The San Francisco call., 1895-11-13
THINKS IT SUBSIDIZED.
Why Did Nimmo of the Bureau
OF Statistics Pen His
Pamphlet?
HIS WEAK EFFORT ANSWERED
A Local Champion of the Interocean
Shipway Demolishes Some Coun.
ter Arguments.


"While L cannot say to an absolute GER
| tainty that c. P. Huntington paid for this
work, said Captain w. l.. Merry, referring
to the pamphlet just being circulated, and
written by Joseph Nimmo Jr., ex-Chief of
the United States Bureau of Statistics, the
latest attack on the Nicaragua canal, 1.-The
logic OF the situation appears to distinctly
point to him. In the first place, Nimmo
has no personal interest in the canal, and
he must have been paid for his trouble by
some person or persons whose interests
might be affected by it. There appears to
be no doubt that Mr.. Huntington was re-
sponsible for the defeat of what is called
| the Morgan canal bill, after its passage in
the Senate, and after majority of the
members of the House had requested by
petition that the House committee submit
the Dill to the House for consideration
Ihls action OF the committee was against
all precedent. Then, too, in this pamphlet,
Mr.. Nimmo acknowledges his deep sense
OF obligation to A. n. Towne, late vice
president and general manager of the
Southern Pacific Company for highly
appreciated courtesies gener-
ously extended to me during the last ff-
teen years, both in my capacity as Gov
eminent officer and as private citizen
This, continued Captain Merry,
taken IN connection with the fact that
Mr.. Huntington has uniformly opposed
the canal project, is very suggestive; and
yet the Nimmo pamphlet addressed to the
Nicaragua canal board is such an exceed
lngly weak effort that it is a wonder even
the enemies of the canal would use it as a
weapon.
81 have been requested by my CO. trustees
OF the San Francisco Chamber of Com
merce to undertake the easy but disagree
able task OF exposing Mr.. Nimmos falla-
cious arguments"
The answer of Captain Merry is as fol-
lows:
Mr. Nimmos main contention is that there
Will be comparatively no tonnage to use the
Nicaragua canal and to prove this he pub
lished mass OF statistics worthless in this
connection. In 1880 Count de Lesseps an
nounced that he could depend on 5 500 900 to
100000 tons per annum. In the early part
OF the same year the Board of Trade of San
Francisco appointed five merchants on its
lnteroceanic canal committee, and in their re-
port they state that careful investigation
placed the tonnage available at 5 $50 600 tons
but desiring to be conservative they based all
calculations on 100000 tons per annum
MT. Nlmmo starts with the erroneous assump-
non that the canal cannot divert any overland
railway traffic. If so, why is he engaged in
proving It's worthlessness? Why does he quote
the year 1890 to prove how little freight was
passing over the Panama Railway, when
all the world knows that at thar
time the Transcontnental Association of
overland railways was paying the Pacific Mail
steamship Company and the Panama Railroad
company $15, 600 per annum for the privilege
OF restricting its traffic between the east and
west coasts OF the United States TO 1900 tons
per month. and this tonnage at the high rates
liked by the railroads? And at the same time
even the clipper lines around Cape Horn were
under railway control, and charging rates of
n 0nynS nj. y ~
continental Associ alton. Why also does Mr.
N1mmo then quote the year 1898 to prove how
cheapiy the railroads were carrying freight,
Wnen ne must know that during the year the
North American Navigation Company (of which
was presldent) was carrying freight in con-
nectlon with the Panama Railroad Company
at rates so low that the company lost $50 600
per month with twenty day departures and
saved the merchants and producers of the
coast about 50, 100000 on the reduced rate of
freight applicable to the greatly increased tom
mage moving by land and sea between our east
and west coasts?
Why does Mr.. Nimmo in his comparison of
railway with ocean freights use values as a
comparison proper to be made? No one dis
putes that railways viii always control the
greater part OF the transportation OF specie,
passengers and very high price merchandise
but 1t is upon ocean carriage that we must de-
pend Tor the cheap transportation of our bulky
products which no railroad can handle across
the continent in competition herewith
Mr.. Nlmmo's remarks about the cost of the
canal Will be found as unreliable rs his statis-
tics he very we'll knows that Chief Engineer
MenocaPs estimate OF net cost is 1868, O84 l76
and TINS estimate is made at prices 30 to 40 per
cent higher than it is costing to construct the
chicago drainage canal. Why, then, does he
place the cost at S252, 100000 except to de-
celVe? The mercantile estimate of cost has al
ways been placed by experts at 800, 900 600
ana the earnings have been calculated on this
figure.
On page 10 Mr.. Nimmo quotes Maury'e cele-
brated remark regarding the calms OF the Bay
Of oI Pahana ana ana Its approaches, making it ap
pllcaDle to Nicaragua, whereas the remark it
self specifies "the Panama or Darien isthmusn -
and reference to Maury's physical Geography
OF the Sea" or Maury's ''Sailing Direction
Will prove that 1t does not even apply to the
Atlantic terminus of the attempted Panama
canal much less to the either terminus of the
Nicaragua canal which is situated in latitude
IL deg. north, hundreds of miles north of Pan
anna Bay, and, as Mr.. Nimmo well knows, out
OF region OF tropical celms. That the Mica
ragua canal is available for sailing ships there
can be no doubt; how successfully they can
compete through it with the modern triplicate
engine screw cargo steamship is a question
which the demand for tonnage will solve.
Captain Merry then demolishes a num-
Der OF the subordinate arguments of Mr..
Nlmmo and relates some of his experience
as deep-sea navigator, his eleven trips
around Cape Horn and his intimate knowl-
edge of all the features of the Nicaragua
route. lie concludes his analysis of Mr..
Nlmmo' S arguments as follows:
will not discuss the political and military
aspects OF the Nicaragua canal with Mr.
Nlmmo, as there are many able men who do
not need our opinions in aiding their conclu-
slons. 1t is not in the mouth of Mr.. Nimmo to
contest the opinions of the most able men our
country mas produced in regard to its military
value TO the United States and its bearing on
the Monroe doctrine. If Nimmo is right
long line OF American Presidents and States
men are IN error, and it is of no consequence
10 our country that the canal is controlled py
our opponents, as Mr.. Nimmo appears to think
l IN might go on pointing out other absurdities in
this pamphlet but 'tcui bono" One conclud-
ing ldea suggests itself: Who paid Mr. Nimmo
LOT preparing and the printer for printing this
pampnietI He can do the public service by
ing an honest reply to the question.
= don't answer this pamphlet" con-
tlnued Captain Merry, .'because [ think
IL VIII In anywise interfere with the con-
structlon OF the canal, but because an