Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-21
THE ISTHMIAN CANAL
Return of Several Members of the
Commission.
ALL ROUTES ARE BEING EXAMINED
Gen. Hams Says That the Report
viii Be Conclusive.
VAST PAINS BEING TAKEN

NEW YORK. March 2l.-Among the pas
steamer Finance from Colon were: Gen.
Hams and Edward Noble of the isthmian
canal commission. Lieut.. R. r. Belknap.
L. s. N, and Henry n. Allen.
Gen. Hams hurried from the boat to take
train to Baltimore. Commissioner Noble
Will remain in this city for day or two
and then join Gen. Hams in Washington.
Commissioner Noble said that they did not
bring with them any part of the report, but
that they might be called upon to go before
the congressional committees. Seven of the
commissioners. he said. are now in Costa
Rica. one of the objects of their visit being
to call upon the president of that state and
fir:d out what concessions can be obtained.
Commissioner George s. Morrison of New
York, he said, was on his way to the
Darien country with surveying party,
looking for a possible route in that region.
Commissioner Noble declined to indicate
the impression he or the other commits
sioners have got as to the best route for a
canal. or to forecast what the recommen-
dations will be. The only thing he would
say was:
Il think the American people will want a
route across the fsthmus, but the work Of
digging the canal any route will take
longer than anybody seems to think"
Scope of the Report.
Before HIS departure IVI pdiliHioic. "cil-
eral Hams said:
THE present commissioners report will
not only decide upon practicable route
for an isthmian canal, but will demonstrate
conclusively that the route selected is the
most feasible one that could have been
chosen. We have at present 300 surveyors
in the field. under the charge Of competent
engineers. They are going with the great
est care over the Nicaragua route, the
Panama route and all the other routes sug
gested by any of the former surveys.
Besides this We have number Of ex-
ploring parties out. in the hope of discover
ing sites that have been hitherto over
looked. Our object Is to do the work with
such thorough1less that our results cannot
possibly be questioned at any future time.
We have the reports of all previous sur
veys. but we shall cover every mile of
ground through which We think it possible
for the canal to be run. The country is
varied and the work. of the surveyors is
difficult and progresses slowly, especially
in the section about Darien.
No Preliminary Report.
For this reason it is impossible to set
even an approximate date for presenting
our formal report to the State Department.
Unless Congress especially requires one we
shall submit no preliminary report. Until
our work is done, therefore. 1t is improper
for any member of the commission to speak
in regard 20 the merit Of the several routes
proposed.
There is a possibility that Mr.. Noble and
myself will not go back to the isthmus at
all. There are three of the engineering
members of the commission on the ground
at present. Gen. Ernst. Prof. Burr and Mr..
Morrison. The commission has just sent
delegation to the president of the republic
of Costa Rica to pay the respects of our
government in appreciation of the friendii-
ness shown by that nation. Our relations
with the Nicaragua government have also
Lea
tie the whole question of an isthmian canal
once for ALL