New-York tribune., 1902-01-26
THE lSTHMIAN CANAL.
IMPERATIVE NEED FOR THE
[NTEROCEANIC WA TER WAY.
MERITS OF THE NICARAGUA, PANAMA

AND DARIEN ROUTES COMPARED.
SThe long run of the battleship Oregon. under
Captain Clark. from California around the Horn
TO Cuba, will always be remembered among the
great achievements in the war with Spain. The
fact that Captain Clark reached his destination
in time TO take part in the destruction of the
Spanish feet. and that his ship little the
worse for the journey of more than thirteen
thousand miles was good cause for praise and
congratulation, but the trip was also strong
argument in favor of a shorter route, and since
that time the agitation in favor of an isthman
canal has been carried with great vigor. The
subject has been under consideration for more
than fifty years, and various routes have re-
ceived the consideration of the government OF
capitalists and of spectators. and while the
Panama Canal" and the Nicaragua Canal"
have each been spoken of as practically assured
the "Darien route" which was projected many
years ago is also again urged, and has assumed
the proportions of a powerful competitor of the
others.
The construction and ownership by the UniteA
States of a ship canal between the Atlantic and
fhe Pacific oceans has been advocated by both
of the great parties. The Republican party at
its last national convention said:
We favor the construction, ownership. control
and protection of an isthmian canal by the gov
ernment of the United States. New markets are
necessary for the increasing surplus of our farm
products: every effort should be made to open
and obtain new markets. especially III the orient
and the administration is to be warmly COM
rnended for its successfuls efforts to commit all
trading and colonizing nations TO the policy OF
the open door in China
And at Kansas City the Democratic party
adopted the following:
We favor the immediate construction, owner
ship and control of the Nicaragua Canal by the
United states. and denounee the insincerity
of The plank in the Republican platform for an
isthmian canal, in the face of the failure or the
Republican majority on THIS sup9ect TO pass
such a bill I'm Congress
The Nicaragua, or northern. route was de-
clared the best of the proposed lines by COM
mission appointed by General Grant and De
Lesseps made the statement that the Mica
rasuan route should be chosen if a lock canal
was TO be built The last commission appointed
by the government TO investigate and report
upon the canal question mentioned both the
Panama and the Nicaragua routes as feasible
and practicable" The final conclusion. however,
seemed TO be in favor of the Nicaragua route.
The report says:
After considering all the facts developed by
the Investigations made by the commission and
the actual situation il stands, and hav-
ing in view the terms offered by the new Pana-
ma Canal Company, this commission is of the
opinion that the most practicable and feasible
route" for an isthmian canal, be under the
control, mana cement and ownership of the
United States is that known as the Nicaragua
route.
In speech delivered in the House of Repre-
sentatives Robert w. Davis, of Florida said of
the need OF a canal. quoting A. r. Colquhoun
an English engineer:
IL will render greater service TO the Neu
World than the Suez Canal does 10 the Old II
VIII bring Japan, Northern China Australasia
and part of Malaysia nearer TO the Atlantic
cities OF the United States than they are now Ia
England. 1t will give an immense i'm
pulse TO United States manufactures especiaIlv
cotton and iron, and will greatly stimulate the
shipbuiiding industry and the development of
the naval power of the United States
The canal is a necessity of the age, and were
the cost double what estimate il to be- the i'm
mense benefits certain to result would amply
Justify its execution. 1t will bind together the
simulate its diverse interests go far toward solv
ing many difficult problems. and make the
United States still more united Finally believe
IL WILL taken in connection with the vast
changes occurring In the Far East bring about
the most serious rivalry TO the commercial SUI
premacy of Great Britain which she has eyer
yet had TO encounter.
The proposed Nicaragua Canal would be l47
nautical miles long. 1t would make the dis
tance between New-York and San Francisco