Show THE NICARAGUA CANAL For nearly too years commercial nations nations nations na na- and men have recognized the im importance importance im- im of a route for ocean traffic traffic- through or over the Isthmus of Central America Among the various plans proposed proposed proposed pro pro- posed three deserve special mention mention the the Panama Canal the Ship Railway scheme scheme- and the Nicaragua Canal The first plan plan- was to cut a tide water canal through the the- Isthmus of Panama Considerable time time- and have already been spent spent- on this enterprise but the company now v seems to be discouraged and under the the- terms of the agreement the unfinished canal will pass pas into the hands of the Columbian Columbian Columbian Co Co- Government unless work is re resumed resumed resumed re- re by February next The Ship Railway plan began and ended in talk The third plan the plan the Nicaragua Canal project project project-is is now regarded as the most practical plan for enabling ships to pass pass- from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific In 1884 the United States Government began a treaty with the government of Nicaragua securing the right and assuming assuming assum assum- assuming ing the obligation of building a canal across Nicaragua joining the two oceans but owing to a change of administration the Senate failed to ratify this treaty and the project in that form was given up In 1887 a company composed of United States citizens was formed to build the i 1 canal This company secured the exclusive exclusive exclusive sive way right-of-way from Nicaragua and such uch concessions from Costa Rica as would enable it to prosecute the work so far as might be necessary in that country To hold this the way right-of-way company was obliged to expend at least during the first year on actual canal work and to have the canal completed by October October October Octo Octo- ber 1889 although under certain conditions conditions conditions condi condi- the government of Nicaragua has agreed to extend the date of completion ten years Any failure of the company to comply with the conditions imposed will cause the canal or or such portions as may be built to revert to the Nicaraguan g government If the terms of the concession are complied complied complied com com- plied with t the le company is to operate the canal for a period of ninety-nine ninety years from its completion with the privilege of renewing its right for ninety-nine ninety years more when its first right shall expire Nicaragua has made liberal grants of land to the the- company along the route of the proposed canal In return for the right of way the government of Nicaragua is isto isto isto to receive money payment from the company company company com com- pany and at the expiration of the contract the can canal l itself The length of the canal actual cutting cut cut- ting will be less than fifty miles The route lies through the lowest pass found between Behring Straits and the Straits of Magellan This depression is occupied by Lake Nicaragua and its outlet the San SanJuan SanJuan SanJuan Juan river The western point of the lake is only twelve miles from the Pacific ocean and the highest point on the divide is only two forty-two feet above the level of the lake The lake is miles long and its greatest width is sixty It drains an anarea anarea anarea area of square miles and it will furnish an ample supply of water for the summit of the canal The termini are Grey town on the Atlantic and Brito on f LX 1 the Pacific The distance from port to port by way vay of the proposed canal route is about miles Of this distance more than miles will be through the San SanJuan SanJuan SanJuan Juan river and Lake Nicaragua The lake is i no i o feet above sea level level and willbe will willbe willbe be the highest part of the canal It willbe will willbe willbe be reached by three locks in the canal It is estimated that ships can pass pass' through the total length of the canal in twenty-eight twenty hours The estimated capacity capacity capacity ca ca- of the canal is tons per annum and it is proposed to levy a t toll ll of per ton on all ships passing through It is believed that a traffic of tons would pass through the canal during the first year Mr J. J C. C Hueston in a recent article in Geographical Magazine Magazine Maga Maga- Magazine zine says The canal would reduce the distance by water between New York and San Francisco from miles via Cape Horn to miles saving miles Between New York and Valparaiso the distance saved would be miles between between between be be- tween New Orleans and San Francisco the distance saved would be miles and between Liverpool and San Francisco miles It is quite probable that the canal company will ask some aid from Congress during the present winter |