The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-12-05

Nicara qua route must be by locks. but Lake
Nicaragua will furnish an ineNhaustible
supply OF water for the canal. The N:cara-
qua route has no natural harbors at either
end, but satisfactory harbors may be con-
structed. Harbors already exist at each end
OF the Panama route. but considerable work
must he done at the entrance Of the har-
bor on the Atlantic side.
With adequate force and plant the COM
mission estimates that the Nicaragua Canal
can be completed in six years, exclusive
of two years for preparation. Ten years is
estimated to complete the Panama.
The total length OF the Nicaragua route
is lS3. IS miles, and the Panama route forty
nine and nine-hundredths miles. The csti-
mated cost of operating and maintaining
the Nicaragua Canal annually IS Sl.3oo,OO
greater than that OF the Panama Canal.
The estimated time foc deeo-draft vessel
to pass through the Panama Canal is
twelve hours. and through the Nicaragua
Canal thirty-three hours
The Nicaragua route, the report says. IS
more advantageous for commerce. save that
originating the west coast Of South
America. For the Gulf ports the advantage
is two days. and for most Of the ports en-
the Atlantic and Pacific one day. The Mic
"ragua route Is said to be better for sailing
vessels, on account of favoring winds. Fly
gientc conc fticns also favor Nicaragua.
The commission says the United States
should acquire control of strip of ter
ritory ten miles wide from sea to sea.
through which to build the canal. The
consent of Nicaragua and Costa Rica must
be obtained to construct the canal, but the
report says this can easily be secured. The
concessions granted by the Colombian Gov
ernment to the Panama Canal Company
have many years to run. and new conces-
sions cannot be granted the United States
MINORITY REPORT FAvORING
PANAMA SIGNED BY ONE MAN.
George 9. Morrison, a member of the COM
mission. submits a minority report favoring
the Panama route. He says the estimates
ficient provisions for unknown conditions
and contingencies. No consideration, he
says. has been given to accidental interrupt
ton Of traffic by Nicaragua, which he
thinks would not be so likely to occur at
Panama.
He believes that better conditions and
terms can be arranged through the acquiai-
tion OF the Panama Canal Company's right
than by any negotiations with Nicaragua
and Costa Rfca. The Government, after Sc
curing these rights. he says. could nego-
tiate direct with Columbia for the right to
construct the canal. He closes by saying:
THE Panama route has advantages over
the Nicaragua route in cost of construc-
ton. in cost of operation and in convent
ence. when done. while its use IL less like
ly to lead to local International compica-
tions. If the United States Government is
to use an isthmian canal. the Panama
route Is the best"
TWO BILLS PRESENTED FOR
A NICARAGUAN CANAL.
Two bills looking to the construction OF
an isthmian canal via the Nicaragua route
were introduced to-day in the Senate. The
first Of these was presented by Senator
Morgan, and is as follows:
That the President OF the United States be
and is hereby authorized to acquire from and
to conclude agreements with the States OF Costa
Rica and Nicaragua. or either OF theni. for and
on behalf of the United Stat"s fer the ftlt
control of such portion Of ter"!tory. now be-
longing to Costa Rica and Nicaragua may
be desirable and necessary which to ,xcavate.
construct govern. regulate. police md protect
q canal Of such depth and capacity as will be
sufficient for the movement Of chips of the
greatest tonnage and draft now In from a
point near Greytown. the Caribbean Sea. via
Lake Nicaragua. 10 Rreto. on the. faciiic Ocean:
and such sum as may be necessary to secure
necessary rights. privileges and sucn control
II hereby appropr lated out Of any r.oney IN the
Treasury not otherwise appropriated.
The other bill was introduced by Senator
Perkins. and provides for a perpetual lease
by the United States OF the right-of-way
across Nicaragua and Costa Rica, and con-
fers military, police and sanitary police
control OF the canal route by the United