SHOWING DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NICARAGUA, PANAMA, AND MANDINGO ROUTES 



PANAMA. 



NICARAGUA. 



49.09 Miles. 



183.66 Miles. 



771° 39' of curvature, 29 curves, in all 22.85 miles 

 of curves. This curvature equals 46.54 per cent 

 of the entire length of route. The line crosses 

 the Chagres River 28 times. 



2339° 50' of curvature, 56 curves, in all 49.29 miles 

 of curves. This curvature equals 26.83 per cent 

 of the entire length of route. 



Good harbor at Panama, but not so good at Colon, 

 while at the latter place sailing vessels are often 

 embarrassed by northers and at Panama by 

 calms. 



No harbor at all at either end. It would be nec- 

 essary to make artificial harbors at an enormous 

 expense, which, when made, would be costly 

 and difficult to maintain. 



A complicated system of locks, with a total lift of 

 92 feet. Many dams of large extent and doubt- 

 ful maintenance: Normal lift, So feet; maxi- 

 mum lift, 92 feet. 



A complicated system of locks and tide-gates, with 

 a maximum lift of 112 feet. Many dams of 

 large extent and doubtful maintenance. 



Rain water impounded by dams in lakes, with all 

 the contingencies of deficient rainfall or excess- 

 ive rainfall. The rains are so sudden and 

 violent that the construction of permanent and 

 satisfactory basins must be a feat of the utmost 

 doubt and difficulty. 



The same difficulties exist at Nicaragua as at Pan- 

 ama, increased, however, by the greater length 

 of the waterway, demanding a greater supply of 

 impounded water. 



Eight or ten years. 



As estimated by the Canal Commission, 8 years ; 

 by others, 15 to 20 years. 



In both the Panama and Nicaragua Canals, transit of any ships at all depends upon rainfall and 

 success in saving it. If water be plenty and locks work perfectly, 24 to 26 ships per day might go 

 through. 



No method of propulsion being proposed for either of these canals, an expensive system of tugboats 

 would seem to be required, or steamships by their own power. 



Uncertain. If there be enough water, and locks 

 and machinery act pi'Operly, it is possible that 

 the time named by the Commission, 11} hours, 

 may be realized, but for delay where towing is 

 needed and for difficulty with locks, a liberal 

 allowauce should be made. M. Choron, chief 

 engineer of the New Panama Canal Company, 

 estimates 15 hours as a minimum. 



Most favorable conditions as to water supply and 

 machinery might realize the estimate of 33 

 hours, but allowances must be made for deten- 

 tion at curves and for delay caused by imperfect 

 action of locks. 



Suffers but slightly in comparison with Mandingo 

 if delay from water supply and uncertainty of 

 locks be eliminated. 



To South Pacific ports far behind both the others 

 as to both time and distance. To North Pacific 

 ports an advantage in distance which is more 

 than balanced bv the difference in time of transit. 



No certainty of transit can be depended upon as 

 to fact or time, since all machinery is liable to 

 become deranged, and it is not improbable that 

 the line will be impassable from this reason for 

 greater or less periods. The expense of main- 

 teh'ance of machinery must be very great. 



The same must be said of Nicaragua as of Panama, 

 and to this must be added the expense and 

 difficulty of maintaining the artificial harbors. 

 Storms upon Lake Nicaragua are frequent. 



Very much of the line must be dug through mud 

 ami sand, which will have to be kept dredged 

 at a continual expense, interfering with mercan- 

 tile traffic and increasing cost of maintenance, 

 while the danger of a broken dam, with all its 

 fearful consequences, can never be absent. 



The Preliminary Report of the Isthmian Canal 

 Commission shows some of the dangers to the 

 permanenceof this waterway, where "thecanal 

 line passes over swampy sections." Again, we 

 have the fearful risk of dams, and finally the 

 Nicaragua location experiences frequent and 

 severe seismic disturbances. 



If this line is adopted the rights of the several 

 French corporations, together with their conces- 

 sionary complications in Colombia, must be de- 

 termined accurately (a work of no little time and 

 difficult v). and such rights and concessions paid 

 for. at a' rust of ^40,000,000, as estimated by the 

 Commission, and $144,000,000 more of public 

 money spent to finish the canal, which estimate 

 is considered by many authorities much too low. 



Here the government must expend, according to 

 the estimate of the Commission, upwards of 

 5189,000,000, raised by taxation, while other 

 authorities maintain that the ultimate expense 

 will be much greater. 



