The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-20 00:00:00

seen that of the 29 miles between Manzanillo Bay and
Gorgona, 16 miles are made, with the exception of
filling for about 6 miles, and railing 1 mile. It fol-
lows, therefore, that 13 miles remain to be done;
and I am told that except 2 miles of swamp, the rest
of the distance is over ground very favourable for
railway purposes.
" The steepest grades between Manzanillo, Bay and
Gatun do not exceed 20 feet in the mile, and, from
what I learn, although some parts between the
island and Gorgona have cost 30,0001. per mile, a con-
siderable portion of the line will not exceed 10,0001.
per mile. Notwithstanding the extraordinary ob-
stacles which have beset the work we may reason-
ably expect, however, that henceforward physical
difficulties will diminish, and with them expense, for
not only does each successive yard of rail laid
facili-
tate the work beyond it, but the further they go (say
the engineers) the better does the ground become
which they have to deal with.
There are the necessary turns out' on the line ;
and should it hereafter be necessary a second set of
rails might be laid with comparative cheapness and
dispatch. _ _

"I The railway stands several feet (seven foot I am
told) above the line of the highest (known) overflow
of the Chagres.
I" The Panama Railway Company have at Limon
Bay, according to their own calculation, more than
sufficient yellow pine piles and other timber to finish
the road to Gorgona, besides which they have all the
rails (601 b. rails), and a good deal of other material,
including cars for passengers and merchandise, three
lucemotiyes on the spot, and three more constructing;
buildings for the workmen, too, exist along the line
as far as Barbacoas ; several months' provisions are in
store at Manzanilla Island, and they have a small
steamer to assist them in transporting, although, as
the railway is now open to Gatun, it is probable that
the steamer will be sold.
" It stems to me that the chief expense in future
will be for labour.
" The line of railway from Gorgena to Panama is
to be 20 miles, the ground comprising which, although
more undulating than that between Gorgona and
Manzanilla island, is looked upon as much easier to
deal with. There are two cuttings 50 feet deep for a
short distance, the earth from which will be required
to fill such parts as are below the general level ; the
other cuttings are not so extensive ; besides which
there is no tunnelling, but little cribbing, and no
piling.
" The grades, I learn, are worked out of a rise of
215 feet, extending over a distance of 14 miles. In
short, the engineers state that, with the experience
they have gained, and are gaining, they are confident
of being able to carry through this last portion of the
railroad in two dry seasons from the time they break
ground between Gorgoua and Panama.
The state and progress of the Panama Railway
has never been properly represented ; on the contrary,
it has been grossly ini.represented by parties at Grey
Town, Chagres, and Panama even, possessing inter-
ests at those places which they fear will be seriously
compromised by the success of the railway.
" It will scarcely be credited that not one indivi-
dual from Panama, except the Governor, and but
few, a:an from Chagres, have bad the curiosity to
visit and bxneine a work which must influence, to a
vast extent, their future fortunes either fir good or
for evil.
" When I reflect on what I saw and heard on and
about the line of the Panama Railway, I cease to feel
surprised that so little has been done, as the dispa-
ragers of the work affirm, but rather wonder that so
much has been accomplished, even by the band of re-
solute men who have the work in hand, and whoso
every onward movement has been made in the face of
hardship and privation.
" I should not omit to state that the Panama Rail-
way Company has undoubted right to the possession
of Manzanilla Island for the next 45 years."