Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-11-17
THE ENTRANCES TO
 THE NICARAGUA CANAL,
Survey of Both Have Been Finish et and No Great Obstruction Found
 at Either Point.

NGW 9rE, NOV If.---1 1G Stlf6J OA the west entrance of the proposed Mica ragua canal has been finished and the map with the soundings and the con- tours put in. This survey was made with great care and shows a peculiar formation of the bottom of the Pacific i'll the vicinity. The rocky position near Brito Head shelves suddenly into deep water, making harbor to the eastward feasible. As the canal line will come out within q mile or two of the head breakwater to the eastward will form an enclosure into which vessels can round to before entering the harbor proper. The harbor will be dredged on the sitd of the wide margrove swamps, east oi the Rio Grande and will rnn hack from tho shore line about 5000 feet A break. water on the eastern edge of the 600-foot channel will protect the entrance from the trade swell that sets ill heavily from the southeast in even the calmest of weather.
 There has been some discussion as to the adYisabihty of a sailing vessel com. ing in upon this rocky coast without q longitudinal or parallel breakwater run. ming across the entrance for some dis. tance to enable her to round without danger of getting into the surf. Thia breakwater will probably be built. The breakwater now under discussion is the one to the eastward of the channel. Ol course the karbors at either entrance ot the canal will be tho scene of the frsi operations when the canal is cut. The dredging will begin out at the five faith. orn contour on the west side and the euf will run straighJ iin 600 feet wide until 1t turns to the eastward and opens out to 5000 feet This will run straight in taa required distance. cut to depth of 30 feet mean low water The borings show little rock in this area above this grade i; therefore, as the surface is but 10 feet on an average above sea level, an ac- curate idea can be formed of this work. It will be 5000 feet long by about 200O feet wide and the entrance to the cut of the canal will be near the eastern in. shore end.
 This survey completes the necessary work of the commission for his vicinity.
 The survey of the eastern entrance at Graytown has been plotted and the map finished The soundings run from one-half to one and half miles from low water and shows the eight fathom contour. This is sufficient for the east ern entrance and tho estimates can readi. ly be made for any of the proposed pro- jects for deepening and improving the harbor at this spot. The bottom shows an all alluvial formation composed of sand and mud. This material is easily handled with modern steam hydraulic dredges and in New York harbor the price paid by the Unit. ed States is in the neighborhood of 1G cents per cubic yard. The harbor lines at Greytown will be greatly changed. This is owing not only to a lightly changed line, but to the shifting of the sand deposits about the entrance In some places where there was good water at the date of the last survey the sand appears above the sea now at low water.
 The harbor head lagoon will probably not be cut into and the extension as tho line will run northward Only suff- cient cutting will be done to insure safe and roomy harbor for the vessels awaiting their turn for entrance into the canal proper.