The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-03-06
The junction Of the Atlantic with the
PasiAe. The Nicaragua P.oute,


Ths junction Of the Atlantic with the
Pacific. The Nicaragua P.oute,
We stated ashort time ago, that che stockholders
OF !ne Nicaragua Canal ComPs ny were proceeding
WIN the work of conAectps the Atlantic ocean
with the Pacific as speedily as possible, and that
before many months t.ney would open a transit
roue, rta Nicaregus for the conveyance of passen.
gers and freight from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
10 San trancisco in California. Since then, Com.
modore Vanderbilt, the most promaent gentleman
connected with that company, has returned from
Nicaragua, where he went for the purpose of seeing
for himself the advantages which that part of the
continent offered for the opening Of ship commu.
Rication between the two oceens and of overseeing
the preliminary arrangements for commencing the
gigantic undertaking, and comforting with the sur
veyors and engineers, who have been for some
time past engaged in selecting route for both the
proposed ship canal and the temporary transit
route for passengers He has returned with the
conviction impressed his mind, that the work is
not only feasible. but that no impediments that
cannot be overcome by energy and enterprise, exist
in the way of constructing a ship canal that will
change the course of commerce, and make this the
great mart of the world and the centre of universal
trade.
The surveyors and engineers have been very
busy since their arrival in Nicaragua. Up to this
time, they have fixed upon routes for ship canal
between the Lake of Nicaragua and the Pacific
ocean and also road for passengers and freight
from the extremity of that lake to the Bay of San
Juan on the Pacific. After examining in athorough
manner the whole of that country, the engineers at
length selected point on Rio Lagas, which empties
into the Lake Of Nicaragua, as the Atlantic side
terminus of the ship canal and on a certain point
on the Rio Grande. which empties into the Pacific
ocean, for the terminus on that side. The Rio
Grande terminates at the harbor of Barito, which,
we understand, possesses every requisite for the
purpose for which it has been selected The whole
distance from one terminus to the other is but nine
teen miles The summit of the highest ground on
the route above the surface of the lake. is but forty
eight feet; and for distance of seven miles and
half from the lake, the ground runs down to level
with the water 1t will be perceived, therefore,
that the route which has been selected offers I'M
common advantages for the construction Of ship
canal. 1t not certain, however, that this will be
the route that will ultimately be chosen, as bet
ter one may yet be discovered.
In regard to the transit route, the land portion Of
twill commence at Virgin bay ,on Lake Nicaragua,
and end aESan Juan harbor, on the Pacific, the dis
lance between the two points being twelve miles
and thirty chains, almost in straight line, and
through q remarkably healthy country. The
whole route will be az follows from New York
10 San Juan by steamship, thence to the Castillian
rapids on the San uan river by steamboat; from
this point to the river above these RAPIDS distance
Of one hundred yards or SO, by land; thence by the
river San Juan and the Lake of Nicaragua to Virgin
bay; thence to San uan harbor on the Pacific,
distance of twelve miles by land, and thence to San
Francisco by steamship. Making liberal allow
ances for delays etc., this will bring San Francisco
within twenty days Of New York, being many
days shorter than the connection can be made by
any other route.
We are pretty well satisfied from what we have
heard, that this transit route to San FRANCISCO via
Nicaragua, will be in operation some time in the
month of June next Commodore Vandefbilt's
character for energy and 60. ativeness is well
Known in this commun ity, and apart from other
considerations, the fact that he is connected with
this enterprise is guarantee to the public that
both Of these great projectsthe construction of an
ocean ship canal, and that Of transit route-will
be finished at the earliest moment practicable. He
10 a man whose resolution is indomitable, and be-
fore whose determination obstacles, no matter how
great, disappear as the morning dew before July
sun. In this connection we may add that Captain
Vanderbilt has made very liberal offer to the
United States government, for carrying the mails,
which must be sent by this route when the work
now in progress of construction is finished He
will have IN June next, or as soon thereafter as
possible, communi cation between New York and
San Francisco. He will have six steamships of
the first caes on the route, and he win agree to
carry the United States and California mails for
the sum of one hundred and eighty thousand dollars
year, whenever, in the judgment of the govern
ment, the public interest demands such a contracts
and in case of emergency the government shall
have the privilege of purchasing his steamships at
cost. He asks no gratuity from the government,
and probably does not much whether his offer
is accepted or not.
News PROM EUROPE AND CALIFoRNA-One