The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1892-10-20

anu tuC aOiHO Soaoo 10
monopolized by the English. The
committee thinks that if the Nicaragua
Canal were opened the Alabama and
West Virginia coal would have a
decided advantage over English COM
petitors, not to mention the enormous
amounts of coal the canal company
itself would use. At the entrance of
the Suez canal last year 1900, 900
tons of coal were sold. In competition
with England for Pacific Ocean trade
the Nicaragua Canal would give
American commerce an advantage of
2, 700 miles, while besides the specific
benefits, the committee thinks great
general benefits will accrue to the
entire Mississippi Valley, the lake
ports, and the Atlantic coast. Ship
building and the shipping interests in
New England will receive new
impetus, A new coasting trade will
spring up and American tonnage on
the high seas will largely increase.
The committee says that great
trans Atlantic powers are looking with
covetous eyes toward the Nicaragua
project and that foreign governments
would very cheerfully and eagerly
embrace an opportunity to take
advantage of the enterprise with
unlimited capital and prompt energy,
but it conceives il to be the patriotic
and political privilege of the United
States to complete the canal. The
commercial and naval supremacy of
the nation which might secure control
of the canal demands imperatively
that its control should not pass away
from the people of the United States.
1t is made plain that two fleets would
be required to block an American
fleet in Nicaragua where one would
be necessary elsewhere. AS foot
hold from which to attack or defend,
to threaten or protect all the coasts,
islands and adjacent seas, it is
more commanding power thar
Gibraltar.
Among the beneficial results fore
seen are more practical drawin;
together of the remote parts of tn
vast domain of the world and firme
cohesion of the widely-separate
sections of the United States, adde
to a stronger feeling of neighborhoo
and community between the Atlantl
and Pacific seaboards. The col
summation of the work, who's
feasibility has already bee
demonstrated, is asserted to be of f;
greater Importance to the Westel
hemisphere than the Suez Canal is
the Eastern. 1t is said that l
precedent can be cited upon which
predict the future of Americ'
commerce when the gateway of Il
Inter Oceanic Canal across Nlcarag
| shall be open to it.
All surveys and examination
\ strata requiring removal have be
| completed. The jetty has been &C
a structed and the harbor of Greyto'
| has been restored so that vessels
| 14-feet draft have an easy entran'
Extensive wharves, landing places a
| permanent buildings have been ct
| structed, temporary camps erect
| telegraph line made, the ca
| cleared of timber for twenty mil
and a railroad twelve miles in LEM
try constructed and equipped. The /
wo gest dredging plant in Ameri
nal that formerly used at Panama,
tor been purchased, and over a mile
ON the canal has been dredged.
vs. exclusive franchise for the stt
to navigation of the San Juan river
The Lake Nicaragua and an exten
are plant for the Navigation Comp
I'D. have been acquired. The Gov
ord ment of Nicaragua has acknowled
BILE, that the company has complied
ed the canal grant, which provided
t of so. 600, 900 must be expended
nks first year. 1t is shown that
qua amount of money spent to date or
that enterprise is over Sc, 900, 900.
ntic enterprise is endorsed by the lea
ton business men Of the country,
ars. that it will be judiciously
the economically managed is assure
de- the character Of the board OF diree
ewes who, by the charter of the comI
eater are accountable to the Governme
al in the United States. The Secreta
king the Interior has the power TO
m in public all the details of the corp
Jhere management, thus protecting
g to investor against misuse OF his 10