The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-11-15

the Nlcaraguan government mas recently
declared void. The Marine Canal com
pany has made some progress in the line
of surveys, estimates etc. acquiring
through these efforts vested rights which
the United States will doubtless protect.
With the way cleared by the Hay
Paupcefote treaty and the adjustment of
private concessions, the government Of
Nicaragua stands ready to renew sucn
concessions for the construction and
maintenance of the canal, as the Unit
ed States may desire
18th the two parties pledged to the
construction of this great commercial wa
terway, with the interests actual and
prospective in the Pacific, with q fuller
realization Of the necessity for a closer
connection of the West with the East in
time of war, congress will no doubt take
immediate action.
The difficulties in the way of the con-
struction of the canal over the proposed
route through Lake Nicaragua are small
compared to those of the Panama route.
The Panama route contemplates a canal
at tide water The other utilities ma
lures waterways and gains the elevated
country by means of locks.
The canal will be one hundred and sew
enty miles in length, fifty-six of which
will be across Lake Nicaragua. This
lake is the key to the situation. Lying
about one hundred feet above sea level,
it will act as a reservoir to feed the
canal. From the lake the route follows
the course of San Juan river for sixty
three miles, then cuts across the coun-
try to a point of the coast known as
Greyton. At the point where the canal
leaves the river bed a huge dam will BE
constructed to force as much water as
is needed from the old channel into the
canal at a higher level.
The scheme, it will be SEEN is not to
dig a canal, but to hoist it into the air,
keeping the surface. of the ditch, or aque-
for about one hundred miles; then when
the level land of the coast is reached,
to drop it by means of locks to sea level.
From the lake west, to the Pacific 6cean
at Brfto, is but a few miles, and the
canal, after being carried through the
lava peaks near the lake, makes a sudden
drop to the level of the sea.
Within the last few wears the expert
'ence on the great Manchester, =Cronstadt
and Chicago drainage canals has demon
strated the fact that canal construction
work can be done now for one-half of
the estimates made fifteen years ago
This is due to the use of improved ma
chipery and the use of dynamite
Mr.. Cooley, of Chicago in an interview
about two years ago. stated that the sur
Ney made by Menocle in 1889 along the
route which is outlined above is the best
possible, and that the plans laid down
by that engineer cannot be improved
Upon. The estimates however based up
on the conditions of that time, where
they are specific, can be cut in two re
.ducing the estimated cost Of the canal
to $4,000, 600.
There is no national issue of greater
Importance today than the speedy con-
struction and control of this interoceanic
waterway. There may be interests which
will oppose tit is possible that the
transcentinental lines of railroads will
n
but that is far fetched, the Improvement
in railroad construction will keep pace
with the competition of water traffic The
tariff of time will always be an element
in railroad transportation which cannot
be overcome