The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-05-22
VOYAGE OF the OREGON
SHOWS NEED OF NICARAGUA
CANAL
The Proposed Waterway Worth the
Whole Cost Of Construction Dur
ing the Present War

CHICAGO. May N.-Mr. Lyman E.
Cooley, the well-known engineer, who
spent two months of last winter on the
route of the proposed Nicaragua Canal, III
an interview, says:
las bluff, If nothing more, the Near
aguan Canal in operation today would he
worth 500 COO to this government. Com
pleted. 1t could perpetually say to all ma
tons that our fleets in a moment of me-
cessity could command the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans as no other fleets in the
world would be able to do.
I'm a race for Manila, we starting al
New York and Spain at Cadiz, we with the
Nicaragua Canal could reach the Phil
ppines before any fleet going through tho
Suez Canal could do so."
Mr.. Cooley has studied the journey of the
battleship Oregon around South America
with extraordinary interest, since, if 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
cific Coast with the saving of thousands
of miles of journey.
Suppose. at the least" said Mr.. Cooley,
that it costs at least $54 OoO, 900 to construct
this canal, or at the most $133 900 900, what
would that amount to in view of the fact
that at the present moment every city on
the Pacific Coast could be destroyed by a
hostile fleet before a battleship of ours
could round Cape Horn. When we could
reach the ruins Of San Francisco the en-
envy would be at Hawaii, and when we
were there they would be at Manila or at
anchor safely at home
Leaving aside all questions of value to
us of the canal as a powerful agency for
developing our commerce, look at its con-
struction from war point of view. The
Atlantic coast will always be the concen-
tration point for the cream of our navy.
New York city is 1900 miles from San
Francisco without the Nicaraguan Canal:
that is. via the Straits of Magellan. Steam
crs leaving New York are over 5000 miles
from San Francisco and sailing vessels via
Cape Horn 1900 miles away. The canal
would shorten one route S267 miles and the
other 1878 miles. A man-of-war sailing
ten knots an hour. or $40 miles per day.
would be saved, in one instance, forty-four
days and the other thirty-four days time.
In other words, If the Oregon is at Bar
BADGES, sixty-two days were occupied by
her in reaching that point from San Fran
cisco, via Cape Horn. With the Nicaragua
Canal completed. forty-four days tim.
would have been saved over one existing
route and thirty-four days over the other
The journey from San Francisco to New
York could be made in eighteen days by
slow vessel, and in nine or ten days BY
swift one.
Would not this be of value to the gov
IN, of
ponds on the rapidity with which our yes
sells must be moved from point to point?"
Mr.. Cooley also said that the charges
through the canal would be less than the
wages paid the men on the vessel and the
coal consumed in trip around Cape Horn.
In conclusion, Mr.. Cooley said:
I'VE could create a naval station at
l AXE Nicaragua second to none in the
world, and from which our vessels could
pass for the protection of either of our
coasts with a rapidity unequaled. The
Spanish war and the journey Of the Oregon
will awaken the general public to the ne
cessity of having the canal, as nothing
else could have done. Once built the canal
from strategic or commercial point Of
view, means that our flag and our shipping
will enter every port in the world and we
will be the maritime power of the twen-
t;eth century"
Nicaraguan Congress Meets
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, May q, via CAL
veston.-The Congress Of Nicaragua was
convened last evening to consider the
peace treaty which the commissioners
signed on April &c between Costa RIGA and
Nicaragua.
President Zelaya's message reviews his
actions in favor Of the treaty, refers to the
bad financial condition of the country, but
gives notice of the purchase Of small
warship for coast defenses and touches on
the non-sale of the government railroads.
A meeting Of the Federal Convention of
the Greater Republic of Central America
will take place hero on June Is.