The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-02-03

and Mr. Alfred Noble we're appointed
By President cleveland TO constitute
IL With a later appropriation Of
1884,. coo for further surveys and II
vesrisztious. commission was ap
pointed by President Mckinley. con
sisting OF Resr-AfmiraI j. G. Walker.
Col Peter c. Haines an,s Lewis e
Haupt for the further survey and sx-
animation OF the canal route The en-
gineeriug portion OF the commission
vas reinforced by Col C. H Ernst,
Alfred Noble. George S Morrison AMI
William H Burr Prof Emory r
Johnson and Hon Samuel Pasco we're
appointed as experts, respectively. on
the commercial and political aspects
OF the problem
The route adopted by the Nica-a-
qua Canal Commission in 1899 starts
near Grevrown on the Garth can. runs
in a general Southwestsriy direction
across the swamps and lowlands.
north OF Lake Silico. along the San
Juanillo. through two locks, reaching
the left bank of the san Juan river.
near the head OF San JuanillO. about
20 miles from Greytown- II then sol-
lows near the left bank of the river.
but not III IL TO point about mile
above the mouth of the Rio San Car
los. A high IAN near this point VIII
raise the waters OF the San Juan TO
the level of Lake Nicaragua and the
canal will enter the basin through two
locks and follow the course of the
river for the most part TO Lake Mica
ragua-
West of the lake the line runs by
way of the Valley of Las Lajas, cuts /
through the divide and follows the Rio
Grande Valley through four locks 10 /
the racine. where q narbor is TO be T
constructed. The total length is about .
100 miles. of which - miles is deep
water in Lake Nicaragua. leaving 131
miles of canal proper. 1t is 10 have 10 /
locks the level of Lane Nicaragua and .
all the canal between Boca San Carlos .
and Bueno Re-ro. the eXtremities OF
ne summit level. are 10 be controlled 1
between the limits of 104 and 10 .
feet above sea level Twenty per cent
Of the surplus water will be discharg
ed through the canal into the Rio
Grande and thence into the Pacific.
and the remaining so per cent into
the Caribbean by way of the Rio San
Juan.
The Comparisons.
Mr.. Davis comparison of relative
advantage was unique in that he en-
deavored TO assign pecuniary values
TO each in order TO admit of compari-
son upon>a financial basis.
The most important consideration
miles in length. as against $50 miles /
canal is far preferable, being only a
miles in length as against 1870 miles /
at Nicaragua OF canal proper and 100 /
miles, including the deep water of /
Lane Nicaragua. This advantage,
however. is more than Offset by the
more favorable location of the Mica
ragua canal. w--cn accomplishes a
greater saving of distance in the
routes which will De most preferable,
and is also in the region of tradewinds
which will enable sailing vessels to
employ it to advantage, while these |
will be practically barred from Pan
ANA on account of the prevalence of
cams in that vicinity.
1.-THE present worth of the work al /
ready accomplished at Panama is |
about s35 100000 The Panama canal |
can be completed for about s91 ,000 |
900, while it will cost about S44 10000 !
900 more to build the Nicaragua canal |
on similar basis. so that this amount /
is accredited to the Panama in the
comparison. The Panama canal is en-
titled to an advantage of 81 900 900
in its value, due TO its shortness. as
compared with the Nicaragua route.
When both plans are completed the
harbors at the Panama route will be
larger and better Inan those of the
Nicaragua. but the utility of Lake
Nicaragua as a fresh-water harbor
compensates for this difference The
Panama canal is much straighter than
it is practicable TO build the Nicaragua
canal and an allowance of $40 900 600
IS made in its favor for this reason.
In the matter of maintenance there
is more structural work as distiu-
guished from excavation. about the
Nicaragua canal and its harbors. and
on this account it is necessary to al
low the Panama route 100000. The
Panama canal being shorter and hav-
ing fewer locks than the Nicaragua
route can be maintained cheaper. and
an allowance of 100000 is made the
Panama route for this reason.
THE concession at Panama and the
value of the Panama canal as it
stands aggregate about s35.000.000 1t
is thought the concession from Mica
ragua may cost about Sc. 700
''At Panama the right of way be-
longs to the company, while in Mica
ragua it would have to be secured, and
an allowance of 100000 is made for
this purpose.
AS to sanitary conditions Nicara-
qua holds the advantage and is allow
ed s2,0o0,000 in its favor for this fact
Advantage Both Ways.
Though Eastern Nicaragua is
slightly cooler than Panama the ex-
cess of rainfall offsets this advantage. /,
and neither route can claim any i'm
portant advantage in the matter of !,
climate
An allowance of 81 900 900 is made
in favor Of Panama on account OF the
of radicany altering the
plans of construction.
At Panama very little local traffic
can be expected for canal. while in
Nicaragua large wilderness of great
natural resources would be developed
by the construction of canal worth.
as revenue producer, $4,000. 900"
After considering all available data
on the subject the lecturer concluded !
that the total net advantage in favor