New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-04
NEW NICARAGUA CANAL BILL.
CHAIRMAN HEPBURN'S MEASURE AMENDED
AND APPROVED BY TIE HOUSE COM
NTIT~TEE or COMMERCE.

Washington Feb. 3.-The House Committee on
Interstate and Foreign Commerce to-day directed n
favorable report on tho Hepburn Nicaragua Canal
BILL with amendments. as substitute for the Nor
gan bill passed by the Senate. The essential feature
OF the bill as reported IS that II authorizes the
President y the United States to acquire by pur-
chase from Nicaragua and Costa Rca tho territory
necessary 20 build the canal. and then 10 proceed
with its construction. An Appropriation OF Nl''vp'-
Cl0 is made Tor the completion Of nc work
When the subject taken up at the meeting or
the com,orreo 1t was first determined without the
fornality ~ q vote that Chairman Hcpburn's bill
should be reported cmbodying the sense OF the
committee. The main question was as 10 eXpedltlng
the legislation. For this purpose Mr. Lowering OF
Massachusetts, moved that the Morgan Senate Dill
be taken up. all after the onacting clause stricken
ont and the Hepburn bill substituted. This was APP
nrovcd and tho substituted bin was changed IN
some particulars IS thus amended, the sunsu-
tuto was agreed 10 By a practically unanimous vote.
and MIR Hepburn was directed 20 make the report
10 the House The bill n It's amended form Is as
follows:
That tho President Of the United states re and rs s
states ~ costa Rica and Nicaragua. for and In be
baif of the United States. such portion OF terri
1Gfor ~ thom as may he desirable and necessary.
on which eXcayate. construct and deIe.n S Co.
~ e,rb depth and capacity as VIII be suiiceW toI
30 ,,oorrcnt OF ships OF the greatest tonnage ana
draught now in use from pqiI neg r''S ~" ~
or On ,ba pacific Ocean. and such sum may
tn rcccreary 10 mako such purchase Is hereby ap-
propriated out 81 any none tn the treasury MOI
otherwise appropriated. , =. .
Go D Thai when tho President has secured me
torritorv I'm Section referred to- he shaI dlre't ne
Secretary Of war - oxcavate and construci canal
80 c.,.cruav from n point tho shore OF the
-aribboan Soa near Groytown. by way ~ LAKE
Nicaragua 20 point near Brio. on me Iaci III.
ocean Such canal snail b" OF 'iihcient C3pS "a
.err.et tonnage and greatest depth now in use ana
shall no supplied with oil the necessary lt'k I'M
amer aunlialces 10 meet tn" necessities or Vessels
,..,rg' from Crevtown to Brito. and the Score
49,. or War. shall also construct SUCH SAFE ana
cnnrnolfous harD0rs at tho termim NJ s8lh candl
and such forihcauons for oeiencr as W" al %
0uirol for the convenience ana -ai'lN 81 "' w.
eole desiring tho use n said canal
Sec 2 That i'm making surveys for "a .lual hlln
haroors the Secretarx Of Sh4n WI w and
IA az may he necessary ard may require or them
he rcrforr1ancc Of such professional duties rs he
'ss so Tba, In the excavation and construction Of
eaid canal the San Juan River and Lake N.caraguf.
or such parts 81 each AZ NAV he inanN aNa''ap'''
sec = Thaf I'm any negotiations with the states
~ costa Rira ~ Nicaragua the President ma '
have the President IS authorized 70 guarantee 10
said states 'he use Of 'ad canai ana I' an esy
orred nv said states or hy citizens thereof
sec That the sum 81 SO7Cpl"". ar 50 nnen as
may be necess2ry =. aoIro' p5,bbra,ise opnro
,r,a ted COR the completion - The work herein au-
.borized said money 20 be- drawn rom INC lr'a7lly
mon warrants Of tho President BASED on esti-
mates made md verified by ih" cni"t engineer IN
charge ~ the work an1 approved ny IN" secretary
~ War
Whom reoorted tho bin viii have tho parlia-
roan.a-v status ~ sera', hnl SO that n The sub
sf,,ute Is agreed 10 IL wiz 60 70 conference com
rit'ee and final results oe nastenen