INTEROGEANIC CANAL ROUTES. 383 



■which they were no longer accustomed ? What would then become 

 of the insurance which had been arranged for the expected passage 

 through a canal which was no longer of any use ? 



If, in speaking of Tehuantepec, which line, however, is no longer 

 thought of for a canal, I have somewhat enlarged on the inconven- 

 iences which would arise from earthquakes, it is because they also ap- 

 pear to me to apply to the canal by Nicaragua, and to put it out of 

 consideration, even were thei'e no other reasons. 



Let us look, all the same, at other contingencies which are notice- 

 able at Nicaragua. 



It would be a long and difficult task to actually begin the work, 

 because, before the great dockyards of the canal could be built, it 

 would be necessary to make a harbor at Greytown, the success of 

 which does not appear to be assured, and which at any rate would be 

 very expensive. 



Starting at this harbor, the canal, when leaving the San Juan River, 

 would for sevei-al kilometres be suspended over the valley by immense 

 dikes holding continuously a weight of water 8*50 metres high. There 

 the slightest leak would become a breach, any breach a serious rupture, 

 and any rupture a complete disaster. At what possible expense could 

 the absolute security of these great dikes be assured ? 



To continue : we enter the San Juan River, kept in bounds by a 

 large dam, which, however, is not enough to assure everywhere suffi- 

 cient deptli of water in the shallowest parts ; where there is not 

 depth enough it would be necessary to blow up or excavate by dredges 

 a channel one hundred metres wide by eight and a half meti'es deep. 

 To make this channel would be difficult, to maintain it against what 

 would constantly come in to fill it up might be still more so. 



Let us go on until we reach the lake ; here comes another difficulty. 

 At the place where the San Juan leaves it, other torrents bring sand 

 into it, and also mud to a considerable extent. A new bar would have 

 to be dredged, but probably only for a time ; a channel would have 

 to be kept open in an immense sliding sand-bank by very long and 

 costly dikes, an objection which does not seem to have been provided 

 for in any of the plans offered. 



The passage of the lake seems easy ; the cut to be made to reach 

 the Pacific offers no remarkable difficulties \ but this descent, on ac- 

 count of its short length, can only be done by locks close together, 

 and locks so arranged offer for a quick movement of vessels serious 

 objections, and necessitate a considerable loss of time. 



Without dwelling too much on this subject, let us be content to 

 take as an example the Caledonian Canal. In visiting it some years 

 ago, as an engineer and a tourist, I was struck at seeing that, to avoid 

 passing through it, a reshipment was considered preferable. I have said 

 enough to show my reasons for refusing to accept the Nicaragua plan. 



Next comes the project by Panama with locks. Here, as if 



