) oh Re puays ih aie th ee has. Q. Wore, eerie 0 mamaria FE No. ASOT jn EEBEASE OF Q a. Cornell University Library Report of the U.S. Nicaragua surveying | tn Ge Atl, Av.8. 4. PTA. HALA REMO NA } : ‘ — Seq \ —.) ba lees 5 teen ow ees . = wa a 4 < - ; - * / yr : t / : ; ae = ¥ R ha E Oe A = > ; —- ea et . < fe / wv ; j 4 = *RIO PINA f / 2 AS ‘ ‘ ; ; RR vaviza ‘ " . rf . \ ~ < % 5 AG ~ ae f- \ tas DELICIAS | > San 4 » \ JUAN MINA > (Pees eee oars =e = po J Os ~ aus Ml i =. af 7 ; ft ¢ ) Le a - te . ’ foe "ies ae = wer _ j A ae Pina “ _ fee} al f— ~— : bee yr = f a a 9 oe RS aENTE = e - . S- y. 2 . n Jt 4 j a — f 3 ot oe ve % ’ pase = an we & + is “RALO @RANDA ; r x Shy ] Vana” +. ee . } Cnr 7, o A. : moet 407 1S » } 4? 2 ‘\ e : i ONY: eel ers, ei? : ns . | o ey a: ‘ } xy ‘ J } i : a? r { \ — * / a. ec ee ( \ } a \e,5, ‘MATAGHIN 7 | QDA. MONTE Y? \ 4 : + Os ee iets ee ~ j re: a Se SY pate ‘% \— Rio ees <3 an x j ae NT — Z ae — 2 / ‘ eee SS BY or yr) fsb +X pf adeeet ee iS a ae J & > if o\ ee ¢ on ° ¥ 3 ee \ j ov t = y s » A T ° o \ (ae w! o) . \ ai, BALBOA HILL ec fo id. FRIVOLES \ ae ae Ue ar “MAME A Re | Tena Sly ; A 4 S <~oee™, BUENA VISTA aN CHAGRESITO 5 \ : x me Pee = FE «RIO Bart anronos io fer onice” BALLAMONOS ‘ / TABERNILLA ; aenans \ eecee, a “ \ 4 | Nt cagati Lh Rr = Pat A siete ~ &, PENA BLANCA 7 NS Sr 2 Ss Tee y =, E 7 ~ CHAGR “ies 5 \E ’ er 228 =< ae 4 <= o3y 5 | L 3 ce \ 4 \ { E GIGAN 6 Bere ne 5 5 ° = — os { = ‘ 2 ‘4 A a f i as ; ° a ; = . Soy foe Sa 2 js AKE A Ce oy PAR ees a ep a | 54 square miles aoe * ; af a Sh f eS on = P S ; . 7 ON 4 - Sere * P # CLARA swam — JI ye E af € ay 2 = i = = Es ~ a SS pf i oy = yr — \ Ts = ; \ <é a “Au, / \ os =p : > be Wate aN AS 5 oes : : = : aS e- SE Lomas» ve PALENQUILL, Si ‘ che el -VAVIZA AC < es dey” ey Ly CAS DELICIAS > a es ng 5 JUAN Mina “Sie oA . = Re an = =. X no ities ee Pt eee \ a E } : ‘ PIHIVA + ee ee Tete " ay MATACHIN Re of & . IRGONA p? Se) Ky CARABAL! RESERVOIR cQOCOoLi \ . \ ‘SS Zo py OA HILL CAMACHO. LAKE RESERVOIR 1, 7 ne \ x Eis ° ez f aor ———— 6s wennt’ f RUINS OF 7 ssak Pasa, <2. — pit Se a = = % Kd = : QO ; ar & e 5 Sa & 2. \ Cc a“ 9 eX of oor A = e e oor M ¢& Rl0.08/sP0 Ww ae rE A OC -=2s>~— ae ols oe aoe — tae“ __--- EF FLAMENCO T. *. ei ge. a & Past oe : “as «e NAOST. CULEBRAT. 3 < ee ce 468 RIO GRANDE RESERVOIR : 49 miles a 2 Jw ; ° ig! R PTA. GUINEA & YY] SS . Y AMACHO LAKE RESERVOIR "1, g ‘ + } 2) Q ] . & | 4. PALO SECO rt * CHANGARMI a LEPER COLONY Tv q/ (eas oO) 4 e] PTA. BATELE ‘ } \ , { Ox j Ve, PTA. BRUJA ~ *1o es { ¥ eg. GENERAL MAP (e>- OF THE an ae te CANAL ZONE a a; | SONS. AND THE PANAMA CANAL = HORIZONTAL SECTION r ‘300 jt 4 PANAMA CANAL | 200 ©~=s he Vertical scale 1s exaggerated 100 Fold = == CULEBRA BAS OBISPO EMPERADOR MATACHIN =PARAISO 10 SALADA TAVERNILLA AN PABLO _MINDI DOS HERMANOS COLON, CATUN TIGER HILL PALO MATIA, leanSeaLevel ___ __ =i “Hoth Oceans —_—=—-— BL 5 ——— 7 es CS.Hammond 4 Co MY. BERMUDA 18, amilton Galveston \ \ \ \ \ i ' ' ' I iw cn / On int hele a am . } wv 3 . : cane San Lucas : % - —o \ , = | i ee C3 ai : j Nt x s : ‘ “ * | a ¥ \ oS So" Ss. NA° CULP OF REVILLAGIGEDO IS, FON, ? cAMPECHE Camper < Mex.) ® “a : J ie) > socorFe Manzanillo“ > Vera Cruz <. : a Hi of = A a - , C < Y Lb J f as : y ~ eo | <== , has arranguill —< Sec | 4 Cartagena€ ied 7 € > oS Pang, = o — —> > — 7 a = —- SS) pS cocos £8 (CR) 2 =~ ourreeren Igy : ee oF ee WenWan . Sy Tuinaco 2 Nee” os eralda Z So be ee = GALAPAGOS ISLANQS didn : oo en i oe — iq.) ABINGTON Te : 10 ~ 00 Bes 954 "BINDLOE ir) 7 5 oS JAMES INDEPATIGABLE |, ’ fe tso' P ciara l Capep an Lorenzo 244 lo HOOD |. oe i ; = Guaaqy v Galveston \ \ \ \ \ \ cy \ ’ i Mel | 1 Goeiioes#e Cs rownsville ! upiter ees Matamoros | tl 1 Y ; ‘ ‘NAS y Pek ! AS Cap San ‘Lazaro / 2 \ BE x I x\ ity v Z| / \ i” \ Cp Provivenc / 1 DROS \ a By 8 7 a Dar gay cna tee —— - $= 4429 oo | XA : a: & ; x nS why el Ri ae % } ape Catoche Reafve
socorne Manzanillo ‘ Vera Cruz i aS J REVILLAGIGEDO IS, CARMEN, FOLf of Tehuuritepec Quezalten: Obumperice st NY : <— exEN RTINIQU * \ Hammond's Pan-American Distance Map i ~ Ng ew, cual iu a So A aaa \ Copyrighted 1903, by C. S. Hammond & Co., 7 : w oo ‘y, Ngan de, < Jou PRosifENCE ic to om ees ee nop oy NE, . 3 8 rs “Sa, Cc E N. T R Nain Se ‘ ag a ore ne ue ort = re Ne . ™~ ‘Y «sth AN 8 a Pt, Gallina eS see 683 ge) Wi Posespoines (Bry, Sen o. oa ) i Ns e Bluefields © Se f ae c es e Cn oer WGRENADA (Br) CQhoL 4, : see hragua ‘ g 7 i » Hachag . 3 a9 eel x statis - 3 \ y nta Marte Sp0_ ns|>= Me GLIPPERTON |. i posed Canad } ae oO ss — > = #Sabanilla —_- — reas ~~ | —, : AD 1 y, ‘ pMBarranguill = ed te < sh . —> —- —- se \ : — “Ss a 3703 > —> ? ee gee _ aie - Bi eee, sae =< aeeae \ %, XG ? marfeco if e : ae 4 (Cols) Ppenaventura = 7 re vs wt ero - er OULPEPPER | - 4 ths —— WERMTAN 8 vf Q Xp Tumac GALAPAGOS ISLAN Sy? ‘ eralda: — RYEq.) ABINGTON P3 ° wre Cape Ban Fagacisco 95 Binguoe &Q|O Qt, 85° @ a7) § B J NARBOROUGH, JAMES to Lock No. 1, loose earth, gravel, clay, and rock in the deeper cuts; while from Lock No. 1 to San Juan del Norte, a distance of some 12 miles, nearly if not wlimaterial will be dredgable; and this portion, as on the west side at Brito, will be widened until it will be practically an extension of the harbor 12 miles imland. This entire division is densely wooded, magnificent hard-wood trees of gigantic proportions covering the slopes and valleys of the hill country, their topmost. branches rustling in the cool, constant “trades,” and palms in a score of varieties dotting the plains and lagoon region with an almost impenetrable mass of vegetation, all covered ard woven and tangled and tied with count- less vines and climping and running plants. RERORT OF THE U. 8S. NICARAGUA SURVEYING PALTY. 29 DIMENSIONS OF THE CANAL. The apparent insufficiency of the Suez Canal to accommodate a traffic of more than 6,000,000 tons a year without serious delay tu navigation, due to its reduced sectional area wid an inadequate number of turn outs, shows that the dimensions proposed in Commander Lull’s report of (87273, for a canal across Nicaragua, should be considerably enlarged in estimating for anew route. It is proposed now not only to enlarge the water prism of the canal by increasing its width and depth, but to provide also two large basins at the extremities of the Jocks, where vessels can witit, or pass each other without delay. These turn-outs, together with the lake, river, and San Francisco basin, will greatly facilitate navigation by this route, and allow ships-traveling in opposite directions to pass each other almost at all points. This modification of the dimensions and plans originally proposed, will necessarily involve a material increase in the estimated cost of the work; but it has been thought best to provide for what is regarded as actually necessary for a canal which will admit the passage of the largest ships now engaged in the commerce of the world, and a traffic of not less than 12,000,000 tons a year, without restrictions to navigation, than to propose for the sake of economy in the original construction, what the experience of the last few years in the only similar interoceanic ship-canal in the world proves to be inadequate. The following are the respective dimensions and salient features of the canal proposed in 1872775, and those here esti- mated for : Comparison of the dimensions and principal features of the location by the survey of 1872-73, with those by the survey of L885. Features compared. | BONN Oh OCH OD of, > \ Total distance, Greytown to Brito .--..-.----------------- eee 2 eee ee ee eee ee eee eee eee : 180. 76 169.8 Length of actual canal, or cutting required ..-....-----.---- +--+ eee eee eee eee eee eee a 61.7 40,3 Height of summit lovel above mean sea level 107 J1¢ Length of summit level .......--.---. 2-2-0 ee cence eee ee cee ee ee eee cee eee eee ene ee 102 144.8 Number of dams 4 1 Number of locks wocccs wos sxaecoties as ccwen sccicee see te ase eenisesie beeen seeming sees cesciies seeeeseese So eseesss 21 7 Length of lock-chamber 400 650 Width of lock-chamber . 60 65 Number of curves in actual canal 26 14 Minimum radius of canal curves...-.. 2... .-- 202 cee cence cence eee ee eee ee ee eee eee e eee cee e eres 9-200 | 4, 000 Length of canal, in curves ......---------- + +25 222-2 e eee eee ee ne ee ee eee 12,2 10.8 Depth of water in canal 42.242 2+ 24tesss vecdea sees ssee dade te sbeeeenses seeeet eeeeeser ts sesso eer gee seis | 26 | 28 and 30 Width at bottom of channel in that part of river San Juan where dredging is required - - | 8U | 125 Width at bottom of channel in that part of Lake Nicaragua where dredging is required ....-. ..-...---- 80 150 Width at. bottem:of channelin rocky cuts): 2ss2.e6es ssa seecasasceseceeecceswaxeeseice. ¢ sxetekesnones 712 | 80 Width at bottom of channel in deep rock cuts 72 \ 80 Width at bottom of channel in deep earth cuts...... 2.2.2... eee cee ee ee cee eee cee eee eee nee i 50 KO Wadthiat bottom of cliannel tm terminal Cuts: cccccosee ake seus cane sige, See Se RAGA EEE a ee EE q2 120 Timo allowed to pass through locks alone (allowing 30 minutes for old and 45 minutes for new design)... hours 10.5 5.3 Turn-onts or basins, 650 feet by 150 feet on the bottom at the extremities of the locks .........--.-..-.--.----- | snchaseies iiss ee | lz Time required for a ship to pass from Greytown to Brito hours 37 | 30 , 577, 718 | 39, 040, L34 Estimated cost (computed on samo basis) ......-2.---.------ dollars 52. 57 Estimated cost (according to new dimensions and increased prices) .........-...2.2-22222-2-22----2-2----- do. | eens Be | 51, 228, 958.75 Provision has also been made for illuminating the whole route sufficiently to insure its sate navigation at night. A greater speed cau be made in the canal, both on account of its enlarged dimensions and the protection of the slopes by stone-pitching, wherever it has been thought nec- essary. Several bends of the river San Juan have been cut off, and a more tnimpeded navigation secured thereby. The several cross-sectiuns proposed for the varicus portions of the canal are represented in plate 3. 30 REPORT OF TOM U.S. NICARAGUA SURVEYING PARTY. THE LOCKS. The locks proposed have a uniform length ef 650 feet between the gates, and a least width of 65 feet between the gate abutments. Locks Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 have lifts of 26, 27, 26.4, 29.7, and 29.7 feet respectively. No. 3 has a lift of 53 feet, and No. 7, being a combination of tide and litt-lock, its litt will vary between 24.2% and 33.18 feet, depending on the state of the tide. It is be- lieved that Nos. 1 and 7 will rest on firm, heavy soil, but timber and concrete foundations Lave been provided for in the estimates. Nos. 2 and 4 are estimated to rest on solid rock, and as for Nos. 5 and 6, the borivgs taken in 1873 show that stiff clay, compact sand, and gravel will be met with. No.3 is proposed to be cut out of the solid rock in the eastern slope of the “divide,” by which the maximum strength will be secured with the least expense; concrete will be used only to the extent required to fill cavities, to give the proper dimensions to the various parts, and to give a surface to the blasted rock. The other locks it is proposed to build of concrete, and all of them, No. 3 included, will have a heavy timber lining in the chambers and bays, extending from the top of the walls to 15 feet below the low-water level. (See Plates 7 and 8.) Cribs on firm bottom, or fender-piles when piles cau be driven, have been provided at the ap- proaches to the locks for the protection and better guidance of ships into the locks. Provision has also been made for making ships fast to the lock-wales, so that the lines will, by means of floats, rise or fall with the ship, thus preserving the same tension on the lines while the vessel is kept on the axis of the lock. Eacn lock will be filled or emptied by two conduits, each 10 feet in diameter, extending on the sides of the Jocks from the upper to the lower reach of the canal, and twenty-two branch culverts, eleven on each side, connecting the main conduit with the lock cham- ber. The ouly operation required for either filling or emptying the lock will be, irrespective of the movements of the lock gates, the opening and closing of the upper and lower main culvert-gates. The time required to fill or empty lock No. 5, of 53 feet lift, will be fifteen minutes, and for the other locks an average of eleven minutes. The question of the best style of gates for these locks has been a subject of much cousideration. It is desirable to combine strength, economy in construe- tion, rapid and simple movements, facilities for repairs or for renewing the gates, and the least danger of accident by vessels entering or leaving the locks. { had concluded to recommend for all the locks iron sliding gates, which when not in use would be withdrawn into a recess on the side cf the lock, as the system possessing the greatest advantages, but the tail-gate of lock No. 3, with a total height of 88 feet, of which 58 feet would project out of the water when the lock is empty, required additional provisions to counteract possible wind pressure and guide it safely across the chamber. Several designs had been prepared to accomplish that object, but none entirely satisfactory and all involving considerable expense inv their construction and a loss of time in the operation. While engaged in this investigation, Civil Engineer R. EH. Peary, U.S. N., my principal assistant, suggested a rolling gate, which is, in my opinion, an admirable solution of the problem, combining in itself all the desired conditions. The device consists (see Plate 9) of a rolling or tumbling gate; a lateral recess in one side of the lock-chamber into which the gate retreats when opened; rails upon which the gate travels; a car Spanning the recess and traveling back and forth upon a track laid on the top of the lock; and a rod strut, or pivoted truss, connecting the car to the gate. In shape the gate may be described as a rectangular upper portion resting on a curved lower portion, the inner or rear part of this curve being a quadrant of a circle of such radius that the length of the are of the quadrant is equal to the width of the lock, so that the travel of the gate in rolling through 90° will carry it entirely within the gate recess. The lower part of the gate, to a point one or two feet above the lower water-level, and the inner or vear side of the gate will be built as a water-tight compartment to contain a shifting water ballast; the remainder of the gate being open trusses, plated on the down-streain side; the center of gravity being kept by this means near the center of the are on which the gate rolls, and the balance more perfectly maiatained. The gate travels preferably on rails raised above the floor of the lock in order to prevent any accumulation of foreign materials upon their surfaces. REPORT OF THE U. 8. NICARAGUA SURVEYING PARTY. 31 Flanges upon the curved bottom of the gate prevent any lateral movement, and any possibility of slip forward or backward during maneuvering is precluded by four chains, each equal in length to the are of the rolling quadrant, arranged in pairs, one pair being attached at one end to the gate at the upper extremity of the quadrant (the gate being closed aud erect), and at the other end to the bottom of the lock directly under the lower extremity of the rolling quadrant. The other pair are attached at one end to the bottom of the gate at the lower extremity of the rolling quadraut, and at the other end to the bottom of the gate-recess, directly under the upper extremity of the rolling quadrant when the gate is open or in a horizontal position. Thus when the gate is closed and erect the chains in pair No. 1 are wound upon the periphery of the rolliug quadrant, while those of pair No. 2 are lying straight and taut upon the bottom of the gate-recess; and, vice versa, When the gate is open or horizontal the chains of pair No. 2 are wound upon the periphery of the rolling quadrant, and those of pair No. 1 are lying straight and taut upon the bottom of the gate recess. At all intermediate points of movement one pair unwinding at the same rate that the other pair is wound up, thus rendering it impossible for the slightest shp to occur, while at the same time the utmost freedom of rotation is permitted. At the top of the front face or end of the gate, one end of the connecting rod or truss, above referred to, is attached by a simple pin-joint, permitting free movement of the connecting-rod tna vertical plane with the pin as a center, the other end being attached to the car by pin-joints per- witting the same movement in a vertical plane. The ear is a rigid rectangular frame spanuing the gate-recess and sapported on trucks travel- ing on two rails placed at right angles to the axis of the lock, one on each side of the gate-recess. Motion is given to this car by a compressed air or hydraulic engine situated on the car, which drives a shaft bearing two drums, and each of these drains carrying several tarns of a fixed cable. The car is worked backward and forward by simply reversing the motion of the druins. Before passing to a description of the mavipulation of the gate, it may be said that the dis- placement of the lower water-tight compartment, when the gate is bearing on the rails, will always be largely in excess of the weight of the gate, therefore it is necessary to adinit water, and it will be seen that the amount admitted may be so regulated that the gate shall exert a pressure of 5 or 50 tons on the rails, or shall just touch them without exerting any pressure; in other words, the gate may be adjusted to any weight. The means of preventing any lateral movement of the bottom of the gate have already been noted. To prevent lateral motion or deflection of the upper part from the action of the wind, it is held in place in two ways: At its inner or rear upper corner by rollers; on the opposite faces of the gate-recess and at its upper front or outer corner hy the connecting-rod, from the outer end of which wire-rope guys extend to the forward angles of the car, passing around sheaves at those points and thence to a capstan on the car. These guys form, with the counecting-rod, a rigid. tri- angular truss, preventing any motion in the horizontal plane, yet at the same time adjustable by means of the capstan, so that the gate is always adjusted and supported precisely in its vertical plane of revolution. Supposing, now, the gate to be closed or erect, the car spanning the gate-recess close to the edge of the lock and nearly over the rear face of the gate, the gate bearing slightly on the rails, yet, practically, Hoating ; chains of pair No. 1 wound upon the gate, and those of pair No. 2 lying flat along the floor of the gate-recess. The car is started; the outer upper corner of the gate rises aud moves back in response to the pull of the connecting-rod; the chains in pair No. 1 unwind from the bottom, while those of pair No. 2 wind upon the gate; the water-ballast shifts with the gate, neither assisting nor retarding its motion, but simply keeping it on the rails, and so prevented from rising by the water-ballast, from descending by the-rails; kept from lateral motion at the bottom by the flanges, and at the top by the rollers and the connecting-rod ; kept from forward or backward slip at the bottom by the chains and at the top by the car; free, weightless, water-borne, yet under perfect control aud held as in a vise in every direction, the gate rapidly aud smoothly retreats into the recess with the expenditure of only that amount of power necessary to give it velocity. 32 REPORT OF THE U. 8. NICARAGUA SURVEYING PARTY. Minor details, such as the shape and arrangement of the gate recesses, the facing of the abut- ments with wood, to distribute and equalize the pressure, &e., are not novel and need no extended description, A device, which may possibly be necessary, to close the gate upon the rear abutment is perhaps deserving of invention. Tt consists simply of w hydraulic cylinder set in the masonry of the abutment, the pistow-red of which is hooked-shaped at its outer end. The gate carries au eye- bolt which, when the gate is closed, passes over the hooked end of the piston-rod, Phe piston- rod being then forced inward the gate is drawn tightly against the abatment. The advantages of this gate are perfect control combined with ease; rapidity and simplicity of operation; most advantageous application of power; concentration of all moviug mechanism on top of lock, where it is perfectly free of access; facility of access to all but aw very small portion of the gate itself, for the purpose of painting and repairs, without interfering with the operation of the lock, This gate has been adopted for the tail-gate of Lock No. 3 (see Plate 7). Por the present I have estimated upon sliding gates for the other tail-gates aud all bead-gates, though eventually the rolling gate may be adopted for all. The necessary machinery for moving the lock and culvert gates, for hauling ships in and out of the locks, for electric lights and other purposes, will be worked by hydraulic power. CAPACITY OF THE CANAL. In order to estimate with a fair degree of precision both the traffic-carrying capacity of the canal and the time of transit from the Atlantic to the Pacific, it will be well to refer to the Suez Canal, compare its dimensions with those proposed for Nicaragua, ascertain the average speed wade by the largest ocean steamers passing through, and then, protiting by the experience in that water-way, to arrive at what may be reasonably expected with the conditions established for this project. The Suez Canal has a uniform depth of 26 feet and a width of 72 feet on the bottom throughout its entire length, with slopes of 2 to 1 or more, depending on the nature of the soil; the breadth at the surface of the water varying from 190 to 330 feet. The area of water prism ranges, therefore, between a minimum of 3,406 square feet and a maxi- mun of 5,226 square feet. The minimum radius of curve is 2,000 feet. Lts entire length is opened to ships of all nationalities, provided their draught of water does uot exceed 7.50 meters (24 feet 7 inches). The maximum speed of all ships passing through the caval is fixed at 10 kilometers (equal to 54 nautical miles, or 6.1 statute miles) per hour. (From Regulatious for Navigation of Saez Caual.) Vexatious delays, due to grounding in rounding the sharp curves and in going into and out of the sidings to allow other vessels to pass, and stoppages for the night, make the time of vessels in the canal range from 40 to 70 hours. However, the average effective sailing speed, as given in the reports of the company, is 5 knots an hour. The passage has been imade in 15 hours by starting at break of day and getting through before dark. The following extracts from the reports of officers of United States naval vessels passing through the canal will be of interest in this connection. Lieut. Commander C, F. Goodrich, U. 8. N., navigator of the U.S. 8. Temessee, under date Suez, August 19, 1875, says: As to steering apparatus, the only precaution taken was to see that the wheel ropes were very taut, that the ship might answer her heln instantly. The Tennessee averaged 5.3 kuots through the canal (the maximum speed per- mitted); stopped three times to garé (gares are the turn-outs in the single-track road); spent one night in Lake Timwsah, and was 164 hours actually in motion. It may be well to mention that each ship has her own “canal speed,” fast enough to make her steer well, but not so fast as to wash the banks; a speed depending on the lines of the ship and her displacement. The pilot soon ascer- tains this rate and adheres to it strictly. The ship steered admirably, and while under way never touched the ground. In conclusion I would say that there appears to me no diffienlty whatever in going through if drawing under 23 feet of water, provided the ship steers well. Quick, attentive helmsmen then solve the problem. The draught of the Tennessee was 20 feet 6 inches forward, and 22 feet 3 inches aft. Her length over all is 365 feet, and her beam 46 feet. REPORT OF THE U. 8. NICARAGUA SURVEYING PARTY. 33 Report of the passage of the U. 8. 8. Alert, 1876; ‘Notes on the Suez Canal, by Commander J.D. Marvin, U.S. NY”: The curves, with the exception of an §, just north of Lake Vimsah, are noue of them sharp or difficalt. The Khedive’s yacht, a side-wheel vessel 400 feet long, 45 feet beam, and 65 feet over paddle-boxes, has passed through the canal several times. This of itself is the best proof of its navigability for anything afloat drawing less than 24 feet. The effect of wash, caused by the passave of large vessels, is nut great; smaller ones, like the Alert, do no damage. (The draught of the Alert was 13 feet 9 inches aft.) Commander Sampson, of the Swatara, says: Vessels passing through the canal are permitted to make 54 knots only. Iwas surprised to find how much power is required to drive the ship at this low speed. We were making from 5 to 54 knots, depending on the tide, while the power developed by the engines would have been sufficient to drive the ship from 7 to 74 knots in the open sea. (The Swatara was drawing 18 feet aft.) The large English troop-ships are obliged to develop their full power to make 5 knots through the canal. Col. I. Stokes, one of the English directors, las said: The fact that Her Majesty’s troop-ships, vessels of 4,400 tons, 400 feet long, of 52 feet beam, and drawing 22 feet of water, pass through the canal in an average, on 49 voyages, of 17 hours under way, their average time in the canal being about 40 hours, affords a convincing proof of the sufticiency of the canal for all reasonable purposes as a mercantile highway. These ships, from their great height out of water, present unusual difficulties, as the large sur- face exposed to the action of the wind must cause them to make lee-way under a cross-wind more than vessels having less free-board. It is to be remarked that these vessels are perfect in their capacity for steering, and are handled in a most masterly manner; but beyond these advantages, attainable by every vessel, they enjoy no special privilege in the navigation of the canal, and have to take their turn in the sidings like others. The commanding officer of the U.S. S. Marion reports to the Navy Department, under date May 19, 1885, as follows: In this run, from Port Said to Ismaila, we had steam on four boilers, but on account of the vessel ahead of us we had to go dead slow the most of the time. The wind was light aft, current light and with us. We made about 4 knots over the bottom * * * . Itisthought that when the canal is wideued all vessels can go at a speed of 8 knots, * * * T have no reason to doubt that this will be the case. From Ismaila to Suez, with no vessel or more, and ahead of us, we made from 7 to9 knots an hour * * * and through the lakes could have wade 13 had we the power. The model of the Marion is a fine one, and she made no appreciable wash in the canal and met with no appre- ciable resistance, Recently several ships have passed through portions of the canal at night, under all the restrictions of the com- pany, and they experienced no proat difficulty, by using electric lights. The chief difficulty is in the lakes, where, there being no rango lights, the pilot must depend on buoys for guidance * * * . We left Port Said at 7.15 a. m., on May 8, and arrived at Ismaila at 6.25 p.m. Went into garé at ouce, and passed vessels in garé twice. Left Ismaila at 4.30 a. m., and arrived at Suez at 1.40 p. m., having made the run in pine hours; one hour and forty minutes of which time was spent at anchor at Southern and Great Bitter Lakes, to permit vessels to pass. The greater part of the time we made a speed of from 7 to 9 knots, as we were the leading vessel. (The Marion is 215 feet 9 inches long, 37 feet beam, and 17 feet 8 inches draught of water.) During the year 1883, 3,307 vessels, with au aggregate net tonnage of 5,778,323, passed through the canal, the gross tonnage being 8,051,307. The mean effective sailing-time was 19 hours and 30 minutes, or an average speed of 5.1 miles an hour. The mean net tonnage per vessel was 1,747, and the mean gross tonnage, 2,435. The above-stated facts seem to show conclusively that vessels of 4,400 tons, 400 feet long, 52 feet beam, and drawing 22 feet of water can go through the Suez canal with an average speed of 6 statute miles per hour, and that the speed of smaller vessels varies between 6 and 8 miles per hour. S. Ex 99—3 34 REPORT OF THE U. S. NICARAGUA SURVEYING PARTY. The following table, showing the dimensions proposed for the Nicarauga Canal in the several sections Into which ee mute bas been subdivided, is taken as a basis for computing the traftic- carrying capacity of the canal and the effective s atime: time from ovean to ovean. Table showing the dimensions of the several sections of the proposed canal. | Width Sections. Distance. _|-———- ‘ SSS Depth. Area of prism. Bottom. | Surface. x ss = foe Rese = 7 mee eee | eoeemeceees | 2 Miles. Feet. Feet. Feet. | Square feet. From Greytown to Lock No. 1 .....2..5 .ssscesseeees canal.. 11.61 120 288 28 5, 712 Fromw Lock No. | to Lock No. 2 ................------ canal. 3.19 80 184 30 | 3, 67 Brom Liocl: No: tbo Lock: No.2). 00 Drain ab foot Of SMilankmentig 322 2k cutie ene pao ne wale som na tieiteee ES a see See tise eens Sees 35, 200 00 Girubbinesandcleanine 2c 23 nsiendi ei ease West AL Poe csteewe Soo aea eee ee See ea cles SHES SSA 101, GOO 00 ‘Threeswinving bridees at roads aver Camel (o2.6.4. ec o0 25 oa; Pease natok ee asecioe euch ceee ees Seas 60, 000 00 Narrow-gange railroad (lake to Brito), 18 miles, : 283, 000 00 Tidal lock, No. 7. 224,468 cubic yards excavation in earth, at 49 cents ...-. 2.2. 2-2. eee ee cee eee ee eee eee ee eee 89,787 20 145,068 cubie yards concrete (rock obrained from “divide” ent, at 86......222. 02222220222 -2--22 22 --- 870, 405 00 133, 10L eubie feet timber, at 50 cents 66,550 50 1,020 fender-piles, at $13.50 2... : Be 13,770 G0 3,699 cubic feet fender-wales, at 1,849 50 9 400-cubic yards stone pitching iy basin, Ob $2.65 scecem otek ceeesiecldoe pc aoe deen e See se atau dees 4,200 00 (iOS 2 cgded ceraee Cese Cimeaecnacee cateuius sabe oes oats eb thea meaeweSeece ceea can eke Sa eGk oe mam aaaleelehes 129,164 00 Machinery 100, 000 00 Buildings 30, QUO 00 Pumping 160, 00000 43 44 REPORT OF THE U.S. NICARAGUA SURVEYING PARTY. Lock No. 6. 244 961 cubic yards ‘excavation im earth, at 40) cents. < .220 s cubic yards concrete (rock obtained from “divide” GUD SOY coe oe cco ck ew ea on ew ames 673, 050 GU BERBO2 cube feeh tim ers Uh O0: CONte 20, 000 00 150,000 cubic feet timber in crib work, at 80 cents 45, 000 00 30/000 ponds iron: bolts, wh 12-Cents. 2... 322.32) bss cacees tues teieke oeeeesecseasesaee sees 3, 600. 00 35,000 enbic yards stone in erib work (stone from “divide” cut), 62,500 00 210,000 cubic yards stone in breakwater (stone from “divide” cnt), at $1.F 315,000) 00 1,080,100 cubic yards dredging in sand, af 25 cents... -- : 1, 020, 025 GO Obstruction im Rid San Jian to-divert its TOW 2s c2scdeics cee ac ecice. cee coe eeeielesoes oes case oueslenee cece 100, 000 00 Piérssat entrance 40:¢anal 4 <. saeeves ceseemaeseed aeds oe ewer ee aeale ney wal: elec ces Sechereeeceesce gree 100, 000 00 Lighting and buoying: 1 first-order light-house, cofiplete ...--..----- a 100, 00) 00 3 range beacon lights......-..----..------------ 1, 000 00 1 breakwater beacon light and digaial LOWOTE seston ile ore chester a ter teense a erie Ce ee eh eee 7, 000 00 Dior lead-liohtys. tech bee euleidaelecten ah seas mG aRs Que cose waco a MERSEEs Reese Reece s 2, 000 U0 1 first-class (middle channel) Nun buoy 20000 2 second-class (side channel) Nun buoy 200 00 2 third-class (side channel) Nun buoy ....-.-..-----.----- 100 00 1, 766, 625 00 RECAPITULATION (Eastern division). Section ls Che divide cae Se eee ean oe eee shrews wate Soe ewes meee et eee see tee eee hese 11, 982, 938 00 Section 2: The ‘‘divide” to Greytown....-...---.--.-- Dil tlaxwhan ds ete ee rudeness boese siae seu epanaseren lie eed UT Twenty miles narrow-gauge road, at $16, 000. 320, 000 O00 TGOCKS*No,; 132) and che. vee ch os ee eet ss oad evades weaiaee seer emer s 3,561 515 00 Séetion 3: Harbor of Greytown) <2 oe cose eco et saeeiee Sex de eee alee ceri eueaedens sese 1766; 625 C0 Total — —4eoes | | gS — cove) O8 24262 1410 RSS | 3 | is ——— eno ne OO'ZL a re j Of2UOD wo dy fe eee Tks aoa S°ON 4907 ye | e979 | | ore Zz <4 | a z es Ss Se ooze, < ( | | SS ee t | Ss ih) ome e SS —ooez2l 9 ¢ aS | —-\ 5 — —4——o0xs2I oe | f ~—o- — — ——bovoz 1 ~ x | = Zot cal age — — —hover 9 oe < LS es | | ‘ ———00set : | ‘ eee — ——looztz Z i | 8 | S ! qa Se ues a | < il BLIATY OD) SODIOG " ~ ee — -—00u 4 | RS | d \ | ook S | , i = lgoner \ ! 8 , = = 49898 | x l aoe % 00°00 ‘ --- l I —1—— Yoo0e | + — —looes ! ! | ¥ 1 _ 4 go-z9 —— — owe) —— 008s | ‘| 4 | ‘| | | | -— : oozs i| t aed : | —Vesoe) | 14062 1417 SSS -- 1298 | | 9°N 9901 Kegs ee | | | --- SEES | | | -9%Te oe | i | - bs err 08 16Z£ | 7 —-——loose nonce LTE pe ts9zZ | ieee ! ! | 2952 are ‘| a | | oe ee | | “ps 1 hes Sx ams Cs y -- $202 | | Wom Thedad -L66L . 6z6I | ——~—-| (6910) ! 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