Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-06
THE NICARAGUA CANAL.
What Minister Mckinney Says of Its
Proposed Continuation.


Mr.. L. F. Mckinney, United States min
lister to Colombia. is now home on leave
of absence. He arrived at New York from
Bogota on Tuesday last. His health is not
the best. He suffered recently from South
American fevers and came home on the
advice of his physician. He expects to
have a two months vacation from his
diplomatic labors Since his return he has
expressed the opinion that 1t would be bet
ter to complete the Panama canal than
to try to build the Nicaragua canal. THE
predominant question in South America
just row." he said, us the proposed Mica
ragua canal. l have been all over the
ground and l have come to the conclusion
that 1t would be much more feasible to
complete the Panama canal than to at
tempt to build the new Nicaragua canal
1t Is said that the Panama canal Is a
wreck and TO good. That Is all wrong
l was all over it recently and l found 6D0
men at work there, and besides l found from
fourteen to sixteen miles of good canal
already built, with splendid entertainments
already overgrown with tropical vegeta-
ton, insuring stability. That leaves about
twenty-four miles to build. The depth, as
sounded. is from twenty to twenty-four
feet.
Could BE Purchased ChenpIy.
ITO be sure, we could not simply take
the canal without word to the French
building 1t. But 1 think that it could be
purchased very cheaply. 1t is useless to
talk authoritatively, as commission is
now down there looking over the ground
and 1t has not made report yet. While
1t Is not a part of the original program, l
am told that the members intend to visit
Panama this month to look over the work
that has been done. They may see it in
another light after their researches.
Nicaragua Canal Not Feasible.
LAS for the Nicaragua canal itself. while
1 want to see 1t built, do not think 1t Is
feasible. talked with many naval men
and eminent contractors, one of whom
have since learned a shareholder in
the Nicaragua canal. and they tell me
that a harbor can never be built at Grey
town. The water there is shallow, and
constant dredging and the building of a
breakwater would have to be resorted to
in order to keep the channel open. That
would, 1t seems to me, kill the thing.
am not an expert. and l am interested only
as an American citizen. We want canal
at any price, and I will await the report
Of the present commission with a great
deal Of interest"
Trade ReIntins.
Mr. Mckinney talked about trade rela-
lions between the United States and Co
lombta, and said that the British and Ger
man merchants were making inroads on
the United States traders He says that
the people in Colombia have many unique
ideas about trade. These don't agree with
what American merchants send down there
and the American merchants won't con-
cede anything, while the English and Ger
man merchants do. and thus secure the
trade. For instance, the usual credit time
there is six months, and the New York
merchant wants his pay in thirty or sixty
days Again, they buy frequently, but in
small pieces. American merchants won't
sand in the orders desired and again trade
is lost He says the friendship between
Colombia and the United States is of the
warmest kind, and he expects to see trade
relations made closer in the near future.