The evening times., 1899-06-02
THE NICARAGUA CANAL.
Various Plans Submitted by the
Conn mission.

Various Plan. Submitted by the
Commission.
Additional information in regard to the
route proposed by the Nicaragua Canal
Commission for the projected new isthmian
waterway was obtained today.
While the route outlined in the synopsis
of the Commissions report already made
public by the State Department is pre-
pared by the Commission, it is understood
that that body submits several variants
which may be adopted by the construction
engineer II he deems it proper to do SO.
The Commission is agreed that the route
from Brito to the San Juanillo River
should be as set forth, but states
that there are two ways Of connect
ing the canal at this point with the
Caribbean Seattle first across the
low country to Greytown, passing to the
northward of Lake Silico, and the second
emptying into the Atlantic near Greytown
and connecting by straight line with the
canal at San Juanillo to the Caribbean Sea,
where a new harbor will have to be built.
The Commission finds there will be little
difference in the cost Of the several vari-
ants, so that it will be matter of choice
with the construction engineer as to which
route shall be adopted.
The single dam which the preferred
route contemplates will be located at Boca
San Carlos, just above Ochoa and above
the mouth of the San Carlos. This point
was selected as the site Of the dam be-
cause, the Commission states, the con-
structor will be able to avoid the heavy
flow Of water which empties into the San
Juan River from the San Carlos Just be-
low that point. The dam will be fifty
five feet in height. The Commission also
submits an alternative proposition for the
building of three dams, one at Boca San
Carlos, another midway between that point
and Machuca Rapids, and the third at Ma
chuca Rapids. These dams, In case of
construction, will be eighteen feet in
height.
There will be ten locks in the canal, four
on the west side and the remainder on the
eastern station, between Boca San Carlos
and the Atlantic. Each lock will be eighty
feet wide From Boca San Carlos to San
Juan del Norte the canal will be LOO feet in
width; from Boca San Carlos to Fort San
Carlos the lake outlet Of the canal, it will
be 300 feet in width.
The canal increases in width from Fort
San Carlos to just opposite the Solentiname
Islands, where it is 600 feet in width, and
it will maintain this width until it reach
es Las Lajas, where it decreases to $50 feet,
and remains at that width throughout the
remainder of its length. The depth of the
canal estimated upon is thirty feet
throughout.
Rear Admiral Crowninshield, an earnest
advocate of the Nicaragua Canal, sincerely
deplores the fact that the Commissions
report is not final.
I'VE have had commissions and commits
sions,'' he said to a reporter, "and the ca
nal is still unbuilt. The last Commission,
Of which Rear Admiral Walker was presi-
dent, has carefully covered the ground and
has recommended a route which commends
itself to me. Congress will not take ac-
ton upon this recommendation, but will
delay until the proposed Isthmian Com
mission submits its report. Even then We
have no promise that the canal will be au-
thorized. The railroad interests have sue
ceeded in preventing its construction in
the past, and their success will continue
for some time to come.
"The whole Of Europe is laughing at US
, for our failure to build this important