The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-24

and considerable wealth, planned the gigantic
scheme of connecting the Pacific and Atlantic
oceans by means of city, which should extend
from the eastern to the western shore Of the
Isthmus Of Darien. Sed.aced by the earnestness
and talent Of the ycang adventurer, British
capitalists were indeed to take stock in the
project, and g;Jodly company of volunteers
sailed from Scotland, to lay the foundations Of
the City Of Darien." We need not remind our
readers how disease thinned, internal dissen-
sions weak ened, and famine crushed the emf
grants; Or recall to their memory the painful
image of the baffled projector-broken in spirit,
widowed, and bowed by bodily suffering-as he
returned home. one Of the few survivors Of the
expedition. In abiding to a story. which is
now as familiar to the novel reader as to the
student of history we have rather desired to
draw attention to the site and nature OF Pater-
sons schemes. than to the melancholy fate OF
their authorize illustrate by a rapid glance at
the present projects of inter-oceanic communica-
ton. the enormous strides which America and
the world have made, since Great Britain was
thrown into ferment by scheme for building
a city which should overlook two oceans. and
approximate to the received ideas Of an earthly
paradise.
No less than seven lines of communication
have been traced across the strip Of land which
connects the northern and southern continents
Two cross Mexico. The first (by which we re-
ceived, on Monday, dates from San Francisco
to the I'd inst.) was surveyed by Colonel Ram
sey and party of engineers last summer They
reported that the Mescala was, or might easily
be made, navigable for considerable distance !;
that if line ofsteamers ran from its mouth to
the head of the river navigation, and there con-
nected with land conveyances, Vera Cruz could
be reached three days after leaving the Pacific.
Steamers have not yet been placed on the Mes
Gala, and the mail which Colonel Ramsey has
contracted to carry, now crosses Mexico from
Vera Cruz to Acapulco. Five days are allowed
by the contract for this portion of the journey Z
but our readers need not be informed that even
the three days estimated as the length of the
transit by the Mescala will soon be reduced, by
the aid of railroads, dredging machines and
other time-saving contrivances. Whether, in
deed, the Mescala route might not be advanta-
geously superseded altogether by railroad
from Acapulco to Vera Cruz through Puebla,
and thus the long inland journey cut down to
some $50 miles, is question which Col. Ramsey
and his associates will be better able to answer
than ourselves. Natural obstacles may render
railroad impossible; but if it could be made,
we think the prospect of Acapulco becoming
the great Pacific seaport for our Australian
attempt.
The second line, in geographical order, is
the Tehuantepec route. This has been already
so often brought before the public, that every
one is familiar with its history. Thanks to the
Senate. the newspapers, and Mr.. Benton, Don
Jose de Garay and Peter Hargous are old &C
quaintances. All the world knows that Mr.
Mason's warlike report fell harmlessly on the
heads of the Mexican government. President
Arista, poor fellow, had his hands too full at
home to mind our threats. A Mexican associa-
tion, styled the Guanajuato Company, obtained
he grant which Hargous claimed in vain. For
short while hopes were entertained that the
road would be built; but Mexican sluggishness
and Mexican poverty have not become proverbs
without reason. Whether the Guanajuato Com
pany declined to aid the government-whether
they had no money to give or whether Presi-
racter than his predecessor-we cannot say; but
certain it is that the Mexican grantees have
Jared no better than Garay himself The grant
has been assigned to Mr.. Sloo. We may form
shrewd notion Of the arguments employed by
him. and to which he owes his victory over his
fact that he has already paid 100000 into the
Mexican treasury, and has agreed to pay
further sum, Of equal amount, at fixed period
these loans to be repaid to him out of the twenty
per cent which the Mexican government re-
serves to itself on the net profits of the road.
We augur well of this arrangement. In point of
fact, all the troubles of Mexico spring from one
If the government had -four
ishing exchequer at command, there is no reason
why Mexico should not be as tranquil as any ofthe
Central American States. If Mr.. Sloo can sup
ply the Mexican authorities with money to GO
NSiH Vic CouHuy; ~ Ii pioo"oiC shue ehOy VIII
sustain him in the enjoyment Of the grant, and
thus the road will be built. This is the main
thing.
The Nicaragua route from San Juan del Norte
to the Pacific is the next in order. Of its present
business, we need not speak and even without
the proposed ship canal, the advantages of this
route would always command considerable
traffic. AS soon as the $50 100000 which it is
estimated the canal will cost, are expended, we
shall be in position to judge of its peculiar
merits meanwhile, the company have the start
of their competitors, and will only have them
selves to blame if they are beaten in the race.
Further south, on the disputed territory, at
the bend in the isthmus, surveyors are now en-
ployed in examining the practicability of an in
ter-oceanic canal and we may shortly expect to
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