National Republican., 1885-01-17
The NICARAGUAN CANAL
INTERESTING REPORT on THE SUBJECT
FROM COL. JOHN @. STEVENS.
Reasons why This is Preferable TO Our In
vestment at Panama-some Of the Most lm-
portant Objections Urged Against This
Route Completely Answered.

Col. John q. Stevens, president and
chief engineer Of tho Now Jersey Rail-
road and Canal Company, who has had
great experience In the operation of
canals, was recently sent to Panama to
examine tho canal there in the interest
of American capitalists. Hc reported
against an investment there, and has un-
solicited embodied his views as to the |
Nicaraguan canal in the following letter |
to gentleman in this city who has long |
been Interested In canal matters:
Having carefully examined the ccndi-
tions that surround the proposed Nicara- |
qua canal, have thought that very pos
sibly the conclusions formed by me might |
interest you;.permit mo now TO state thom. |
1t would be we'll to premise.by saying |
that before l began tho examination l
was by no means prepossessed in favor OF
the route, and entered upon its oonsidera-
tion without either bias or prejudice.
The most important objections urged
against the route found to be as follows
1. That IL proposed the construction Of
canal with locks, and that as these were
liable to bo disabled the navigation might
frequently be obstructed, and tho value
of the route as reliable avenue Of COM
merco seriously impaired thereby and
furthermore, that the time necessarily
consumed in locking would be so great as
to place II at great disadvantage compared
with other routes.
2. That tho navigation was 173 miles in
length. consisting mainly Of q tortuous
artificial channel, subject to many uncer-
tain risks, particularly those caused by
floods.
3. The absence of good hsrbors. II
must be conceded that all methods Of
water transportation involve o certain
amount Of risk, and consequent delays;
the ocean, the river, tho canal. have each
their own special sources OF danger, tho
navigation Of the latter being perhaps
safer than by sea or river.
In the case of canals judiciously located,
well built and managed, such risk is
,aused not by failures of locks or dams,
but by those Of tho earthen embankments
and cuttings; tho failure of locks espe-
cially may be called phenomenal, the con-
ditions to which they will be exposed can
generally be definitely ascertained, and
plans designed that fully meet all the
requirements.
With earth works no such certain re.
suits can be secured; the character of the
material itself, which under tho varying
effects of frost and continuous rains be-
coming unreliable, makes 1t often diff
cult to keep embankmonts aud cuttings
in their original and proper shape.
Again, they are liable to be exposed to
floods, the character and extent of which
could not reasonably have been forseen;
10 ia within the experience Of any careful
observer that unusual floods will occur In
certain districts for which there has been
no precedent. not even in tradition; earth
works are consequently often subjected to
unexpected pressures and ut times when
they are most untitled to resist them.
Experience, that best of guides, proves
that no appreciable risk to canals results
from the failure of locks on any canal
constructed fairly we'll; overfows both
into and out of canals constantly occur;
the earthen embankments givo way and
the navigation ia temporarily suspended
while the locks remain uninjured. w h
canal transporters it is an axiom that
while water is their best friend 1t ID also
their worst enemy.
My experience as an engineer engaged
on canals for many years enables me to
assert very confidently that no accidents
need ever happen to the locks of prop
erly constructed canal. For ton years 1
had charge of o canal that had heavier
tonnage perhaps than any other in the
country, and during that time no ap-
proach to an accident to any Of the locks
occurred. This is also the experience Of
the leading canals both Of this country
and Europe, and any appreciable risk to
navigation from tho existence of locks
can be dismissed as an idle fable.
Nevertheless, such an erroneous belief
undoubtedly exists in the public mind:
how it originated it would be difficult TO
discover. Another instance of o similar
kind can be cited.
tat
vailed that steamers could not be used on
Canal in consequence Of the propeller
causing swell which was injurious to
the banks Many ingenious devices have
been patented to overcome this imagin-
ary defect, for, in point of fact, pro-
peller makes no swell--that which has
been noticed being caused simply by the
displacement of water by the vessel
itself. Another instance: Before rail
roads had been practically brought into
operation the presumed lack of adhesion
to the rail was considered q fatal objec-
tion to the use of a locomotive, and ap-
also to remove difficulty
which in fact did not exist
The list of these fallaoies that have been
embedded in the popular mind could be
indefinitely extended. The risk of dam
age to locks is superstition of similar
kind. 1t is an imaginary, and not an
engineering, objection.
But | can go further and state that
locks are absolute sources Of safety,
A sea-level canal being sunk below the
level OF the surrounding country, thereby
becomes drain, and is necessarily sub
ject to all the risks from water that sucf
a location entails, however skilfully tn,
plans may be designed, and the earth
works constructed, unknown and uncer
tain risks must be assumed, and the
chances taken thereon; the precise amour
of these will vary, but nnder the bes
conditions they may be appreciable, while
under those that are unfayorablo the,
will be such as to seriously impair the
value Of the work as q reliable channe
of trade.
The adoption of lock system raise
canal above the ordinary drainage, an,
thus materially lessons the dangers tha
arise from that insiduous enemy-water
and If the canal is we'll located they cal
generally be entirely removed; more
over, to maintain deep cuttings in propel
shape adds largely to the current ex
penses. Locks, therefore, SO far from i'm
pairing the security of navigation, great.
increase 1t, while at the same time the,
lessen the maintenance expenses.
In regard to tho delays attendant upol
locking an apparent discrepancy o
opinion exists. This is due mainly
the improvements that have been adopte
within the past few years and that hav
lessened the time consumed in locking
putting aside antiquated methods, an
taking into view the most approve
practice. l am of the opinion that tn
following will DO a close approximation
of tho time required for lockage with
thirty-iyo feet lift the vessel being as
Sumed to be of 1000 tons capacity:
Minute
Hauling
Closing
Filling ............,..,
Opening
Hpulinp