The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-12-08

the occupation OF tho Canal Zone by this
Government and The payment Of S250.O01
year 10 Colombia for ten years. Thus
far Colombia has refused TO bind itself
II prefers. instead. TO so into the canal
business itself
Colombian officials are authority for
the statement that the route for the
competing canal has already been Sc
lected and that they are assured Of
enough financial backing 20 make the
canal a certainty. According TO the in
formation given by these officials Luis
Arturo IudurraEa, a distinguished en-
gineer OF Chile. has discovered a route
for a canal which would be built entire
ly within the territory Of Colombia and
which, he says, Will be vastly superior
to that OF Panama. The proposed route
tween Panama and Colombia i'm the
course OF the AtratO river and its trfbu-
taries. which run close to the south OF
the Gulf Of Darien in the Pacific
Secrecy About Project.
Despite the fact that there seems to
be much secrecy about the project II
is nevertheless a fact that a party Of
English engineers visited Colombia
and made a careful survey Of the route
suggested by Undurraga. It is under
stood that another party Of English en-
sineers representing the English svndi-
cate which has been asked TO finance
/ the canal VIII make a final examina-
lon or the territory as soon as the CO.
lOmDian government guarantees the CON
ceSsiOn OF the canal
Col Sir Thomas Holditch, a distin-
guisned engineer wearing the gold medal
Of the Royal Geographical Society of
Great Britain, and Col. =. Smith. OF the
same society, are said TO he the Dro-
motors OF the English syndicate The
| Colombian foreign office is authority Tor
| the statement that the RotfscbiIds sta-9.i
ready to give the project their suDport
| Indurraga on his surveying trim
crossed the isthmus, according to his
| own statement. in canoe carving
| eleven persons. The distance was
I forty-seven miles. and only half a milo
divides the heads Of the waters 81 A.
currents which empty into the AtIant,c
/ from the Pacific. The point is az feet
/ above the level OF the sea. and tho av-
! cavation there IS alluvial soil. The Man
| OF the engineers who made the pre-
/ I.-nlnary survey Is TO unite the two
/ OCEANS in one year by a level to the
! depth or six feet. and to dredEe I'm five
years 20 a depth Of forty-fve feet.
To Cost sIoo,ooo,ooo.
The cost OF the canal is estimated al
S1o0,ooo,OOO which is considerable less
than the amount already spent on tho
! Panama canal. and about one-fourtb Of
1 the amount which the United States
viii spend before its completion.
I
/ Gals In Washington, IN both the Stafs
and War departments nave investfgato5
/ the rumors that Colombia contemplated
! the construction Of a competing canal
THE results Of these Investigations were
such that this Government now feels
] certain that the work VIII never bs
! undertaken. Officials in the War De
ipartment declare that while Undurrags
made surveys in Colombia ne was nm.
able 10 obtain the financial backinr
necessary to carry through this projec
for two reasons, first, because his plani
/ did not seem practicable. and, second
Z because the finanCiers he approached
did not wish to hazard competition witt
the United States The mere fact. how
ever, that the surveys for a new cana
have progressed far enough for tn,
I United States to make an investigation
is certainly Of sufficient importance tC
call attention 70 the fact that Colombia
has not forgotten, and has not forgiven
! and will leave no stone unturned Z,
minimize the benefits to be derived By
Panama and the United States through
/ the Panama canal