The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-01-06

The Nicaragua Canal Construction COM
pany has just published Handsomely iilustra-
ted book. presenting In exceedingly interest
ing manner tho history OF tie canal. what
has so far been accomplished, and the hnan-
cial aspects Of the undertaking. II Is shown
IN this volume that as finally located tAe
canal Will have length Of 1888 miles. OF
which 2GZ will be excavated channel and
1928 miles will be in lakes. rivers and basins
The summit level will be that Of Lake
Nicaragua. 10 feet above the sea by the
erection of suitable dams and embankments
the level of the lake Will be extended TO
within 129s miles of the Atlantic and to
within 80 miles Of the Pacific the total
length of this reach Of smooth water being
thus 1881 miles. There will be three locks
near either end The first, % miles from
the Atlantic. Will give a lift Of 81 feet Some
j. miles further on this second lock. giving
lift of 80 feet. and miles beyond is a third,
with lift Of 45 feet The vessel that has
PASSED this third lock viii then have before 1t.
as already stated, the lake level for distance
of 1881. miles. with ample spaces for anchor
age and for passing other vessels To hold
the waters of the river San Juan up to
the lake level the Ochoa dam. a formi-
dable work, will be constructed. This
dam is to be / 800 feet long, with maximum
heiaht Of 70 feet The Eastern Divide, cut
through the main cordllera. 298 feet above
the summit level. is perhaps the most diff
cult piece af labor on the entire route. This
cut. mostly through rock, is TO be 20 miles
long. with an average depth OF III feet
From the lake to the Pacific there are II
miles. Three locks and "a dam l,s00 feet
long and 20 feet high are required here. Of
the 2G3( miles of excavated channel 13
have bottom width of but so feet, which
however. Is feet wider than that OF the
Suez canal. The remainder viii have q bot
tom from 100 to $50 feet wide II is estimated
that the speed of vessels in the narrowest
channels will be 81 miles an hour. the
broader channels miles an hour; in the
basins. miles an hour; in the San Juan. 8
miles an hour in Lake Nicaragua 10 miles
an hour. With lockages of from to s. min
utes each the entire time of transit would he
2S hours.
The cost of the canal will be- according t.
the chief engineer, O.0s4176; but other en-
elneers estimate it at slO7, 799.57O Taking
the highest of these estimates as correct At 8
per cent. it would require s53Sa979 per an
nun to pay the interest 1t IS calculated.
however. that 9.73O, go tons Of shipping will
pass through the canal during the second
year Of its operation so that handsome re-
/ turn on the investment is locke for from tie
start.
The W rk is now being carried On b. Ameri-
can capitalists, and It IS greatly desired that
It shall so remain, inasmuch as it Is dIstinc-
tive American enterprise. So great are the
benefits which it is confidently believed Will
accrue to the commerce OF this country from
it that the Federal Government has been
asked to indorse the bonds of the company so
that money may be raised at easy rates. and
the cost Of construction &c reduced 20 the
minimum Should Congress refuse this re-
quest. however. tho prospect, it is thought. is
that the canal will be built by European
capitalists. WHO are said 10 be anxious 10 OBJ
tain the company's franchise. ~ any event
it is likely to be built in brief period and
tho world will receive the benefits OF its con-
structon.