Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-01-30
FAVORS NICARAGUA ROUTE.

ray UllO NlIiltiuui ltuulh
Editor The Gazette: \ very i'm,
nortant question is before the people Of
HE United States The Canal Com
mission has made its report. 1t has
evidently hecn constituted IN the
French interest, and of delay, and ~ |
is to be hoped it will now come to an
end. -. ~
What is the object Of building TINS
canal? The United States have no bust
ness to engage in commercial enter,
prises. II is IL great work OF national |
defence and utility. The Lake Mica,
raqua is large body of fresh water and
very deep. Vt would form magnlti-
cent harbor for our fleets to lie IN,
from which they could issue forth on
occasion to either ocean. 1t could be
made great coaling station. and Tor
supplies and repairs We have no such
n harhor in the United States. On
this ground alone the Nicaragua route
should be chosen European States
are Jealous of the United States OBJ
tanning this position and for years
their efforts have been against us. II
was European diplomats that got us
into the Philippine business, and with
this sole object Of diverting our atten
ton and means elsewhere. But, under
Providence. the country has proved
strong enough to attend TO both cases.
The United States assisted in the
construction OF the transcontinental
railroads, not as commercial enter
| priscs, but as lines of national defence,
| They paid for themselves in putting
| an end to the Indian wars Now these
corporations in their own interests ana
| against the interest Of the country,
are said to be opposing the construction
of the water way. They want no canal
at all. | supposed the United States
| gave them altogether as much as this
water way will cost, but nobody
| grudges it to them.
1t is this military view that must be
kept in the foreground and would you
go to an enemy to ask how to CON
| struct lines of national defence2 The
United States arc not going into this
affair to make money. so II 1T only
pays the cost of repairs it will be
sufficient.
The commission has rendered its
decision on cost alone, placing the
Panama at the lowest and the Mica
ragua at the highest, but making no
material difference in cost. But why
should tbe Nicaraoua cost SD muchf
Tba l;ft ;s onl,, i'm foot and tho Wei.
Land Canal around NIAGARA Falls.
which has lift Of over 800 feet, cost
no such money as they are talking
about.
The cost il estimated from, s25. ono ONC
IN 5000 OoO OoO Ia he sure # might
he made to cost 5000 ooO oo0 hut i
m;oht ha node fnr lass RI no;pbt h,
made for lees than s4o mn Nh N,
nrice which the French all, for the;r
franch;sn A nra,t daal ~ tbn Mia
agna cmtt;na i tLronrh soft carth H.,
Panama is throI,ah hard rock m,
f,rst cutt;no sho,,li bn an ire panifi
side and the waters AZ the lake t,Irne,
into The Pacific Ocean This woul,
laava tho Gan Jran Piver con,ra m
lively drv and fnc;litate the work n
That side The Pnc;fic rut is hut /
miles and ;s mot at ali dif1icult for
have saen II Tbc fall Il q foot to N
mile NOT moro Than half of our com
NOV miIi;nn straar,s 1Tbo f,ll On III
Atlantic side is one foot ia Tho mile
n,h;ob ,,,lyns 4, sI,,n,r;sh stro.,,,
If tho canal was ami fro,n tho 1al,
n tba GO" an ncn,n stean,ar could "
4 | ~ frnt tn IN IllF t4-It n
iaei,s Bat nm ,,a,t ~ oantroI A.
waste watnr hence locks arc advi,
, aLIo Rnata IA 70 IN 10 tha Ialya No,
and bovn haan y, tbon, ''i' '">' ~
The Iocl,s should ba s1ftic;on+ 70 mn,
tho iargnst ocaan yassals tbro,,,,b HI III
! ease Sunnose II toolx a b,lf hour :,
: nass ono iack thor 81 rnssnl., go c,,,i
mass each way in ono dav II woui
: lake i. Ooo ON cuhic feet of y.ter /
!. mass one vessel thrn,,ob . loci, and :
:. she would have tn bn lifted m ono siG
', of tho lake and let down on tho otbt
7 II wo,,ld talro IN Onn coo c,,l,;n foat ,
: water to lei hor tbroueh tbe canal
would then reoIire 50O OOo mn cub
fent az water for one DIV For IA vessai.
Nicararna can sunply This water h,
= can Panama do III
9 The Panama won1d 6enond an IN
: Chagrrs River for wnter Tnis river
Subject ia rrpat Aoods narfectly u,
manaqnal,le rs tho Erencb have fcunt
s At Other times tho water is defc;nn,
:, To remedy This tho French nrnnhse /
. huild y oreat dam forming an an
- fetal lake Such a dam would ba vs.,
. costly and liable ia he broken Nv fnot
n and eartho1nlSea Nicarnoua nsedp
y dam and is nor subject IL Hoods
eartbnl1akes IT has NOT bnon shou
. !. that the bottom of this lalye would !
~ ms hiqb MS the ton of the divide If
was not II would moi answer trbe i,
Il dications are that Panama could n,
~ furnish fine reonired amount az u,ata
The French have snent enough mon,
- on this route TO have cons+rSrtad II
!, Nicaragua canal and bay;ng failnt
! they want In mi off tbnir iasy;nrrs I
y us. It is a F,uroncan Man to nh 'T nc
~ a hole, and if we 90 in we ara d done g.
. DO not imagine that If we take II