Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-01-04
The NicnrnRnn CnnnI.

soil ana climate. W.
The NicnraRun Canal.
The desperate straits into which VI. de
l.essepss Panama canal scheme has fallen
gives renewed interest to the Nicaragua
enterprise to which the state Of Vermont
has given her sanction through her legisla-
ture The effect Of the failure Of the Pan
anna scheme ON the Nicaragua canal enter
prise, says a representative of the latter,
is difficult to estimate. 1t removes from
our way possible claimant to rivalry as a
waterway, but further than this and the
probable concentration Of attention and in
terest in the Nicaragua canal, can see no
immediate effect We have never serious.
~ regarded the Panama canal as a rival,
because, even if the Panama route had
been possible it would have made imprac-
ticable the general use Of sailing vessels on
account Of the windless area that ex. =
into the Pacific from the vicinity Of Pana-
ma bay The Panama canal would have
been as useless for sailing craft as the Suez
canal, through which only one sailing yes
sci has ever passed, and that was pleas
ure yacht We have every reason TO be
lieve that we shall begin work on the canal
next spring and that we shall then push
it forward to completion with the utmost
rapidity OF course it is impossible to say
exactly when the work will be completed,
but from the very best engineering opin-
ions that We have been able 10 secure the
maximum Of time will NJ, exceed six years.
a. g. Menocal chief engineer Of the Unit
ed States navy, made a government survey
Of the route in 1872 and 1873, a personal
survey in 1850, another governmental sur
vev in 1855. aud survey for US this year
Each time he was better pleased with the
route than before Although the proposed
route Of the Nicaragua canal Is 40 miles
in length, there are really only % miles
that present engineering problems or OBJ
stacles that are at all formidable. Lake
Nicaragua, which is 90 miles long, - miles
wide and 100 feet deep, lies directly IN the
course Of the canal and is drained to the
eastward by the San Juan river, that alone
affords free navigation for 81 miles and
that requires hardly any engineering at all.
our real work therefore is in rough de
tail. as follows \ breakwater at Grey
town. on the Caribbean sea dredging
thence to the westward lot miles, through
lagoons, ,wamps, and low grounds, then
lock of 81 feet lift Two miles further is
a second lock or double lock, Of the com
bined lift Of - feet, and dam across the
Deseado river, IA small stream, above which
han
comes the hardest nut of all, rock cut Of
three miles in length The rock. however,
is solid. and will blast readily Then fol
low II miles Of free navigation in the val
levs Of the small rivers san Francisco and
Machado in which the water is raised by
dams and embankments These basins
connect directly with the san Juan above
Il large dam across that river, which will
raise the water in both the river and the
lake On the western side Of Lake Nicar
aqua the canal goes through an excavation
Of eight and a half miles in ordinary
ground, whence it issues into the Tola ba-
sin. with five and a quarter miles Of free
navigation, obtained 10y damming the small
river Rio Grande At this dam a series of
locks lowers the level ~ feet, and the ca
nal proceeds in excavation down the valley
Of the Rio Grande for two miles To the last
lock a tidal one Of 20 to 30 feet lift, be
low which the canal enters the upper por-
ton Of the harbor Of Brito, one and a half
miles from the Pacific.
We have completed all our preliminary
work and are ready to begin actual opera
tions Just now We are trying to get bill
| through the House of Representatives for
national charter We ask for no sub
| sjdy or money in any shape, only the right
| To do business rs recognized American
| organization But whether we obtain this
/ charter or not, we shall go ahead in the
/ spring, for We already have "A charter from
/ the state of Vermont which will answer
| our purpose When the Nicaragua canal
shall have been completed it seems to us
| that it must revolutionze interoceanic traf-
| fc We save 5000 miles in voyage
around Cape Horn, and it is estimated 10y
ocean traders that the canal tolls would not
exceed the cost Of travelling / 800 miles.
| 1t will therefore be economical in actual
] =
consideration Of time saved and the wear
and tear of vessels in the long voyage
around the Horn We shall be able TO com
mand the trade across the lsthmus, the
trade between the Atlantic and Pacific
ports of the United States the trade be
tween the Atlantic ports of the United
States and all foreign countries west of
90, - L. /. sl. a.,
ports of the United States and all foreign
countries east of Cape Horn, the trade
around Cape Horn between Europe and
foreign countries on the Pacific, and the
trade Of British Columbia with Europe,
American vessels will have a monopoly of
the inter coast trade of the United States,
aud We shall control not only the traffic
from the Gulf of California TO Puget
sound, but develop it as well, Oh, no I!
the failure of the Panama canal scheme
doesn't affect us at all We shall go right
ahead and complete the Nicaragua canal
Under the concession obtained from the
Nicaraguan government the canal is to be
built in ten years from the time it is begun
Another provision of the concession was
that the canal people should do two things
organize construction company and or
ganize the Maritime canal company proper.
The construction company was organized
in July, 1887, few months after the con-
ccssion was granted, with a capital of Sl2,
0O0, 900, the organization being effected un-
der the laws of Colorado, The bill, which
is now before the House of Representa-
tives, and for the passage of which the
Nicaragua canal people are anxious, was
passed 10y the Senate Feb. p, 1888, after
careful consideration. The vote stood 81
to 10, aud 10 of the affirmative votes were
cast by Democrats. 1t went to the House
March 2l, 1883, and was reported from
the committee on commerce without change.
Efforts were made during the last session
, to bring il up, but consideration of the tar
i'll bill prevented this at first, and the
House attendance afterward suggested de
lay.
A movement has been fairly set ON foo