The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-08-22

.tflufH eteAtlef-
Rouios Across ne Tsihmus'
The hurst of recruitment, with which the BRITISH
preiensions % absiruci the construction 0y Amefl-
can csptaliss 81 ihe Nicaragua ROAD across the
Tsfhrnus. have been received IL tfs country shows
how complete 8 The sentiment among Us that any
-,n,,n;sarion onqht 70 be an. American high
ygsv. Uncontrolled by European mAasnce The
f.sl;ng had little connection with the merits Of the
Nicarsta rouie, for few have takenmuch interest
51atat project It's like che Panama roate-too far
fFom.tha centres Of commerce in our own country,
and 100 near the territorial possessions Of our great
eommercalfivni 1t has advantages no doubt, and
NAV BE- s profitable investment; bat public opinion
Is We think, concentrating decidedly in favor Of
that bg the IsShmus Of TehuantepeC, as in all re-
specis preferable. We have looked carefully over
the reports 81 the engineers employed in the survey,
the memorials presented TO Congress. and commu-
ncaiions presented by travellers and well known
officers Of the army and navy; and the result has
been firm conviction that it is for the interest Of
alIAmore especially for the southwestern portion
Of the Union and this city in particular, that the
road intended for the permanent channel Of inter-
course between the Atlantic and the Pacific should
be made on this line.
The political advantage, which should give this
route the preference, even If the cost were com
paratively greater and the other advantages no
more than on the other routes, is, thatthe sTmina
ton Is ii the Gulf Of Mexico, which is practically
an inland sea Of the continent, and from which,
before many years, ali European dominion viii be
excluded, More than half Of iis shores are now
American; and American influence can be made
potent over the shores Of Mexico and Yucatan.
The Island Of Cuba once ours and a few years
viii see that most desirable contamination, and the
Gulf Of Mexico will be as fully nationaI with US,
as Lake Michigan. OF all the projected routes
the absurd Vera Cruz project excepted-that by
Tehuantepee is the only one which has its termi-
nation within the Gulf-an object OF infinite ma
.tional importance Any other win take us far down
into the Caribbean Sea and bays, among hostile in
huenees, and subject to grave and perhaps fatal
Interruptions in time Of war, whether we are par
ties or not. BY this route We shall have control Of
the approaches, and be instrumental in extending
the political Influences Of our own example along
new and interesting country, and creating states
contiguous to our own, 10 be assimilaied to, and
finally blended with, our own system. This con-
aideTation should have weighty influence in decid-
ing the public mind 70 favor the Tehuantepec route,
even at the sacrifice Of some important advantages
Of another sort.
But there are no advantages to sacrifice. The
route is, from all the accounts we have received,
the best in other respects Not so short as that by
the Isihmus Of Panama, but having facilities for
construction which make it altogether preferable.
We shall eonfne our comparisons to-day simply to
the consideration Of the comparative distances
saved by che TWO routes. Taking San Francisco
as the point On the Pacific 10 be reached, the dis
1ancsa, as computed by the best Authorities, from
the mouth Of The Mississippi, are as follows BY
Iaihmus Of Panama, 5000 miles; by Tehuantepee,
1924 niles-saving ID distance 1905 miles From
New Orleans to Chagres is about 1900 miles to /
Tehuantepsc about $50. A glance at The map win /
show that il addition to the easlery course which
vessels must take from New Orleans to Chagres, |
carrying themmany degrees away from the Pacific, /
which is to Be made up on the other side Of the |
Islhmua returning westward again, there is an in
tcate and oiTcuitous navigation fun Of peril and
delay. There is a navigation Of eight or ten de-
grees Of longitude eastward and ten Of latitude
south--a long detour through the Caribbean Sea
and again che same number Of degrees northward
and westward on the Pacific to arrive at the point
70 which the line across Tehuantepeo would reach
directly, The saving Of time and expenses in the
shorter route is in itself an argument Of almost
Irresistible power. Nothing can repsl it but some
proof that The lower route has vast superiority on
the ground Of greater facility Of construction, or
some ether counterbalaneing advantage This is,
however, NOT the case We shall look into TINT
part Of the subject inviting our readers to follow
us carefully, for the subject is one which is Of an
immense deal Of importance to us in New Orleans