Evening star., 1932-04-02
NICARAGUA CANAL
ROUTE DEFENDED
No More Quake Peril Than at
Panama, Col. Sultan Tells
Georghaphic Society.

Nicaragua's proposed canal route is
no more subject to earthquake damage
than is Panama's, Col. Dan l. Sultan,
United States Army engineer, who led
the recent survey of the route, told the
members of the National Geographic
Society during his lecture, Strange
Birds and Plants of Fertile Nicaragua"
in the Washington Auditorium last
night. Col. Sultan also paid tribute to
the American soldiers who suffered
wartime discomforts" mapping the
Nicaragua route in swampy jungle,
where a flashlight was often needed to
take photographs in the daytime, and
tents were no more than filters for
the torrential rainfall.
Another canal may soon be a neces-
sity Col Sultan declared. Panama
Canal, the greatest engineering feat
man has accomplished, already has
reached so per cent of its capacity,
and several of the big ships now build
ing could not pass through its locks,
gigantic as they are. Col. Sultan said
that the Nicaragua route would require
less digging than Panama did, because
all but about Is or 20 miles of the western
end of the route employs existing rivers
or lakes, and the Continental Divide
is some loo feet lower in Nicaragua
than in Panama.
Survey by Americans.
The surveying party of American en-
gineerS explored the entire length OF
the San Juan River from Greytown, on
the Caribbean Sea, to Lake Nicaragua.
Greytown, which was a fouriShing city
when the "Forty-ninerS" used this route
to California, now is rundown VII
lage of ruined iron and timber shacks.
1t may again be an important place If
a Nicaraguan canal is dug, but today
it numbers only los inhabitants.
Col. Sultan explained that the survey
was ordered by Congress at this time
because some IS years OF preliminary
work would be necessary before canal
could be ready for uSe-5 years for
surveying and acquiring of land rights,
ETC., and 10 years of actual digging
and construction.
During his time in Nicaragua on the
Survey Commission Col. Sultan also
made an airplane tour of the volcano
zone along the west coast and the
bandit country in the rugged districts
along the northern border of Nicaragua.
He said his engineers had been warned
that Sandino, the bandit chief would
never allow the canal survey to be
completed. But the American engi-
neers and the American doctors at
tached to the commission did so many
favorS for the natives, even to the ex-
tent of performing major operations
Tor them, that the bandit attack never
materialized.
Managua Pictures Shown.
Col. Sultan showed pictures of
Managua the capital of Nicaragua, be-
fore and after the earthquake of March
81, 1881. The American consulate, one
OF Managua'S handSomeSt buildings, was
completely level and many Of the !
American officers and soldiers were on
outy continuously for days, taking care |
OF the wounded and destitute.
One of the most unusual OF the places |
visited by Col. Sultan were the Thou |
sand Islands, near the city of Granda |
Here, IN Blue Lake. hundreds OF people |
hve secure, each man and his family |
owning an island and gaining his living |
from 1t and from the lake, which teens |
with fish of all kinds
Nicaragua is paradise for the lover |
OF beautiful flowers, Col. Sultan said, |
and In the patios of the better homes |
one nnds hibiscus, orchids, bougain- |
villea, poinsettia and other brilliant |
blossoms. Most of the wealthier peo-
pie live in the large cities, to be safe |
from bandit attacks. The haciendas, |
which are always so luxurious in the |
movies, areg merely residences of the |
hired hands and their live stock
Col. Sultan commended the present |
regime in Nicaragua, stating that more
schools, more roads and more railroads
have been built than at any time in the
nations history.
This lecture Is the last of the 1882
series Of the National Geographic So
ciety.