The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-02-09


daiiy journals; but the details Wit MT p.obahly
be given IN full, unless in the pro itish weekly
sss cod and ty.s es css, z II .s .
hate The memory OF Washington, who, under esd
made thuteeu eolopies stree and indie ,sdsnt States
The vials of ssctarian wrath, may bs sure, VII be-
freely en,ptisd by preachers Of proscripon the
heeos Of foreign born Sstoclcs let them rail IN II
we axe bat rue to surseiyes we viii soon Be- able to
laugh prescription TO in these old States cities
The convention wl point the to total Cessation OF
these per lodi :a social wars 1t win nsugurate
icr the most exposed class Of foreign born Catholics IL
will do all that eau be by such an inarumeuts
for such end ~ lnay not, AMI should not publish
every part Of s Pisa before executing any part wise
essential to there things to 30 done
and TO be bur the innium OF promise TO the
mum OF performance, il the proIortoa to BE- Deserved
BY such a tcdy
New Project to Connect the Atirntic sad Pa
eific O>ssns by Ship Canai-lntercstink
Engineering Report.
In November, 1864, Mr.. w. Kentish, civil eng
neer, received instructions from MIR. F. N Kelley g
merchant Of New York, to proceed to Panama and
foow'down the course to the southwark, with a
view 90 discover good harbor in the vicinity Of lat
7deg n. from the harbor iii found) to proceed east,
ward towards the dividing ridge of the country and
to search for such line as will admit the construc-
ton of an open cut without locks, for ship canal
that shall connect the waters of the Pacific Ocean
with the Atrato river, its confluence with the
Truando river The result of Mr. Kentish' explora,
ton and survey was published short time since. 1t
is OF great Importance and presents features of great
interest to the commercial world as it demonstrates
the entire practicaby of canal for the passage of
vessels the largest class without lockage.
Almost coeval with the discovery Of the continents
of America, the most earnest endeavors have been
made to find a passage to the Pacific by shorter
route than that Of Cape Horn; the manifest nutiity
of g northwestern passage has concentrated atten-
tioa to the genial locality of the isthmus that
divides the two continents. II viii be necessary, in
order to convey Just estimate of the importance of
the present report to refer slightly to the explora
lions and Surveys which, from time to time, have
been made public. The most prominent we're as
folows:-
The TehuaItepec ronte-Among many interesting
explorations, one is recorded by J. j. Williams Esq,
civil engineer The distance from ocean to ocean
by this route, from the Pacific to the Atlantic side,
is ls6 miles, but water exists in sufficient quau-
titles at the requisite level TO render this route
ticable for canal by lockage and the enormous
depth and length by through cut precludes the
possibility, commercially, OF such an undertaking.
The Honduras route, explored under the direction
OF q. Squires, in 1858, commences at Puerto Ca.
ballo on the Caribbean sea, and terminates at the
Bay Of Forseca on the Pacific. The length Of TIE
route is 100 statute miles; here, also, although the
waters Of three rivers pass each ohel several mics
on their course, the necessary summit water does
not exist by which lockage could be formed for
trade Of any considerable extent.
The next important line Of communication be
tween the two oceans occurs by way Of Nicaragua.
This line commences in the Bay OF san Juan de Nj
carngna, on the Atlantic, ia lat II deg north and
lon. So deg. As, west of Greenwich, and runs in
northwcsicry direction across the continent.
The summit level is the Lake Nicaragua, the
surface OF which 1T ordinary stages Of the water,
il l05 feet above the low tide of the At
iantic. II was proposed to reach this summit
by IA lockages in distance of I19 miles.
After cutting through considerable ridge the
descent was 10 be made to the Pacific at Brito by
another flight Of fourteen locks in little nine
miles-the whole distance being one hundred aud
ninety-four miles. In consequence Of the abundant
supply Of water on the summit this route was con-
sdered very desirable. Col Chds in his report sug-
gested canal fifteen feet wide at the bottom and
seventy feet at the top. having seventeen feet Of
ter the entire distance from ocean to ocean. Al.
though Of comparatively small dimensions il be-
ing intended for TIE transit Of hut one vessel at
time, except at the unouts, and that vesse, draw.
ing less than seventeen feet Of water the estimated
cost, computed by Col. Childs was thiftyone and
half million Of dollars. In view Of the length Of
lockage its depth and width, it is extremely proba
bic that it would not he found sufficiently capacios
to ccommodate that portion OF the trade of the
whole world for which this canal is intended.
Southeast OF Nicaragua is the well known route OF
the Ithmus of Panama, The Inadequate supply OF
water at the summit level and for lockages must
ever p2nCipde the possibility Of connecting the two
oceans SyUhis point. South Of Panama numerous
surveys and explorations have been made along the
SieITas Iloranas--the vast range Of mountains that
traverse nearly the whole length Of the Ishmus-wth
view 10 discover some depression in the range
through which an open cut without locks FROM can
to ocean, might be made; but nothing Of tie sort
has been shown to be practicable: the results have
been unsatisfactory, and the researches have shown
%hn.f ha I a-+r, 10 ~
chain to the Gulf Of Daren here the field Of research
the continent OF North America and the Isthrnus
terminates: but the nother1nos portion Of the CONT
nent Of South America, with ts numerous rivers and
streams, having their rise in the corJilleras offers
new field for exploration.
II ia somewhat remarkable that the route indicat.
ed in Mr.. kantish report was referred to by Baron
Humboldt but explorations ia that quarter had been
comparatively neglected until taken up by Mr.. Kelley.
The report of Mr. Kentish s of considerable length
and contains tables Of the amount OF excavation with
copions statistical information by Mr.. N. W. Stone,
Of the amount Of trade between European States and
the Pacific, together with able conflrmatory re-
port from Mr.. y. W. Serre, consulting engineer.
A more comprehensive idea may be formed OF the
character Of the route 10y first tracing it as it
is presented by nature, and then describing the
work necessary to transform it into canal,
or az 1t is termed in the report, river
aqueduct. The total distance from ocean
to ocean is l2j miles. More than half the
distance is by nature ready for the passage OF
an open cut without locks Passing from the Ca.
ribbean Sea between the eighth and ninth degrees Of
north latitude, into the Gulf Of Da'ien the delta of
the river Atrato is arrived at. This river emptlvs
itself into the gulf by nine mouths, called Bocas the
several streams called Canos II ia proposed TO
enter the Cano Coquito; here at low tide there il
sboet four feet water. The water gradually Deep
ems, and at two miles it Is thirty feet From thence
for sixtyone miles ii is nowhere less than forty-- "A
feet Following the course Of the river, which il
nearly south for sixty three miles the confluence 0l
the river Irnando . arrived at Here is the al
level, the highest part Of The whole lne. 1t i
fifteen feet above the mean level OF the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans. Diverging from the Atrato and fol.
lowing the course OF the Truando, the Pacific is an
preached in southwest direction. AT the coniueD
Of the fruando the depth of water is eighteen feet
beyond this i has an average depth OF fourteen fac,
The course Of this river is followed for tAirt six
miles; the line then DIVORCES into the valley of The
Nrqra, and the remaining distance Of twenty4siy
miles is on the soiid ground through rock cu;;nr
passing through elevation OF 500 feet by funnel