Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-12-04
LIGHT ON CANAL REPORT.
Chief Reasons Why the Commission Fa-
vors Nicaragua Route.

VOrS nicaragua Route
A synopsis of the report of the 18TH
milan canal commission gives the com
missions reasons for selecting the Mic
aragua route in preference to the A'an-
anna route. 1t says that the Panama
route alone is feasible for a sea level
canal, although both are entirely practi-
cable and feasible for a canal with locks.
The time required to complete a sea
level canal on the Panama route prob
ably more than twice that needed to
build canal with locks, excludes it from
favorable consideration aside from other
features of its construction.
With an adequate force and plant the
commission estimates that the Nicaragua
canal can be completed in four years.
This indicates, under reasonable allow
ance for ordinary delays, that if the
force itnd plant are available TO secure
,practi ally concurrent execution of all
portions of the work on the route the
completion of the entire work might be
effected within six years after its begin
ming exclusive of the two years estimat-
ed for the period of preparation.
The greatest single feature of work on
the Panama route is the excavation in
the Culebra section. amounting to about
43,000.000 cubic yards of hard clay, mucn
of which is classed as soft rock. 1t is
estimated that this cut can be completed
in eight years exclusive of a two-year
period for preparation
The report goes on to say: - canal by
the Panama route will be simply means
of communicating between the two
oceans. The Nicaragua route, on the
other hand, would bring Nicaragua and
a large portion of Costa Rica and other
Central American States into sclose and
easy communication with the United
States and with Europe
The report also points out differences
il, hygiene conditions existing along the
Nicaragua and Panama routes and makes
ii clear that in this respect owing to
sparse population the Nicaragua route IS
much more preferable than the Panama
route.
The total length Of the Nicaragua route
from sea to sea is 1896 miles, while
the total length of she Panama route is
499 miles. The length in standard canal
sections and in harbor entrances is 10. as
miles for the Nicaragua route and 36.41
for the Panama route.
The estimated cost of construction of
the canal on the Nicaragua route is S45,-
$50, 704 more than of completing the Fan
anna canal, emitting the cost of acquiring
the latter property.
The estimated annual eest Of maintain
ing and operating the Nicaragua canal is
81 $4,000 greater than the correspond
ing charges for the Panama canal. The
estimated time for deep-draft vessel TO
pass through is about twelve hours for
Panama and thirty-three hours for Mic
aragua-
The cost of constructing canal by the
Nicaragua route and of completing the
Panama canal. without including the cost
of acquiring the concessions from the
different governments, is estimated as
follows:
Panama ..-...-.-.... ITt,-oo'''oo
For the proper comparison there must
be added to the Panama route the cost
of acquiring the rights and property OF
the new Panama Canal Company. IT,
commission has estimated the value of
these and the project recommended by it
at $40,000,000.
The report says that the French Pan
anna Company asks S109. 800 for its
property and concessions. This, added
to the cost Of completing the work, makes
the whole cost of canal Ivy the Panama
route $253.374. S3s, while the cost by the
Nicaragua route is $3.50 S6i. 0t2, a differ
epre of SG3.510, 79G in favor 9. the Me
arac1la route.