New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-12
NICARAGUA CANAL PLANS.
CHIEF ENGINEER MENOCAL REVIEWS
THE COMMISSIONS REPORT.
,,r ASSERTS THAT THE WIDEST AND DEEPEST
CANAL. IN THE WORLD CAN BE CoN-
sTRUCTED AND PUT IN OPER-

CANAL. IN THE WORLD CAN BE CoN-
STRUGGLED AND PUT IN oPER-
ALTON FOR ss5,OoO,co.
Washington. April 11-Chef Engineer A. w. Meno
cal of the Nicaragua Canal Company reV'e"eu oe-
fore the House Commerce Committee this Hoii
the report of the Board of Engineers wnicn ih'es-
tgated the Nicaragua Canal project last summer
Mr. Mcnocai said that the only point on winch
the,e vas an agreement between the Maritime Com
many and the Board was the entire feasibility OF the
nroiect As TO this the claims of the company were
conceded and any difference which existed as 70
the method of work was measurable by increaseu
cost OF construction. He contended that the huher
GUS changes proposed by the Engineer bodru re-
suited from insufficient observations maze on
hasty trip through the territory traversed by the
canal which touched the cana route here and there
onv and the consequent imperfect knowledge or
the physical conditions and OF the amount ana
character Of the work previously performed
Mr. Menocal quoted figures to show that the
canal would be sufficiently large for al practicn'
PURPOSES and so economically constructed as 10
pay reasonable dividends on the capital invested
There is a marked distinction. he said. between
such a waterway and an ideal canal OF idea. pro-
portions built regardless OF cost. He thought 1t
remarkable that in the numerous changes pro-
posed by the Board there Is not one on the line
OF economy or in the interest OF better canal
Referring TO the criticism of the Board. that the
hydraulic and geological data collected by the COM
pany is insufficient Mr. Menocal said that the I'M
portancc Of such data Is fully recognized but that
the securing of such Information must be the re-
suit of many years of careful, investigation. and
in country Ike Central America, where the
range OF rainfall varied as much hundred
inches from one year to another theories based on
such observations were practically useless.
Passing to some OF the changes In the design and
Ia.
Board he spoke at some length Of the recommended
tons with reference to Greytown harbor. He ex-
planned that the Board accepted az correct the
principles on which the pans proposed for the
restoration OF the harbor based, but that 1t
recommended that the pier and harbor entrance
be shifted about one and half miles eastward. on
the ground that. located on the plans OF the
company they were too the angle formed by
the west coast He did not regard the change as
advisable In the first place. the Government OF
Nicaragua would not consent to 1t. In the second
place the five and four fathom curves lie five
elghths OF a mile and mile respectively. west Of
the pier head as proposed and therefore. ships en-
tering or leaving the harbor would have consider
ably more leeway than was allowed at the en-
trance Of the best artificial harbors In the world
ships arriving Off Greytown generally anchored TO
the westward OF the proposed pier showing that the
objection raised by the Board not well founded
The further objections detailed by him were ha.f
dozen IN number ana were DrleHy THESE.
That the suggested change would increase ex-
posure to the northwest. with consequent agitation
at the harbor entrance that II would bring the
pier and harbor entrance into dangerous proximity
to the mouth OF the lower branch OF the river with
imminent risk Of being undermined; that 1t would
Involve an unnecessary Increase In the length Of
the pier an enormous Increase OF cost the
present estimates and finally that the advance
noted on the west coast line reported by the
board due to accumu ations Of the uncontrollci
pciely arrested by the pier. and that no apprehen-
Son need be ielt as to the construction ana per
irInence 81 harhor entrance as proposed In the
Mr M.norai then considered In their order the
he change OF location u the canal between Grey
town and Lock No l. Lock No TO the East
hankmenis and Explained AT length his objections
He next referred to the boards report on the
proposed Ochoa dam. tina, the work was hazardous
~ iSe eompany lie shovel howeyer that the
Board .iself concluded that II a dam must be built
at Ochoi and the physical conditions were such
that masonry dam vas , not practicable hers "a
safely built. with certain moiinc atoms OF The
original plan. II explained that the company had
ste OF Ochoa adhered to and n rock-hi dam
adopted as the only safe and economical sou-
Sir McnocaI .aid that he had accompanied the
Goyernmcni c9mmisson on r. TRIP over ne o. canal
SON gave brief description OF the trip The Com
mission was In NICARAGUA about forty days and
.
examination u parts OF tho route When the lake
was reached the Commission had taken Il steamer
and gone ont six eight miles. making a
frw scunlngs and taking "A few observations.
They made borngs along the line Of the canal.
although instruments and assistants furnished.
They made surveys except near Greytown.
Tho Commission could have taken the surveys.
b0rings and other data furnished by the company.
examined them In an office, and expressed an
opinion A. easily could be done by the exarnina-
ion made Tne Commission admitted the prac-
tca bty OF the canal: but 10 make an examination
as thorough a. he had made would require years.
The Commission passed the site OF the Ochoa dam
without making any examination OF the site OF the
dam .tsclf This was an important work. and he
had a camp prepared near the dam and provisions
for six days placed there The Commission made
n two days examination OF the country near Ochoa.
but tho site OF the dam was not inspected.
| The construction OF the Ochoa dam he did not
consider great engineering feat. for larger rock
! filed dams than that had been built
Since his estimates OF the OF the canal had
been made improved machinery and appliances for
such work had been invented. and consequently the
| cost would be much less. He firmly believed the
| canal could be constructed and put In operation
for SIS 0O 90 This would give the widest and deep
| est canal In the world.
| THE CANAL OPPOSED ny COL. ANDREWS
| Colonel James Andrews. OF Allegheny. Penn fol-
lowed MIR. Menocal. He said the building OF the