The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-23 00:00:00

SOCIETY OF ARTS.

At a meeting of the Society of Arts, held yesterday,
T. M. Weguelin, Esq., Governor of the Bank of Eng-
laud, in the chair,
The paper read was—" On Central America, and the
Proposed Honduraq Inter-oceanic Railway," by Mr. E.
G. Squier. The attention of the meeting was first drawn
to the peculiarly advantageous geographical position of
Central America, which, in fact, almost realises the
ancient idea of " the centre of the world." Mr. Squier
drew attention to the fact that certain points where the
continent is most contracted in width are coincident with
those where the great mountain chain of the Cordilleras
is greatly depressed, or entirely interrupted, thus afford-
ing facilities for those ways of communication between
the ocean.; which have become among the desiderata of
modern times. Ever since the discovery of America by
Columbus the short and ea,y passage to the Indies
bad been eagerly sought for, but geographical research
early demonstrated that to this the American continent
presenti an unbroken barrier. From this period the
daring of man began to contemplate the Titanic enter-
prise of cutting through the continent, and opening
an artificial water communication between the two
oceans. But the engineering science of that day was
unequal to the task, and for all the purposes of rapid
communication the Monarchs of Spain depended upon
those roads across the continent which their inability to
convert it into canals had compelled them to accept, the
principal traffic being across the Isthmus of Panama. As
early as the year 1556, however, the insalubrity and
other disadvantages of this route led to the presentation
of memorials against it to the King of Spain, which
led
to a complete examination of, and reportfavourahleenz.
upon the Honduras route, by Antonelli, the first
neer of that day. Mr. Squier then proceeded to
that while occupying the position of diplomatic Perewaeall;
tative of the -United States in Central America, re
he
route for an inter-oceanic railway,eaother gentlemen, he
led to the impression of the feasibility
soofmtehetinmoenadfutrears-
wards, in conjunction with some
rangesof the
o f country.
mountainslt is
proceededtraversed tno
various
f careful examinationrentonso
which is
baseyof the Cordilleras, the
taro, is east by south ; but after
radiating from the common
it turns due north, forming
general
passing
the coursepla
no of f 0
the Montecillas. At thceaeransatyeargnubcsaenoaf tfhroemMontecillas
lies the plain of extending
range
due north is the valley of Humuya, and from it also ex-
tending due south is the valley of the Rio Joascoran,
altogether constituting a great tranverse valley, reaching
from sea to sea. It is this plain and its dependent valley,
constituting a natural cut through the Cordilleras, which
afford the avenue necessary for the construction of the
proposed Honduras Inter-oceanic Railway. The line
of the proposed work commences at Puerto Caballos, on
the Bay of Honduras, in lat. 15 49 N, and long. 87 57
W., and runs nearly due south across the continent to
the Bay of Fonseca, on the Pacific, in lat. 13 21 N., and
long. 87 35 W. Its total length from anchorage to
anchorage, is 148 geographical miles, equal to about 161
statute miles. It lies wholly in the State of Honduras.
The advantages of the ports at the extremities of the
proposed lines were then considered. Puerto Caballos
being described as a good harbour, of great Cl-
- sufficient depth of water, and easy of [en-
trance and exit ; while the Bay of Fonseca had
been justly spoken of as a constellation of ports. The
proposed line does not present any serious engineering
difficulties, no where involving a gradient of more than
09 to 80 feet to the mile. A certain supply of the ne•