Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-05-17
THF ISTHMUS LINE TO THE PACIFIC.
Extract from LieIt MAURY'S Letter to Hon. Scion
Borland dated.
I'll


But the great difficulty does consist in cutting the
continent in two: il consists in galnng access from the
sea TO and from The highway AT Darien there is
safe anchorage sith sufficient both Sides On
this side have Navy Bay,'' by the old Spanish
NAME the Bay Tor 74s; also Puerto Bello, the "beau
tul harhur On the other. there The sale roadsead
Of Panama. The distance in direct line from
the head of Navy, 'Dmon Bay to Panama is rather
less than 45 miles, which, about onethrd the distance
across Iehuantepec. The distance there In direct line
from sea to sea being SO miles.
From New York and the Atlantic ports. Navy Bay is
little further IN point Of dls'ance-say lOO mles-than
The mouth Of tire Coat zacoacos and is Propoonaby
further in time also.
But suppose, for the of running the parallel
that The harbors Of Tehuantepec were as good those
of Darien; that had The right of way Tehu
anepec as well Dren, and that it were left TO the 60
'ernment and people Of the United States to select Ell
Their une of the for commercial highway which
one of the two would he conducive of the general
Understanding general interest the welfare of
| the whole country3
| This is the point which now prefer to consider
But IN the consideration and discussion Of it, wish it to
be borne 10 mind that do not for moment lose sight
OF railroad through our country from the Nissis
sipn valley TO the Pacific ocean. This is work which
mo public Will have later, and any other
across the country hIld rinate to this Therefore
In running The parallel between Iehuantepec and Daren
shall take for granted thai the Mississippi and Cali
Orna railroad will be in process of construction at
as postulae.
Bearing this p,stulate and these facts in mind the
question may be asked, what, since we are have a
railroad through our country do want with a
portage the neck Of land between the Ocean?-
ins-We want it for the transportation Of those articles
Of merchandise which cannot pay freight the rail
road 800 hundred miles long, but which would find il
cheaper to pay the portage the Isthmus than 10
incur the treg and lime Of passage around Cape Horn
lhls merchandise would consist of the products u the
whale fishery in the Pacific which in bone and OIL
10 five millions and half Of dollars per annum
1t would consist of cotton and wooen goods and the
er manufactures of all descriptions for which the mer-
chant can find markets in any of the ports of Pa
cc America 1t would consis also of butter and cheese
bread, and such like perishabe articles for the Pa
CHIC Squadron. that have seen condemned and thrown
into the at Calao and Valparaiso, by the ship load
owing the damages incurred in the long and hserous
voyage around Cape Horn These of the prin-
cpa articles only. for if into details night
make list of them long the manifest on board
Of the ships fox Califurnia which told are
many aihoms long.
Navy Bay and Coatzacoalcos are about the same dis
lance In point of time from he Atlantic States But to
the Gull States. to California and Oregon, Tehuantepec
much nearer This fact it The onlv one upon
which the choice Of routes hinges. would be decisive
But unorl nnatey Tehuanepec affords no harbors and
right of way, and if j; did, there other points up
which a right decision Of the question would turn
Comm unlcaon is wanted. apprrhend, to other mar
kets besides those Of California. There are the Sonth
American Republics which border the Pacific with
their eight millions of people. all Of whom things
thar have 10 sell Panama is to them nearer by many
days sale under than Tehuanlepec.
sailing vessel from New Orleans might deliver her
cargo at Navy Bay aud return with another before one
cond be sent under canvass via Tehnanlepec 60 Pana
ma, uncertain the winds in the Pacific side between
Tehuauepec and Panama.
Panama is nearly in straight line from she coast
of Peru and To at The da-
tour is not than 100 miles.
The freight acruss the Tehuantepec road would be
nearly TREBLE for the distance is three times rs
great as it is over that of Panama,
Five per per mile is about the average charge
Coz freight the allroads in the United States; com
petition has brought it down perhaps within this estimate
But suppose neither railroad across Tehuantepec
Darien could afford transportation any such
Perhaps would be than five TO the ma k
let therefore take ten cents per per mile as the
eage q freight TO be exacled Of the merchandise
these routes The Tehuanepec e,ad. surprising
both to be straight line, is 95 miles the longer,
and Con Of American merchandise to pass this road
would aare 10 paw So 50 per Ton more than the Pana
ma road wonId exact Oft 4 tax SO So per ton upon
American commerce for ever for the mere advantage Of
shortening. temporarily the time for passengers bnund
hence to California, fr week, would, appears to
NE. be paying 900 dearly FOR little time For when the
raroad is bu' actnss from she Mississippi. NO from
Soalh Asenca bound 70 California will think ogong by
the way of TeAuantepec tribute forever Q, Mexico
u 50 50 per commerce. the extent Of which cannot
be ioreseen. fr The privilege Of saving days for
seven years their way in The time to and from Cali
fDrnis. why Sir. this is tax far more and
odious than the famous Chinese CumshawS which had
trsn sane ir,memv.:ai been exaced Of all "Barbaran'
Ships and she ab,ogaon of which vas hailed with 50
much delight on both sides of the Atlantic Its abroga
,isr IL prominent article of the Chinese treaties both
n .he States of Europe and America; and it, with the
free potts. considered the chief good which has
suited from the wicked war of England upon China
A. This rate Of 10 cents ship carrying 900 tons of
merchandise would have to pay 50 500 get her
cargo across Tehuanepee than she would % get it
Panama. Few indeed the cargoes that pay such
z "Cumshaw" As this.
The charge a, 10 cents the Ton mile would b. via
Panama, Al mles-si 40; via Tehuantepec. l39 miles
--3 90 difference 50 50. The site of Panama is quite
as convenient the market ways the Pacific as Ee-
huantepec. But little due therefore, any advana-
ges. 10 be gained by the the other, sccon.
Of a central terminus on the Pacific side
Let whether such merchandise as is usual
" around Cape Horn the South American markets.
could afford pay the expense of portage either Of
these t1o routes the continent
The spare allotted on board ship to ton Of merchan-
disc is 40 feet. Estimating the average Of freight
on cotton TO Europe at cent the pound. and $50
pounds occupying the space of ton, and the average
distance The Atlantic. from the cotton ports
500 miles we have Sc mills the average rate
freight of cotton PER mile Under canvass. Bat
pays the fegh, both ways. for the ships which
take it generally empty. From this estimate and
explanation get mill and ninety hundredhs
Is Ni 09>) as The average nie per ton per mile