Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-05-01


fcen enable Of the the plain south
by the Porto (gate) of Iarfa One Of these hills, the
Del C0nvento, in which the Rio oneza takes its RISE and
thence flows into the Chcapa at San Miguel stands alone
and of its Sides particularly at the north, ces
sunken that through them would be work Of
ease The direct distance between Taa and the river Bo
cabaa through which the lakes the side Of the
is,hmus reach the Pacific, is about thyseven miles On
the southern decvy the principal streams the Rio Osuta
and the Rio Chcapa both of which empty themselves in the
lakes the latter about eighteen miles from the Bocabaa and
nineteen miles from Tarfa All the streams the northern
decivity flow into the Huasacuaco, and that river after
very winding course reaches the Gulf of Mexico about
hundred and five miles from Taria One of its chief tbuta
res is the Maaengo which flows into on its left bank about
ninety direct miles from its mouth or hundred and sixty
miles following its crcuitous bed. The Chicapa, gagged
above San Miguel Chmalapa, by combining several vules
flowing from the central chin, rolls body Of water estimated
about cubic feet per second The Ostua IN
volume five times larger and, which is really remark
abe and indicates thrness OF SOIL this volume of
dmnishes lenghens its distance from its original
source. @ .... ....
The volume of in the Huasacualco is great and Al
the lower part OF lis course would be navgabe for ships Of
any size, for the bar at its mouth The depth Of
upon this bar has been, at different times asceraned
be BY Dampier fourteen feet by Cramer eighteen feet
by Orbegoze feet, by Robinson twenty feet by Moro
twenty feet These differences are exPlanabe with great
probability, by supposng the bar to be nerseced by sub
marine canals ce and the soundngs not to have been
made in the same
At about thy-thee miles from its mouth place
called la Hoqueta, he Fok) the Huasacualco divides into
branches the right and chief of which, the Apotzongo,
of twenty-five miles, and the other, ef
the Mistan course of thirty three mleshey enccle
large island called Tcamchapa Below this island the depth
of water always exceeds twenty-five feet I'D becomes
times thiry-seven thy-cight feet But above the
union of the branches there shadows which il is
thought may be got rid 1t by dammng the Msan La
Horquea Above this latter point the depth decreases
places it is found to be from twenty five to thirty feet
but in general less than twentyone and sinks to
four Two points only however, may be regarded
difficult to overcomehe old Malpaso and the present
paso-the first being between three and four miles below
the confluence of the Malaengo with the Huasacuaco and
the second between nine and ten miles below the first the
confluence of the Rio Sarabria At these points the
rocky character of the rivers bed would make its deepening
difficult.
On the other side of the is,hmus the Bocabarra which
constitutes the pathway between the Pacific and the
lakes agoons into which flow the Chcapa and Os,uta,
depth of about twenty feet but its opening the
lakes INSTRUCTED by bar whose depth of does
exceed nine feet Moro ascbes the original formation of this
bar great degree the fact that formerly Te
huantepec emped itself into the lake, and Of opinion that
removed by artificial contrivances the result would
be permanent He thinks that this removal might be accom-
pished by giving direction to much of the water Of the
Osuta above towards feeding the canal and thus diminishing
the of the the lake. After passing the bar
the depth increases but throughout the eighteen miles
hereabous of distance from the bar to the mouth of the
Chicapa than nineteen feet of water To be had
though modes of augmenng its depth could readily be found
These minute details, translated and transferred from the
French publication already mentioned, and whose accuracy
perceive reason doubt introduced here in order
show that the subject had not been lightly considered They
prove that the principal obstacles to the creation Of ship
channel the thmus the BARS at the respective
mouths of the Huasacuaco and Bocabara Now the bar at
the mouth of the first of these rivers to be mped
its main submarine canal over which twenty
feet of have been found is fixed with accuracy and
marked by lines Of buoys and the bar at the mouth OF the
other river within the lake. removable either in the
suggested by Moro, upon the plan heretofore successfully
pursued under the direction of corps Of typographical
gnees with bars the Of from the north
Ihpn nv ntinpt he
namely the occasional shaowness of the Huasacuaco and
of the lake, either by sinking the bottoms raising the water
and the short dividing swell of land between the Of the
Rio Monetza running south into the Chcapa and the
any of the running north into the Huasacua
co-an uninterrupted water highway is effected. There does
not indeed appear the whole line of this route any diff
Guilty which the of science and mechan
ical art may not yanquish
We should ALL perhaps, prefer canal of large dimensions
fit to accommodate vessels of and the expenditure
for such one having reference the specially de-
scbed is estimated differently from fifteen twenty five mil
lions of dollars. These estimates LIBERAL and proba
bly, exaggerated by imperfect knowledge of the local aids
the presence and cheapness Of material and labor which
would be furnished STILL the highest valuation is in
temptation of the purpose and its ncacuabe results far from
being appalling But il may be that canal much smalet
and, OF less costly would be attended by every sub
ana advantage; and, indeed, i is easy 10 imagine
that consequences sautay and important might flow from
leaving Inducements to the construction Of free cities
the bank Of the Huasacuaco and the other the bank
the Bocabarra the Pacific, erHni railway. II will
appear from careful consideration of the which
may be expected to direct its thoughhs passage that
the number OF vessels of heavy tonnage and deep daugh
would bear small proportion only those of light tonnage
and shallow draught and in all probability, the great add
ona expense incident well to the construction the
keeping Of canal the larger scale would not be repaid
by corresponding advantages Tue average burden Of vessels
from the United States to the ports the Pacific, including
the Sandwich Islands, to China and whaling voyages du-
ring the year ls45-46 short Of 400 and should
doubt WHETHER if this junction effected the burden of
nineeentwenteth of the craft passing through would
coed that engaged IN our coang navigation. canal ade
quate to the perfect accommodation Of the great influx from
country might therefore, outlay of but
millions and ansshpments Of large cargoes, though always
essnconvenent could be Unidentified by the npdiy
Of transit by 1t hardly necessary say that
the American people, in the event of speedy restoration Of
peace will find themselves in circumstances Of extraordinary
prosperity, which will enable them Afford of the
tonal treasury, TO appropriate for five years five millions of
dollars for the SUPERIOR millions for the INFERIOR order
Of canal.
Having given you this sufficiently precise description of the
contemplated work, showing be practicable and nothing
repusve its probable cost let indulge few remarks
upon.
The chief objects TO be attained are, speedy communca
ton between this country and the North and
South America especially with Territories of Oregon and
California easy and quick China, the groups of
settlements and even, before long hope, the tempting and
untouched treasures OF magnificent Japan; and finally, the
facilitating and ensrging of that great Of wealth.
well as nursery Of able seamen, the whale fishery.
Now, cannot resist the impression that this junction
MT he nf