The sun., 1895-04-02

and Navy Already Seieeted-The Prcsi-
dent soon to Name n Ciyiiinu-Thc War
ship to RemnIn Mt tho Month OF the
Canal, Lending tho CommIssIouers the
Moral support of the United states Flag.
WASHINGTON, April l..-Prcsidcnt Cleveland
has determined that nn official exhibition OF
American interest in tho Nicaragua Canal.
which was authorized by the last session OF Con-
gress. shall DO promptly made, and the Govern
mont Commission to examine the canal route,
for which the Sundry Civil bill made 100000
Immediately available, Is to be sent to Grey
town as soon ns possible on board United
states war vessel. The programme Of the Ad-
ministration's action was agreed upon at last
Fridays Cabinet meeting, when Secretaries
Lamont and Herbert were directed to select
member OF the corps OF army engineers and one
Of the naval civil engineers. respectively, who.
with civilian to DO selected in day or two.
will constitute the Board Of Engineers charged
with "ascertaining the feasibility, permancnce.
and cost OF construction aud completion OF the
Nicaragua Canal, which shall visit and per-
sonnly inspect tho route of said canal, examine
and consider the plans. profes. sections. prisms,
and specifications for its various parts. and re-
port thereon to the President On or before Nov.
/ next"
1t was also decided that the army should have
the ranking officer OF tho Board. and Secretary
Lamont selected Col. William =. Craighl for
the Chairmanship. Col. Craighill was the last
President of the American Society of Civil En-
Gineers, and the weight OF his opinion upon the
canal project would be convincing beyond that
OF any other man who could be appointed on the
Board. Secretary Herbert chose Civil Engineer
Mordccai T. Endicott, whose relative rank of
Lieutenant Commander is but n degree below
lint NJ (,,l 'raiyb ~ I'm; to In nf-
icer on the civil engineers list of the navy. n
man of high professional attainments and an
authority upon naval works ashore. The Prcsi-
dent has not yet announced the civilian men,
ber. but Col j. \. Montgomery of Birmingham,
Ala. who has been prominent IN the construc-
tion Of Southern railroads, is said to DO the
leading candidate.
AS soon as the President completes the Board
1t will organize in Washington and go to New
York, where the plans. specifications, and con-
tracts Of the canal company will be closely soru-
tinized. The party will then go to Mobile and
! embark on the cruiser Montgomery, which has
been detailed for tho duty of conveying the
| Commissioners to Greytown, and which will re-
main there rs long as their stay lasts, furnish
ing them marine guard, MS well as boats and
steam launches. and lending them the moral
| support Of the United States flag. When ex-
| Senator Warner Miller. John II. Bartlett, Smith
| Weed. and Hiram Hitchcock were here last
| week they agreed to put force Immediately at
work along the route of the canal to cut away
| the donse tropical undergrowth and gave as
| surances Of much practical assistance to the
| Government boards. 1t is presumed that this
| force has already been organized under cnbed
| instructions, and that it will accomplish its
work about the time the Montgomery reaches
| the eastern terminus OF the canal
Leave Of absence has been granted Civil En-