Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-19
Report of the Interstate and Foreign
Commerce Committee.
ESTIMATED YEARLTINCONE, $4,000, 900
The CIayton-Bulwer Treaty Re-
garded as Dead.
EFFECT OF THE SUEZ ROUTE

mittee on interstate and foreign commerce
Saturday afternoon submitted the report
of the committee in favor of the Hepburn
bill for constructing the Nicaragua canal
The report says in part:
III the provisions Of the bill can be car
ried out the tuited States will, within
few years (from six ii eighD. be in full
ownership and control of a waterway con-
Meeting the oceans. that it can defend and
that it can use in the interests of its navy
and its merchant marine, wisdom may
dictate.
There seems 10 be but little doubt that
the states of Nicaragua and Costa RIGA
will give their consent for the construction
+ of this great work These states are friend
Z ly disposed toward our government and our
people. and have interests connected with
( it that in proportion 10 wealth and popu-
lation. are even greater than ours. 1t will
traverse either the border the interior of
Nicaragua for a distance of about 100
miles. II will give To that state water
way from its CAPITAL and its most pro-
ductive region to the 1t will place that
country on one of the great waterways of
the world, bringing it into immediate con-
tact with large foreign commerce, and
, those who conduct 1t. The splendid soil and
climate of their agricultural regions will be
i seen and known in such a way to COM
pei immigration, settlement and largely in
creased production IN very many ways
the state will have advantage not now pos
, sesSed. and that will be for a long time
lost if another route by which the oceans
are connected should be adopted All of
these considerations induce the belief thai
these two enlightened states will be glad to
aid our government cordially and officially
in carrying out this great design
After reviewing the several surveys, the
report continues:
The Cost and Return.
ss'TI,zs.4 AZ, tn ba
opinions Of the engineers and scientists be-
leved to be entirely competent for their
work. Justify your committee in recon-
mending that undertaking Of the enterprise
IS on that is entirely practicable. and that
can be completed for Il sum OF money the
expenditure of which will be wise.
1t ~ true that the estimates of cost are
variable, ranging. they do. from less
than S4n,01D.0O0 to possible S145 900 coo 1t
u. however, proper 10 say that the size and
character of the canal estimated for Is as
variable as is the cost The earliest esti-
mates We're for canal suited to the ships
II the time The later estimates are for
ships of this time. Fifteen feet depth and
Fifty feet width was the size Of the earlier
project Thirty feet depth and one hundred
feet width are tho dimensions of the later
proposed canal
Your committee suggests. IN discussing
the cash remuneration that will come to
The nlted States from the ownership nf
this canal. estimates only can be made
ana there has been great difference of
opinion expressed by persons who have
come before thR committee as witnesses
ssHt hy writers This subject as To the
extent of the U.s. that would be made of
the canal by the shipping of the world
tne gentleman has said that in his iudg-
inent rot more than 3SOoo tons would
pass through the canal annually Another
has said that II gn 0Oo tons would mass
through the canal Gentlemen connected
WITH the Maritime Canal Company gave it
as their opinion that five or six millions
81 tonnage would be the amount that would
pass through the canal annually of course
We have the right to assume that what
ever the amount be it would be an in
creasinG amount from year to year. At
present SlJ5 per ton is the toll charged
for the use of the Suez canal
II that rate was the rate charged at the
Nicaragua canal AID 4.ooo,O00 be the tom
ldge passing through IT, an aggregate s,rru
Of more than 5000. 600 would be the 70
oeipts- 1t is estimated that the cost of
maintaining and operating the canal would
De Sl-"opOOO annually If the United States
borrowed the money to invest in the en-
terprlse this sum would pay the annual
interest, the cost of maintaining and oper-
itting and leave a surplus of more than
million dollars. And with the Increasing
tonnage we might reasonably hope for
such Accommodations of surplus az would
IN Few years fully reimburse the govern
Tnent for its outlay
Encouraging the Merchant Marine.
Or If 1t should be the policy to use the
canal to stimulate the building I'D of o,r
merchant marine 1t could be made a mos,
powerful factor. A British vessel trading
from any port in Great Britain to Hong
Kong. chartering a 6.OOO-ton vessel and
usnls the suez canal. must pay as tolls a
sum In excess Of s1SOe0 for the round
voyage His American rival trading from
New York to Hong Kong using the Mica
Idsua cana free OF toll because he used a
NS7seL mace IN an American shipyard out
81 american material and by American l;r-
Dor ana loaded with American merchandise
would posses ma rlZed acknowledgements
'eSts 50 marked as TO make il his interest
10 stimulate American shipbuildinu
1t Is this kind of & canal that NOV H.
l'Sed IN this way. discriminating in favor
u our merchants and our shipbuilders
una az nur labor df such should be the policy
are anxious TO secure
Concessions Claimed
Your committee are aware that thar,
are number of persons who claim IN baya
concessions from the government of Mica
FSgua and Costa RIGA investing them with
rights To navigate the San Juan river and
Lake Nicaragua Others claim to be author
lzed 10 construct this great waterway con-
lsS.-'ie tuS oceans But it is believed by
s i,t committee that these rights have
either lapSed or are of inconsiderahIa vaIno
or nave been Obtained for specuIatiy mr.
n ses- However this may be, il shouId he
Inc purpose Of the government to dnaI
directly with the governments of Nicaragua
ana Costa Rica: those governments can al :
just all questions growing out of these con-
lessons much more easily than the United
States. Il IS not believed that any one OF
these real or alleged concessionaries have
any rights or interests that they can con-
Ney 10 the United States And IL Is nor
deemed wise to have any Joint interest or
interests Of copartnership, or any interest
growing out OF corporate relations with any
81 these persons. Il is our opinion that the
ps"pl" Of the United States want a govern
ment canal. one that will be completely nm
der the control of the United States
Rights of Nations
1T Is claimed by some persons that Great
Ing this short passage to our Pacific pos
sessions would be invasion of the rights
OF other marine nations-that connecting
the waters OF the two Oceans is a matter of
ssch vast concern that it becomes internal
u0ual In character But We think he neo-
pie OF no other country would have a right
TO object III the people of the United States
saw III 10 construct ship canal from New,
York 10 San Francisco. on the territory be
longing solely to the United States Nor
woulf the people Of any other country have