The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-04-26

lgarel OF Tayifa One of these hills, the Del Conrenfo
which the Ro Mona;a taxes rs a se a alons and
on two of its Sides particularly at the hoh' are ee ~
sunk en- that cut through them would be work OF eN
IRENE ease The direct distance between lafiia ana ue
river Rocabarra through which the lakes on the western
side of the sthmus reach the Pacific about thii
miles On the southern decyliy, me pfihcip hinh
empty themselves the lakes the latte about ehieeh
miles from the Bocbaa and nineteen miles from lariia
All the streams on the northern decllvity How INTO me
Uuascualeo and that river after very winding course
reaches the Gulf OF Mexico, about one hundred anu I'VE
miles from Taa One of Its chief tributaries is the Ma
atengo which flows into it on It's left bank about ninety
direct miles from It's mouth, or one HUNDRED ana sAlS
miles following its clrcuilous bed The Chcapa gauged
above San Miguel Chimalapa by combining severalnv-
uets flowing from the central chain, rolls body OF wafer
estimated about twenty two cubic feet per second Inc
Ostua is in volume five or SIX tunes larger and, when
is really remarkable, and indicates extreme thIstness OF
SOIL this volume OF water dimnishes as II engthens It's
distance from its original source
The volume of water in the Huasacualco IS great
and at the lever par, OF its course IT would be ndv
gable for ships OF any size, were 1t not for the par
al its mouth The depth of water upon TINS par
has been, at different times, ascertained to be-
By Dampler fourteen feet BY CEmer, eighteen feet
By Orbegozo fourteen feet By Robinson twenty feet
By Moro, twenty feet These differences are explalna
BILE, with great probability, by supposns the bar TO be
nersected by submarine canals or cles, and the sound
ings not to have been made in the same one
| At about thirty three miles from It's mouth near
place called La Horqueta Qhe fork) the Hnasaclalco
divides into branches, the right and CHIEF OF which,
the Apotzongo runs course OF twenty-five miles, ana
the other left one the Msan course OF about thirty
three miles: they enccle large island called Iecam
chapa Below this island the depth OF wafer always
ceeds twenty-five feel and becomes sometimes thirty
thirty eight but above the reunion OF the two
branches, there shadows which, IT is thought may
be got rid of by dammng the Aisan at La Horqueta.
Above this latter point the depth decreases at some
places is found to be from twenty-five to thirty feet,
but in general it less than twenty one and even sinks
to seven or four. Two points only, however may be
regarded difficult 10 overcomethe Old Mal.riso and
the present Mal-pasothe first being between three and
| ha af fhn
the Huasacuaco and the second between nine and ten
miles below the first al the confluence of the Rio Sara
bria AT these points the rocky character OF the
rivers bed would make It's deepening difficult
On the other side OF the sthmus, the Bocabar, which
constitutes the pathway between the Pacific ocean and
the lakes lagoons into which flow tie Chicap and Os-
tuta has depth of about twenty -four feet but its open
inc on the lakes is obstruced by bar whose depth OF
water does not exceed nine feet Moro ascnbes the
that formerly the river rehuanepec emphed itself into
the lake. and OF opinion that ii It were removed by ar
ticla contrivances the result would be permanent lie
thinks that this removal might be accomplished BY Civ
ing direction much of the water OF the Ostua above,
towards feeding the canal and thus diminishing the force
OF the current in the lake After passing the bar the
depth increases but throughout the eighteen miles,
thereabous of distance from the bar 10 the mouth OF the
Chcapa than nineteen feet of water to be
had though modes OF augmentng its depth could readily
! be found.
These minute details, translated and transferred from
the French publication already mentoned and whose
curacy perceive 10 doubt introduced here
in order to show that the subject had not been lightly
considered They prove that the two principal obstacles to
the creation OF ship channel across the Isthmus are the
at the respective mouths OF the Huasacualco aud
Bocabarra Now, the bar at the mouth OF the first OF
these rivers ceases to be an mpeiment rs soon as It's
main submarine CANAL over which twenty feet OF water
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 is removable either in the manner
suggested by Moro upon the plan heretofore
fully pursued, under the direction OF corps OF Topo
graphical Engineers, with bars at the entrances OF
rivers from the northern lakes. Then, by surrounding
nhcfnr Tho
of the Huasacuaco and of the lake. either by sinking
the bottoms raising the water and the short dividing
swell OF land between the source of the Rio MoneHa
running south into the Chcapa, and the OF any
one of the streams running north into the Huasacualco
an uninterrupted water highway is effected There does
not, indeed, appear the whole line OF this route any
difficulty which the present OF science and
mechanical art may not quish.
We should all, perhaps, prefer canal OF large dmen
sons, fit TO accommodate vessels OF every size and the
expenditure for such having reference to the route
specially described, estimated differently from fifteen
9 twenty FIVE millions Of dollars These Sc estimates are
knowledge of the local aids in the presence and cheap
ness OF material and labor, which would be furnished.
STILL the highest valuation is, in contemplation of the
purpose and its incacuabe results, far from being APP
palGng But it may be, that canal much smaller and,
of less costly would be attended BY every subsan
tla advantage; and, indeed, it is easy to imagine
that consequences very salutary and important might
flow from leaving inducements to the construction of two
free cities on the bank of the Huasacuaco and the
other on the bank OF the Bocabarra, the Pacific,
termin, to railway. 1t will appear from careful consd
Grafton of the which may be expected direct lis
through this passage that the number Of vessels of
heavy tonnage and deep draught would bear small pro-
portion only to those of light tonnage and shallow
draught; and in all probability the great additional
pense incident well to the construction the keep
up OF canal the larger scale would not be repaid
by corresponding advantages The average burden of
vessels from the United States to the ports the Pacific,
including the Sandwich Islands, to China, and whal
ing voyages, during the year 1915 46, short of
100 tons; and should doubt whether, if this junction
effected the burden of nineteen wenteths of the
craft passing through it would exceed that engaged in
Coastng navigation A canal adequate to the perfect
accommodation of the great influx from our own coun-
try might therefore, exact an outlay OF but ten millions;
and transhpments Of large cargoes, though always
less nconvenient, could be Unidentified BY the rapdy
of transit by seamp power 1t is hardly necessary to say
that the American people, in the event OF speedy
ration of peace will find themselves circumstances of
extraordinary prosperity which will enable them to af-
ford, of the national treasury, TO appropriate for five
years five millions of dollars for the superior, two mil
| lions for the Inferior order of canal
i Having given you this sufficiently precise description
OF the contemplated work showing it to be practicable
and nothing repulsve in its probable COST let indulge
/ in few remarks OF more general character rather
hints for you to mediate upon.
The chief objects TO be attained are speedy
nicaton between this country and the western coasts OF
North and South America, especially with territories
of Oregon and California; easy and quick
China, the groupes of the South archipelago, the
Sandwich Islands, Russian settlements and before
long hope, the tempting and untouched treasures OF
magnificent Japan; and, finally, the facilitating and
arging of that great of wealth, well nursery
| of able seamen, the whale fishery.
Now, cannot resist the impression that this junction
of the two at the isthmus OF Tehuanepec would
Amerlcanze this vast and augmentng portion of the
commerce of the world Ii would give to the people of
the United States the Overwhelming advantage of an