Evening star., 1901-11-21
CANAL ROUTE CHOSEN
Commission Reports Favorably on the
Nicaraguan Course.
COMPARISONS WITH PANAMA
Less Cost and Shorter Time to
Build the Former. -.
THE DATA SUBMITTED
THE DATA SUBMITTED

Following is a synopsis IF the report Of
the isthmian canal :o.ar-iission, which will
be submitted to Congress when 1t meets:
THE Investigations of this commission
have shown that the selection Of the most
feasible and practicable route for an 18TH
mian canal must be made between the
Nicaragua and Panama locations. Further
more, the complete problem" involves both
the sea level plan of canal and that with
locks. The Panama route alone is feasible
for a sea level canal, although both are
entirely practicable and feasible for a canal
with locks. The time required to complete
a sea level canal on the Panama route,
probably more than twice that needed to
, build canal with locks, excludes 1t from
favorable consideration aside from other
serious features of its construction. 1t is
the conclusion of this commission, there
fore, that plan of canal with locks should
be adopted. .-
After an exhaustive discussion of the en-
gineering problems presented by the two
routes, the report continues:
Time Required for Construction.
THE time required for constructing the
Nicaragua canal will depend largely on the
promptness with which the requisite force
OI idDOTeTS Call Dt DIOuSHl " A>iCdi dS
housed and organized at the locations Of
heaviest work along the route. With ade-
quate force and plant this commission es-
Inmates that it can be completed in four
years. This indicates, under reasonable al
lowance for ordinary delays that if force
and plant enough were available to secure
a practically concurrent execution of all
portions of work on the route. the compile
tion of the entire work might be expected
within six years after its beginning, exclu-
sive of the two years estimated for the
period of preparation. The securing and
organizing of the great force of laborers
needed, largely foreigners, so as to adjust
the execution of the various portions of the
work to such a definite program of close
fitting parts. in a practically unpopulated
tropical country, involves unusual diff cul-
ties and would prolong the time required
for completion.
Biggest Job on Panama Route.
1.-The greatest single feature Of work on
the Panama route is the excavation in the
Culebra section, amounting to about 49,
900, 900 cubic yards of hard clay. much Of
which is classed as soft rock, nearly 45 per
cent Of all classes of material to be re-
moved. 1t Is estimated that this cut can
be completed in eight years, with allow
ance for ordinary delays. but exclusive OF
two-year period for preparation and for
unforeseen delays. and that the remainder
of the work can be finished within the same
peIlOu L lie great concentration WORK
on this route and its less amount will not
require so great a force of laborers as on
the Nicaragua route Hence the difficult
ties and delays involved in securing them
will be correspondngly diminished
"A canal by the Panama route will lie
simply means of communication between
the two oceans. The route has been a
highway of commerce for more than three
hundred years, and railroad has been in
operation there for nearly fifty years; but
this has effected industrial changes of but
little consequence, and the natural features
of the country through which the route
passes are such that no considerable devel-
opment is likely to occur as result of the
construction and operation of a canal.
Advantage of Nicaragua Route.
In addition to its use as a means Of
communication between the two oceans
a canal by the Nicaragua route would bring
Nicaragua and large portion of Costa
Rica, and other Central American states
into close and easy communication with
the United States and with Europe. The
intimate business relations that would be
established with the people of the United
States during the period of construction,
by the expenditure of vast sums of money
in these states, and the use of American
products and manufactures, would be IKE
ly to continue after the completion of the
work, to the benefit of our manufacturing,
agricultural and other interests
THE Nicaragua route lies in a region Of
sparse population and not in a pathway of
much trade or movement of people; condi.
tions productive of much sickness do not
exist. On the other hand, a considerable
population has long existed on the Pan
anna route, and it lies on a pathway of
comparatively large trade along which cur
rents of moving people from infected places
sometimes converge, thus creating condi-
| tions favorable to epidemics. Existing con-
ditions indicate hygienic advantages for
the Nicaragua route. although it is prob
M lace of
ures must be taken during construction in
the one case than in the other
Lengths OF Routes Compared.
The total length of the Nicaragua route,
from sea to sea, is 1896 miles while the
total length of the Panama route is 400
miles. The length in standard canal sec
tfon. and In harbors and entrances, is 73 70
miles for the Nicaragua route, and 36.41
miles for the Panama route. The length
miles. while that in Lake Bohio is 1898
miles. That portion Of the Nicaragua
route in the canalized San Juan is SO 81
miles.
two lines measure the magnitude of the
work to be done in the construction of
waterways along the two routes. The
estimated cost of constructing the canal
on the Nicaragua route Is $45, $50 7O4 more
than that of completing the Panama
canal omitttng the cost of acquiring the
latter property. This sum measures the
dlnerence in the magnitude of the OBJ
stacles to be overcome in the actual con-
struction of the two canals, and covers
all physical considerations such as the
greater or less height of DAMS the great
er or less depth Of cuts. the presence or
absence of railroad and the amount of
work remaining to be done
Ihe estimated annual cost of maintaining
and operating the Nicaragua canal is ST.
3o0,Vo greater than the corresponding
charges for the Panama canal
The Panama route would be 13457 miles
shorter. from sea to sea, than the Nicara-
qua route. 1t would have less summit ele-
vation- fewer locks. ,56S degrees and 68 A
miles less curvature. The estimated time
for deep draft vessel to pass through In
about twelve hours for Panama and thirty
three hours for Nicaragua. These periods
are practically the measure of the rel
ative advantages of the two canals as
waterways connecting the two oceans, but
not entirely, because the risks to vessels
and the dangers Of delay are greater in a
canal than in the open sea-
Cost Of Construction.