The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-03


the endeavors of her old colonies to establish
powerful and independent governments, is no
torious and it is quite in keeping with the I'M
derhand character Of Spanish policy to crafty
private spite, by fostering revolution among
those whom it hates So far, we could
we'll understand that Queen Christina should
view with secret sense of satisfaction an
outbreak which has once more plunged Mexico
into the horrors of anarchy. But we cannot
reconcile the idea of her absolute participation
in Uraga's schemes, either with her interests or
her means. Spanish councillors are not insane
enough to hope that Spanish sovereignty on this
continent, which has been dead and buried this
many year can be galvanized into fresh life
by the ephemeral successes Of q band Of adven-
turers The idea is too ridiculous to excite the
notice of our government but were it ever to
be seriously proposed, the Monroe doctrine
would effectually settle the matter. We cannot
suffer Great Britain or France to gain footing
in Central America, nor should we hesitate a
moment in putting stop to similar encroach-
ments on the part of Spain.
In our opinion. if General Uraga is acting
in concert with any one, it is with Santa
Anna. That the latter should seize the pre-
sent moment to regain his lost power. and
spend all his remaining energies in one final
struggle to reorganize some sort Of govern
ment in his country, is what we might have
expected of him. To wish him success. would
be, perhaps, a friendly wish to Mexico; not be-
cause we think he would remain long in power.
but for the reason that constant changes Of
rulers may terminate in the discovery Of a good
one. Until such one be found. or until Next
co is incorporated with this Union there is no
safety for her. except in revolution.
ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC SHIP CANAL-THE
IsTHMUs OF DARIEN PROJEcr.-No less than
four distinct projects have been presented to
the world, heretofore, for the achievement Of a
ship canal across the American continent, for
connecting the Atlantic with the Pacific ocean,
to wit: the Guatzacualcos and Tehuantepec
project, the Nicaragua project, the Panama
project, and the Atrato project, which pene-
trates considerably into South America Prac-
tically, however, all these routes, for the pur-
poses Of ship canal, excepting the Nicaragua
route, may be considered as abandoned. It is
the only route of the four which possesses
sufficient reservoir Of water for any amount of
lockage that may be required from the summit
level to either ocean, The Lake Nicaragua
seems to have been located by nature to sub
serve this great purpose. Besides, this route
by the said lake and its outlet, the San Juan,
q raodu a linn IF fall
ing short only some fifteen or twenty miles of
a perfect connection between the two oceans.
But even with these advantages, the construo-
ton Of canal Of sufficient capacity for ships
drawing twenty or twenty-five feet water. will
require an amount Of excavation (for nearly
two hundred miles,) almost incredible. Per-
haps two hundred millions of dollars would not
cover the cost.
In this view Of the subject, the article which
we publish today, from the London .Ne,cs, on
the English project for the construction of
ship canal by the connecting pass of Darien,
commend itself to the attentive consideration of
all parties concerned Here we find an esti-
mate, made on the authority Of experienced
English engineers, that ship canal of thirty
feet water at low tide, and of one hundred and
forty feet width at the bottom, may be con-
structed from the Atlantic to the Pacific, at
cost Of twelve millions of pounds, or say sixty
millions of dollars, which is less than three
times the cost of our Erie Railroad, built by
a private company of New York.
This Darien canal, it is proposed, shall be
made cosmopolitan work. The project in
cludes particularly the financial cooperation of
England, France and the United States; and
from the data laid down, we cannot doubt the
entire feasibility Of the project. The commerce
of the world is pressing for some such achieve
ment as this. Let our commercial capitalists
turn their attention to the pass Of Darien. Per-
haps the original idea Of Humboldt may be the
route, after all Between Tehuantepec and
South America there must be ship canal
from ocean to ocean, within the next
ten years, capable of meeting the wants
1t must be wide and deep, with as little
lockage as possible, as short as possible;
with an abundant supply Of water for the lock-
ages; and the more exempt the locality from
the deadly cxhalatons Of the tropics, the better.
1t appears, from the more elevated and noun
famous conformation of the country at the
isthmus of Darien, that, as compared with the
Panama, Nicaragua and Tehuantepec routes, it
is healthy. 1t is also the shortest route; and
the only remaining question is the water, of
which there can be little doubt, if the canal
is to be reduced to the level Of the Pacific.
The latitude Of Darien is somewhat against us,
being so far to the southwark; but if the re-
ports Of the English "Reminiscences be correct,
it perhaps is the only route which even the
combined resources of all the commercial pow
ers Of the world can subject to the practical
accomplishment Of cosmopolitan ship canal.
We recommend to our commercial capitalists,