Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-11-18

expected that the efforts Europe to do 90 will At This t,a
be suspended abaed Notwithstanding as far back a. ,b
days oil Herman Cortez il thought possible and
dent TO unite the two oceans by ship canal across the 18th
mus OF Panama, and that since that nearly every civil
lied Government has talked Of doing vet even now The
idea OF doing so is not finally abandoned The French Gov
eminent has made recent exploration the route across the
shmus, from which appears that the whole distance will
DC about AZ miles In LENGTH of which 335 are between
Chagres and the Pacific u between the Chaeres and the
bay OF simon and about six along the bed Of the river itself
M uarela, the commissioner who made the examination
thinks that canal ~ feet inches deep, l46 feet inches
wide at water surface Ga feet wide at bottom with noe
four locks to reach the summit level may be constructed
but he recommends " the magnificent experiment. of budino
unue through the mountain of heigh. sufficient 10 permt
the passage OF vessels with 100 feet Of mast sandn anil
three miles and one third in length lie estimates the total
expense OF the work at l25 millions of francs or fire million,
| sterling.
j. e. Pickett, Esq, our late Charge dAIares to Peru in
series OF letters written to the Corresponding Secreav az
the National Institute has expressed the belief that to make
this canal across the lshmus, 81 likely puzzle the nre
nuiy OF all Chstendo " and the most of us concur in this
opinion But still it may be well consider whether it il
not possible AMI, possible, whether some of the European
Governments may not attempt and actually IT, while
we are talking OF this railroad unless we act speedily and
enegecay 10 impress the necessity Of this upon The coun-
try Is the chief object of these letters
Although have declined to give decided preferences for
any of the routes south of Whineys am still inclined to
ae belief that the st Louis will combine more atyan
ages than auy other yet proposed II very evident that
ie cies OF new fork Boston, Philadelphia and Baltimore
must continue 10 be the chief commercial empouns of tho
East Cincinnati, Louisville, and ST. Louis Of The West and
New Orleans and Charleston Of the South, while Buffalo and
Chicago will maintain that position in the NORTH or The Lake
regions The great object to be accomplished ia this Ma.
onai road will be to give to each of these cities fair OPP
pouny share its trade which only be done by ma
KING lis eastern terminus at such point will give them all
me means OF Eeschngt and, this being done all portions Of
the country viii be embraced.
believe It now conceded that any line Of railroad conmu-
nlcatlon which shall the Allegheny Mountains connect
ipg the Eastern cities with the Western States must pass
through the State OF Ohio and that quite probable that
road will be built from Charleston to Louisville as from
Charleston to Memphis. There is contemplated and in
progress roads from the most Of the prominent points Ohio
Indiana and Illinois, which will connect with both these roads
and with 81 Louis. By the time the New York roads are
continued around the slope of Lake Erie into Ohio or the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad finished 10 Wheeling or Par
kersburg the roads in progress through Ohio will unite
with both of them and these will be connected with
those of Indiana and Illinois, which will pass from ST. Lonis
10 Cincinnati and Louisville. IT. therefore, ST Louis shall
be the point, branch to Memphis will accommodate the
Southern region if Memphis shall be- one to ST. Louis
will accommodate the North and Eas-Itt.e Rock in Ar
kansas, being the dverging point.
Respectfully, &c. X. w. THOMPSON.