The Nicaragua Canal

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3275, 6 August 1889, Page 3

The Nicaragua Canal

Tlio recent departure from Now "Xork o£ a party of engineers and workmen and a shipment of machinery for Nicaragua promises (he completion of the canal as a distinctly American enterprise, The complete failuro and dissolution of the Panama LCoropany makes this still more cerThe surveys already made have been thorough uud exhaustive. The latest fcatiu'o of the surveys contemplates a basis plan, By tlio constation of ombankments toconline the water within natural reservoirs, it is said that the mileage of excavation will be reduced to about twenty. The greatest expense will bo the construction of harbours at Greytown, on the East Coast, ami at Brito, on tho Pacific. For about 150 miles the basis and natural waterways can be utilised at comparatively small expoiue and for that distance sailing is promised to bo almost as free as open sea navigation. The saving in distanco effected by this canal, not only for all American ports but for Europe, Asia, and Australasia as well, will be great; tho routo from

New York tu San Franscisco being shortened by 1,760 miles, and from Han Franscisco to Liverpool by 7,51)8 miles. Meanwhilo tlio Telmantepec railway, bridging the Isthmus of JLCehuantepec from Coatzacoalcos on Mexican Gulf to Salina Cruz on the Pacific, and having in view the same object as the Nicaragua Canal, is being rapidly built. The road is 207 uiiles long, sixty seven miles of which have already been completed, and turned over by an American Company to the Mexican Government, and tho remainder is promised to be completed in eiijhtcen mouths. 'lheso two routes, wliud finished, will draw the wealth of tho world to the Central American and Atlantic seaports, and stimulate trade and industry in all directions,

Earl Dudley, who was caught in tho late raid on a London gambling house roached his majority only a few months ago, and has already gambled away . £40,000. It is stated that Sir William McGregor, in his journey to and ascent of Mount Owen ■ Stanley, in New Guinea, did not see any of the nativo women who aro [ considered sacred. Private advico3 from St, Petersburg that further arrests were made by tho St. Petersburg police last woek in Connection with suspected Nihilist conspiracies, Discovery was also made of a number of bombs made to resemble oranges.

A singular flying match is reported from llaimu, where the owner of a well known establishment for homing pigeons who at the same time is largely interested in agriculture, offered to bet that on a hue day twelve of his bees would beat a like number of carrier pigeons in ranking tho distance (one hour) between llamm and tft'town of Rhvncrn. The bet was taken and bravely won by the busy littlo hoes, Twelve piireons and twelvo hees(four drones and eight working bees) were taken to llhyhern and simultaneously let free, A white drone arrived home four seconds in advance of the first pigeon; the remaining three drones

and the second pigeon arrived together; lif and tlio eight working bees were just a little in front of the other ten pigeons. Iu tliohiimletof Haddatha,livo leagues /rom Sailed, there lately died a Turk, named Hadji Soliman Saba, at the ago of 132 years. He had had seven wives, all of whom had preceded him to the jpvo; by these seven wives lio had (30 STns and nine daughters, who have also departed this life, lio married his seventh wifo at the age of !)8, and she bore him three sons. Only this year he thought of marrying again, hut could not raise sufficient money. He was the whole of his life a tiller of soil, lived entirely on barley bread and beaiis,drinl(in» nothing but water, and only tasting meat 011 the tivQ days of the Turkish Bairam festival. His clothing consisted of a long linen shirt, a pair of trousers completing his costume when 011 a journey. His bed consisted of a reed mat, his head resting 011 a chaff pillow, He was never ill in his lifo, except during tlio four days immediately preceding his death,