The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-11-06
Report of the Commission Appointed
to Inquire Into the Matter
Expected TO Be Ready TO Submit to Secre-
taU Hay in About Month.
Computers, Draughtsmen and En-
gineers Now Busi1y Engaged In
Making the Most Elaborate
Presentation Of the Subject
Ever Submitted.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5.-The Mic
aragua Canal Commission appointed
by the President under an Act of Con-
gress directing a complete inquiry into
this project, with particular reference
to it's practicabiIity and cost, has about
completed its work, and the present
prospect is that the report Will be
handed to Secretary Hay in about
month.
The commission has taken the build
ing on Fifteenth street, formerly used
as the German Legation, and under the
direction of Admiral Walker, Chair
man, a force of thirty-six computers,
craftsmen, engineers, etc, are at work
on the report and technical matter
which will accompany it, making IN
all the most elaborate presentation OIL
the subject ever presented. The COM
mission is laboring to central1ze the
salient features of this great project,
leaving the statistics and details to
follow in supplements. The commits
sion has gone about it's work feeling
that it was likely to furnish the basis
for the final action of this Govern
ment on the building of the canal.
The conclusions reached by the COM
mission will not be announced until
however, that on the two salient feat
ures-practicability and cost-the COM
mission will report, first, that the pro-
ject of a canal joining the Atlantic
and Pacific by what is commonly
known as the Nicaragua route is en-
tirely feasible and practical, presenting
no engineering problems which cannot
be met; and, second, that the cost can
1a fn6 a 6pOrQP
mathematical exactness, allowing for
excavation, construction and other
items. The report will give this cost
in figures, but the amount is not yet
known even to the Commissioners, as
it will depend upon the careful COM
putations now being made. The pur-
pose is to make it as nearly mathemat-
ically exact as possible, and not to
give a mere opinion of the various
Commissioners.
Admiral Walker has already ex-
pressed the opinion before a Congress
sionaI committee that the cost would
be within $125,000,OOO, and this is un-
derstood to be his opinion still. But
the report will state figure not based
on opinion, but on the careful calcula-
tions of the many experts who are
now at work on every branch OF the
project.
The only element of doubt will be in
establishing the unit Of cost for GER
tain estimates, as there may be differ
ences as to this unit depending on con-
ditions of the soil, climate, etc. For
instance, while the Commissioners may
fix with exactness the total number Of
cubic feet of excavation required in
such a vast undertaking, it is not easy
to fix on 30 cents or any other sum as
the unit for reckoning the whole or
any part of the work. This will be
done as close as possible under the
circumstances, and the indications are
that the figures as to cost will be ex-
ceptionally conclusive in showing the
utmost limit to which it is to be put
ST the building of the canal is begun.
The report it is understood, will be
unanimous, as the Commissioners are
agreed on all the essential features OF
its practicability, the only differences
being those natural shades of opinion
as to the unit of cost on some of the
branches of the work.
The report will not refer to the po-
iitical questions involved, but will con-
fine itself to the scientific and en-
gineering problems. The political ques-
tiofls, it is recognized, are for the State
Department and for Congress. and
these will be worked out about the
time the report is presented. They in
volve the question of concessions and
rights granted by Nicaragua to the old
Nicaragua Canal Company, and quite
recently to a company of American
capitalists: also, the question of the
right of the United States to build
the canal as distinctive Government
enterprise, without reference to private
concessions; and finally, the complica-
tions growing out of the disappearance
of Nicaragua on November LIST as a
sovereign nation, and its absorption by
the United States of Central America.
AS stated, however, the commission
will not deal with these political con-
ditions. but will confine itself strictly
to the project as an engineering enter
prise 1t is known to be the private
opinion of some of the members of the
commission that the Government and
not private enterprise is the only
means whereby the canal can be con-
structed. One of the most serious OBJ
stacles urged against the canal as a
Government enterprise has been the
Clayton-Bulwer treaty, and the right
of Joint occupancy and control under
it claimed by Great Britain. But there
is a growing feeling that the senti
ments developed between the two
countries during the progress of the re-
cent war will go far to remove this
obstacle, and will probably pave the
way for a complete understanding be-
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