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Is a Ship Canal Practicable?: Notes, Historical and Statistical, Upon the Projected Routes for an Interoceanic Ship Canal Between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, in Which is Included a Short Account of the Character and Influence of the Canal of Suez, and the Probable Effects Upon the Commerce of the World of the Two Canals, Regarded Either as Rivals, or as Parts of One System of Interoceanic NavigationAbert, S. T. (Silvanus Thayer)

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Is a Ship Canal Practicable?: Notes, Historical and Statistical, Upon the Projected Routes for an Interoceanic Ship Canal Between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, in Which is Included a Short Account of the Character and Influence of the Canal of Suez, and the Probable Effects Upon the Commerce of the World of the Two Canals, Regarded Either as Rivals, or as Parts of One System of Interoceanic Navigation

Name: Is a Ship Canal Practicable?: Notes, Historical and Statistical, Upon the Projected Routes for an Interoceanic Ship Canal Between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, in Which is Included a Short Account of the Character and Influence of the Canal of Suez, and the Probable Effects Upon the Commerce of the World of the Two Canals, Regarded Either as Rivals, or as Parts of One System of Interoceanic Navigation
Author: Abert, S. T. (Silvanus Thayer)

Abert, S. T. (Silvanus Thayer)

Canals, Interoceanic

The following table exhibits the distances from sea to sea of the
proposed lines originating at San Juan del Norte:

    ════════════════════╤═════════╤═════════════╤═════════╤═════════
                        │         │             │FROM LAKE│FROM LAKE
      ROUTES FROM THE   │LENGTH OF│   DISTANCE  │NICARAGUA│NICARAGUA
      PORT OF SAN JUAN  │ THE RIO │   ON LAKE   │ TO THE  │ TO LAKE
       TO THE PACIFIC.  │SAN JUAN.│  NICARAGUA. │ PACIFIC.│ MANAGUA.
    ────────────────────┼─────────┼─────────────┼─────────┼─────────
                        │ MILES.  │    MILES.   │  MILES. │  MILES.
    To Brito            │  119    │      57     │    18   │
    Fonseca, Tamarinda  │  119    │     120     │         │     4
    Realijo             │  119    │     120     │         │     4
    Fonseca, Estero Real│  119    │     120     │         │     4
    ────────────────────┼─────────┼─────────────┼─────────┼─────────
                        │         │DIST. BETWEEN│         │
      ROUTES FROM THE   │ DISTANCE│LAKE MANAGUA │LENGTH OF│
      PORT OF SAN JUAN  │ IN LAKE │  AND THE    │ ACTUAL  │   TOTAL
       TO THE PACIFIC.  │ MANAGUA.│  PACIFIC.   │ CANAL.  │  LENGTH.
    ────────────────────┼─────────┼─────────────┼─────────┼─────────
                        │  MILES. │   MILES.    │ MILES.  │   MILES.
    To Brito            │         │             │  137    │    194
    Fonseca, Tamarinda  │    50   │     16      │  139    │    309
    Realijo             │    50   │     45      │  168    │    338
    Fonseca, Estero Real│    50   │     20      │  143    │    313
    ────────────────────┴─────────┴─────────────┴─────────┴─────────

The ports on the Bay of Fonseca, and at Realijo, are good, but the
other ports designated as terminal points upon the Pacific are not so
favorable for shipping. San Juan del Norte, the initial point upon the
Atlantic of all these routes, will not admit ships of large draught,
and the harbor is rapidly deteriorating. All harbors of Central and
South America receiving rivers, and opening to the northward, are
decreasing in depth. The incessant wave-beat, caused by the trade-winds
and northers, acts like a ponderous hammer, wielded by an irresistible
force, whose unceasing efforts, for six months of the year, are exerted
to force the sand into the entrance of the harbors, and to arrest the
sediment brought down by the rivers. The result is a tortuous and
variable channel, and a shifting and shoaling bar.

The deterioration of the harbor of San Juan de Nicaragua, or Greytown,
has been minutely discussed by a board of scientific officers of the
United States Corps of Engineers, and of the Coast Survey Department.
Their conclusions were unfavorable to the improvement of the harbor.

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