The Portland daily press., 1898-12-30


Department of State.
Nicaragua Canal Commission,
Washington, Decem Der 26, 1888
The Honorable, the Secretary OF State,
Washington. d. c.:
Strive have the honor to acknowleuge
the receipt of your letter of the lsts INST,
enclosing a COPY of the resolution OF the
Senate Of the 18th of December, request
ing report of the progress made by this
commission investigating the question OF
the proper route, the feasib1llty anu cost
of constructing the Nicaragua canal.
This commission has understood the
law by which 1t was constituted, ap
proved June 4, 1897, to require tnaG All
routes heretofore proposed, having any
merit, are to be considered. new routes
that appear to have merit are to be de-
yeloped and the entire region of canal
possibilities to be examined with sufficient
thoroughDess to enable just and COM
prehensive comparison OF the various
routes to ne made and the most desirable
one selected. In short. to enable this
commission to make complete and ex.
haustiye report,
With this in view, the commission visit
ed Nicaragua personally, examined the
entire canal region from ocean to ocean
and employed some 10 engineers win
their laborers and helpers for ten months
in making careful surveys and examine
tions of the canal region. Some mete-
orogical and Psychological observat ons
are still continuing in Nicaragua with
view to obtain full year observations of
that nature The required field work
has been obtained. The reduction of this
field work, together with the com pila-
tion and comparison of former surveys
going back nearly 50 years, has been IN
progress for more than two months.
4he commission believes that the con-
struction of canal across 10 entirely
feasible
1he estimates for two OF the best known
characteristic routes have been nearly
completed. The routes are known as the
Maritime canal com pany's route, ana Jne
Lull route Their estimated cost is APP
proximataly Sl24,0 0,000 and $123, O00, 'l0o
respectively. The assumed dimensions
are considerably greater than ever before
proposed, both in length of locks and in
width, depth and radius of curvature OF
canal. The increased dimensions have
been made necessary by the demands OF
rno,iern commerce. size and draught OF
modern ships, etc. This has necessarily
made corresponding increase In the estl-
mated cost and is in no way inconsistent
with the estimates made from former sur
veys which contemplated a much smaller
and cheaper canal.
A canal of smaller dimensions, just
sufficient for present needs, issbeing esti
mated for Such canal would cost con-
siderably less Than the estimate for
canal suitable for modern necessities
which is referred to above
1t is the opinion of this commission that
of the two routes herewith estih for,
the one called the Lull rente is the more
desirable because it is easier Of con-
struction, presents no problems not we'll
within good presidents and Will be
more reliable canal when completed. LIZ
also believes that the dimensions and
form of construction preferred by the
commission ale better than the cheaper
form with smaller dimensions which
would undoubtedly cali for expensive i'm
provements within a short time after its
completion.
Both of the routes referred to above
admit of variants, which may reduce the
coast. These are now being considered
by the commission. The work necessary
for an exhaustive discussion of report
upon the entire canal pi oblem is being
pushed as rapidly as its great magnitude
permits and when completed the report
will ne submitted without delay.
We are, sir, with great respect,
Your obedient servants.
J. g. Walker, Rear Admiral, U. ,. N,
President of Commission.
Lewis M. Saupt, Civil Engineer.
Memorandum.
l concur with the other members of the
commission i'll respect to the progress of
& g work and the feasibility OF thu canal
but | hink in view of the increased size
OF the canal estimated for and the difficult
ties incident to work in tropical countries
that the estimate is lower than it should
be by about 90 per cent.
(Signed)
Peter G. Hams, Colonel Corps of Engi.
neerS.