The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1899-02-04
The Nicaragua Canal

The generally accepted feasibility 81 the
I Nicaragua Canal i primarily due TO the
tart that u ], uut sea level canal IL WIS
the proposed Panama waterway. whose
d,>a,truu, tailaye l. history The Use at
lgyk, uut uuIy doe away With the excessive
/ mrs; co,t Of building. but /, also ii>>ipaSes
+ the fear of the ,uhmer-encr u the canal
by the w,,hin. ur sliIin- INTO "a of NOUN
/ tAiu> 'hr,aeh which ig would have ln h,
caf lu rIe maintenance, .t the canal li
. ter 1t is bHji. frH Inc annual c,'~t & GUARD
{ iu2 against sul preventing this ~ubmerEeucc
luuBz tbe rain, ,eI>,n would be far IN
Z cN-a--- ul the y,,t "a maintaining and nTer
atlna lhg j1rA> The total lru.Jh Il the
/ \ie4r1.uan route from ucvau fr t~svau D.
. much greater than that rt the Panama.
bar very liflle rt j, Is really e canal -
ularh 81 d !, uu the river ~lu Juan and
Lake Nicaragua. when, uu excavation VI
any >iol !, required The l,nr of passage
( 20 ship from ,.e,.iH G., u-,-4u i- aiHut =
E haar- Thi> tr. l. longer jh3u wutld
T have b,.au the ,-l-, alth the iaulul anal
I but ,iuct ;4y 1ayemeu, st the ship s- east
. ward rr we>ia5ri .n the direction d, would
have ta -a. even ii there aeTr uo canal
tbs ran hardiy by y.,lig,! Jn.e d.,
Th, taii1sju- h-urc> spI description arc
th..~. from thc bates; survey, aHj proposed
plls, 81, b. route The surface a lake
Nicaragua !, aul, 10 Irei above the level
. ,i' the sea and OWING ,u the discovery II a
number Of IoW passes over he eastern and
+ western mountain divide. the r.,ual will
uot a, ANY Taiur be higher The ,o;si
length Ut the r.ugc lnsm ~au Juan en the
. sa-g Co. Bgiia uu thc vest l. iG9 / mile
+ Of ghi, lI3 81 mile, are ia lake u,er and
natural basin. and leave ouIy u : miles Ut
/ canal 10 be excayacI with some work rt
building dams and df,er,iu- pr,>eu, water
courses
Commencing lr Sau Jt0n uu the eastern
I css,,, the ryu,c ram iullnd a, >,s level
airn- au artificial channel 1t ghc >au Juan
/ rscr tuy . ! miic- the overflow aud main
I ba,iy IS water from the river being allowed
/ ,n and H. way @" the sea further to the
I south At . I miles cume> the first lock
\ miles beyond that the second, aud >
nile, beyond that the thirl which give,
I the required elevation Of 10 feet All
excavation IN the >au Juan river from
/ lake Nicaragua 20 point 81. > miles ,p
. the eastward viii be avoided 10y the uehua
. ,l,m. which will back up the water Of the
\ river between the points named aud make
/ it mon, than deep enough iur all purposes
/ Prom Fort San Carlos. uu the lake the
I sailing westward /, unoh>iructel for - )
/ miles to Iajas, where there l. q cUt ot .
Z miles to Toh Basin. AT the western eN-
tremiJy Of which are luyk, / and } while
. 1 : miles beyond i the last lock NJ Is.
which let, the ship down 5o sci level again
The SEA level portions Of 'he raual a,
each end are TO be enlarged - a. to form
large harlur> for the accommodation OF s,
great uuusi,cg 81 ships and it l. the work
OF properly protecting these harbors from
the overflow ut rivers, - a. to preserve this
depth bv the construction uf letties, that
will constitute a considerable portion of the
cost The san Juan liver and its tribu-
tarie, and the surrounding country have
been studied ever since this route va, first
proposed many years a@n. The river Is
uot only subject to sudden rises during the
rainy season, buJ every precautIon toi
handliu. the overflow. for the necessary
dams aud alterations Of channels has been
included in the accepted estimates of work
and cost
Retamtulalion Canal in excavation.
% : miles length Of free ba>ius. ; miles
free navigation on San Juan river. G4. !
miles: ola Lake Nicaragua 81 ) miles total
free navigation on lake, river and basin,
l42 6 miles; total length OF route. ocean t'
ocean. 1863. / miles. Elevation of summit
level. 10 feet Number Of locks, Is; great
est lift Of lock. II feet dimension of lpck>,
$50 feet loug. 80 feet wide. Probable
depth Of canal, 80 feet; least width ol
bottom. 100 feet. Time of transit. ocean
to ocean. 2S hours. Length OF Lake
Nicaragua 10 miles average width, II
miles surface area. about 260n >quar
miles. Area of water sheet. 5000 squar,
miles. Estimated cost OF canal, Sllo.
600. 900: estimated time for construction
SIX wears.