Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-12-02

UNION OF THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEANS
The company chartered by tine Government of
New Grenada to construct ship canal connect
ing The Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, have compile
ted their surveys, made Il road over the lshmus,
and are proceeding TO make the Canal. An au-
thcnlic account in the Cincinnati Chronicle saws
The company hnying completed temporary or
provisional road from the Bay of Charera, on the
Pacific to the town OF Chagres, on the Atlantic
ocean, is not only freed from the necessity of re-
curing additional time, but the republic of New
Grenada could not refuse it without violating IT'S
engagements, since the company has completed
its contract before the expiration of the time
limited for the construction ofany communication
whatever. Besides this, it has caused The whole
country through which the projected CANAL is TO
pass, AS well as all the rivers and wa,er,courses
which must contribute TO it, TO be thoroughly ex-
plored.
These explorations, conducted with great talent
by the engineer, MereI, have demonstrated that
the ls,hmuS OF Panama. instead OF being ridge
oil rocks, as many gcograPhrrs have described it.
is, on the contrary, valley from four thirteen
miles in width, and scattered over with conical
heights of from twenty TO sixty feet elevation
which on the east aud west rest upon low chains,
varying from 10 10 AIS feet IN height. Among
these small concal heights wind in all directions
various streams and rivers which descend from
the examinations of the Andes and unite in two
principal channels. The one, which is the river
Chagres throws itself into the Caribbean Sea
The other, called the Rio Grande, flows toward The
Pacific Ocean. The dividing country between
these rivers has an elevation of only thirty seven
feet above the highest known level of the sea or
siXly-ionr feet above low tides the food tides
sometimes attaining height of twenty seven feet
The excavation or cutting necessary TO unite the
Atlantic aud Pacific Oceans, by means of the riv-
e. Vine Tinto, BerGar'line, aud Fhzfan, is only
twelve miles aud half; the fall will he regulated
by four double locks Of 1873 feet in length The
whole OF the projected canal viii be 40 miles in
length, 1876 feet in breadth ut the surface of the
WATER and 90 feet nj the bottom, 20 feet in deplh
md will be navlgaIje for vessels of from 1000 to
ll0O tons All the rivers which are TO serve MS
par in the canal have at the lowest water, Il
depth varying from to 10 feet they will he swept
aud cXcayaied To depth Of 20 feet, and kept AZ
that depth by means OF two guard locks The
country through which the canal win pass, pre-
senIs clayish and coay soil, with no rock cxcep,
at the mouth Of the Chngres where the formation
is so saly That it will present no obstacle
although The construction ofthe canal of Pana-
ma viii require no purchases of land and no out
lay Tor stone, lime ur cement, all which materials
are TO he found on the spot, still the company has
not hesIaled TO estimate lis cost a, the highest
OF constructing such works, as those, for example,
OF tie Cacdonlnn Canal of Scotland and the II1u-
isve Canal-lle rate of 352 900 francs, or about
S66, 10y per mile; so that the AZ miles of canal
properly so called will cost l4Sll 800 francs, or
about $2,77S,Gl5 In these estimates are included
tho cost OF four steam low boats, two folding bril-
ges of cast iron, lao feet in length and several
smaller ones.
This junction Of The two oceans, by bringing
the islands of The Pacific, China Japan, australia
Borneo, SumaIra, &c, some 1000 leagues nearer
TO us, by rendering The navigation of the ocean
less dangerous, less expensive and more expedi.
tious, will effect great revolution in the COM
merce ofthe whole world, n revolution OF which
a..
other nations.
"TME is MONEY So Franklin observed. 1t
is very lrne, and some people lake plenty of il 10
pay their debls.-.N o. Pic.
SPIcr PuN.-The following toast was given at
dinner in The nutmeg producing State OF Con-
neciicut:
q Ihe NtLnea .SLnLe Mhara shall We fnL n