Evening star., 1899-01-28
NICARAGUA AND A CANAL
Lecture by Mr. Arthur P. Davis Before Ma
tional Geographic Society.
The Hydrography of the RepubIic-Its
Products and Exports-COnces-
sion to United States.

The lecture hall of the Columbian Uni
versity was taxed to its utmost capacity
last evening to accommodate the many
who desired to be present at the weekly
meeting of the National Geographic Society.
Prof. Alexander Graham Bell, president of
the society, before the lecturer for the
evening began his address, announced that
the National Geographic Society had de-
cided to offer two prizes for the best essays
on Morse discoveries in America, these
prizes to be awarded under the following
conditions:
l. A first prize of $3.50 and second prize
of $75 for the best and second best essays
respectively, relating to pre-Columbian dis
coveries and settlements of the Norsemen
on the mainland of North America and the
location of the lands mentioned in the Ice
landc SagaS.
Prof Bell further stated that imme-
diately after the close of the competition,
December 81, 1899, the essays submitted in
accordance with the conditions prescribed
will be laid before the following board of
judges, whose adjudication shall be final:
Henry Gannett, geographer of the U. S.
geological survey; Albert Bushnell Hart,
professor of history in Harvard University;
Anita NewcOmb MCGEE, M. D., acting
sistant surgeon, U. s. A; John Bach Nc
Master, LII. D., professor of history in the
University of Pennsylvania; Henry S.
Pritchett. superintendept of the L. S. coast
After making Several other announce
ments Prof. Bell introduced Mr.. Arthur P.
Davis, who, he said.n would discuss the
photography of Nicaragua. Mr.. Davis
Descriptive of the Republic.
Nicaragua is a republic of Central Amer
lea, bounded on the north by the republic
of Honduras, on the east by the Caribbean
sea- on the SOUTH by the republic of Costa
nd he Inv he
The country is traversed by two ranges of
mountains-the west, which follows the
coast line from fen to twenty miles from
the Pacific, and The east which runs par
allel to it and sends qf several spurs to,
ward the Caribbean sea The principal
rivers are the Rio Coco or Segoria, form
ing part of the boundary between Hondu-
raS and Nicaragua; the Esconddi or Blew
field, and the San Juan, all of which flow
into the Caribbean sea. The east coast of
Nicaragua is called the Mosquito coast.
The chief products of Nicaragua are
sugar cane, cocao, cotton, coffee. indigo,
tobacco, maize and rice, with nearly all
the fruits of the etropics-plantains, bananas,
tomatoes. breadfruit,- arrowroot, citrons,
oranges, lines, .emons pineapples, guaVas,
etc. The chief vegetable exports are sarsa-
parilla, aloes ginger, copal. gum arabic
etc. The seat OF government is Managua,
with population of about 1900.
The largest town and former capital is
Leon whose population is about %, ,UO0
The town of Nicaragua has a population
OF about 5000.
Nicaragua is governed by a president,
who is elected by universal suffrage and
holds office for four years. There are two
legislative chambers-the senate and house
of representatives. Liberty of speech and
| of the press exists, but it is not guaran-
teed.
Canal Route.
The first thoroughly scientific and salts
factory survey for Nicaragua canal route
W. do in b,, Jar
Chester Hatfield and Commander E. P.
Lull, U. S. N. They fixed on the line be-
tween Greytown the Caribbean sea, via
Lake Nicaragua, to Brito on the Pacific
With some notifications this has been
| substantially the route accepted by later
surveys, the Lake of Nicaragua Offering
such superative advantages over every
other route across Central America that
every survey across Nicaragua naturally
includes that we'll the deep waters
of the San Juan river.
After the United States government had
completed an exhaustive series of expora-
tons from Colombia to Mexico, said Mr.
Davis, President Grant designated a COM
mission to consider all plans and present
a report as to the one most to be COM
mended for adoption. Their report said, in
Drlef: The route known as the Nicaragua
| route possesses, both for construction and
maintenance of a canal greater advan-
| tages and offers fewer difficulties from en-
gineering, commercial or economical points
or view than any one of the other routes
shown to be practica be."
In 1881, the lecturer continued, a treaty
was concluded with Nicaragua, by virtue of
which that government empowered the
| United States to build interoceanic canal
| at such point in the territory of Nicaragua
| as might seem most eXpedient. For various
| reasons the Senate declined to ratify this
| convention; but, while it was yet under
| consideration, the President authorized a
| survey to make further rectificatons in the
route outlined by Commander Lull.
| The officer designated to perform this
| duty was Civil Engineer A. G. Menocal, u.
| s. N, who had aferady made a survey for
! the canal in $780, In his report, submitted
| in 1886, while following the main lines sub
| mitted by Commandef Lul, he made sew
| eral notifications which simplify the prob
| lem and add to its feasibility. The esti-
| mated cost of the canal, according to Mr..
| Menocars plans. will be l6Soo0,000.
!