The San Francisco call., 1895-12-20
INFLUENCED BY BAYARD,
Colonel Ludlow's Report on the
Nicaragua Canal
Project.
It Is Said That He Imbibed the Elm.
baSSador'S Prejudice While
an Attache.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 19.-An in
teresting story has been going the rounds
OF the diplomatic corps apropos of the
Bayard impeachment talk. This, in
effect, makes Mr.. Bayard responsible for
the recent adverse report on the Nicaragua
canal. 1t comes from very high diplo-
matte authority that the ambassador was
the inspiring genius to show that the
interOceanic canal was not feasible.
Colonel Ludlow of the army has been
the military attache of the United States
embassy to London. When the Nicaragua
Canal Commission was formed, Mr. Cleve-
land caused some surprise by calling home
Colonel Ludlow from his post at London
and assigning him as one of three commits
sloners to visit Nicaragua. 1t was Colonel
Ludlow who wrote the report because, as
an army engineer, he was regarded as best
qualified for that work. No question of
his fitness was raised at the time of his
adverse report. Now, however, with the
entire future of the canal threatened by
the severity of the report, it is very
strongly hunted that Mr.. Bayard's infu-
ence operated powerfully with Colonel
Ludlow in shaping the conclusions of the
commission.
Mr.. Bayard has been recognized as an
opponent of the Nicaragua canal. A
member of the diplomatic corps related
an incident in this connection. Several
years ago an ingenious model showed an
elevated railroad across the isthmus of
Panama. The plan was to raise vessels
by means of huge derricks, placing them
on cars and thus transport them by rail
from ocean to ocean. 1t happened that
Mr.. Window, then in the Senate, and Mr..
Bayard called together to see the model
at time when the diplomat who is
authority tor this story was present. Mr.
Bayard was peculiarly interested in the
model.
He said it was the only practical means
for crossing the isthmus, and then refer
ring to the canal project said: "It is the
most chlmerlcal project ever urged before
the American people. 1t is worse than the
South Sea bubble. Ii political influence
ever succeeds in starting the project under
Government approval there will be an era
of fraud. misappropriation of funds and
official scandals such as we have never
seen before"
The diplomatist made note of Mr..
Bayard's remark and repeated it ver-
batim.
Lieutenant Menocal of the navy is
buslly engaged in writing a report answer
ing the adverse conclusion of the Nicara-
qua Canal Commission. He SAYS it will
point out that the commission was igno-
rant OF all the essential facts and that its
conclusions are widely contrary to the
results of scientific investigation. Memo
cal probably knows more about the
Nicaragua canal than any other man liv-
ing. He conceived the. idea of it, drew
the plans on which the present cut is
being made and is at present the chief en-
glneer OF the Nicaragua Canal Company.
1t was by virtue of this latter position
that the President appointed him from
civil life to the rank OF lieutenant in the
navy. He went to Paris and combated
the De Lesseps Panama canal project, try
ing to show that Nicaragua was better than
Panama for waterway. With such fund
OF information and experience on the canal
his own opinion, to demolish the adverse
report