New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-23
THE SHIP RAILWAY SCHEME.
THE HOUSE COMMITTEE OPPOSED 10 d''EhNAEN
GUARANTEE or DoNDs-LElTER FROM HEAN
ANIMAL AMNEN.


,ur HORSE COMMITTEE OPPOSED 70 A GOVERNMENT
GUARANTEE OF BoNDs-LEITER FROM REAR
ADMIRAL AMNEN.
ipY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRiBuKEl
WASHINGTON, Jan. 22.-Ihe House Committee on
ro Interoecanc Canal Mt full rneotng to-day,
referred back to the subcommittee the bill and re-
porf flvoriug the incorporation OF the Eads Snip
Railway across the Mexican lsthmns with ill.,
structons to strike out that portion which provides
tor M Endorsement by the Government of its stock
to the amount of fifty millions of dollars.
Whiie this action may not mean the defeat OF the
project as many suppose, il is regarded by many of
the friends of the company as q very severe blow.
Admiral Anmen has handed to Representa-
tive Grape letter from w. j. McAipin.
all eminent civil engineer of N'w-lork
City OIL the subject of Iuteroccanic transit. Mr..
Mr.. McApin, who has lately devoted some months
to personal investigation aud study of tho several
routes anil pr,j cts under discussion takes strong
ground IN favor of the Nicaragua enterprise. Dir.
McAlpn regards Captain Eads's project as Wis
iouary aud impracticabe one but says that the land
railroad across the lstnmls OF rchdantepec would be
a valuable adjunct 10 the proposed Nicaragua ship
canal.
Commodore Shufeldt, who surveyed the Tehuan-
epec route in 1870 is SAID to be warmly IN favor of
Endss project aud on Tuesday next will make
argument In It's favor before the House Committee.
| Admiral Ammen has written the following ieCter to
| the chairman of the House Committee on Inter
| oceaDic ShrU Canal:
WAsHIyGTON, Jan 81. 1891
tn, Hon J. FLOYD KING, Chairman Select Committee on
Iltcrocednie Canal
sir; take me liberty OF again suggesting the advan
| tage your committee would dcrivj from having the
opipon OF railroad aud civil engineers of known car.
acte and ability ruct0rs AID shlpbuders III ~
owners seainshps oil OF whom have special tnf"nI-
ton necessary whole t. properly consider tue pro-
iect Of shin railway across the lshmu', an especially
in comparing its ecOnOulc ASPECTS with those 81 tue
N,carIgrua CauA. No wou be 80 competent 10 III
| form a makuG JDd maintaining level railway
Track, where heavy cuts and Nils have To- be maze rs
| raj road eugiuerr would able 10 Tell yOu
as able dslnerest"d cVi engineer vI what may nc
regarded engineering possibilities "a disiInGu sabe
from cJmnercIll prsccaDhiteS; no persons could say
40 well as constructors aud snipbud RS whAt strains
sLips without injury ana what conditions VIII
| better than snpoSurrs wha, INSURANCE companies
would demand for INSURANCE through canal or over
| 10 pay canal railway transit ana winch route
they would choose II both were open 10 TRAIL: .-,.,
shipDuIlcrs aud insurance agents IN no wise ayors
| nary is tO discharge tue cargo; tins. too. when
line sdc G amG shores used to give lateral supports
Ms lar as II done IN that manner Another shy
builder informed me that. however Ingenious the lie
vices ma, b. TO distribute tue weight OF heavy
over surface, practically Ia trahst tue we'eht
must on or near four points Another informs mo
that lie doubts II d ye-se ~ ever dos krd wh NJ
su ring injury tnrrcrom Not one Of those from whom
received letters regarded ship railway a. prac-
| ucabc. But W Iatcycr may be rcstr led IA prac
1 ftpuh
ure 10 transport any ~ hem safely. u Attempted 9Uld
be- calam,tous, inasmurh as It would be mp"ssbe to
know whc iuiaIy hal occurred or net unit! tine
weakness Dad revealed itSc.i. Perhaps when Dyo9dine
W5 Can hrm that ,hc transportation OF heavy yos-
scis adapted ocean traffic l. not IA colossal rxprr
Tne 81 IS olsS ve w VAN
her load than 1000 IONS over Tn miles OF rail-
way" Thr success Of pr jrct would. 70 ry OPINION
DEFEND upOu the rlwaJ = capacity " Transport SAFELY
any ordinary steamship WIN hcr onfs"; p.t Tor ana
'sped To COMMERCIAL PURPOSE over using r,rNa
lions ui more zoo feet, aud topography involving
or urs Il eighty feet per mile, over seteA OF .lsh
| mile. on the Pacific slope.
C.ntan Eads uas remarked several occasions that
tho traffic would not warrant the Opening Dotn OF taua
and hi me OF ioI"aS A. a, 'o,, @ ~ 'n. r ~ '
wh-i tn" IN sa II ufS"S" Tc> S S @
SOLELY Oh the depth canal aud dinrn
| sons given TO the locks COMPARED to ii railway We
may suppose that her transit may be made ,coGom
cally is no rolling siGck TO provide or sep IN
repair II II be- that 5.00O0D0 tons OF freight
viii seek transit the IsnnGs when the mcaUs are
provided. We may assume tat the dead weight of t.e
vessels TO carry may be J,OOOOOO tons. TINS would
give daily aytrage thrGnSn0H the year Ear. o.
averaged per day SIX vessels: making mean OF 1862
which Will give 81 2,2S2 tons Tor tie
sells. The Nca aqua CAna COinplny proposes charge
ms would make the mean transit - 625 on tne
above averages Of displacement aud ionna-r. Is Cap
ses IN trans and TO all vessels such usually
engaged traffic al rates tnat arr lower than the
.bnyef And II not, why does he guarantee BY
Government on his bonds II 10 does hot d. this. r-
sprcfully bcg leave 10 Cox whit advantage our
merca would derive from the eHstrucon VI his rail
|
hut there il another aspect OF the Tstnmus transit
olrstion that be forgotten. When ght
demanding transit increases ten0ld II assure Ily
| will do when ths continent Ia fairly populated, the
freight dues now proposed for the Nicaragua Canal by
the conditions OF the confession limiting dividends
not exceed, say so cents per ton, and be ess The
question OF the transit OF the lAthmusi Is what
giueering do 10 overcome difficulties 1t Ia slmp Y,
over what route the engineering difficulties lea
and where do they involve doubtful resutsi In fact
how can the great commerce" Of the word intimately
connected with that OF the United States best have
ycOpmen with reference to present interests
aud extending 10 all possible necessities for the future
Very respectfully yours. DANIEL AMEEs.
| Rear-Admiral United States Navy.
| GAfErIES PAST AND TO COME
|