The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-05
NICARAGUAN ROUTE BEST
The Unanimous Opinion Of the
Canal Commissioners.
Their Report Transmitted to Con-
tive Cost of the Two Projects
Under ConsiLcrntiOn-Difi En-
gineerinE Problems Encountered.

| EineertnE Problems Encountered
The President yesterday transmitted tc
Congress the report of the Isthmian Cana
Commission. The commissioners state thai
it has been found inpracticable to prepare
a complete report at this time and that q
supplemental one will be submitted as soor
as possible. After a review of the pre-
liminary work done by the Commission
the report proceeds:
The salient engineering problems con-
nected with the Nicaragua Canal project
briefly outlined. are as follows:
First. The construction Of harbors a.
the termini Of the canal.
Second. The excavation OF the canal
prism in the swamp sections between
Greytown and the Florida lagoon.
Third. The heavy cutting near Boca
San Carlos and at Tamborcito.
| Fourth. The construction Of the large
dam at or near Baco San Carlos in con-
nection with the regulation of the sum-
init level.
Fifth. The looks.
Some fifty years ago there was good
| barbor at Greytown. tie eastern terminus
of the canal. with thirty feet Of water at
the anchorage and about the same depth In
the entrance. The entrance to this har-
Dor, where 1t then existed. has been OBJ
| liberated and the harbor itself is now q
lagoon almost entirely closed, Of restricted
| area, with only about half the depth of wa
| ter in 1t that formerly existed. Vessels
for Greytown are now compelled to anchor
in the ofing and discharge their cargoes
| on lighters which are taken into the Ia
goon across bar having a depth of less
| than six feet Of water. AS the prevailing
trade winds are strong and blow almost
! directly on this part Of the coast, the con-
| st-uction Of a harbor at this terminus OF
the canal becomes necessary in the early
stages OF the work, as well as for use aft
er the canal is completed.
1T Is proposed to construct such har-
Dor. OF sufficient area to accommodate ves-
sells using the canal, by excavation. with
an entrance having a least depth OF thirty
FIVE feet and bottom width of 500 feet
by the construction of two jetties springing
from the shore line near Harbor Head.
| built of loose stone to height OF six feet
above mean high tide; the hearting of each
jetty to be composed of small and the outer
portion OF large stcne, not easily moved by
the waves. 1t Is not expected, however.
that the construction of the jetties alone
will form an entrance. Dredging will also
be necessary and its maintenance may re-
quire an extension Of the jetties or dredg-
ing. or both.
"The western terminus of the canal will
be near BritO. Here as at Greytown.
there is nc harbor. and an artificial one
must be constructed. The same general
engineering principles will guide in its
construction. The width and depth of the
entrance will be the same. The sand
movement on the western coast, however,
is slight as compared with that In the vi
cinity Of Greytown. The prevailing winds
on this side are off shore and destructive
storms seldom visit this part Of the coast.
The cost of maintenance, therefore, of the
harbor on the west side will be less than
that of one on the east side of Greytown."
A Difficult Engineering Problem.
The construction of a dam across the
San Juan River to hold back the waters OF
the lake and enable its level to be reg
ulated, is regarded by the commissioners
as the most difficult engineering problem
in connection with the canal project
site for the dam was located after much
prospecting. The report says that the time
required for the construction OF the Mica
rauga Canal hinges almost entirely on the
time required to build the dam. Contin-
uing the report says:
After a har5or has been opened at
Greytewn, and railroad constructed.
the way will be open to attack the
work from a great many points at
the same time, so that if ample funds
are then available. the excavation of
the prism of the canal ought to
be completed in comparatively short
time if prosecuted with vigor. The con-
struetion of the dam, however. will be
a costly and tedious operation. Eight
years would probably be reasonable es
innate for the time cf building this Gam.
At least two years will be consumed in
preparatory work and in opening a har-
Dor at Greytown. SO that if work on the
dam should be commenced Immediately
thereafter, the time required for COM
pleting the entire work would be about
ten years.
The following is the estimated cost of
a canal on the Nicaragua route:
Eastern Division from Greytown TO
Boca San Carlos dlni) ............. 49,, ,6G2, 900
Middle Division ffrom Boca san Carlos
dam to Las Laias,. 25,i25, 90
Western Division (from Las Laias to
Brito) ........................... 81, $50, 900
159 767 900
e6 miles OF railroad Observation-Disclosures. 7.SJ0.00D
Total 167 III 900
Engineering, police. sanitation. and
general contingencies ............... 80, ,i23 900
THE estimate of cost Is much in excess
OF any heretofore made on this route and
arises chiefly from the increased dimen-
sions OF the canal. the double system of
locks. the extra cost OF the San Carlos dam,
due to increased depth of rock, increased
embankments. and the modification in
part CT the line on the eastern division,
which has been located by this Commits
sion farther from the San Juan River in
the interest OF security.
while the project on which this esti-
mate is based is the one recommended q
canal OF smaller dimensions and reduced
Iockage facilities can be opened for nayi-
CATION at considerably less cost. II sin
gle lockage system only were first provid-
ed. so designed as to permit the construc-
tion ultimately of a second system. the
first cost would be reduced SIS. .67S, ,0O0. A
further reduction of sl6949. 900 could be
made by narrowing the bottom width one
third in all the excavated channels in ca
nal, river, and lake sections. With these
reductions made the estimated cost would
become S163,913.G coo. In such canal the
time for passage and the risks to ships
would be materially greater than in the
one recommended"
The report then proceeds to state the
condition of the uncompleted Panama Ca
nal ard the estimated cost of carrying it
to completion. One of these estimates
places the cost at $142, 1850; the other
at $15637S ,25S. The value of the French
work already done is placed at s22 g21 462