idea of digging at Panama had been thought of, the ground where the
Nicaragua Canal is being built had been surveyed, and thought better
suited to the purpose than Panama.

The reason for this was, that at Panama a long and deep cut had to be made
through the mountains. This had to be done by blasting, in much the same
way that the rocks are cleared away to build houses. This is a long and
tedious work.

The Nicaragua Canal will be 159 miles long, while the Panama, if it is
ever completed, will be only 59 miles; but of these 159 miles, 117 are
through the Nicaragua Lake and the San Juan River--water-ways already made
by nature. For the remaining distance, there are other river-beds that
will be used, and only 21 miles will actually have to be cut through.

The main objection to this route for the Canal is, that there is a volcano
on an island in the Nicaragua Lake, and there are always fears of
eruptions and earthquakes in the neighborhood of volcanoes. A great
eruption of the volcano might change the course of a river, or alter the
face of the country so much, that the Canal might have to be largely
remade.

The building of this Canal will cost hundreds of millions of dollars--two
hundred millions, it is said.

Nicaragua is not a rich-enough country to be able to pay for this, and it
is here that the subject touches the closest interests of other countries,
and is serious enough to overthrow a much-desired treaty.

If the Canal is to be built, it must be built by a country rich enough to