New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-22
TA.CE OF NICARAGUA CANAL.
ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH IT WOULD
BE WORTH NOW.
LYMAN E COOLEY SAYS IT WOULD Dr
WORTH one HUNDRED MILLION DOL
LARs-HOw MUCH TIME THE ORE
Con COULD HAVE SAVED.

Chicago. May 2l.-Lyman f. Cooley. the we'll
known engineer, who aport two months Of last
winter on the route OF the proposed Nicaragua
Canal in an Interview says:
las n bluff IL nothing more. the Nicaragua Canal
" operation today would be worth 100000 TO
this Government. Completed, It could perpctuaily
cay to all nations that fleets In moment OF
necessity could command the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans as no other fleets In the world would be
able do In for Manila, we starting at
New-York and Spain at Cadiz we with the Mica
ragua Canal could reach the Philippines before
any flee; passing through the Suez Cana! could
DO So
Mr.. Cooley has studied the Journey of the battle
ship OREGON around South America with oxtrnor-
binary interest. since II the Nicaragua Canal had
been completed the Oregon might have been with
Sampson weeks ago. or. in any emergency. any
part Of our Navy could be dispatched to the Pa
c.nc Coast. with the saving Of thousands OF miles
of journey.
SUPPOSE at the least" said Mr. Cooley ut
costs $4,000 to construct this canal. or at the
most 1873 5000. what would that amount to in
view Of the fact that at the present moment every
city on tho Pacific Coast could be destroyed by n
hostile fleet before any battle-ship OF ours could
even round Cape Horn When could reach the
ruins OF san Francisco the enemy would be ut
Hawaii and when we were there they would be at
Manila or safely at home. Leaving aside ell ques-
ton Of the value OF the canal as powerful
for developing our commerce. look ht us
construction from q point Of View.
"The Atlantic Coast viii always be the concen-
trat.on point for the of Navy. New
York City Is 4o00 miles from san Francisco with
out the Nicaragua Canal. That is. Icy way OF the
Straits Of Magellan. steam vessels leaving New
York are 1909 miles from san Francisco and
sailing vessels. by way OF Cape Horn. 1850 mies
away. The canal would shorten route S.2c1
miles and the other route 1874 miles. A mar-of-
war sailing 20 knots an hour. or 30 miles n day
would save In the ore instance a days and In the
other "a days time. In other words II the Oregon
Is st Barbados C2 Gays occupied by her in
reaching that point from San Francisco b. way OF
Cane Horn. With the Nicaragua Canal complete
- days time would have been saved over one OK
tourney from San Francisco New-York could
he made in Is days by slow vessel. or 10 OF u
days b. a swift one Would not this be Of value
10 the Government when 80 much depends on tho
rapidity with which our vessels mus, be moved
from point TO point? Possessing the Nicaragua
Canal could prevent any navy In the world
from rounding the Horn fer the purpose Of attack
Ing east west"
Mr.. Cooley also said that the charges through
the canal would he less ttan tho wares paid the
the vessel and the coal consumed In "a trip
around Cape Horn
In conclusion. Air. Cooley said
we could create naval station at Lake Mica
raruo second 10 none In the world and from
wnicn vessels could pass for the protection 0;
either Of our coasts with a rapidly unequalled
The Spanish war and the journey OF the Or, gcn
having the canal az nothing else could have done
Once built. the canal. from strategic a com.
mercial point OF view. means that our flag. with
shipping VIII enter every port IN the world
and we will be the maritime Power OF the TWEEN
tieth century.