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3fo.436, July 31,1858.] T H E L E A D E ...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Interoceanic Communication. The Junction...
across the isthmus of Darien and-Panama . It is little probable that they would permit a rival to themselves to spring up , when , they have the legal power to prevent a result so damaging to their interests . III . —A Bailiff ay across the Isthmus of Panama . After three centuries of speculation , and after a number of imperfect surveys of this isthmus had been , made , the celebrated traveller Stephens , Minister , at one time , of the United States in Central America , obtained for himself and his associates , from the Government of New Granada , the
riglt of constructing a railway across this , the narrowest isthmus of America . The annexation of California came just in . time to give eclat and a practical value to the concession . A railway was commenced in 1849 , at the height of the " gold fever , " and prosecuted with wonderful daring and energy to a completion in 1855 . No engineering audacity in Europe approaches to that exhibited in this work , which was carried for 23 miles over marshes , in parts of which three 60-feet piles were driven atop of each other , before a solid way could be formed for the road ! And this herculean work
was carried on while labour ranged from 15 s . to 40 s . a day on the isthmus , and when supplies of all kinds , timber , and every article of use and construction , had to be brought 3000 miles by sea ! This road , from Colon or Navy Bay to Panama , is 49 miles long , and has cost 1 , 500 , 000 / . —~ ' jtve times as much , " says its first chief engineer , " as it would have cost in the United States . " : This road is now in active operation , and is the main channel of communication between the two
oceans . Over it pours the American and British mails , and the passengers and treasure from the western coasts of America to the eastern shoresof the United States , and to Europe . It has paid 12 per ccnt . _ per annum on its capital stock since its opening , besides devoting a large portion of its earnings to improvements . Duriuj * the past year ( 1857 ) , notwithstanding the financial convulsions of theperiod , it carried 31 , 277 passengers , 12 , 780 , 000 / . of treasure , aud 66 , 132 tons of freight , besides the English and American mails . Its earnings , for the same period , were 417 , 824 / ., or 27 per cent , gross , and 18 percent , met , on its entire capital . Its 6 per cent , semi-annual dividend was earned in the first three months of the present year , • for which it is
estimated the aggregate profits will be not less than 35 per cent . ! let the Panama Railway is destitute of adequate ports . That of Colon is so bud that , in one instance at least , every vessel in it was wrecked , and the steamers lying there only escaped destruction by getting up steam and standing out to sea . The Bay ot Panama is not a harbour , in any sense of the term . The tides rise and fall from 18 to 22 feet , and steamers have to lie from four to six miles from shore , witli which communication can be had only at half-tide , and in bad weather not at all ! Delay , risk , and dangerous exposure , both to life , ana property , arc the consequences of these adverse conditions .
Furthermore , the isthmus is under the zone of constant precipitation , and consequently insalubrious to the last degree , has but a limited population , and is totally without supplies . It furthermore lies in a very low latitude , so that the voyages from New York to San l < Yancisco are prolonged to an average of 24 days and 9 hours ! That is to say , a traveller from New York may reach Aden , at tile outlet of the ltcd Sea , or Teheran in Persia , as soon as he can pass from the first commercial city of the United States on the Atlantic , to its first seaport on the Pacific 1 The same waste of time is incurred in
going from England to Vancouver ; the same detour is imposed on all Europe in communicating with the western coast of Mexico , with Oregon , Vancouver , the Sandwich Islands , Japan , and China . And , however sound the reasons for adopting the transit across Panama when steam was unknown , and mules alono were used , they no longer exist , and commerce and travel sock for i \ shorter , speedier , and safer means of reaching the great centres in the Pacific to which they must for ever lend .
* V . — - A Canal , via tho river San Juan and ( lie lakes of Niearagun , through the Republic ( so-called ) of the same name . Not less than eight different charters have been conceded , first and last , for a canal at- this , the most obvious , mid probably only feasible point , for a oaunl bcUvccn tho seas . IN one ol these , however , have resulted in even tUat first prime requisite—a survey , except that granted to an American company , called the " Atlantic mid Pacifio
Ship-Canal Company , ' in 1849 . This company actually surveyed the line , and demonstrated its feasibility , in a mere engineering sense ; but onpresentation of the scheme to the capitalists of England , in 1852 , it was rejected , on the irrefragable ground that it could not c ' pay . " The curious reader will find the details of the survey , and the premises on which the scheme was abandoned , presented in a succinct form in tie new edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica , article "Nicaragua /' After the abandonment of the canal scheme , a new project was started for a transit through
Nicaragua by means of small steamers up the river San Juan and through . Lake Nicaragua , and by mules over the Isthmus between theiake and the Pacific- This transit went into operation , and notwithstanding- its frequent transhipments > and its great and almost deadly exposures and privations , it ^ nearly equally divided the number of passengers , between the seas , with the Panama Railway . The cause of this diversion was the gain , in time , in the voyage between New York and San Francisco ; for , while the average of voyages between these two points were , via Panama , 24 days and 9 hours , they
were , via Nicaragua , but 22 days 22 hours—that is to say , one day eleven hours in favour of Nicaragua . This route began also to divide the transport of treasure , and would inevitably have obtained the mails , had not the apparition of the filibuster Walker brought its operations to a sudden end-Since that time it has been the prey of rival pretenders , alternately claimed by Costa Rica and Nicaragua , and granted , with every changing moon , to a new set of irresponsible adventurers , until finally , it is said , it . has passed into the control of a feuille tonist ? of the Pays newspaper of Paris , and is to be " protected" by French vessels of war at both
extremities ! Unfortunately for this bit of Gallic moonshine , Yankee vessels of war are already at the aforesaid extremities , and they will greatly belie , alike their paternity and past history , if they tolerate the . tricolor within a round " maritime league" of the shore , or , in fact , anywhere within reach of " Paxians" and " Long Toms . " A railway at Nicaragua is impracticable p hysically ; as , alter crossing innumerable lagoons in the delta of the San Juan river , it must ascend the dank .
uninhabited valley of that stream 128 miles , and then turn the lower extremity of that lake , through an unexplored wilderness , 200 miles , to reach the Pacific . A canal , although feasible , demonstrably cannot pay ; for onl y heavy freights would pass through it , while light lreights , mails , treasure , and passengers would shoot over an . iron track , far to the northward , and make their destination almost as soon as the heavy vessel would be able to accomplish its tedious up and down lockage from one sea to the other .
V . —A Railway 600 miles to the northward of Nicaragua , through t lie Republic of Honduras , from Port Cortes ( late Caballos ) on the Bay of Honduras , to the magnificent Bay of Ponseca , on the Pacific . Although indicated as early as 1540 , and in 1556 determined by ccdula of the Spanish crown , on recommendation of the famous Council of the Indies , as the safest and best route of transit between the oceans , yet subsequently neglected , owing to the wars with the English and Dutch , and finally owing to the inroads of the buccaneers , it was forgotten , to be revived in 1853 by Mr . Squier , successor of Mi \ Stephens as representative
of the United States in Central America . A preliminary survey of this line was made iu 1854 , and a final and detailed survey has just been completed , which has been verified by a detachment of Royal Engineers , sent out lor the purpose by the British Government , under Lieutenant - Colonel Stanton , it . E . These surveys have demonstrated the eminent feasibility of the proposed railway , which will be 210 miles in length , lrom four fathoms of water in Port Cortes , to four fathoms in the Bay of Pousccu ; and 150 miles long from the head of navigation iu the river Ulna to the Pacific .
The great and primary requisite , without which , iu the language of Admiral TitzRoy , " permanent success is impossible , viz . ^ ood ports , " is a great and characteristic feature ot this Hondurns route . Cortea himself , who discovered the port which now bears his name , pronounced it the beat then known in America ; aud it , certainly is tho best on tho Atlantic coast between Norfolk and Rio do Janeiro . And as regards tlie Bay of Fonsccu , the lieud-qnartcrs of Drake during his operations in the South Sea , it is not a port alone , but a " constellation of ports , " without a rival in the Pacific Ocean on cither continent , whether as regards extent , beauty , abundance
of supplies , or adaptability for the terminus of a great work like that proposed . In both these ports the largest ships may enter with ease and lie in safety ; and in Both the Leviathan itself may not only enter , but anchor so near / the shore that a biscuit may \ e tossed from its deck to the land . The line , furthermore , passes through a salubrious country , of unbounded resources , adapted to European colonization ; and where , in the language of Dr . Scherzer , of the Imperial Academy of Vienna , who travelled there , " the clhmte justifies the belief that the world may enjoy the different
products of the tropics , so essential to civilisation , such as coiton t coffee , and sugar , without the necessity of having recourse to the abominable institution of slavery ; and that all these products may be cultivated by free labour , through the medium of European colonies , which may be established , here , without the least danger to health or risk to life . " But apart from these favourable natural conditions , as regards position , ports , climate , and resources , the work is advanced under political auspices of the greatest liberality . The Government of Honduras has thrown open the route on
equal terms to all nations ; constituted the ports at both extremities free ports ; abolished passports and transit dues , and so far as legislation goes—in marked contrast with the narrow policy adopted by New Granada at Panama , and by Mexico at Tehuantepec— -done all in its power to make the proposed road the great highway of the world , between the oceans . By the terms of separate treaties witli England , France , and the United States , the neutrality and freedom of the line ia ;"• guaranteed against all interruptions , from whatsoever quarter the same may proceed "— -that is to say , equally against filibuster forays and local disturbances .
The Honduras route is further distinguished , so far as the organisation for its construction goes , by being chiefly in English hands , although both the United States and France have a voice in its direction . Its seat is in London , and from this centre its operations will be principally conducted . . VI . T-A Carriage-road across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec , in Mexico . A canal was proposed here in the first instance , found impossible , and abandoned . _ A railway was next proposed , for which , a partial survey was made by Major Barnard in 1851 , resulting in the disclosure of the fact
that tlie line is absolutely without ports ; an open river , the Goasacoalcos , with a bar at its mouth , carrying but 11 feet of water and swept by the " Northers , " and a bad and unprotected roadstead , bearing the ominous name of " La Yentosa , " being its only apologies for harbours on tlie respective oceaiis . And although a company , of " no insignificant pretensions , was then ia existence , having the opening of a railway here as its object , yet under the discouragements of this partial survey , and those resulting from the political convulsions of Mexico , it permitted the scheme to fall through , and the charter was declared void . A new grant ,
nevertheless , was made to a Mr . Sloo , under loud announcements of an immediate opening of the line . But this grant was contested by the holders of the old grant , and a bitter and unseemly contest was carried jon by the rivals , until the Sloo grant was in turn declared forfeit , and a third concession made to a ucw organization , having its seat in the city of New Orleans . This grant has been in existence but a few months , but its holders have had sufficient influence at Washington to secure a contingent contract for conveying the United States mails . It seenns , however , that they no longer propose to a railwaybut only wajrffon-roadlooking to t
open , a , wjsw ** *• * u (» iuj } UUU WlimjT C * WC * ££ K \ JU ~ lU « ltj JUJUJW 4 U 11 V \ J mail transport as tlieir principal sourco of revenue . Judging from the past , and regarding the instability of affairs in Mexico , it may be doubted if even this imperfect moans of communication "will be established at Tehuantepec . At best , however , it can never meet any of tlie great purposes for which a route between tho oceans is required ; and lying behind the peninsula of Yucatan , approachable only by a long detour through a dangerous navigation , without ports , and under a government wliich is strong enough to disturb without being able to protect , it is not probable that this route will ever command tlie favour of tho Atlantio states of
America nor of Europe , to neither of which does it afford advantages equal to those claewherc presented . Such is a brief outline of the subject of intcroccanfc communication as it now stands . The proposed canals by way of tho Atrato river and across
3fo.436, July 31,1858.] T H E L E A D E ...
3 fo . 436 , July 31 , 1858 . ] T H E L E A D E R , 745
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), July 31, 1858, page 745, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/ldr_31071858/page/17/
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