The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-06-09
BY THE M Ais,
Affairs in WASHINGTON.

WAsHIScTos, June Z, 1917
Change IN the policy of the
thereor-7He L,fhmus Of Tshuontepse
There Is no idea than that the Mexi-
is to be carried on by square and compass
that the plan of to-day may not be modified by the cir
cumstances Of to- that rule of action based
upon imperfect information may not be
superseded by plans resulting from information moro
authentic and positive 1t would be idle to assert that
policy towards Mexico has been uniform In its de-
tails 1t has been from time to time unavoidably al
tered according to circumstances II is impossible that
1t should have been otherwise When the broke
out there authentic information In this country
with regard to Mexico. Her very roads unknown
to usthe character of her people entire mystery
The books which had been written the subject
worse than useless-ther statements being either wholly
conjectura or 30 much perverted by prejudice b.
entirely unworthy of credit In pushing the war to the
capital the administration obliged to feel ts way the
whole distance. As an instance Of the wsrhessness OF
the works written Mexco will state that at one time
the War Department on tho concordant authority of
TWO or three OF these works had determined to send an
expedition from Tampico to San Luis Potosi but the OBJ
servations instituted to determine the practicabty Of
the scheme showed that the road was 10 ar
tilery or wheeled vehicles The plan was Of course
abandoned 1t is but just to say the Secretary Of War
never had any confidence in it's practcability
|
Of the army and navy Vera Cruz and San Juan dc
Ula should be made under the conduct of Commodore
Stewart and General Scott but circumstances highly
honorable to Commodore Stewart and the Secretary
the Navy prevented the accomplishment of the design
so far as the navy concerned In letters
In December last mentioned this fact and at that time
an arrangement not only contemplated but actually
in progress to place Commodore Stewart in command of
the Gulf squa This would have prevented all the
awkwardness of relieving Commodore Connor, by a
transfer of his command to Junior officer The most
exalted motives prompted Commodore Stewart to de-
cline the command.
Thus In many instances has the policy Of the admin.
straton been changed according the exgency Of the
moment have frequently declared 1t the purpose
of the administration to acquire by treaty the right of
way the Isthmus of Tehuantepec This deteri-
nation made under the impression that has pre-
vailed for years, that that strip Of land is the most
practicable for ship canal But it has been since
cerained that there is strong to doubt II 1t be
the most practicable point for the proposed cutting In
deed there to believe that is not
tcabe the very favorable report Of the
engineers OF Don de Garay to whom the Mexican
government in 1912, granted the exclusive privilege
of cutting the canal, which report however, was
made under circumstances forbidding anything ap-
proxmating to precision. The fact is, the COM
mission appointed by Don Jose de Gary, that
occasion employed to report favoraby, and they
fulfilled their mission. The grant secures to NJ. De
Garay, remuneration for the expense Of the work,
| the establishment Of the of transport with
the right Of tolls for fifty years and the propretorship
of ten leagues of the waste lands either side the canal
Should the communication by a ship canal the
Isthmus Of Tehuantepec he found to be impractcsbe
our government will not insist upon right Of way
for it would be unwse to clog important nego
| tiat wit an Ia mot true
however that this contemplated stipulation has been al
ready abandoned. As to Lower CALIFORNIA; it would be
valueless except for ports the Guof Cali
fornia but it would great deal Of trouble If
could procure both California; is to be feared the
boundary line would not be well o'servedin country
where there is very sparse popuistion.
GALVIENSIS.