Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-05-01
THE IsTHMUs OF TEHUANTEPEC.
rnon raE rnllApEIru1A srlnIr o. rnE r1nEs.


for il an attentive and thoughtful perusal
WASHINGTON, MARcH l6, lS47.
Mr Dean Sir am surprised that you have been at
acted by the hints and paragraphs which have appeared in
the newspapers and only regret that in answering your
quiries fully you insist upon, shall be obliged to make
pretty large draugh your patience The truth is the
subject is not which be satisfactorily handled by
generates and in order to meet your desire and expeca-
tons, have been obliged to examine with somewhat
than heretofore II has expanded under this process
til quite shall be tedious in following YOU
The with Mexico should be turned TO good account.
1t may be made produce consequences far important
than the acquisition of territory If properly ended it
must lead TO almost boundess enlargement of
to channels and spheres of ade and great
kets for produce and manufactures The peo-
pie by single and energetic movement of their Government
be placed in the of all competition in securing
the peace accommodating the wealth. and extending the ciyi-
zaion Of the world.
Such results do not generally flow from wars Military
glory indicated honor present power and security and per-
hap widened limits the best effects usually expected II
true these valuable but the attainment of what
referred to would overshadow them in magnitude perma-
nency ...
1t would be understood that one of the objects at
which the Government will aim when negotiating peace with
Mexico Is the purchase OF much SOIL the
so much rreyocabe jurisdiction may enable unite by
canal railway the Atlantic and Pacific the 18TH
mus 1ehuantepec. And this, conceive, if promptly and
vigorously carried out be followed by
whose vaness and benecence be easily exaggerated
The subject of extreme interest," and deserves be unver
sally as well as accurately appreciated will therefore, make
some remarks and compile some facts in illustration OF and
do rapidly imperative engagements will allow,
because am deeply impressed with the conviction that this
Mexican war (Which may possibly be brought to early
cose) offers the golden opportunity which, if neglected. may
never return. ...
To abdge the ted and dangerous voyage round Cape
Horn and give to navigation direct and safe to the
eastern shores of the Pacific has been vote scheme for
centuries OF scientific exploration and of mercantile hope. For
long time its pacticabi any point disputed. The
best inquiries left it in doubt Every portion of the
continent of America has undergone examination has, for
WHILE been regarded with preference and has again been
abandoned Difficulties sprang up to EACH and compa
Of their relative advantages affected more less by the
OF the respective engineers and explorers to render the
junction of the two specially sevceabe to their
countries excited apprehensions as to all Still am album
dainty satisfied that the project is not only practicable, but
practicable under the joint auspices Of the United States and
Mexico, at moderate cost and within a short time.
Fire routes for crossing have attracted special notice. l.
By The iahmus Of Panama 2. By the isthmus Of Darien
3. By the lake Of Nicaragua A. By The riper Afrao, from
the gulf o. Daien, running south through Choco, in New
Grenada until nearly meets the San Juan, which empes
itself into the Pacific the port Of Charambio. And 5. By
The isthaus IF Ieuanepec OF these it may gen
ea be said that the the sthmus of Panama and
the by the lake of Nicaragua have been heretofore
explored and most approved In 1905 Baron Humboldt who
enumerated four additional routes, discouraged to that
by Panama. because of eleua0n and RDei
had erer get been executed in that ihmus; and from all
the information he could procure appeared To him that the
expectation OF ship channel by canal that sthmus
sought to be completely abdnd0ned" Since that period,
however, the topography of the region has been carefully and
closely investigated Steam power and railways have become
a1unctve elements for calculation and arrangement and
cusons much favorable well better founded, may
be drawn. In 1925 we-reasoned but still imperfect
judgment favor of the Panama published and
others have since appeared but the and far the
nlnst in he
abstract of report made TO Mr. Guizo the Minister Of Fo
reign Affairs by Napoleon Carroll engineer in chief attached
to the royal mining corps in is45, and to set out reec
far uniting Ms Atlantic and Pacific by canal across
the thnus Of Panama" In 1929 g. A. Thompson, d.
pomac agent Of the British Government published his OE
fetal piSf 10 Guatemala !" and he therein describes the
route by the lake Of Nicaragua and the various steps which
had been taken Tin ls25 well by the King Of the Neither
lands by great banking houses in England with the egs-
ative sanction and aid of the local Government to form
yigabe communication between the by of
that lake and the river San Juan. This mode Of eecting
the object has commended ITSELF after critical scrutiny,
many Others and seems be somewhat favored by r. Camp
bell Scaret British traveller, in his lively work South
America and the Pacific printed in 1898.
You cannot however, be benefited by my considering fur
ther infinitely the facilities difficulties of the Panama and
Nicaragua routes Whatever may be the superiority of their
advantages not in such relation to them make
OF the slightest practical to enter deliberately into their
development Let me fix your attention exclusively the
route by the isthmus of Tehuanepeca route which, pac
tcabe on almost any TERMS must recommend itself all
Others by being were, the very outlets of
ries, commercial threshold.
This route through Mexican territory. commences
at the mouth Of river called the Huasacuaco emptyng itself
into the southern section of the Gulf of Mexico thence
takes generally southern and direction until reaches
Taria, at which town canal railroad begins; and the
route with continues in the western lakes
which then furnish direct highway the river, the city, and
the Gulf OF Tehuantepec the Pacific The topography Of
this isthmus has been investigated with some care it might
indeed be unwse to begin practical operations without fresh
and thorough survey but enough is known to render quite
certain that the communication be opened without
sonabe expenditure of labor money.
The width of the shmus from the mouth of the Huasacualco
on the Mexican gulf to the shores of the Pacific at ehuan
epec about hundred and thry-fye miles. The CEN
trail mountainous chain which, conormaby 10 its relative
son throughout both Americas is much to tie Pa
which continues from Santa Maria Patapa Mgueide CHI
naanpa for distance Of about twenty five miles summit
level plain formed whose flow NORTH and whose
boundaries at the south and southeast arc chain Of small
bills called Cros thghands Of Maand, and Of Espin0so
which separate the flowing north from those flowing
south, and between which, there passages such
as the Porfio (gate) Of Chirola, and the Poro Of T
Streams starting from this space of depression in the great
mountainous ridge and running north empty themselves in
the Huasacualco those running south empty themselves in
the Chcapa, which in discharges itself the lakes
Tehuanepec and both Of these rives-Huasacu
alco and Chcapa-which may bc employed in eectng the
transit across the lsihmus by uniting them either by canal
a railway, or good macadamzed road.
This route for the junction pointed by Fernando
Cortez the conqueror long the year SEQ Indeed
all the three principal routes TO which have referred
Panama and bv