The Van Buren press., 1899-02-25
The PaBam and Nifarsgna Canals
Comparison.

fhe Panama canal. believing that it was
impraticabIe and nothing more than a
gigantic swindIe. This has caused
many to favor the Nicaragua canal
scheme. Recent articles giving an IN
biased statement Of the conditions of
each Of these two enterprises Published
in The Scientific American. than which
there Is no more conservative and better
posted journal IN the country. have
opened our eyes In this matter and led
to the belief that it woald be nothif 2
more than an unnecessary squanderiBE
Of the people money for this govern
meHt 10 either assist u company to buiid
this canal or do so itself There can be
no doubt that should this government
bu the Nicaragua canal and own it
so that In times Of war It could close it to
other nations, the other nations Of the
world would certainly see that the
Panama canal be pushed through
work already two fifths completed and
have q neutral rOute through which
their war vessels could pass "a neutral,
ity which the United States has already
agreed to. The following editorial from
the Scientific American IL one Of the
papers treating ON the subject. The
article 1t refers to gives fall history as
well a. figures of an international com
mission composed of the most eminent
engineers of the age:
Elsewhere in this issue we give a
comprehensive description Of the Nicar
agua canal project. Ia our issne Of
February 4th will be found a similar
account Of the Panama canal. In both
articles Ii has been oaf aIn to give A.
impartial statement Of facts. 10 assist
the reader In forming his own estimate
Of the relative merit Of these two cOlos
sal undertakings we present the follow
ing comparison Of the sail snt features
OF both,
HAgBoRs. Panama. AT each end Of
the canal Is good natural harbor
Both have been iu use for about half
century as the terminals Of the Panama
Railroad. The Bay Of Limon Is a mag
nihcient land locked harbor with deep
anchorage; the Panama harbor shal
lower, anl the maritime canal will have
10 be kept open by dredging
Nicaragua. Artificial harbors will
have to be built at each end At Brito
the construction would involve building
as 800 foot jetty and dredging ont
40 acre harbor to depth Of 30 feet
At Greytown q fine harbor once existed
hut has since been destroyed by natural
forces. An artificial harbor, protected
by jetties, would have to be built In ths.
face Of the determined efforts of Nature
to prevent IL. 1t would no doubt be
practicable to create the harbor but 1t
would be ut cost which was estimated
at 81, 500, 900 by the Ludlow board To
this must be added the cost Of contin
uous dredging and Of the periodical con
strnction of protective works to prevent
the shoaling of the harbor. In 1893. |
Major Mcfarland, who was sent by the |
secretary OF war to investigate the |
canal. reported 10 the senate that the !
construction of suitable harbor at |
Greytown alone would cost 80 500 900, |
while according TO the same authority |
that at Brito wonld cost S. 900 600
TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES The |
Panama canal has a double track rail
road extending parallel with the whole |
ronte. and terminating on each ocean |
at deep water piers.
Nicaragua has . miles OF single track |
ut It's Greytown end. The other lGi |
miles Of the route are destitute Of trans
portation facilities. General Hains, Of |
the Walker Board considers that
do ible track standard road parallel TO |
N rf.ttt. ~ u1
xlO0. 900 per mile. Ii an indispensable |
prerequisite to It's economical construc-
ton
PLANT Panama has plant that cost |
originally $50 900. 900 scattered along |
the route. and has good Accommodations
provided for Is 900
At Nicaragua there are FIVE drcdges,
machine shop and some storehouses at
Ureytown.
Pa59s - or THE Work AT Panama
two fifths Of the work Is completed. |
Fifteen out Of the total forty six miles
are dredged to the original width and |
To depth Of from 10 TO 2gS feet. Work |
bar been opened up for the full length |
VI the canal.
AT Nicaragua some 900 feet Of the
canal has been dredged to depth of II |
feet and 30 miles Of right of way has
been cleared Of timber.
DIFFICULT ENGINEERING PROBLEMS 49,
AT Panama the character Of the Culbera |
cot has been determined by tunnels and |
cuttings aud no further trouble will |
take place as the work proceeds. The |
Shagres will be controlled by two dams,
one 10 supply the summit level, the |
other TO form basin for navigation |
The amount Of food, possibilities Of |
water supply. and all necessary data
have been accurately determined
At Nicaragua. If the company = route |
Is adopted, there will be nearly one
hundred dams, big and little. with a
total length of miles, most Of which |
will be of earth and clay. upon clay
foundation. IL the compromise route |
is adopted, the number Of dams and |
their height will be reduced. but they /
will still be numerous. If the low level .
route be adopted the earth enbankments /
will be thrown out at the cost of exten.
sive protective works In the lower levels Z
where the canal passes through the delta .
30 Greytown
RAINFALL. Maximum at Panama. % 1
inches per year. Maximum at Niear. /
agua. 256 inches per year.
CLIMATE. At Panama. deadly when .
the surface ground was first opened up;
but not abaormally unhealthy now
that the suhsurface excavation has been
reached. At Nicaragua the climate.
on account Of the prevailing trade winds.
IL at present healthy. The opening Of
the work may induce some fever. Save
as regards the rainfall of 90 feet per
year, it is probably preferable 10 Pana.
ina.
IRoBApLE CosT or CONSTRUCTION. -