The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-03-22
BRITISH DARIEN SHIP-CANAL.

London Cor. of the National 1ntelligencerl
The ship-cenal across the Isthmus ofDarien,
for uniting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, is
beginning to excite very general attertion. A
highly respectable company has been formed.
The chairman of the board of directors is Lord
Wharncliffe, and among the directors are lead
ing merchants of London, and Liverpool, the
minister from Peru at Paris, and the minister
and consul general from New Granada at Lon
don. This design is far from being novel one.
So long since as the year 1885, Mr.. Paterson,
the founder of the Bank of England, obtained
an act Of Parliament for the prosecution Of such
a work, and the large sum lat that time of
f500,000 was subscribed to carry it out but
tho scheme was frustrated by the influence Of
of the then new East India Company. 1t was
long believed that the great elevation OF the
Cordilleras mountains presented an insurmoHnt-
able barrier TO the opening of a usage by ca
nal; and thes imposed difference of the level of
the waters in the two oceans FORMED another
imaginary obstacle. MIR. Lionel Osborne, a
civil engineer of great practical experience in
navigation matters, has returned from survey
of the country across the Isthmus of Darien
from the Bay of Caledonia, on the Atlantic, to
the Gulf of ST. Miguel, on the Pacific. He
reports that there is q distance OF only thirty
miles between deep water on either side, con-
sisting of land generally level, which in no case
>
er obstacles than have been surmounted on
| railways and other engineering works. He re-
commends the construction OF an open channel
between the two oceans, which can be exc
cuted in FIVE years from its C commencement, at
a cost net exceeding twelve millions sterling.
1t is proposed, however, to raise nominal cap
ital of f15,000,000, ITO cover contingences,)
in shares of Gl00 each.
DR.. Cullen, who has paid great attention to
Oh has hao lnpt thn
posed canal. He states that canal, with two
locks, might be constructed at haltthe expense
of an open throughout canal. The NtcarG-
qua route would require twenty eight locks
and one hundred and thirty-eight miles ofcut-
ting and dredging, and ship would be six days
in passingit The passage1n the Darien canal,
without lock, would be accomplished in six
hours. The difference of level had been yari-
ousIy stated, but DIR. Cullen believed it in re-
ality was very little, while the different heights
to which the tides rose in the Atlantic and Pa
cifc would cause an alternate current twice a
day. These alternate currents would be a
great advantage, as they would enable the two
lines of ships to pass at different times, each
aided by the alternate ebb and flood tides
through the canal. These currents will pre-
vent dispositions of mud and sand being formed
in the canal, and effect gradual process of
widening and deepening it. Vessels bound
from Europe to the northwestern coast of South
America, Mexico, or California, would save
5000 miles in the voyage out and home; and
great advantages would be reaped in voyages
to India, China, &c. The distance from Eng
| lard to Australia by this route would be on.
| ly 14,700 miles, being shorter than any other
| by from 5000 to 1000. DIR. Cullen is about
to start upon his sixth transit across the 18TH
| mus of Darien. An arrangement has been
| made with the government of New Granada
| for the necessary cession of territory for the
| canal, and no obstacles to the execution of it
are at present apparent.