Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-04-19

Third Letter off, c. PICKETT, Esq.,, late Charge
dafaires Of the United States al Peru, South
america, on the Canal 10 connect the Aflanfic
and Pacific Oceans, at the Isthm,ts of Panama.

/ s1WeTfcu, on me CUHM 10 c0IWect me IHuHftt
and Pacific Oceans, at the Isthanas OF Panama
LIMA SEPTEMBER 80, 1874.
DEAN Sin After sending you communications respect
ing shpcanal across the Isthmus of Panama, certainly dt
not contemplate sending third but yet dot why,
proceed to state.
There has been lately published here letter from
the engineers about year ago by the French Govern
explore and survey the Ishmus with reference tn.
construction of artificial communications it. This gen
tleman says in substance that canal is g work of very
possible execution and much easy than that Of many
canals in Europe y that il will be from seventy five eighty
thousand metres in length, little ess(eghy thou
sand metres about fifty miles that in crossing the 18th
mus, must be carried to the height Of about 1870 metres
about 42s feet which may be reduced by deep-cut the
summit 10 metres, about $50 feet that forty locks will
be necessary each slope omthe summit that the high
elevation there Of water that will serve to feed
the canal but that abundant supply be easy" OBJ
tanned by constructing artificial reservoirs which will be filled
during the rainy season.
The engineer gives further detailsno estimates Of the
cost of the canal Of the time required to complete it,
any thing saying very properly that his report must be first
made to the Minister who confded his mission him. and
that besides he had not finished and adjusted all his cacua-
tons He tells the Governor however, that when every
result of the exploration and survey will be communicated
suppose that the engineer is speaking without doubt of
shpcana for he calls it ocean-cana Canal oceaico
and speaks of ships nauio passing throughh The letter
published in Spanish It may be premature to make any
remarks upon what the engineer has said in hasy and
formal note, until his final report is made and ii may be
little lberal to hazard any criticisms at present But STILL
the letter is to curious and interesting and the deduc
tons opposite what should have anticipated from the
data given, that having scrubbed somewhat about this
shp-canal abstain from making few observations
holding myself ready confess and to react any
may fall nto and to make all possible amends to the eng
neer, should do him any injustice, having not the slightest
doubt Of his ZEAL industry and ability for which French
gineers celebrated.
The length Of the canal will not exceed fifty miles, and the
greatest elevation to be is four hundred and twenty
eight feet reducbe three hundred and sixty, by Of
sixty eight feet This elevation is much greater than
pected would be- having supposed that route for canal
might be found through the goges Of the hills and through the
valleys elevation much less than that given of
Mistaken the actual survey demonstrates but what
the consequence Why 1.-THE obstacles the consruc
ton of shpcanal which had assumed to be almost il
quite nsumounabe ascened to be really much great
than had imagined. Todig shpcanal of fifty miles in
length the Ishmus through which vessels Of ten
twelve hundred tons burden could pass and which would
quire depth Of water of about twenty feet supposing little
elevation be overcome seemed to to be gigantic
undertaking but when turns that there elevations
Of than four hundred feet which the canal be
carried, really appears be almost contemplating
mpossibiiy. French science and French enterprise
achieve much, know. Great things the way of internal
improvements have been done by France and by Frenchmen
during the present century but all that has been accomplish
ed, including Napoeons great road the Simpon has
been but chlds play compared with this canal, which the
engineer be "more easily constructed than
many canals in Euopein which opinion if he is speaking
of shipcanal, ! fear he greatly deceives himself
is not necessary to be engineer in order 10 know that
the digging of canal for twenty feet ofwater, through level
country, and under the most favorable circumstances healthy
climate abundance of provisions and cheap labor must be
very expensive necessary be engineer to know
that the expense must be vastly augmenedtwo three
four, ve-od-when the circumstances unfavorable
climate, if not unhealthy, certainly hot and enervang, and
favorable the generation Of disease when persons crowd
ed together canals when being constructed rough
broken, and rocky country hills Of small height to be
mounted and labor provisions, supplies of all kinds with the
exception Of some tropical productions perhaps DEAR would
be the case the shmus More than half of the excavation
may be safely assumed would have be made in hard solid
rock and the expense of the fifty miles, the deepcu the
taists even whose wealth be inexhausbe for it
has stood many heavy draugh, and still to be
flowing and undminshed What that cost would be can be
very little better than guess, and that very one
scarcely enough the truth to be called approximation
and it does not appear that it will be possible
with every appliance Of science, industry and experience
and with all the data obtained obtanabe make thing
like urate and satisfactory estimate of the of the
work. There is not believe, within the tropics, any thing
much resembling canal to furnish data upon which
base the necessary calculations and deduce the of it
from the cost Of canals in Europe and the United States
though making large allowances for the diversity of ccum-
stances, would be, with all possible caution, still extremely
uncertain mode of arriving satisfactory result The
ngenes be and provided for in the the
would be far numerous and embarrassing, and expen-
sve than engineer any body else would be likely TO
suppose.
now repeat what have said to you in former letter
believe that in making canal the Tsthmus much will not
be found there except earh water rock and timber all the
personnel must from abroadevery engineer superu-
endent mechanic laborer nearly every one that
the exceptions will be very few indeed great part of the
provisions too must be mporeda the iron be used, all
the tools, all the wagons, all the CARTS &c. And is my
opinion that the scanng and boards that will be needed
will cost less if brought from the United States than if pre-
neither sawms (nor mills Of any knd) roads, and
to erect and to make these would be very expensive Besides
all the apparatus, implements and supplies, nearly ALL that
would be needed for colony be provided for
those who engage in the auous and gigantic undertaking Of