The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1899-01-05
Nlc'Et|UA CANAL COMMISSION,
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Hddc puhllc. - Is as follows;
Nlc'RtGUA CANAL COMMISSION,
AeifNGfoN. y. e.. D"c. g
The Honorable. the Secretary oi State.
Washington. d. C. Sir-We have the honor
to acknowledge the p'cclpi Of your letter Of the
l9ih Instant. enclosing a copy OF resolution Of
the senate Of the 18th Of December requesting
report OF tho progress made hy This commits
sion In invc' Ieaiins thequoston Of the proper
route. the feasibility cad c,,t ~ constructing
the Nicaragua canal This commission has
understood the laH by which IL was cons stituted.
approved June lS95 10 require that al routes
heretofore proposed having any merit, arc 70
be considered. now routes that appear to have
merit are to be developed and the entire region
oi the canal possibilities to be exam ned with
sufficient theroughness as to enable Just and
comprehensive comparison OF the various
routes 10 be made and The most desirable one
selected In short, to enable This commission
10 make complete and exhaustive report.
With this in View. the commission visited
Nicaragua, personally examined the entire
canal reg on from ocean TO ocean. and employ
ed some 20 engineers with their laborors and
helpers for zen months. in making careful sur
VcyS and exam nations OF the canal region
Some meteorological and Neurological obser-
vcrs are still continued IN Nicaragua with a
view TO obtain fun year Of observations 81
that nature
The required field work has beer obtained.
The reduction Of this ncld work, together
with the compilation and comparlson OF former
surveys going back nearly fifty years, has
been in progress for more than two months
Iflf
tion Of canal across Nicaragua Is entirely
feasible
The estimates for two Of the best known
characteristic routes have been nearly COM
p.oted. These routes ore known as the Mari
time Canal Co. S route and the Lull route Their
estimated cost ia approximately sl24 COZ, 900 and
sl93 10000 respectively
The assumed dimensions are considerably
greater thun ever before proposed, both in
length Of locks and in width, depth and radius
OF curvature Of canal These increased dimen-
sions have been made necessary by tho de-
mauds OF modern commerce size and draft OF
modern ships etc This has necessarily made
a corresponding increase In the estimated cost
and is in no way inconsistent with the esti-
mates made from former surveys which con-
A'Iii al ca a lluEu NiIlN.ItI anu tltdptI NdudI
a canal of smaller Dimensions just sufficient
for present needs. is being estimated FOR. Such
canal would cost considerably less than the
estimate for n canal suitable for modern neces-
sites which +, rcfcrrcd to above
!, is the opinion Of this commission that, OF
the two routes herewith estimated for the one
called The Iull route IS the more desirable. be-
cause IL is easier Of construction. presents no
problems net well within good engineering
procedon,s. and viii be safer ana more roll
able canal when completed 1t also believes
that the dimensions and form Of construction
preferred 10y the commission are better than
tho cheaper form with smaller dimensions
which would undoubtedly call for expensive
improvements within a short time after its
Both OF the routes referred TO above admit OF
variants, which may reduce the cost These
are now being considered By the commission
The work necessary for an exhaustive discus
Sion Of and report upon the entire canal
problem is being pushed as rapidly as it's great
permits. and. when completed, the
rcrort viii be submitted without delay.
We are. Sir. with great respect
Your obedient servants.
J. T.. WALKER
Rear Admiral L. s. Navy President OF the
Commission