REVENUE AND INCOME. 
137 
" The proposed canal must then be of larger dimensions than that of Scot- 
land or Holland. Admitting-, for the sake of instituting comparisons, that a 
canal 30 feet deep, 50 feet wide at the bottom, and 150 at the top, would fully 
answer to these conditions, we have the following comparative results, in re- 
spect to the amount of excavation : 
Caledonian Canal 183,902,400 cubic feet. 
Holland do 422,400,000 " " 
Proposed do. on Baily's line 4,927,577,800 " * 
That is to say, apart from any other portions of the proposed line, the single 
section from Lake Nicaragua to the Pacific, would require more than ten times 
the amount of excavation performed in constructing the Holland Canal, and 
fifty times that of the Caledonian Canal, which, from the nature of the ground 
overcome, locks, &c, affords the best standard of calculation. At the same 
ratio of expense, this section alone would cost $250,000,000 ! 
" An open cut canal, therefore, from Lake Nicaragua to the Pacific, to be sup- 
plied with water from the lake, on any line hitherto surveyed is impracticable, — 
if on no other ground, certainly on that of cost. It has been proposed to avoid 
or obviate this objection by the construction of a tunnel, for a part of the dis- 
tance, where the height of land is greatest. But any canal designed for the 
passage of large ships which requires the construction of a tunnel of any con- 
siderable length, is prima facie impracticable. In the particular instance before 
us, if the open cuttings were carried upon either side of the summit until they 
became 90 feet deep, yet there would still remain 5888 yards, or upwards of 
three miles of tunnelling, to be accomplished. But neither Mr. Baily nor the 
most daring of those who have made this suggestion, have ventured to pro- 
pose a tunnel of this length. They have suggested a tunnel commencing at 
an elevation of 122 feet above the lake, which would reduce its length to a 
trifle over a mile, but increase the vertical lockage from 128 to 372 feet. The 
fatal objection to this plan, however, is a lack of water to supply the upper 
levels, and to lock down vessels both to the lake and the ocean. Mr. Baily 
suggests the collection of the waters of the little streams and rivulets, by 
rising on this narrow isthmus, and the ' sinking of Artesian wells? to furnish 
the requisite supply ! I have no hesitation in saying, after passing over these 
heights, that the whole amount of water which it would be possible to collect 
from these sources, would not supply the simple leakage, to say nothing of 
the evaporation of a canal of the kind required. 
" These few stubborn facts, unless some more favorable line shall be discov- 
ered, must settle the question so far as regards a canal across the narrow isth- 
mus intervening directly between Lake Nicaragua and the ocean. For although 
here appears to be the natural and most obvious route for the work, yet its 
practicability must be tested by the same standards which regulate the con- 
struction of all works of improvement and public utility," 
