The Canal 'will aid American Commerce. 13 



one-half, and San Francisco would be over 2,000 miles nearer 

 New York than London. The first proposition for canals con- 

 necting the two oceans was made in 1550, suggesting two routes, 

 liy Panama and Nicaragua ; and explorations and surveys of both 

 have been frequently made, and various attempts made for their 

 construction. 



The success of the Suez ca^ial induced M de Lesseps to under- 

 take the connection of the two oceans by the construction of the 

 Panama canal, believing that the tonnage passing through it 

 would equal that of the Suez canal. This Avork has not been 

 successful ; the canal remains unfinished, with no prospects of 

 completion . 



Several hundred miles north of Panama is the lowest conti- 

 nental divide ; 148 feet above tide water on the Pacific slope of 

 this divide is lake Nicaragua, connected ^by the river San Juan 

 with the Atlantic ; ujd this river and through this lake, some 

 thirty years ago, was one of the regular ways of intercommuni- 

 cation, both for freight and passengers, between New York and 

 California. 



The Maritime Canal company and the Canal Construction 

 company, organized by Americans, have obtained concessions 

 from Nicaragua, and have made surveys for canal, slack water 

 and lake navigation from Greytown on the Atlantic through 

 lake Nicaragua to Brito on the Pacific, a distance of 170 miles. 

 A harbor has been opened at Greytown and considerable work 

 performed on the canal. The Panama route had the great ad- 

 vantage of an open channel from ocean to, ocean, whereas the 

 Nicaragua route requires several locks to cross the divide ; but 

 Brito is some six or seven hundred miles nearer California than 

 Panama, a saving in distance that will compensate for the delay 

 in locking. The opening of this canal will be the greatest benefit 

 that could be conferred ujion our commerce and shipping. 



Freights by water between New York and California are now 

 so high that a large portion goes by railroad. The effect that 

 this canal should produce will be evident if we consider the great 

 difference in expense between land and water carriage. Rail 

 rates between New York and Chicago are a trifle over six mills 

 per ton per mile, while the ocean rates on grain to Liverpool in 

 1888 were about half a mill per ton per mile ; and one naill per 

 ton per mile, or three dollars per ton from New York to Liver- 

 pool, is said to be a fair rate, while the all-rail rate between New 



