Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-03-03
CANAL SCHEMES.
ane various Projects for Uniting the
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.


Since the earliest days of ocean navi-
cation the great problem of commerce
has been, how to pass from the Atlantic
to the Pacific and Indian oceans by the
shortest route, and in the least time 1t
was In order to get to India without
passing through the Mediterranean sea
that Columbus set out on his voyage that
resulted In the discovery of this CONT
nent,
The motive behind all the early voy-
ages to the Arctic regions was to find a
northwest passage between the Atlantic
and Pacific, and thus to avoid the tenn
pestuous passage around Cape Horn.
The great enterprise of the Suez canal
was carried through for the benefit OF
commerce, to save the time, expense and
danger OF doubling the Cape of Good
Hope.
The idea of passage through the
united continents of America was con.
celved for = similar purpose. The adj
vantages of such canal anywhere be-
tween the Mexican line and the point
where the connecting Ishmus broadens
into the Continent of South America,
are evident to anybody who glances at
map of the world. The saving of dist
ance to be traversed by vessel sailing
from Europe, or from any one Of our
Eastern ports, bound for any port on the
Pacific ocean, is measured by thousands
of miles.
Tie Government Of the United States
has not been backward in considering
this matter and in making the necessary
explorations. Numerous expeditions
have been sent out, and various routes
have been at one time or another pro-
nounced feasible. We Will mention some
of them, and our readers can see where
they are by the aid of map.
Beginning with the northernmost, two
routes have been surveyed across the
Isthmus of Eehuantepec, southwark
from the Gulf of Campeachy, through
two passes in the mountains. As there
has never been any question that these
were too long aud expensive to be con-
structed, they need not be described.
Next, route from the Bay OF Hon.
duras, southwest through Guatemala.
This has likewise been abandoned as
impracticable, although at one time it
was a favorite scheme.
Then comes the Nicaragua route.
which is one of the two most prominently
discussed, and likely to be constructed.
1t leaves the Caribbean sea at the mouth
of the river San Juan de Nicaragua,
passes up that river to Lake Nicaragua,
traverses the lake, and passes thence by
an artificial canal to Salinas bay.
The next one worth noticing is the
canal through the Isthmus of Panama,
which the Lesseps Company is propos-
ing to construct, very nearly by the site
of the Panama railroad. This is the
shortest of all, and its projectors believe
it to be the best of all.
There is one more, which would have
been the second choice of M. De Les
seps. 1t is through the Isthmus of
Darien. 1t passes up the magnificent
River Atrato, and also up its branch,
the Napipi, to the head Of navigation,
and thence by a short canal, with
tunnel six miles long, and few locks,
it enters the Pacific at Cupica bay.
There are various opinions about these
several projects, all of which, except the
Nicaragua and the Panama lines, are
now abandoned. The promoters Of the
Panama canal object to the Nicaragua
scheme that the line is too long, and to the
locks that will be necessary on both sides
Of the lake. They also point to the fact
that there is no good harbor at either
| end of the line, making the construction
of an artificial harbor necessary.
On the other hand, the advocates of
the Nicaragua route object that the
Panama line will be vastly more costly,
and that it runs through a deadly eli
mate, rendering it certain that the work
can only be done at an enormous sacri-
fee of life, and that the passage through
it will be constant peril to the crews
and passengers of vessels taking that
| route.
They say, also, that while the Nicara-
qua line is longer. the time to be occu-
pied in making the passage viii be more
than Offset by the greater saving Of dist
ance made by vessels choosing it.
That is, while steamship from Liver
pool or New York can reach either AS
pinwall or Greytown in about the same
time, it will be 1000 miles or more near
er to California il it enters the Pacific
ocean at Salinas bay than if it energies
| at Panama.