Evening journal., 1898-01-12
NICARAGUA LETTER.
Some Interesting Advices Re-
ceived From Greytown.
WHAT CANAL COMMISSION IS DOING.
Camp at La Fe Has Broken Up-supply
OF Boats Inadequate For the Davis
Expedition-Health of the En-
oampment Is Good.
oampment Is Good.

NEW YORK, Jan. 12.-Advices from
Greytown, Nicaragua, under date Of
Dec. 27, state:
The encampment Of the Nicaragua
Canal commissions forces at La Fe has
commenced to break up. Two parties
left today, one under the command OF
Mr.. j. w. G. Walker, to work on the
west side of the lake. following the pro-
posed canal route from the lake to the
Pacific ocean.
The other party, under the command
Of Mr.. Boyd Ehle, is to follow a new
line which will carry him into Costa
Rica with view to finding a different
site for the proposed dam, the present
one at Ochoa having shown, upon bor-
ing, certain weakness in the kind of nat
ural foundation.
Tomorrow the drilling party under the
charge of Mr.. Hams is to make a
thorough boring examination of all the
portions of the route, when dredging or
cutting win be required, and also the
sites Of the two important DAMS that
of Ochoa on the east side of the divide
and La Flor on the west side. The re-
suits OF all these examinations are re-
quired to determine the probable cost Of
the canal, which, after all, is the object
or the present expedition.
The party under Mr. T.. B. Davis will
also start tomorrow. His business is
to determine the rainfall, the magnitude
of the flow of the natural streams and,
in general way, the quantity of water
discharged from the lake by the San
Juan and the minor outlets. Further
more, he has to determine the evapora-
ton, which, in case of an exceptionally
dry season, might imperil the operation
Of the canal for deep draft vessels.
Some of the young men on this duty
VIII have a very lonely time of It, The
strength Of an observing station is one
American youth, one negro cook and
one native. The young American might
learn Spanish from the native, but such
Spanish would be a burden in SPAIN
Considering the work required of Mr.
Davis and his party, the supply of boats
is somewhat inadequate, one for the
whole show. Since we all know that
necessity is the mother Of invention,
there is no doubt the work will be done
The young men will doubtless build
RATS and ferry themselves out to their
gauges and current meters and make
the observations essential to a correct
record. But why haven't they been sup
piled with boats?
Mr.. Onderdone and Mr.. Trundel have
started with strong parties to investi-
gate the delta OF the San Juan river
with view to finding out a better route
to the divide If such exists than that
proposed by the canal company.
The photographic party, under COM
mand Of Lieutenant G. c. Hanus, u. S
N, will leave camp today and proceed
to San Carlos. at the head of the Sar
Juan river. Their business will be the
photographic survey Of the river and
lake. While all hands have been in
camp here the bluejackets of LAeuten.
ant Hanus' party picked up a very
young yellow pup. The day after they
made this acquisition not a little
amusement was created by the follow.
Ing startling announcement on the door
Of their quarters, Beware Of the dog"
BY the way, this party is also short
OF boats. They expected two large ca.
noes and one small one. They have
been given one large and one small one
A photographic party insuficiently sup.
piled with boats is an anomaly thai
does not require demonstration to an,
one conversant with surveying work.
The party under charge of Mr. G. w
Brown also goes up the river today
In a way he works with Hanus. Mr.
Brown is to determine the 11O foot con.
tour of the valley Of the San Juan. Thi.
is the level at which it is proposed tC
hold the lake by means of the Ochos
dam in order to build the canal accord
Ing to the scheme proposed by the pres.
ent canal company.
The health Of the personnel of the ex.
pedition up to date has been excep.
tional. Only one man has been sick
and he has recovered.
On Christmas day Saturday ",
worked all day. On Sunday il woult
have been hard to find any difference
Would Not stana Rodno,,o,