The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-30
This Thought
Best For
NICARAGUA CANAL,


Washington, Dec 29.-The fun text
of the preliminary report of the Mica
raguan canal commission was today
made public. 1t is as follows:
Department of State.
Nicaragua Canal Commission.
Washington, Dec 26, 1898.
The Secretary of State, Washington:
Eir-We have the honor to acknowl-
edge the reception Of your letter of the
10th instant, inclosing a copy of a reso-
luton of the Senate of the 18th of De
cember, requesting a report of the
progress made by this commission in
investigating the question of the proper
route. the feasibility and cost of con-
struction Of the Nicaragua canal.
This commission has understood the
law by which it was constituted, APP
proved June 4, 1897, to require that all
routes heretofore proposed having any
merit are to be considered, new routes
that appear to have merit are to be
developed and the entire region of
canal possibilities to be examined with
sufficient thoroughness to enable a just
and comprehensive comparison of the
various routes to be made and the most
desirable one selected. In short, to en-
Rble this commission to make a COM
plete and exhaustive report.
with this in view the commission
visited Nicaragua, personally examined
the entire canal region from ocean to
ocean, and employed some 20 engineers
with their laborers and helpers for 10
months in making careful surveys and
examinations of the canal region,
Some meteorological and neurological
observers are still continuing in Mica
fagua with a. view to obtaining a full
year of observations Of that nature.
The required field work has been OBJ
tained.
THE commission believes that the
construction of a canal across is en-
tirely feasible The estimates for two
of the best known characteristic routes
have been nearly completed. These
routes are known as the Maritime Ca
nal Company's route and the Lul
route Their estimated cost is approx
dmately S124000000 and $123, 000, 900 re
speetively. The assumed dimensions
are considerably greater than ever be-
fore proposed both in the length OF
locks and in width, depth and radius
of curvature Of canal. These increased
dimensions have been made necessary
by the demands of modern commerce
SlZe ana uIduSnL Oh lllOueIIl SHIPS. etc
This has necessarily made a CORE.
spending increase in the estimated cos
and is in no way inconsistent with the
estimates made from former surveys
which contemplated much smaller
and cheap canal. A canal of smaller
dimensions Just sufficient for the pres
ent needs is being estimated for. SucI
"a canal would cost considerably les!
than the estimate for q canal suitable
for modern necessities which is re.
ferred TO above.
1t is the opinion Of this commission
that of the two routes herewith esti-
mated for the one called the Lull route
ss the more desirable because it is easier
Of construction, presents no problem:
not well within good engineering pre-
cedents and will be a safer and more
reliable canal when completed
1t also believes that the dimensions
and form Of construction preferred by
the commission are better than the
cheaper form with smaller dimensions
which would undoubtedly call for eX-
pensve Improvements within a short
time after its completion. Both of the
routes referred TO above admit Of va
iiants which may reduce the cost
These are now being considered by the
commission.
The work necessary for an eXhaus-
tive discussion Of and report upon the
entire canal problem is being pushed as
rapidly as it's great magnitude permits