The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-17
Mr. Morgan, I'm Behalf Of Fellow-Mem-
beers, Objects to Paying for
Work Done by Frenchmen.
NICARAGUA ROUTE BETTER
DIFFERENCE OF FORTY-sEyEN MIL
LIONS IN ITS FAVOR.
Suit Against Naval Omcers for an Al
legged infringement of an ARM
strong-Whitworth Patent.

committee on 1nterOceanic canals to-day,
through it's chairman. Senator Morgan. pre-
scented its written report on the Nicaragua
canal bill. The report includes the state
ments of Admiral Walker and other MEM
bers OF the committee appointed TO inves-
tigate the various routes for an inter-
oceanic canal. and also the conclusions OF
the committee with reference to both the
Nicaragua and the Panama routes. The
committee takes strong position against
the proposition TO build the canal via the
Panama route. paying for the work already
done by the French. The declaration Is
made that the Panama Company is prac-
tically without assets except those included
In the Panama Railway. They say" says
the report. they have assets that COM
mittee of experts has valued at sso,0oo.ooo.
They make no offer or suggestion as to
what they would take for IL. The lowest
sum at which they estimate the cost OF
completing their canal is s5.0o0.ooo. So that
in entering that combine we would so in
on the basis of SIS. OOO, 900 for the completed
canal on the plan of three levels. IL that
plan is adopted, against 5000, 600, which is
the highest estimate any engineer has
placed on the Nicaragua canal. The differ
ence is si7.OO0.0OO in favor of Nicaragua"
The committee takes position against
holding the pending bill unless the Walker
commission can report. saying: "All the
commissions field work is DONE and all
their working parties have returned 10 the
United States except a party Of hydro
graphers left there to ascertain the rainfall
and the fluctuations OF the Chagres river.
II this photographic work is to be prose-
cuted hereafter as long and as thoroughly
as it has been heretofore IT will be half
century before We can determine the prac-
ticability of the Panama canal so far as IL
depends on the rainfall and the fluctuations
of the Chagres river.
at is evident that the report TO be made
by these photographers is not vital factor
in the question of the practicability OF the
canal. Our engineers have come TO no con-
olusion on the point of difficulty, and have
relegated the decision of the whole matter
to the French engineers 70 be determined
by further experiments. When these en-
gineers in possession of all the facts
that are known and are not able TO de-
termine the level at which the canal shall
be built. If wait until they have settled
this vital point, we put ourselves at their
mercy, and can only provide for the wants
of our own government and people when
they have decided what is the best for their
own interests. Congress owes higher duty
than this to the American people
On the general question of the construc-
ton of the canal the committee takes the
position that whatever canal Is constructed.
its ownership must be American and that
delay may be fatal to the success OF the
enterprise. 1t is argued by the COMMITTEES
that delay in construction cannot possibly
advance the Settlement OF any question as
to the canal after its completion The COM
mittee therefore announce their CONCLUSION
TO be that Congress should provide means
and authority for constructing canal py
the Nicaragua route and leave Il TO the
President to deal with any question OF a
diplomatic sort that may be raised Dy otner
nations i'm the progress of the work. After
the bill becomes a law IL is declared 10 De
our first duty 10 agree with nicaragua as
to terms. leaving TO the future all dealings
with other powers as TO the privileges lnes
shall enjoy in the canal.
In anticipation of the passage or the
army reorganization bill. the War Depart
ment is being flooded with applications for
appointments TO the additional cadetships
created by the act. Provision is made in
the bin for a hundred cadets. in addition to
the present strength of the cadet corps.
1t is not specifically stated In the bill that
nominations for these places are TO DE mace
by senator's, but the War Department VIII
proceed on the theory that such Is the IN
tent of the bill. Each senator will not be
entitled to appoint cadet annually, out
only to make nomination whenever mere =
is said at the War Department that IL
would be impossible, even should the act
pass Immediately. to arrange for the re-
ception of the additional cadets during the
present academic year The best that can
be done is TO allow them 10 appear at the
September examinations.
A case of considerable importance will
come up in the Supreme Court of the
District of Columbia Friday. when there
will be a hearing In the suit brought by the
Sir William G. -Whitworth
Company, England, against certain naval
officers who are charged with unlawfully
using gun bearings for which the COM
plainants claim TO have obtained an excIu-
siye patent. The officers named are Admit
raj ONeil, chief Of the Bureau OF ord
nance, Capt. Edwin G. Pendleton and
Alexander ii. Mccormick. Suit is brought
against these officers as individuals as IL
would not be possible In this case to bring
action against the United States govern
ment The claim of the English company
is that they secured as assignee OF halpn
t. Brackston. the inventor, the sole right
to certain trunnion bearing for ordnance.
They say patents Were obtained In both
England and the United States, and that
the Navy Department has been unlawfully
infringing upon their rights TO their great
financial detriment. Damages to the extent
of $4,000 are asked for. together with the
costs Of the suit.
Admiral and Mrs. Dewey returned 10
Washington this afternoon from their West
ern trip. The depot was deserted when the
Dewey special pulled in during the hottest
hour of the day. A carriage watt
ing and the admiral and Mrs. Dewey, after
making some visits In the city, drove at
once to Beauvoir, their summer home. The
party had accumulated quantity OF SOU
venirs during the trip. All the members
of the party were sunburned. the admiral
being as brown as on his return from Ma
Mia He seemed livelier and more ener-
getic than usual evidently being much
pleased with his trip. His only expression
| of opinion on the subject was that IL had
been very enjoyable
XXX
Cermanys commerce with the world In
all commodities. except the precious met
ais amounted last year to s2.lSs.74f.oos. ac-
| cording to a report 10 the State Depart
ment from acting Consul j. +. Monaghan
at Chemnitz Her imports the same year
amounted To 81. 23s $685. 600; exports. sos. $50
ports I'm the last few years has been In
home production. The importation OF
American corn (maize) has shown a de-
cided increase. advancing from SO, go 900
worth in 1879. 10 $3l. 900 last year. The
| figures show German trade as generally in-
creasing annually. Some lines OF trade,
however. have suffered set back. sugar
exports having fallen from <5i. 502 600 In
1897 TO ss5.ss5ooo in 1899. This decrease is
said 10 be due 10 the lessened demand from
the United States.
| To-day's statement of the treasury I'll