New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-02
THE NICARAGUA CANAL.
IT'S VALUE AND IMPORTANCE TO THE
UNITED STATES
SENATOR SHERMAN ARGUES IN FAVOR OF MA
TIoNAL AID TO THE GREAT UNDERTAKING
ARGUING THAT 1T WILL OTHERWISE
SLIP AWAY FROM US INTO HOS
TILE OR INDIFFERENT HANDS.

SLIP AWAY FROM US INTO HOS
TILE OR INDIFFERENT HANDS.
From The Forum.
No other measure Of public policy submitted to
the people OF the United States Is Of such widereachng
Importance the proposed construction Of the Mica
ragua Canal and 1t is the duty of the organs OF pubic
opinion to state the clements OF the problem that 1t
Offers so that their readers may intelgently Judge
whether the United States should aid in Its execution
and, IL So to what extent and in what 'uner
Hitherto such questions this have been hidden under
the cloak of diplomacy but now, by the action
OF the Senate in removing the injunction of secrecy
from negotiations with foreign powers, this great
measure Is open TO the inspection OF the American
people, and is submitted to their Judgment
BY treaty signed on December 1, 1884,, between
the United States and the Republic OF Nicaragua, pro-
vision was made for the construction by the United
States of an lnteroceanc canal from the Atlantic to
the Pacific across the territory OF that republic 1t
sent TO the senate on December 10, 1854, ac-
companled BY a message from President Arthur rec
ommending It's ratification in strong and EARNEST Ian
guage; but IL was not formally acted upon prior to
the Inauguration Of President Cleveland, on March 4,
1885. Mr.. Cleveland few days thereafter
formally withdrew the treaty from the
consideration Of the Senate, and, in his
annual message to Congress- in December Of that year.
stated as his reason for 50 doing that it contained
propositions involving paramount privileges Of owner
ship or right outside OF territory, coupled
with absolute and unlimited engagements 10 defend the
territorial integrity of the State where such interests
lie" lie further said:
Maintaining as do the tenets of line of prece-
dents from Washington's day, which prescribed en-
tangling alliances with foreign States do not favor
policy Of acquisition of and distant territory, or
the incorporation a remote interests with our own
subsequently, on April %, 1887, the Republic Of
Nicaragua deeply interested the construction OF the
work. granted TO private association OF cilzens oi
the United States a concession Of the right 10 Duu
an interoccanic canal like concession was made
by the Republic OF Costa Rca situated on the southern
borders of the San Juan River and Lake Nicaragua
The association obtaining these concessions was lCOI
porated by an act of Congress approved February 10
1889 under the name Of The Maritime Canal Company
Of Nicaragua" II appears from the terms OF these
concessions that the Maritime Canal Company Is
invested with the clear and unquestonabIe reht
TO construct the work proposed to sell It's STOCK ana
bonds for the funds required and TO seek the anu Vi
foreign powers especially that of the Unteo
States. The American company thus authorized ana
organized has supplemented the previous examinations
and Reconnaissance Of officers of the army and navy OF
the United states by careful detailed lnstrumeh'a
surveys, measurements, soundings and estimates VI
cost, SO that the precise work to be done ana INC
difficulties to be overcome arc known. This WORK
has been revised by board Of consulting engineers
and before any aid shall be rendered by the Govern
ment IL is TO be further revised by officers OF the
army and navy Of the United states on whose Skill
and judgment entire reliance can be placed The TO
vsed estimates place the cost Of the work at S13O
30s to which is added TO: possible contingencies Sl4
633 262, and TO this must be added interest on uie
money invested during the progress of the worh, making
the aggregate cost about S1O0,o00,000 The Maritime
Company has entered upon the actual work OF con-
structon, and satisfactory progress has been made
so that the COST location and engineering problems in
volved are fully known. 1t is apparent that the
physical difficulties to be overcome are not greater than
those of many OF the works Of Improvement undertaken
within our own country. for the highest part Of the
water way to be only ITO feet above the two oceans
a less altitude than that OF the base OF the hills
which surround the city of Washington. The works
proposed include system of locks, similar In character
TO the built by the United States at the Falls Of
sault sante Marie and to those constructed by Canada
around the Falls of Niagara. single dam across the
san Juan River 1850 feet long and averaging sixty
one feet high, between two steep hills. will insure
navlgable waters of sufficient depth and width for the
commerce Of the world for length OF 100 miles
The approaches TO this level, though expensive, are
not different from similar works, and will be singulaTy
sheltered from floods and storms. OF the distance Of
1894 miles from ocean to ocean, 142.6 miles is to be
accomplished by sack-water navigation in
lake. river and basins, and only 26.9
miles by excavated canal The greatest altitude of the
ridge which divides the water Of Lake Nicaragua from
the Pacific ocean does not exceed at any point forty
two feet above the lake
Perhaps the chief engineering difficulty is in the
construction Of harbors at the Pacific and Atlantic
termlni of the canal; but that at GreytOwn on the
Atlantic coast which is considered the most ormida
ble has already been partially built Vessels re-
curing fourteen feet of water can safely enter
this harbor and discharge their carsoes at the docks
Of the company The obstacles not to be compared
with those encountered in the attempted construction
Of the Panama Canal, with those which easily
overcome in the construction Of the Suez Canal; and
the whole work. from to ocean, is free from the
dangers Of moving sand and destroying freshets Lake
Nicaragua itself is of the most remarkable phys
cal features Of the world. 1t fills cavity In the midst
OF broken chain Of mountains, whose height Is re-
duced at this point nearly to the level of the sea- and
it furnishes not only the Of navigation at low
altitude, but enormous advantages as safe harbor.
Though the length Of transit is greater than in the
cases of the other proposed the difficulties in the
way are far less. These disappearing the work
goes on while the advantages which will DO gained by
the construction become more apparent, and can |
scarcely be measured. The first is that will be-
and ought to be- shared by the whole civilized world
The establishment OF water way between the At |
lantc and the Pacific will realize the dream and hope
Of Columbus, who, Understanding the circumference
of the EARTH started his voyage for the coast OF
India and found his way blocked by the newly dis
covered continent Since that time, Tor nearly iour
centuries explorers have hoped to find some open way
across the sthmus, or, falling in that, TO construct
such way by artificial means. Every explorer and ad
venturer, every king and power, has shared in this
hope and to realize it many hazardous enterprises
have been attempted The Government of the United
States in later years. especially since the settlement
of California, has felt the deepest interest in accom-
plshng this latter achievement has sought
by negotiation treaties to protect the region from
hostile occupation has Joined in several plans to con-
sruct canals across the isthmus and has caused 10
be made elaborate and careful surveys both by civil
and by military engineers, with view 10 the selection
Of the best route. Other nations have been equally
but not active or effective in preparing
the way and in selecting the location. The success
OF the Canal led NJ dc LeSseps who the chief
agent in the construction OF that work, 10 seek TO com
nete the channel Of navigation around the world by