New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-11-12

y
range OF hills already described, bu. between ia
noftherEiextremlty and the sea there is only the
broad and magnificent plain of Leon gradually
rising for distance of 2,725 yaYsis, 70 an 1leya
ton of 55 feet lncbcs and then subSid5n= gradl-
ally to the ocean.
There is every reason to believe that this state
ment IS not far from correct; and if Sc. it must
be obvious that it VIII be entirely practicable to
carry a canal from the lake, which viii form the
summit level, 10 the ocean, especially as the earth
at short depth is sufficiently finn TO sustain it..
self without the usual guards. This is shown
from, the fact that TIE wells OF the PLAN OF Leon.
which have often depth OF from 80 t. 100 feet,
DO not require the use OF artlhcla! means to pre-
vent the earth from falling awards.
Section from PGcifc to LAKE .H9RagU'l-- Iam1-
1i1dd lHs-The first line from the lake OF Mana,
gua to the sea, at the port OF the Tamarlnda, IS
considerably shorter than any other, not exceed
ing fifteen miles in length. But the water OF the
lake. upon its northwestern shore, is shallow 1t
was sounded by myself and Dr.. Livingston, IN
July, ls49. 1t deepened regularly from the shore
TO the distance OF one mile and quarter, where
it attained FIVE tathoms after that It deepened
rapidly to ten and fifteen tathoms, which is, as |
was informed by the boa.men, the average depth
Of the central portion of the lake The country
between these points, so far as could be ascer-
tanned lit being covered with forests offers no
insuperable obstacle to canal The port Itself is
small, but well protected, with considerable
stream of fresh water flowing into 1t. vessels OF
100 tons have frequently entered to load Brazil
wood. There is no town or village upon 1t, ana
it seems to have escaped general notice. 1t Is
said to have all requisite depth for large vessels
Section from Pacific 10 Lake Manogaa-Reate
10 lint-The second line is that TO the weIl-known
and excellent port OF RealeO, which IS properly
an estero, formed by the junction OF the Doha
Paula and Renieio rivers, and protected on the
side of the sea by the islands OF Carbon and AS
serradores and bluff Of the main land. II Is
safe and commodious, and the water IS good
ranging from three and four to eight aud nine Ia
thomst The volcano OF the Nlejo, lifting It's cone
upwards of 5000 feet above the sea, to the north
eastward of the port, forms an unmIstakablc land
mark for the mariner long before any other part
of the coast is visible. This line, starting from
the nearest practicable point of Lake ManaSua
cannot fall short of torty-iye or fifty miles III
length 1t is said that the Dona Paula might be
made use of for considerable distance SO tar as
the tide flows but that can only be determined
by actual survey. | can discover no reason why
this route could not be adyantageOusly pursued
Ii has the present advantage Of passing through
the most populous and best cultivated part OF the
country, and terminating at point already wen
known. There is no stream upon this line WINCH
as has been supposed by Louis Napoleon, and
some other writer's on this subject can be maize
available for supply ing this section OF the proposed
canal with water. The Rio Tosta OF Which
thew sneak lby which from its described POSITION
Il is supuosed the RIO Ielica is meant, for no
stream known as the Rio Tosta exists was tor
merlv stream of some size, but never furnished
mantity of water sufficient to supply IN ordlna
ry canal, The local geography OF the PLAIN oil
Leon is little known to its inhabitants; and, as
the roads are hemmed in by impenetrabe forests,
it is impossible for the traveller to inform hlmseu
of the minor typographical features OF the coun,
trv The Rio Telica empties into the esteto OF
Reaeio. and it may possibly be made to answer
useful purpose, have crossed 1t at many points
where it has as it has for nearly It's entire lengtt
the character OF a huge natural canal from sixty
to ninety feet deep by perhaps one hundred and
fifty or two hundred yards broad at the top, with
steep banks for the most part OF rleble substra-
tum Of rock OF compact earth And as, at Its
source. it is not more than ten miles distant from
lake Managua. it is not improbable that, by pro-
per cuttings, the waters OF the lake might be
brought into it, and, after the necessary level IS
attained, the bed of the stream might be used
from that point to the sea, securing the necessary
depth OF water by locks or dams. II thls'sugges-
ton is well founded the principal part OF the est
mated excavation OF this section OF the canal may
be avoided In any event the cutting would not,
with the aids furnished by this mechanical age,
be all object to deter the engineer. We have eX-
amples of much more serious undertakings Of this
character In the canal from Aries to Bouc the
tabeland has been cut through TO the extent OF
two thousand two hundred and cighty-nine yards,
the extreme depth being from one hundred and
thirty to one hundred and sixty two feet. The
deepest cutting required here, IL order to furnish
a depth Of twenty-five feet OF water in the canal,
or, in other words, to that depth below the level
Of the lake. would be eightyone feet need
hardly add that the lake Of Managua must supply
the water requisite for the use OF the canal from
its shores to the sea- as there no reservoirs or
streams of magnitude upon this line.
Section from Pacific TO Lake Hanagu0--line Of
the Estero Peal-There is still another route to
Which public attention has never been generally
directed but which, if feasible OF which have no
doubt offers greater advantages than either OF the
others lust named viz from the northern point OF
Lake Manaeua via the Estero Real to the gull OF
Fonseca, or Conchagna. The upper part OF Lake
Managua is divided into two large bays by vast
promontory or peninsula, at the extreme point OF
which stands the giant volcano OF Momotombo.
Between this volcano and that Of the Nieo, tothe
northeast of Realejo running nearly east and
west, is chain of VOLCANOES, presenting, probably
in a short distance. O greater number OF extinct
craters and more evidences OF volcanic action
than any other equal extent OF the continent.
This chain is isolated, and nearly at rlShtangies
to the general course of the great mountain ranges
Upon the south is the magnificent plain OF Leon,
bounded only by the sea; and upon the north IS
also another great plain, the Llan0 del Conelo,
bounded by the auriterous hills Of Segoyla This
plain extends from the northern bay OF Lake
Managua to the gulf of Conchagua, which IS
equalied only by that of San Francisco, and may
be described es a grand harbor, in which all the
vessels of the world might ride in entire security
1t much resembles that Of San Francisco IN posi-
ton and form the entrance from the sea IS, h0wey-
err, broader Its entire length within the land IS
not far from 100 miles, and its breadth from 30 70
co. The three States of San Salvador, Nicara-
qua, and Honduras, have ports upont. In re
spect to trade, the principal port onthe main land
is that OF La Union, in San Salvador. All the ad-
iacent coasts are of unbounded fertility, and pos
sess an unlimited supply OF timber. The sides o.
the mountains, particularly the volcano OF San
for building and repairing ships. Coal occurs in
abundance about 90 miles from the port OF La
Union, on the banks of the Rio Lempa the roads
to the beds leading through level country. The
bay embraces severa! islands Of considerable size