The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-05
THE INrERocEAN1c CANAL.

There is now very general opinion that
there should be canal connecting the two
oceans. Sentiment has been tending that
way for several years, and the war with
Spain has emphasized it's Importance Very
naturally the transcontinental railways OPP
pose such canal, because they assume that
such a waterway will take a considerable
portion of their business. If, however, Mr..
Joseph Nimmo speaks for them in his recent
pamphlet on the subject, his presenta-
ton leaves the inference that the business
Of the railroads will not be injured, since
his conclusion is that the shipping passing
through the canal will be so limited as TO
make the cost of construction dead loss.
On the assumption, however, that a canal
is to be built. the whole subject should be
carefully investigated. Congress should
know all about the merits Of the two rival
routes and the probable cost Of each. Most
of the information which has been pre-
scented comes from the engineers in the en-
ployment Of the company, which may or
may not be the most accurate 1t certainly
is not such information that should be relied
upon by the United States SO far as the
information of engineers is concerned, three
eminent men,. General Ludlow, United
States army, Commodore Endicott, civil en-
gineer of the navy. and Alfred Noble of
Chicago, by authority of Congress, have
surveyed the Nicaragua route and made re-
port to the effect that it would require
1888, ATT, 1893 to construct the canal. AS the
engineers of the canal company have esti-
mated that the cost would be $50 S93.66O, the
company charge that the commission of
Congress are enemies of the project. This
charge. from such source, warrants the
suspicion that the estimate of the engineers
much too small.
Recently the owners of the Panama canal,
which was undertaken by French capitalists
whose money has been wasted, have pre-
sented that route to the consideration of the
United States. OF course, they make a very
glowing presentation of the superior advan-
tages Of their route over the Nicaragua.
Those representing the Nicaragua enterprise
have turned upon the Panama people in a
furious manner. Ex-senator Warner Miller.
who has long been connected with the Mic
aragua enterprise, in a communication. a
part of which was printed in the Sunday
Journal betrays a great deal of temper in
his opposition to the Panama enterprise
Among other things he says that the United
States have only the statements of the Off
GERS of the Panama Company. That is true.
and we would not have had any estimates
of the cost Of the Nicaragua canal other
than those of the company but for the action
of Congress-; and when the commission au-
thorized by Congress reported that the canal
would cost nearly twice much as the esti-
mate of the engineers of the Nicaragua en-
terprise, it's officers assail it on the ground
that the engineers are enemies of the
project. In other words, the statements of
the promoters of the Nicaragua canal alone
contain the truth.
This is not satisfactory. There are slxillful
engineers who are able to ascertain the
merits and demerits of the respective routes,
giving no particular attention to the repre-
sensations of either band of promoters.
Whatever money the United States shall
put into a ship canal to connect the two
oceans will never be repaid. If the United
States engineers estimate the cost of the
canal at $13S, 100000. the country may be sure
that it will not cost smaller amount But,
before entering upon either plan or even
upon the more favored Nicaragua, it will
be wise to know more about it than is set
forth by the promoters