Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-12-25
The Plans for the Canal.

gram to The New York Times, it was
stated that the United did not intend
o construct the canal under that con-
cession, but intended to obtain further
rights and more absolute control than
that concession would give it. The
Menocal concession recognized the
Clayton -Bulwer treaty as ing in full
force, and the secretary of state ex-
planned that the Uaited States would
not proceed until the defect was cured
by the negotiation of another treaty
with Nicaragua. Therefore, It may
be assumed that the senate was nearly
a year ago very fully advised as to the
views of the executivs Ia this respect.
understand from very high author
ity that the senate committee on for
eign relations was advised and con-
suited with IN regard to all the import
ant provisions of the treaty before it
was concluded. The United States
intends that the canal shall be free to
all nations upon the same terms that
her shipping mas been. The treaty
provides for this in the broadest man
ner. Her only superior advantages
are to be the control, management,
and administration, and use for her
war ships in the event of foreign com
plications. But in this respect she has
nearly as great rights under the treaty
of 1867 with Nicaragua. That con-
vention permitted her, upon giving
notice to the government Of Nicdra-
qua, to transport in her own vessels,
troops and munitions of war. Now
she can do this without notice If she
builds the canal.
The construction of the canal pre-
sents no extraordinary engineering
difficulties. The entire length of the
route is 181 26 miles. Of this distance
only 81. "a miles Will be canal proper
The rest is slack water and lake navi-
CATION. There will be four dams in
the San Juan river, and three short
canals around the three rapids which
obstruct the navigation of the river,
the entire length of which will be
3 81 miles. The length of the canal
from the lake to the Pacific ocean at
Brito is 1858 miles, but in this dis
lance there will be ten locks and a
summit level of 1874 feet to be over
come The cut at the summit will
have to be that depth, but this will
not De more than mile ia length.
The maximum depth in nearly five
miles from the lake will be 108 feet,
and for one half of this distance the
cut will be an average of twenty feet
Quite extensive works will be required
TO make a good harbor at Brito, and
considerable dredging will have to be
done at Grey town. This harbor twenty
years ago was deep, VITA an easy APP
preach, out it had filed up with sedi-
ment carried down the San Juan
river. All this sediment comes, how
ever, from below the point where the
canal leaves the river, and by closing
the old mouth of the stream the silt
deposit will bo stopped, 1t will re
quire FIVE years to complete the canal,
and the cost ought not to exceed $685.,
100000; the work can probably be
done for $45 600, 900. This was the
estimate of Mr.. Childs, one of the
capable engineers of his time, made
after careful survey of the route.
l have it from questionable
authority that the canal congress
which sat in Paris in 1879 would have
recommended the Nicaraguan route
but for a trick that was played on it.
As it was, the majority in favor of the
Panama route was a very narrow
one. The NlcaragUan route had
many advantages over that of Pana-
ma. The cost of construction will
be a great deal less. 1t viii require
many years more of labor and mill
ions upon millions to complete the
Panama canal. The digging of the
canal is the least of the engineering
difficulties to be overcome. An
enormous rainfall at certain seas ons
has to be provided for, ia order that
the resulting floods may not destroy
the canal. Very extensive and ex-
ceedingly expensive works will have
to be constructed at the Pacific
terminus to overcome the tidal diff
culties. OF course, with modern i'm
provements IN machinery and mech
anical appliances, with modern
engineering skill and an abundance
of money, the Panama canal can be
built But after 1T is huilt If will mot