The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-05-25
MISCELLANEOUS.
From The National Iateiiigencer
CENT RAJ AMERICA.
BY o. W. MoNTGoMERY.

=
The Territory called Central America ex-
tends from the eighth to the eighteenth degree
Of north latitude, and is bounded on the north
ny Mexico and the Bay Of Honduras on the
east by the Caribbean Sea and Veragua and
on the west and south by the Pacific ocean (;
| may be considered as great isthmus, Sc
parating the Atlantic from the Pacific, and
connecting the two grand divisions OF Spanish
America. This list mus presents coast-line
Of nearly thousand miles on either side. It's
breadth from sea to sea in no place exceeds
four hundred miles, and ut the narrowest point
is scarcely one hundred
The situation of this country is peculiarly
favorable for commercial interc curse with
every other part Of the world. On the south
western side its shores are washed by the Pa
Gtic; and the whole of the northern border
hes opento the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mex-
60. Both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts are
ndented with numerous bays and harbors, Of
which the principal is the Bay Of Honduras,
in the latter sea, comprising the ports of Trux
lilo, Izabal, and Omoa, and communicating
with the interior by means Of river which
leads up to the lake called Colo duce, already
described. In the same bay is situated the
port Of 81. Thomas, OF which mention has also
been made in another part Of this narrative.
On the Pacific shore is the bay Of Conchagua,
and the ports Of la Union, Realejo, Sonsonate,
and Istapa, Of which, the latter is the nearest
to Guatemala, but is only a roadstead, and by
no means sale, owing to the heavy swell con-
stanty rolling in from the ocean.
The most considerable Of the Central Ame-
rican islands are Bonaca and Ruatan, in the
bay Of Honduras; the Archipelago Of Chiri-
qui, in the Caribbean sea and the islands in
the bay Of Conchagua, in the south.
The principal rivers are the Usumasina,
which falls into the bay or Campeachy the
Polochie,whic discharges itself into the Colo
dulce; the Balize. the Hondu, and the Mota-
qua, also called the Gaulan, which flow into
the bay Of Honduras the Pasa, Lempa, and
Esclavos, which contribute to the Pacific
These rivers are navigable for many miles in
to the interior. There are others OF less note,
which are not navigabIe. The country also
abounds in warm and medicinal springs.
The lakes most deservidg Of notice are
those called Colo dulce. or Great Fresh Wa
ter Lake OF Isabal, and Amattan, which have
been mentioned before, and especially the
great lake of Nicaragua, which is connected
with that of Leon.
The lake Of Nicaragua is situated in the
province Of that name, at distance Of about
a hundred miles from the Atlantic ocean, with
which 1t communicates by the river st. Juan.
This river is now considered the most advan-
tageous and most practicable point for esta-
bishing a connexion between the two oceans.
II is believed to be navigable for vessels of
three or four feet draught from its port to the
lake, and for vessels of twice that depth as far
as the point where the falls commence, which
are the great difficulty TO be surnounted..-
The surface of the lake, according to the
statement Of Spanish engineer who execut-
ed survey in 1881, is forty-six feet above the
level Of the Pacific; its depth, about fifteen
fathoms. The distance from that sea to the
southwestern extremity Of the lake Of Leon.
which communicates, as before stated, with
that of Nicaragua, is, by the report Of the said
engineer, fifteen geographical miles, and the
intervening land is said to be sufficiently level
to admit Of the opening Of canal that should
unite those lakes with the Pacific.
Should the grand work Of uniting the wa
tiers OF the two oceans be undertaken and &C
complished, u revolution would be caused in
the commercial world, attended with results
in the highest degree beneficial to the inhabi.
tants of both hemispheres. This part of the
continent would become the great thorough
fare of nations and Central America would
at once rise to an importance, both CONNER
cial and political, which otherwise she never
can attain.
Proposals for opening this communication
was made by company of English mer-
chants in 1924. The following year, similar
proposals. were made by some merchants Of
the United Suites. But in neither case does
it appear that any specific attention was given
to the subject by the Government Of the
country. Subsequently, proposition to the
same effect was made by the Dutch, which
was admitted, and the King of the Neither.
lands was to be stakeholder to the amount oil
one-half Of the capital that might be invested.
But, from whatever cause, this plan also fell
through, and matters remain in the same state
as before.