding
upon the practicability of any route,
the following are among the more
important considerations: The. wa
ter supply and whence it should be
drawn the difficulties that may ex-
ist from floods; the construction of
canal with or without locks; the adj
vantages which the various routes
proposed offer in materials for con-
struction, and information as to lev
els, which will form basis for spe-
cial instrumental examination. The
attention of the surveying and ex-
ploring expedition sent out by this
country to obtain information in re-
lation to the proposed canal was par
ticulsrly called to the above consid-
erations. The three routes that are
looked upon with the greatest favor
are called respectively the Nicaragua
route, the Panama route, and the
San Bias route. The former is called
the American route, and, if our coun-
try decides to take steps toward the
construction of canal, will undoubt-
edly be the one adopted. The origi-
nal surveys are made by the United
States Government. led T
lra THE NICARAGUA ROUTE.
This is the most northerly Of the
three routes with an eastern terminus
at Greytown, and western at Brito,
on the Pacific coast. Greytown is
distanced from Aspinwall about 225
miles. The length of this canal is
lS0 miles. 1t will contain seventeen
locks, with a lift of ten feet each. The
highest point is l07 feet above the
two oceans. The cost of this canal
is variously estimated at from $685.
100000 to $10O,OOO,000, including
the construction of the two harbors
at each terminus. The length of
time required for vessel to pass
through this canal will be four days
and half. The width is to be sev-
enty-tive feet at the bottom, and the
depth twenty six feet along the whole
line. The length of the locks will
be 400 feet. The route of this canal
is described by General A. A. Hum
phreys, as beginning on the Atlantic
side, at or near Greytown, running
by canal to the San Juan River.
thence following its left bank to the
mouth of the San Carlos River, at
which point the navigation of the
San Juan River begins, and by the
aid of three short canals of the ag-
gregate length of three and one-half
miles, Lake Nicaragua is reached.
The length of the'lake navigation is
fifty-six miles. The canal then pro-
oeeds through the valleys of the Rio
del Medic and Rio Grande to the
port Of Brito on the Pacific coast.
From the pointof entering the lake
on the west side there are ninety
three miles of uninterrupted naviga-
tion, fifty-six miles of lake naviga-
tion, and thirty-seven miles of river
navigation. This route, better than
any other, utilizes the natural ad-
vantages OF the country through
which it passes. But there are many
strong objections presented in oppo-
sition to this plan, the two most prac
tieable of which are the locks and
the difficulty which large vessels will
encounter in passing them, and the
earthquakes to which that region is
subjected, which will, it is claimed,
continually put the locks out of re-
pair, and thereby greatly injure the
canal. Many prominent engineers
have denounced this plan as imprac-
ticabie, predicting that, should it be
carried out it would, after a year or
two, be found necessary to abandon
it as wholly impracticable. rs see'
THE PANAMA ROUTE. = r .
The Panama route-or, as it is
perhaps better known, the De Les
seps route--is called the French Ca
ma, having been adopted by the Par
is Congress in 1878. It is forty five
miles in length, and estimated tt
cost $500, 100000. This is unques
tionably the finest and grandest plal
in its conception. It's to be bull
without lock or tunnel. The inten