Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-08-13
Project Of Marine Halliday across The lsta"u'
of P1nn,na

of Panama.
First, I propose to form marine railway across
that spot which is destined to be the key OF the
new worId-the Isthmus OF Panama. The ad-
yantases of a pass here seem, indeed, to be
boundless to commercial nation, Tor 1t will save
a Navigation of 10, 600 miles round Cape Horn,
openinp out the trade Of Peru. Chill. and all the
western regions of North and South America,
with the Sandwich Islands, and all the isles scat
tered over the wide expanse OF the great southerh
Ocean. The Isthmus is at one spot not more
than seven leagues across, but from torto ne,'o
to Panama the capital cities OF the PROVINCE 'he
distance is thrty.scven miles, with vas! noun
tains intervening. What the size, stratlncation'
or direction of these mountains may De- Prooa'
bly, is not known; but though the whole thlrty.
seven miles were required to be tunneieo' sun
the expense is warranted by the vast revenue
which must result from the railway; that much
gold would probably be found in the progress Of
the WORK, tins being the heart Of the gold region
Of South America.
| The canal which is in contemplation at this
! time across the Isthmus Of Panama, by an Ame.'
rican joint stock company, is evidently ProJect,
! the difficulties and expenses Of which would &c
ten fold greater than the accomplishment OF this
work BY means o. railway for shipping lsug-
gest then, that joint stock company Of English
proprie,ors Of Colombian bonds wouid possess
eminent advantages for this work, for the land
| labor, and other materials may be obtained at par
| in Colombia, with the bonds OF the government
of the country These bonds are in England
deprecated almost to nothing, there being no
prospect of dividend, or the redemption OF the
loan BY State impoverished by civil war: and
it is therefore probable that this project would
save an immense amount Of British capital from
| IL. Il no hnnIs
/ into a splendid source of revenue from the rail
way. The condition exacted for the land and
territorial rights by the Colombian Government,
from former American joint stock company, by
whom canal was projected across the lsthrhus
IN 1926, was the reservation to the State OF Co
lon bia Of the tolls arising from the work Tor the
first fourteen years; but an English company
| could undoubtedly obtain more suitable terms ny
the immediate purchase of the soil by caneelIlng
a certain portion of the loan, the authorities OF
Colombia being known to be intenty anxious to
preserve the bonds from depreciation, and to pre-
serve their national credit for future loan from
the merchants of England.
To render this great work complete, and to an.
ticipate future opposition from the people OF the
United States, the entire ishmus, or such part
as lies between good natural boundaries, as the
Lake Of Nicaragua on the north, and the river OF
Darien OH the south. narrow tract OF three.
hundred miles in length, should be obtained by
treaty from the Colombian Government, to be
erected into ar English colony, independent OF
the State of Colombia, aud subject to the crown
of England. Some consideration is also due to
the ancient. vet undoubtedly just, claim which
Great Britain possessed upon the isthnus OF Pa.
mama, founded upon the prior possession OF the
province by the Scottish company, under the Rev.
Mr. Patterson. in 1899 The country at that
period was not inhabited by the Spa9iards, but
| bv people entirely hostile to them, and previous
to TIE sailing Of the expedition, the right III the
company was recognized by the Spanish am
bassador al the cnurt uf William the Third; yet
/ the unfortunate c0luniss were attacked. harass-
ed, and at length almost extermlnated, only thr-
ty persons of twelve hundred who composed the
expedition ever returning to Scotland. Inc
| capital subscribed for the purposes OF the com
pany was, therefore, entirely lost, consisting
of the sum Of 9900,O00 Of which 44Oo.Oo0
belonged to the people Of Scotland, 9aOO,oOo
to the English. and e20O, 900 to the people OF
Holland AMI Hamburg.
, The settlement of the company was at the mouth
oil the river of Darien, and the town OF New ga
ledonia still APPEARS upon the ancient charts
The origin. progress, and unfortunate termina-
ton of this noble project, are described by Sir
Memoirs OF Great Britain and ireland, the ruin
of the colonsts being there attributed to the In
justice and prejudces Of William the Third.
There are also great advantages to navigation
connected with the project; Tor the equInoctlal
current and the region of the northeast trade
wind must be crossed from Europe to Porto Bel
10; these are perpetualIy favorable to outward
bound vessels, and the usual lghtness OF the
winds and serenity Of the weather IN this part OF
the Atlantic, are remarkably favorable to steam
navigation. Upon the return voyage to Europe,
the guIph stream flows along the eastern coast of
America to the Azores. and almost TO the coast
of Spain. Moreover. the westerly wind prevails
more than nine months in the year in the lati-
tudes north of the Tropic of Cancer, annually
increasing IN prevalence; and with the progress,
i've clearing of the forests Of America, this will
probably settle intoa trade wind. Thus nature
leads us in an everlasting circle to the east and
to the west, and as, no obstacle is now unconquer-
able to tho science and enterprise OF modern
times. and as theEnslish nation alone possesses
Al 4 e. ~ AL.