The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-06-14
The Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

The annexed description of the lsthmus of Tehuante-
pee we have extracted from communication to the
About midway betwixt Vera Cruz and Tabasco is a
point at which the two oceans approx nearly to
each other that the isthmus is only about 100 miles In
breadth This is the lsthmus of Tehuantepec and is
Of the points at which 1t has been ascened be
practicable to unite them by means Of ship canal
Should the progress Of result In the
of the State Of Vera Cruz in its entire extent to the
quered territory should be in possession of that por
ton of the isthmus whose waters flow into the Cuff of
Mexico and the remaining portion, that situated
the Pacific decvity could be taken possession of by
very small force the country being too sparsely nhab
tied to afford much material for resistance Then should
treaty of peace establish quiet possession of these
the Sierra nadre, which only bounds this valley
the West but also skirts the State
of Vera Crus and which, s impossible except at part
cuar points, would form q much natural and suit
able national boundary than any river the globe
to the Pacific Ocean ut this point and leave
us in possession Of territory with which, In point Of
importance to New Mexico and California sink into
insignihcance. | mean the Isthmus Of Tehuantepec.
Having passed through this country in 1885, I can
give something of ts physical features, its SOIL eli
Importance in political military and commercial point
Of view, must be apparent to all 1t il country of
passing beauty and loveness Of exceeding fertility of
soil well watered with the exception Of locations
on the Gulf coast; very healthy, and what Is of
transcendent Importance and constitutes OF its
greatest attractions Is the facts that by division
Into low valley plain and high table land, and
the different degrees of temperature belonging to
each, all the various climates and productions of the
earth found in proximity to each other and
parated by only few hours ride My route lay Thu ough
the village ofTehuanepec nearths Pacific Ocean thence
la southeast direction parallel with the coast On my
left visible in the distance the first ridge of noun
tains. The country betwixt this and the is
inclined plane, which, at very short distances
numerous streams Of pure and lmpd water af-
fording nDumerabs sites for machinery Here the eli
mate is suitable to the production Of sugar, coffee
indigo VANILLA pineapples oranges lemons plan
tans and all other tropical fruits. At Tonala left
the coast and assembled into the interior passing in
two three hours, from hot to COOL pleasant eli
mate where cochinea wheat rye OATS barley, apples
peaches pears cherries plums and all northern fruits
find suitable climate and grow luxuriantly. q might
here remark that many parts Of Mexico abound in
great variety Of the most delicious fruits which, from
their great decacy incapable Of being transported
and therefore unknown in the United States
name Here the climate il delightfully."- cool and plea
SAINT all the year round. The vcisstudes common to
country and and winter witness about the
temperature Hence 1t Is that the low and hot
sly are extremely healthy for the remote cause
to very limited extent; being supplied to about the
same extent at all times Of the year the system becomes
mains In health. Tshuantspec contains about 5000 and
Tonas about $500 inhabitants. Neither Of them would
afford practice enough TO support physican. This
remey healthy condition Of tropical country il no.
thing unusual country Ii not necessarily unhealthy
because situated In tropical climate The city OF
Leon situated in the low and hot country of Central
America, contains 10 600 inhabitants medical prac-
tics Of more than year gave mo good opportunity to
judge OF Its health Two physicians could have done all
the practice Of the place. and not than per
cent Of the that occurred were Of febrie cha
racter.
This country in possession Of the United States and
In the enjoyment Of the blessings Of and security
Ango-Saxon enterprise and capital woud execute
the work Of uniting the two by means Of ship
canal and the sthmus of Tehusntepec would grow
pdly In Importance and become Of the most into
resting and important portions Of the American cont
nent The advantage and Importance Of Its position
would be incacuable; situated between the two
and In the very highway Of the Of the world
with soil Of such erhuberant fertility climate
genial to health varying In temperature in different
Situations and suited to all the various productions Of
the EARTH 1t would attract rapid emigration, and soon
become the seat Of dense and thriving population.
The Importance to the United States union Of the
Atlantic with the Pacific ocean, by ship canal passing
through its territory and thus made exempt from
the contingencies pertaining to foreign possession In
the event Of war with a powerful maritime nation,
must be apparent to all Botton would be brought TO
within 800 miles by water Of the mouth Of the CO.
umba river in Oregon and by steam at the rate Of nf
teen miles per hour allowing two days for passing
through the canal could be reached In eighteen days
from Now Orleans the distance by water would be 1890
miles and at the rate the voyage could be made In
WE'VE days Canton could be reached from New Or
leans In forty days less The vast Of China
ana the East Indies and the islands Of the Pacific being
tnus Invested OF half distance and three fouiths OF Its
would yield more speedy returns and greater pro-
nj ana open to the enterprise Of citizens boundess
thus established with those countries an impetus would
gwen 10 the cause of civilization such ms IL has not
before received since the dawn the Christian era
senng 10 our people attractions and advantages that
wou9 the hand Of the disunonist and cement
cur siorous Union more firmly together The Eastern
chusetts now rampant with unpatriotc ardor and big
WIN the elements OF disunion, would DO directly bene-
nted BY being thus brought into closer 10 the
best market In the world for her products