New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-16
THE NICARAGUA CANAL
GREAT BENEFITS THAT WOULD NOW BE
REAPED If IT HAD BEEN BUILT.

REAPED If IT HAD BEEN BULL
To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir can scarcely recall the period in llfe
when did not read The Tribune. 1t was AZ
welcome voice from home to me in the noun
tains of California In the ities. and In the Army
in the sixties. and while do not always agree
with its editorial sentiments. It does appear "a
me to pursue in the present exciting time
course that must command the respect and IN
dorsement OF every honest. reasonable and pa
triotic man and woman. In allowing the Pres'-
dent and his Cabinet manage the war. and
giving them a loyal support, it commands more
OF my admiration than it ever did before. much
as have believed in it and its policy.
! have long since learned to place no reliance
in sensational or war rumOrs even here at the
National capital, and walt for The Tribune TO
confirm them il they be true. Your able ana
patriotic yet conservative editorials on the course
this Nation must OF necessity pursue in the
end toward our new acquisitions in the East and
In the West Indies. and the patriotism that per
mits no outside Interference. are helping mould
a healthy American public sentiment. The Trib-
une has had much to do in inducing Congress 20
its present action on the too long delayed Ha-
waian question. and in imprcssing the lesson so
much needed that no one man. no matter how
exalted his position, is greater than the Ameri-
can people or even the KcpuDICdn parry
worked in Honolulu many years ago. when II
was nothing more than rendezvous for the
American whaling fleet. and have always Won
dered why any sane should oppose Ameri-
can ownership of those beautiful Islands with
all their advantages.
AS that question will be settled in the right
way in a few days now. II is hoped The Tribune
will follow up that other great National and
commercial necessity-tho Nicaragua Canal-to
a successful ending. Having doubled Cape Horn
twice. and having cruised along the coast or
South America, besides residing in California for
years | can understand TO some extent the great
benefits in a naval and commercial sense Of that
cut through the narrow strip that divides North
from South America. and of which Dalling SAID
over century since G1S0) canal between the
two oceans would be more important In Its CON
sequences than any which had ever yet been
effected by human power. Nelson the great
English Admiral. wrote that Ne wanted to effect
the conquest OF Nicaragua; in order TO give IA
ciIity to the great object Of Government, intend
to possess the great lake of Nicaragua, which |
regard as the inland Gibraltar of South
America
Aside from the great benefits 10 Nrade and
commerce between the Atlantic and the Pacific
States the Nicaragua Canal would have afforded
and will produce new demands for its construc-
ton have arisen within the last few weeks be-
cause of the acquisition OF the islands OF the
Pacific. Self protection as well as an increase
OF trade demands this cut between the TWO
oceans. The Nicaragua Canal would reduce the
sailing distance between New-Iork ana the
Sandwich (Hawaan) Islands I.s42 miles. or
more than one-half and about two thousand
miles more for steam vessels passing through
the Strait Of Magellan; place New-York nearer
Melbourne Australia. by over one thousand
miles than is Liverpool by the Suez Canal, re-
duce the distance from New-iork by the short
est water route 70 Hong Kong by more than
two thousand miles 10 \ okohama ny nearly one
thousand miles and to the new American tfhl-
inpine) islands by about three thousand miles.
had the treaty prepared by Blaine and Ere
linghuysen, and known as the FreHnghuysth-
Zavala treaty. the only publication or wh!ch. L
believe was I'm The Tribune OF December 1874,
not been withdrawn from the senate ny fI'sl-
don't Cleveland because he held II 10 he an en-
,anglinc alliance" the great waterway would
have long since been completed, ana us Value
greatly realized under present events. AT me
time that treaty was prepared believe X g.
shannon Representative In Congress from the
XIIIth New-York District. was Minister t. Mica
ragua and Costa Rica, and was very active IN
the matter. Unfortunately. with his knowledge
on this subject. and the experience he had while
connected with the American Legation In CHINA
he is not a member OF the Committee Oh Foreign
Affairs: but because Of thai stranea ami uT-
reasonable custom Of Congress requiring DEF
mite period Of service in that body before assign
rnent to these committees the most Naluapie
men are often kept in the background. But hav
ing served his probationary term. II he IS a
member Of the next Congress he will he entitled
10 a place where he be more valuable
Washington. D. G., June ~, ls9s.