Arizona republican., 1900-12-26
TO LINK THE OCEANS
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 One of the most important measures now before congress for decision is the
 Nicaragua canal bill. by which it il:
 proposed to connect the waters of the
 Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
 It is safe to say that few people re-
 aliZe thalt this plan is almost as old as
 the discovery of America, and .;ilat mill
 Hons of dollars have alr ady been ex-
 pended in the effort to carry it out
 The problem hals engaged s5me of the
 greatest minds in this country and in
 Europe. The canals vast importance to the world ait large and to this coun-
 try in particular. has been generally conceded.
 After Columbus discovered America the idea became widespread in Europa that there must be a passage of soma kind which would enable ships to reach the IndieS by a short cut. Spain, then .lln leading nation of Europe was es-
 pecfagly desirous of fnling this short cut to wealth. and took the initiative in fitting out expeditions. One of the Spanish expeditions was under the leadership of CoIites Instead of finding tiha coveted passage Cortes discovered the land of the Aztecs. Here was a country seemingly as rich as the In- dies, and while, with wanton brutality and fiendish cruelty, Cortes searched for gold in Mexico, a1le search for. the passage to India was abandoned. But a little later Gill Ganza,=.s DavGla dis covered the lake and the river flowing from it now known as lake Nicara qua o1 Ina ,sixr | I the hopes of finding the passage, and explorations were begun anew
 CHARLES V INTERESTED.
 De Cordova followed in Davfha's foot~ steps, under instructions from ChaLlc~ V, king of Spain. to search for the sirD- posed shortcut to the Tndies, and to re- port upon it. He did not ind it as 1t did not exist. He reported on the pos abilities of an artificial waterway, but the matter was dropped for several years. The idea of an artificial water way, however, had made an impression that bore fruit later on.
 Antonio Galbas, the Portugese, in 1851 explored four routes for the build ing of ship canal between the two oceans, and reported that Rhc Nicara- qua route wos the most practicable. Although fully realizing, at that early date, the vast importance of such a ca nal. Spain took no steps to construct it, as he fear-f that other nations would realize the benefits to be derived and might even encroach upon her pos sessions.
 There is no known record of any fur ther explorations for many years, al- though that magnificent pirate, Sir Francis Drake, navigated this region. It is supposed that he was too busily engaged in ravag;ng the Spanish Main to look into other matters. Spain, however, in the years intervening be- tween 1771 and 1G79, renewsd her in- terest in the canal, and had several routes surveyed by Cramer, Ysasi and 4duestro, who reporsed adversely upon the Nicaragua route. England had by thiS time heard of the Spanish project. She realized its great importance to her in her desire to be mistress Of tl1e sea, and when war was declared between her and Spain in 1779, seized the oppor- tun.ty to gain this coveted possession. An lXpeIft.Ch was dispatched to N.ca- Ia gEa, CEtensi'bly !t0 seize Desaguaiero and lake Nicaragua, and to occupy the principal cities Leon and Granada, but in reality to seize anl retain the route to the inter-oceanic canal. The expedition failed, however on account of the rainy season. From this time until 179S the matter remained in ab- eyance, Great Britain being bustly en- gagged in lC5.ng her American colonies. By thc, latter part of 1797 the canals great value had become subject of continental discussion, and in 179S Ba- ron Alexander Humboldt began sur veys of several routes across Cen tral America.
 UNITED STATES INTERESTED.
 He spent ten years in this work and reported the Nicaragua route was the best. No steps, however, were taken toward acting upon his report, and again the matter remained quiescent for about seventeen years, or until 1925, when the United States first had its at tention called to the project. PIesi- dent Monroe was just about to leave the presidential chair when Senor Con- anio Jose Canaz. minister to this coun- try from the republic of Central Amer ica, brought the matter up in a note to the secretary of state. in which he pointed out the incalculabIe benefits to his counry of an iner-o1aanic ship ca nal acfos.J Nicaragua. No reply was madT to this note until President John Quincy Adams succeeded President Monroe. when Henry Clay. as secreta- ry of state, made reply in whill he used the following language:
 'The idea has long been cons.dersl of uniting the two occans by canal nlviga ion. The execution of it will form a great epoch in the commercial affairs of the whole world. The prac- ticabilfty of 1t can scalacely be floubtell. 1