The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-26
AnAid
To
OurNavy

One Of the most important questions
of the near future to be decided by con-
gress Is whether or not the Nicaraguan
canal shall be built by the United States
government. The bill now pending in
the senate committee will be reported
probably within the next fortnight.
Senator Morgan, who has espoused the
building of a canal between the two
oceans ever since he began service in
the senate in 1877, will have charge of
the canal bill He has every hope of Sc
curing its passage, at least through tho
senate.
: THERE'S no doubt the bill would have
been passed at the last session of con-
gress had it not been for the opposition
of Minister Rodriguez Of the Central
American republics. This had the effect
Of changing many votes, and fearing If
he pressed the bill it would meet defeat
the Alabama senator withdrew il, CIV
ing notice at the same time that he
would reintroduce the measure at this
session. This he did several weeks ago.
The bill as introduced is materially al
tered to meet the objection raised by Ro-
driguez. There is general disposition
in congress favorable to building this
canal, but there is some difference of
opinion as to the amount required.
Lyman K. Cooley, the well known
engineer, who spent two months Of last
winter ON the route of the proposed Mic
aragua canal, in an interview says:
"As bluff, il nothing more, the
Nicaragua canal in operation today
would be worth 800, 900, 600 to this
government. Completed, it could per-
petually say to all nations that our
fleets in a moment of necessity could
command the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
as no other fleets in the world would be
able to do. In race for Manila, we
starting at New York and Spain at Ca
diz, we, with the Nicaragua canal,
could reach the Philippines before any
feet passing through the Suez canal
could do 3d."
Mr.. Cooley has studied the journey
of the battleship Oregon around South
America with extraordinary interest,
since, IL 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 Pacific coast with
the saving of thousands of miles Of jour
ney.
Suppose at the least" said Mr..
Cooley, cit costs $54, 600, 600 to con-
struct this canal, or at the most $780,
600, 900, what would that amount to in
view Of the fact that at the present mo-
ment every city on the Pacific coast
could be destroyed by hostile feet be-
fore any battleship Of ours could even
round Cape Horn? When we could reach
the ruins of San Francisco, the enemy
would be at Hawaii, and when we were
there they would be at Manila or safely
at home. Leaving aside all question Of
the value to us of the canal as a power
full agency for developing our commerce,
look at it's construction from war point
of view.
1.-THE Atlantic coast will always be
the concentration point for the cream
Of our navy. New York city is IA, 600
miles from San Francisco without the
Nicaragua canal. That is by way Of the
strait Of Magellan. Steam vessels leav-
ing New York are over 1870 miles
from San Francisco, and sailing vessels
by way of Cape Horn 10, miles
away. The canal would shorten one
route S,267 miles and the other route
10, 1853 miles. A man-of- war sailing ten
knots an hour, or 240 miles day, would
save in tho one instance A days and In
the other 80 days time. In other words,
If the Oregon is at Barbados, GO days
were occupied by her in reaching that
point from San Francisco by way Of
Cape Horn. With the Nicaragua canal
complete A days time would have been
saved over one existing route and 81
days over the other. The journey from
San Francisco to New York could be
made in Is days by slow vessel or 10
or l2 by swift one Would not this
be Of value to the government when SO
much depends ON tho rapidity with
which our vessels must be moved from
point to point? Possessing the Nicaragua
canal, we could prevent any navy in
the world from traversing the Horn for
the purpose Of attacking us east or
west. I"
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 q trip around
Cape Horn. In conclusion Mr.. Cooley
said:
"We could create q naval station at
Lake Nicaragua second to none in the
world and from which our vessels could
pass for the protection of either of our
coasts with rapidity unequaled. The
Spanish war and the journey Of the
Oregon will awaken the general public
to the necessity Of having the canal as
nothing else could have done. Once
built the canal, from strategic or a
commercial point Of view. means that
our flag with our shipping will enter
every port in the world and we will be
the maritime power of the twentieth
century. New York World.