The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-01-06
Foreign Miscellany.

cam Cunningham, James Imray, james Bell,
Robert Nicholas Fowler, Il. b. Lawrence, Esquires,
| Capt &. Fownshend Wilson, (Codstream yards, }
| Captain c. ii. Codrngton Borsyth, ~ N, Captain
! Frederick Edwin Forbes, II N, and Captain J.
| w. Esplnasse, of IL. NJ 18th Regiment, were
! elected Feliows
i The reading of Captain FitzRoy's paper on the
! isthmus OF Central America resumed.
In the first part OF this summary Of the principal
tacts affecting passage across the lsthmus, much
stress was laid on three considerations, alike infu-
entail over all routes supposed to be eligible
namely, the climate, the situation with respect TO
inter oceanic communication on a great scale,)
and the indispensable necessity for a port at each
end OF either railway canal.
Alter a few reflections the instability of the
local governments the liability of the land itself
70 change, on accent of volcanic convulsons the
opposition of certain naves and the scarcity of
labor; each plan for crossing the isthmus was brief
ly reviewed.
The four principal lines are--the Mexican, the
Nicaragua, the Panama, and the Atrato; besides
several other routes, either branches of the Mica
line or independent tracks across other parts
of the great lsthmus.
The Mexican line was shone to be uasuited for
the general intercourse of the world however local
ly valuable It's high level, length, and situation,
besides the want Of ports are against its general
utility.
In any route taken through the great lake of
Nicaragua, three States are Immediately con-
cerned-that fret mentioned, Costa Rica and
Nlosquitia. The country is very volcanic; many
locks, vqducts and brdges would be necessary
IOT either canal or railway, ana the length oil suCu
works be great. There is a deficiency of
harbors on this line. San Juan de Nicaragua Cor
Grey Town anchorage, the only on the Allan
TIC side is small; and the only good ports on the
Pacific are remote. San Juan del Sur is can
posed five cabe-lengths across" The lake
is shallow near its shores and exposed to violent
winds. There are SIX or seven propositions for
connecting the unmanageable river San Juan with
the Pacific, by way OF Leon TO Fonseca Con-
chagua, TO Raeejo, or to the Tamarindo, by Near
aqua to Jan Juan del Sur, along the Sapoa, to Sail
mas, and by the San Carlos to Nicova Gulf
The Panama line is short, and "a railroad seems
feasible, bat IT wants good ports railway is in
progress by an American company who have made
very exclusive terms with New Grenada.
The Atrao river, and the isthmus between the
Gull OF Darien and Cupca bay, Con the Pacific, in
D. north latitude, )are described Offering
agcmeht 10 IA ship canal the largest scale; but
not TO a railway. Other routes suggested: from
Caledonia bay TO san Miguel gulf; from San Bias
to Chepo; and from Chiriqui to Duce gulf. Pre-
ference was given 10 Panama for raroad but to
Darien for "A canal.
The great Mexican ''Dcsague," described so
fully by Humboldt In his Ne,n Spain, of the
most wonderful hydraulic works of man, was al
iuded to IA an instance of what had been effected
by human labor even IN Central America. That
enormous excavation is some miles in length for
three of which il is two hundred feet deep, and at
the top two hundred feet IN width
The Scotch colony III Darien, at the end of tho
seventeen century, the still independent aborgnes
OF the Isthnus, and the various places from which
laborers might be procured, also touched on
cursorily in this paper
The discussion upon this important paper having
been postponed for the next seance the injecting
adjourned to the 9th Of December.
Royal Geographical Society, Monday, Dec, 9, at
half past eight O'clock IL q Discussion on Cap.
tain F,tz Roy,s Considerations on the Isthmua of
America" g g African Exploration under
Mcssrs Ovcrweg and Barth." BY Mr.. A. Peter
mann.
A Prince IN TRoUBLE.-Tbe Princess Of Capua
having incurred iii 1912 debt of $4,000 francs to
Mdle. Lenormand IN Paris. for articles OF dress
proceedings were instituted against her husband
for that amount. A verdict was given against him.
but, owing to his leaving Paris, it could not be car
ried into effect. IL becoming known, short time
since, that the prince had arrived in Paris, and
residing IN the Champs Elysees, application was
made 10 the courts for leave him. and even
TO use force If necessary The authorization being
accorded, garde de commerce, named Enceain
proceeded to the princes residence, and rang the
bell repeatedly for admittanco. Finding atten.
ton paid to his summons, Encelain called on the
Judge de paix for aid and on the order of that ma
gistrate ocksmth forced the doors, and the prince
arrested. He demanded to be treated refere,
and was accordingly taken before President dc Bel
leymc to whom he applied for leave to be free
his own recognlaanccs, assuring the MAJ istrae that
he was in daily expectation ofreceivng, through the
Minister of Foreign Affairs, considerable sum
from Naples. The law agent OF the adverse party
objected to any such course, and NJ de Beileyme,
after hearing the objections stated that all he could
10 was to allow the case to stand to the next
day at two O'Clock, when the sum originally due,
we'll ne 900 francs additional, for interest and
costs, would have to be paid. II not he would be
lodged in prison. This came again to be heard
yesterday week, before President dc Belleyne, of
the civil tribunal. The creditor of the prince de-
manded that he had not paid the amount due
within the specified time, he should be cent to pr-
son; but certificates were put in, showing the prince
too i'll 10 be removed Eventually it was notified
chat the Minister of Foreign Affairs had interviewed,
and that an arrangement between the parties had
boon come to. The President accordingly decided
tla " n or fprc pcrth p pr 90
10 prison.
CosT OF A LINE OF BATTLE SHIP IN ENGLAND
AND FRANcE.-lt is interesting TO compare the
amount p money paid for the hull OF a first rate in
England with the same construction in France.
We have before us the cost of La Vile de Paris,
three decker, of 30 guns, lately launched in France
BY tranalating the francs and cents into English
money, readers will be enabled to the diff
ference which exists between the sums paid in the
two countries for the same class of ship
We assume for fair comparison tue price paid
per ton for four British first rates, as given in
Parliamentary report:
The Nelson 100 gun ship, built in Woolwich
Backyard in 1914, BY the Surveyor OF the Navy, is
2,6l7 tons, and cost $40 lbs. per ton, or EIO6-
254 AZ.
Royal George, 100 gun ship, built at Chatham
Backyard in 1927, by sir William Rule, 2,6l6 TONS
cost 1888 1s. Ia per ton, GS7,3l9 lss
Royal William, 40. gun ship, built at Pembroke
Backyard in 1888, by Sir William Rule, , SOS tons
at ESQ Is 4d per ton, fSl ,255 los. ID.
81. Geoogc, Quit AT flNlDoutn DoCkyard lSlU,
by Sir William Rule, 27l9 tons at t 90 Is. Id. per
ton, E79ll2 is, sd.
Now, these four British 100 gun ships stand
thus
Nelson ..... OF tons at f4o II per ton.
Royal George ,2,6lC 80 :"
Royal William. . 69o 80
st. George. ,2,7l9 % III Z"
Tons, ...... 10 $50 El33 10
Which, divided by four, gives US the sum of E33
30. IL d. per ton for the building cost.
La Vile dc Paris, of 100 guns, is ship of 5000
tons. and cost building, in France, the sum Of
,2S0,653 francs ~ cents, (E2l ,226 3s I'd. y or
4 IL ls cd. per ton, that is fraction more than
halt British ton. We then that English
first-rate cost E33 5s. ND, per ton, whilst
French ship of the same description costs only
Ell L. cd. The same disproportion nearly exists
IN the arning and equipment of the two ships. Hav-
ing before US these statistics, find that the
equipment OF La Vile dc Paris 902 800 francs
% cents, G36,llS Is Id, and her artillery,
6S0,sls francs 80 cents, f27 ,232 l5s. sd Thus
the Frenc, three decker, ready for sea, cost Ella
BIZ Is cd In the Absence OF statistical documents