Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-02-16
In NICARAGUA.
SOME LEADING POINTS Alb. UT THE
GREAT CANAL.
The Scheme Not New Ore Its
Commercial Advantages to
the United States


Especial Corr pondence of the RECORD UNION
LEON nicaragua, February 6, 1889.
A calculation based upon the possible
revenues that will accrue to any canal
across Nicaragua, and the expenses Of
maintaining the same, clearly demonstrates
the fact that the enterprise will prove a
sound investment, even at three times the
cost as at present computed.
If the grain market of our great North
west were wholly in American ports, the
Nicaraguan enterprise would be matter
of less Importance to that section; but
since it must look to the Old World for the
sale of its surplus grain, it therefore has a
vital interest in seeking cheap outlet to
European markets. The trip between
Portland, Oregon, and Liverpool, via
Nicaragua, would occupy only thirty days !;
thus saving on every cargo of grain more
than ninety days of the time now required
in transit-which, on the average cargo of
800 tons, would leave to the shippers q
more respectable margin of profit.
Not long ago, when Charles Croker, of
California, advocated the Nicaragua canal
scheme, on the ground of its vast import
anee to the West, his fellow railroad di-
rect0rs were greatly displeased with him,
believing that it would practically kill the
Central and Southern Pacific Railway
Companies Mr. Crockes assured them
that, while it would reduce the steamship
Journey between New York and San Fran
cisco to less than twenty days, without the
cost of re-handling the goods, it could
never take passenger trave! away from the
railroads, only depriving them of the
heavier classes of freight, on which there
is not now much profit.
Said the shrewd millionaire 1t will
give the farmers of the Pacific States a
market for their grain n New York and
Philadelphia, and enable them to realize
well on everything produced; give them
more money, and they will not only con-
sumo more articles of luxury, but will
travel more on our roads"
Besides the commercial advantages that
will accrue to the United States by thus
practically uniting the oceans, it viii
maintain our national integrity on the
Pacific and reassert that influence with
the other Republics of this continent that
naturally belongs to the elder sister. New
Orleans will have brilliant future, be-
coming the near neighbor Of Chile, Peru.
and other rich countries along the west
coast of South America, while New York
will be brought nearer to San Francisco,
and the distance between other cities pro-
portionally decreased.
On one point, however, there exists a
great and very general error 1t has been
stated, even in documents submitted to
Congress, that "the trade of the United
States and Europe with China, Japan and
the Indian Archipelago would be facili-
tsted and increased by reason Of shorten
ing the distance above four thousand
miles" and one alleged authority has as
serted that from Europe the distance to
India and China would be shortened more
than ten thousand miles p By actual
measurement, as any reader may satisfy
himself by referring to the globe, the dis
lance from Europe to India and China
will not be shortened. The European
trade with Canton and India will not pass
through the Nicaraguan canal from any
of distance, but because by
reason of more favorable ATTITUDES for
winds and currents, will be far preferable
to the old passage by the Cape of Good
Hope. Therefore it is to be expected that
not only all the trade of the United States
with the Pacific, without the exception of
a single vessel, will pass through it, but
that of Europe with the western coasts of
the Pacific and the Polynesian Islands.
1t has been found that the Suez canal is
ma hio IN Of H.
than SIX million tons per year without
serious delays to navigation, owing to its
narrow dimensions and the insufficient
number of its turn-outs. The greater
dimensions provided for in the Nicaragua
canal would permit a traffic of twenty
millions of tons per year. 1t is also in
tended to rendernavigation UNINTERRUPTED,
by night as by day, using electric lights
the route.
1t has been estimated that / |, $50 vessels
can pass through Nicarsgua's canal in
year, nearly two thousand more than now
pass the Nantucket light The Nicaragua
route will have the advantage over that
at Panama by being Just inside
the zone OF Gains, so that the prevailing
wInds make it more accessible. Besides.
the climate Is much healthier here than
below. Though in the land of perpetual
sunshine, there is seldom a night here
when blankets are not acceptable. or
MONDAY which is not more toIerable than
the streets Of New York or Chicago in
The cooling breath of the
Atlantic trade-winds almost blends the
roar of the surf in Graytown bay with the
sentler niurmurs of the Pacific, as it breaks
on the pebbly beach at Brito. During the
vet season-though the windows of heaven
are opened and sheets of water literally
pour through thern-there are some adj
vantages over the dusty, dry season. not
least among them being the fact that the
xins-xins, mosquitoes and other pestifer-
Gus insects are drowned out aud the snakes
tabout which some tall stories are toldl
take to the woods for safety.
The idea Of communication between
the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, across
Central America, is not anew one. Col
umbus wore cut the last days of his check
cred life in searching for natural passage,
and the sublimity and yastness of the en-
terprise made it the favorite dream OF the
daring Spmiards. During the Spanish oc-
cupancy of the country more than one sur
fct was Aadue iOE thls purpose, unuer OIL
rection of the Captain-General: but the
documents pertaining to them lay buried
in the archives of Guatemala until the
of the colonies when they
were unearthed and published by com
mission sent mere from England
In 1925 an Envoy Extraordinary from
the then new Republic of Central Amer
lea called the especial attention of the
United States Government to these early
surveys, and asked It's aid, proposing, by
means of a treaty, to efiectualiy insure It's
advantages to the two nations. Accord
ingly a Charge d Afiaires was appointed
by the United States Government. who
was especially instructed to assure that of
Genital America that Uncle Samuel felt a
deep interest in the execution Of work
$50 highly calculated 10 difinse an extern
sive influence in the affairs of mankind
But that was about all that was done,
except that in 1926, as appears by docu-
ments accompanying the report Of COM
mittee OF the House Of Representatives,
on memorial praying the aid of the
United States Government in procuring
the construction of a ship canal across the
isthmus between North and South Amer
icaa-a contract was made by the Central
American Government with the agent OF a
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