The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-04-29
The Vehuaa tepec Route.

has been kindly furnished by r. w. Meade, Esq,
u. IN. 1t will be found useful and interesting
ANNALS OF THE "PoSTs EFT CHAUssEE's," Vol. Z.
EXTRACTS FROM ARTICLE No. lo2-IsrHMUs OF
PANAMA. MEAoIR, BY Mons MICHEL CHEvA-
LIER, ENaNEER-IN-CHIEF OF MINES.
In enumerating the lines which may be viewed
as worthy Of examination with reference to the
proposed communication between the two oceans, as
five, he describes the
Merchandising at the north, there is first the
Isthmus Of Tehu antepec, where the Guascoalco and
Chimalapa rivers, running in opposite directions,
empty themselves respectively in the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans. The distance between the two
oceans, measured on straight line, Is estimated at
go Kilometres or 1853 miles.
I'd" More than midway to the other extremity
Of the hem-circle, described by Central America,
we find Lake Nicaragua communicating with the
Atlantic by fine river-ths San Juan de Nicara-
gua--and situated in the centre of the country, like
a proongation of that ocean, which thus seems to
penetrate within two or three myreametres OF the
Pacific or Is miles
FIRST LOCALITY INDICATED FOR PIERCING THE
lsrHMUs.
Isthmus OF Iatua,tepec and GH1sacodlco. -" At
a remarkable degree. From an elevation like
that of Pyrenean peaks, it descends to level that
may be compared to that of Lake Beauce: it is
crossed by the valley Of broad and deep riverthe
Guasacoalco- curves, first, in direction
parallel to both shores-that is to say, the east
and west coasts-then continues northward until it
emptes into the Gulf OF Mexico" (Plate %,
THE harbor forming the mouth of the Guasaco-
alec is of the best found at any Of the rivers
emp.yng into the Guf-better than that Of the
Mississippi itself.
In the time of Cortez, attention was turned to-
wards this sthmus. After Cortez, people were much
taken up with the project of opening canal there;
but it more thought OF alter an unexpected
discovery made in l71l
Among the artillery Of the fortress of San Juan
dUlloa, at Vera Cruz, there were recognized some
eannons cast at Manila, in the PHILIPPINES;
l.G, t6n is nnflh IntI. lnI
the Cape of Good Hope nor Cape Horn in order to
reach the PHILIPPINES, but carried on all their
merce with Asia across Mexico, by the galeon of
Acapulco. 1t could not be conceived how these
cannons were brought from Manila to Vera Cruz
how they crossed the Mexican continent for it
impossible to carry such heavy burthens from
Acapulco to Mexico, and from there to Vera Cruz.
1t finally found, written ina chronicle of Iehu-
antepee, that these cannons had been brought from
Manila TO Tehuantepec across the sea, and thence
by way of the isthmus, ascending the Chipalapa as
high possible, and then crossing by land to the
point where good navigation commenced on the
Gulsaeoalcos. The public attention was forcby
struck with this relation.
The viccroy, Don Antonio Bucarel, gave orders
to two engineers--Don Augustin Cramer and Don
Miguel de iCoral-to examine the route in detail.
Their exploration was very imperfect they took no
levels-they determined no heights-and their con-
clusons in favor OF canal between the two oceans
by that route, strongly tainted with the pre-
mature public enthusiasm, notwithstanding that
they knew that by the Guasacoalco twothirds Of the
lsthmus is crossed with diicuty-that the port Of
Malpacco, (Which is just above that of asCruz, and
situated at the confluence of the Saravia,) would
still be q Castilian leagues from the sea (about
10 klometre) or $40 miles, and that no river
communicates between the two oceans.
They showed the difficulty of terminating the
canal at good anchorage on the Pacific. Up to
this point they correct, but all after
They entertained the opinion that canal joining
the Chimalapa to the Guasacoaco could be con-
strueted without locks or inclined planes.
Nv he lasts were ma de arls
close of the 18th century, under the viceroy Reva-
ggedo, an intelligent man, full of ardor for the
public good, who exeited himself, not for maritime
canal, but for practicable line for boats or large
ean,es, canal joining the Chimalapa and river
del Malpapo, a branch of the Guasacoalso, would
have been about % kilometres long.
When the wars of the French revolution were
terminated, in 1914 the Spanish Cortes, the sug
gestion of Mexican deputy, Don Lucas Alaman
since Mexican Minister Of Foreign Affairs, ordered
this canal but the Mexican revolution soon breaking
out. the order never carried into effect.
Shortly after the achievement Of Mexican indie
perdenee, that government detached Don Juan Or
begoso, general Of talent to make explorations
That learned officer commenced the work in ISIS.
He took some astronomical observations for the do
termination Of ATTITUDES and longtudes. lie mea-
sured the elevation above the sea- not by leveling,
but by the barometer, an instrument capable OK
giving remarkably close approximations, even in
equinoxial regions; but unfortunately the barome-
ter used by him was not Of the proper construction
The isthinus, asured from the.shore of Tehu-
anterec TO the bar Of the Guasacoalco, has width
Of 20 kilometres, about 1865 miles. The lagoons
communicating with the ocean, and which lie in the
west Of Tehuantepec, one behind the other, reduce
the land distance by about at least Il kilometres.
The Guasacoalco has thirteen feet on the bar, at
low water Even Spanish ship Of the line, the
Asia, driven by storm. not long since entered the
river. The bar is immovable and short, and once
passed, there is depth enough to float ships for
dozen leagues 1t can easily, for large river boats,
be rendered navigable at ali times up to the con-
fuence Of the Saravia, which is half way between
the two oceans. II is thought that lateral canal
ought TO be dug, commencing at Piedra Blanca Tor
Pena blancao and ascending to the Saravia, which
is ffty.f kilometres long, in straight line. The
soil is principally loose and argnlaceous-easy
of excavation. Between these two points, the
Of the river is very sinuous, and canal will
shorten the distance one half. Strictly speaking,
however, permanent river navigation viii be pos
sible almost throughout, not only to the Saravia,
but to the Nlapapapo. Above that, an entirely arti-
fetal canal IL indispensable.
The summit level, which is much nearer the
Pacific than the Atlantic, is very low in the 18TH
mus. South Of the Chivela, we find pass that is
but 2jO metres above the sea. The pass Of Saint
Michael dc Chimalapa is 1893 metres. Such eleva-
tons can be overcome by canal The height Of the
mountains does not, then, present an insurmount-
able obstacle to the passage Of canal between the
can be obtained at the summit. But the report Of
General Orbegoso overthrows all hope Of a regular
and good river navigation in the Chimalapa, or other
water courses falling into the Pacific
he Nhih"aPu 40 oAiy IlaS'Caoic ior caiVcs
during the rainy season. At San Miguel dc China
lapa which is forty fortyfve kilometres from the
lagoons adjacent the ocean, and even thirteen ko-
metres lower, the channel is dry for onethrd Of the
year. The soil being permeabe, and the email val
leys very open, IL will not be easy to establish treat
reservoirs for collecting rain in the absence OF river
water. Even on the slope Of the Pacific, the canal
must be fed from the waters Of the Guasacoalco,
brought by feeder across the summit level.
IL Is not demonstrated that the nature Of the
ground absolutely forbids the construction of such
feeder. After leaving their sources, the Guasa-
coalco and Chimalapa run in parallel lines to
the east and west, about twenty-eght kilometres
lapa dc.ours toward the north; the second, at
six kilometres below san Miguel, detou-s to-
wards the south, in order TO reach their re-
spectve oceans. feeder brought obliquely from
the Guasacoalco to the Chmalapa, between the