New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-02
TO JOIN TWO OCEANS.
A TALK ON THE NICARAGUA CANAL
REAR ADMIRAL AMMEN's INTERESTING DIS
CUssIoN OF THE sITUATIos-HE BELIEVES
THAT THE PROJECT WILL SUCCEED

explorations in the Central American countries extend
over period Of than thIrtyfve years. While In
the city a short time ago 10 attend meeting OF the
Nicaragua Canal Company, OF which he Is director,
he promised reporter Of the Tribune interesting
| information regarding the Nicaragua route. This IN.
| formation he subsequently sent to him.
sin compliance with resolution Of Congress on the
18th of March, 1872" says the Admiral, the Presl-
dent appointed a commission consisting Of General
| A. A. Humphreys Captain C. p Patterson and myself
TO examine into the entire Isthman question After
an Investigation of the Tehuantepec, the Nicaragua and
the routes and the several tentative lines
in the vicinity of Caledonia Bay the commission asked
for and obtained an inspection Of the Nicaragua and
Atrato- Nappi routes which seemed 10 promise pos
sble practicable canal routes. satisfactory mstr-
mental location and calculations and plans for canal
across the Isthmus placed before the commission
and soon after that in 1876 the final report was mahe
1t said that the Nicaragua route beginning at or near
Greytown possesses both for the construction ana
maintenance of canal greater advantages and offers
fewer difficulties from engineering, commercial and
economical points Of view than any one OF the other
routes shown to be practicable by surveys sumcens
I'm detail to enable judgment to be formed OF then
relative merits"
After giving full history of the canal question
from that date with accounts OF the interest taken In
the project by General Grant, the surveys OF Ln the
Paris Congress Of 1872 the opposition OF De Lesseps
and Captain Eads to the Nicaragua route the work OF
General Zavala, and the final concession, Admiral Am
men continued:
In looking at the construction Of canal across tho
Ishmus the health question will be found the most
important, even from a commercial point Of view.
The humanitarian will be pleased TO know that there
is perhaps country on the globe where the canal
could be made with less loss of life from dis
ease than on the route of the Nicaragua canal
as now laid out 1t lies between latitude IL
degrees and 1912 minutes NORTH directly in
The trade wind belt and has an extreme
range of temperature throughout the year OF only
seventeen degrees, which is less than usual daily
change with for many days in every month OF tho
year. The general direction from Greytown TO INTO
is a little north of west, and the natural summit
above the fullake is only forty-three feet. owlns
i'm part to the high mountains that lie at some dis
lance on both sides OF the river san JUAN which -
the outflow Of the lake, funnelshaped entrance IS
given to the trade winds which traverse this district
with great climatic advantage. There Is
popular idea, and unhappily generally
founded on fact, that human life In
the tropics IS ephemeral in greater degrees
than in the temperate zone. The pestilential climate
Of Panama is indisputable. That the healthfulness
OF Nicaragua, however, is exceptional for tropical
region be proved. 1t is also exempt from hurr-
canes and whirlwinds, owing ito the constant moves
ment of air across the Isthmus from the tradewinds
When this canal is made, 1t doubtless soon VIII
be- the region lying between the lakes and the Pa
cihc will be the great sanitarium of Europe and the
United states, it will be easy OF access ana VIII
be found to fulfil the required conditions more iuly
thar any other region known This climatic condition.
II looked at only from commercial point OF view Is
Of immense advantage in relation to the building OF
canal In Nicaragua seventy five years ago the great
Humboldt wrote: "The Isthmus Of Nicaragua, oy
the position of its inland lake and the communication
of that lake with the Atlantic by the River RIO san
JUAN presents several features Of resemblance with
that neck of land in the Scotch Highlands where the
River Ness forms natural continuation between the
mountain lakes and the Gulf of Murray At Nicaragua
as in the Scotch Highlands, there would
be but one narrow bridge to pass over
appears somewhat probable that the province OF
Nicaragua will be fixed upon for the great WORK o.
the junction Of the two oceans
The length of transit from to sea is 100 miles
in north by west direction from Greytown. the
Atlantic entrance. There three locks on eaen
slde and elevation of the lake above the sea- llo
feet, is maintained by DAM sxty-four miles do"n
the San Juan River, formed by the outflow OF the
surplus waters of the lake. BY means OF TINS dam
and entertainments, the lake level is EXTENDED ovet
distance of l5a miles, giving free navigation in the
lake. river and basins Of 143 miles. The excavations
at the sea level are designed TO have surface width
Of 800 feet and thirty feet in depth. making fair
rate OF speed practicable for vessels and enabling
them to pass one another in transit
On the Atlantic side, where the sea-level canal to
the first lock will be eleven miles there is diurnaI
at Panama, it would require a tidelock to prevent
scour and deposits. The country is entirely fiat,
and the heavy entertainments Of the material exca-
waited fumed to 200 yards OF more from the line OK
canal will make the surface drainage actually only
that which falls on the area This
in marked contrast with the great surface
drainage which would damage every mile of tie
Panama Canal were it built Long weirs on the
basin of the san Francisco River and on the highest
bank of the River san Carlos, as proposed, VIII
enectually protect the rivers and basins from the
effects of surface drainage. The two aAioms 81
hydraulic engineers, abundant water supply ana
good surface drainage, perhaps better met on
this line of transit than any canal OF the same
length the globe.
The time supposed necessary to effect lockage Is
very greatly exaggerated in the public mind. Al
the Paris Canal Congress Sir John Hawkshaw put II
at fifteen minutes. AT st. Mary's Falls. where our
government has the largest osE Known ne sec with "a
thirteen minutes In the construction OF this canal
deep SSdd Rs 9ea Of three ass O%s 81
required to construct considerable mole at the
Looking at the deep rock cut on the eastern
side, near Greytown, IT is worth while
but far preferable to twenty miles Of additional ex
cavation which would flank all deep cuts.
Engineering News Of september IA, an engineer can
form an approximate estimate of the cost OF the
it would cost one sum, If not, quite another. il
the Government should take first mortgage by guar
anteeing cent interest 800 5000 OF bonds
for term Of years, the cost would be reduced
to a minimum so far as the money question Is con-
cerned. II the company has 10 look about and OBJ
tain funds at home and abroad without other guar
antce than successful completion OF the work. the
cost OF the execution OF the canal would perhaps be
widely different: In this case. the traffic Of the
world passing through the canal and not the com.
pany would eventually pay the difference by the ad.
dtional charge in toll rates. II. owing 10 this and
other considerations, the canal should cost
S250OO0000, in my belief, II would not be less
munihcent in its reward to stockholders. With its
moneyed support assured on basis Of per cent,
the canal including interest on the bonds should not
cost more than $3.50 900, 900, II indeed that much
Look at map, or better still. with globe before
you, cast glance along the coast lres north and
south from Brito, the intended Pacific port OF tho
canal peOpled, as IL now is from north 10 south