New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-12
THE RIVAL CANALS.
NICARAGUA AND PANAMA.

NICARAGUA AND PANAMA.
LAKE SCENERY AND voLoANoEs-THE NICARA.
qua PROJECT AS A wHoLE-LfEUTENANT
wysE's MIssIoy-coLomBIAe suREwD
BARGAIN-Ay AMERICAN POLICY
UNDERSTANDABLE.
rRoM Asrarr CORRESPONDENT or THE rmBuNEl
Granada, March 27.--The passage across Lake
Nicaragua occupies twenty four hours, and offers
many scenic attractions The steamer Victoria
follows the eastern shore 70 San Migulito, and
thence 70 San Ubaldo, the terminus of the Eng
hsh railway now under construction TO Rama on
the Bluefelds River and then it crosses the lake
TO San Jorge on the western shore and continues
on it's course to Granada The most Impressive
mountain seen in the circuit Of this inland sea
10 olnetepe, a volcanic peak a little over 5000
feet in height. II stands on the largest island
in the lake, and like MADEIRA, a companion peak,
seems TO rise out Of the waters until its cone
cleaves the sly From San Carries its shapely
outline is clearly seen, but the noble proportions
of the volcano ore not revealed until the lake
is crossed from San Ubaldo Hour by hour 1t Is
approached until the steamer skirts the edge Of
the island and runs into San jorge Further
north toward Granada Is another massive vol
cano, Mombacho, towering 70 a height OF 47oo
feet These mountain peaks being seen from the
level of the lake have the effect Of being twice
os high as they are. Their cones arc sharply
cut; their SUBMITS strealScd with lava streams
-infallible signs of old-ttme energy and desuuc-
hve force-and their tanks are covered with
dense forest. II the Nicaragua Canal is ever
completed travellers will have magnificent noun
tain prospects in passing from ocean 10 ocean.
The San Juan win offer entrsncing glimpses of
the primevai forest of the tropics. Lake Mica
ragua will bring them under the shadow of at
least one volcano that is almost pulsating with
life and sometimes crowned with pillar Of
smoke
Lake Nicaragua is over 100 miles long and
varies in breadth from 30 70 60 miles. The sur
face is 10 feet above the level Of the sea, and
this is the main level of the canal until the locks
are reached on either side. There is deep water
in the lake except on the east side near San
Csrlos-an old Spanish fort with hudde of
Indian novels. In order to open channel Of
uniform depth Of so feet to correspond with the
canal, dredging operations on large scale will
have TO be conducted. 1t Is estimated that the
bottom of soft mud will have to be excavated
at least feet for distance of IA miles. When
the channel is opened it may be necessary to
protect it by crib piers. Behind Ometepe Island
the canal will be cut to the Pacific, with an
artificial basin in the centre This work has
barely been begun, the trees having been cut
down and clearing partly made along the line.
OF the Nicaragua Canal project as whole, it
may be stated that nature has done large part
of the work Of connecting the two oceans ana
greatly facilitated what remains to be compie'ed
by man. The total length of the proposed water
way Is 100 2-3 miles. OF this only $3.50 miles
represent canal in excavation. There will be free
Ard lilo Oh hplO
o.>., n,., sa FFSs Ss iS;T
ysss S Sss q h,3,a :: SS sSs i7a
I4o7s 2sso
az the $50 miles Of canal excavation, thu
larger part is easy work For the first IL l-3 miles
from Greytown there are no rock-foundations, and
O. depth Of 80 feet can be secured by the aid On
dredging machinery alone. The geological con-
ditions are most favorable except at the divide
where there is rock cut of three miles from the
Deseado TO the San Francisco basins. Even at
the divide the nature Of the rock will favor large
reductions in the quantity of excavation essential
for rendering the slopes safe aud permanent. Inc
rock formations occur moreover where stable foun-
dations are required for the locks On the west
ern side there are no great engineering difficulties
to be overcome. the geological conditions being
sinQularly favorable for the creation of an arti-
fetal basin and the construction of great locks
similar 70 those in the 800" canal The great
reservoirs of Lake Nicaragua and Lake Managua
supply O high-level water supply that is adequate
for all the requirements Of canal lockage and pro-
lection Of the waterway In the rainy season. The
entire work, while Of tremendous magnitude,
is in line with nature and involves no engineer
. ing difficulties which are either insuperable OF
even unusual The looks are already duplicated In
the Lake Superior Canal and have been shown
to be equal 10 the demands Of an enormous carry
ing trade The Ochoa dam, while a large piece OF
work, Is parraleled by other engineering achieve
nents which have been successfully accomplished.
The climatic conditions ere extremely favorable
for the construction of the work and markedly
superior. in my Judgment. TO those at the 1sthmus
The Nicaragua project, while details Of the ex-
listing management are open to criticism, is one
which impresses favorably any disinterested OBJ
server who goes over the ground, as / have done,
and studies il IN detail
The French canal enterprise is IN comatOse
state having the semblance of death Its friends
assert that it is sleeping It's enemies say that it
is dead. There have been diplomatic incantatons
and jugelery during the last year but there are
no signs Of returning animation Life can only
come from contact with life Money was The
life of the enterprise when the Isthmus was con-
verted into pandemonium of speculative activity
and reckless expenditure. Before there can be stir
and movement among the dry bones of NJ. de
Lessepss grand project the vivifying impulses
of fresh masses Of capital must be felt Not one
encouraging word he's been received from Paris
since Lieutenant Wyses departure from Bogota
and the Isthmus, 10 indicate that the money re-
uured for the completion Of the canal can be
secured Apparently French faith in the enter
prise has been exhausted.
A year ago when l was In Panama 1t seemed
probable that the Colombian Government would
allow the original contract to expire by its own
limitations, and would thereby become the residu.
ary legatee of the entire work, This was IN
hnnhfedir the secret noloy of President NuneZ.