The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-12-20
TEE NICARAGUA CANAL.


One of the subjects which is very GER
tain to attract much attention within a
brief period is the construction of the
Nicaragua canal. There is every reason
that it should, since it would complete
the influence of this Nation on the
American continent, revolutionize the
commerce of the hex world, and change
the current of the trade of Japan and
China. Our government at the present
time is under the necessity of sending
war ships to the west coast of South
America around the stormy and dan
gerous Cape Horn. If the Nicaragua
canal were constructed these ships
could be transferred thither in a short
time. The distance by sea from New
York to Valparaiso now is 9,750 miles.
Ii the canal were constructed it
would be 4,6ss miles. Vessels GO
ing from New York to- San Fran
cisco now must sail 1850 miles, but
if the canal were built the sailing
distance would 1916 miles. The vast
trade of California and the Pacific coast,
and that of Japan and China, would
come to the East by water or at low rail
rates, and ali of tho trade of the west
coast of South and Central America
would turn to that country through the
canal.
There are doubtless those who believe
that the scheme of uniting the two
oceans is visionary one, either because
the cost will be so great the work is
so formidable. The Suez canal WAS
built, it may be said, by Lesseps, who
failed in the construction of a canal
across the Isthmus of Panama to connec.
the two oceans. True, but the Nicara-
qua canal is regarded by competent en-
gineers as much more feasible than that
which Lesseps IN ade such lamentable
failure in trying to construct. The Suez
canal is ninety-two miles long, and
there were twenty-five miles of heavy
digging. The proposed Nicaragua canal
is 160l4 miles in length, but the solid dig
ging is only twenty-six miles. On the
San Juan river there are sixty-four and
one-half miles of free navigation, fifty
six and one-half miles on Lake Mica
ragua, and twenty-five and one-half
miles in several basins and streams and
in Lake Managua. Lake Nicaragua is 10
miles long, from 80 to 60 wide, and deep
enough to float the nayies of the world.
1t has been urged against the enter
prise that it cannot be made to pay
reasonable interest on the investment
and the cost of maintenance. That de-
ponds very much upon the cost. If it is
built with ready funds, upon business
principles, there can be no doubt about
its being self-sustaining. Year by year,
more and more of the business Of the
world would pass through the canal if
its construction were cheap enough to
make the tolls reasonable. In 1879,
LAT vessels of 1903, 332 tons and $4,000
passengers passed through the Suez
canal, while in 1888 the traffic had in
creased to $40 ships of 6,G40,S34 tons,
with 1885 passengers, and the reve-
nues increased from S5,595,247 to S12,-
975,315.
The most experienced engineers in the
$780, 100000. This is large amount of
money. but if the Suez canal has proved
so profitable an investment, why should
not this canal, which will revolutionize
the coast and international commerce of
the new world and turn the tide of a
large European commerce in another di
rection, prove remunerativeP The en-
terprise will, doubtless, be opposed by
the continental railway corporations
and by the reactionary element which
fights all progress, but the intelligent
person who gives the matter any con-
siderable attention must see that such
a canal, controlled by the United States,
will give the Nation greater influence
in tho commercial and political world
than any event since the discovery of
gold in California.