New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-10-30
COT. TOTEM AND THE HONDURAS RAIL
ROAD.

~ ne Els,oy Of TIE y Tribune
SIR. The morey article Of THE TRIBUNE OF the
TIL Of Sept contains letter from the Chef En-
xineer of the Panama Railway In reference to the
proposed route Of nteroceanic communication through
Honduras certainly regret that 20 high an authority
NJ Col Totten sbould regard my report on the Hon.
durss line the most fslacious one ever presented
70 the public" But, after all, that Is mere matter OF
opinion, and It Is barely possible that Col Tettens
very natural devotion 10 the Panama Interest may
have slightly warped his Judgment.
Bu, take IT, the feasibility and value OF the proposen
Honduras Railway less question OF opinion man OF
fact and when the Colonel comes 10 acs, ne breaks
lovu entirely Notwithstanding the somewhat COM
placen chuckle with which he concludes his letter
"Ard you know that with we Central America nas
been something of study and Notwithstanding
thst elsewhere he afirms have studied Nj S9u'er
report rith care"-yet the sdmiIiog world will be as,
topished to learn that with all his studies OF Cen al
America and Of my report he has Dever yet found out
Abe line of The proposed Honduras Road even the
Hosts 10 which 1t terminates. On the contrary, he
writes incoherenty about some imaginary llne OF hs
own running through San Salvador TO the itiie port
of Isabel on the lake OF Dua in the State
Of Qua emaa trihe Of hundred miles or 50 10 the
westward Of the Honduras line! Thus little port which
be calls the proposed terminus on the Atlantic side
be propoupces shallow and utterly inadequate but as
10 one seems have tanned the thought Of going
there except the Colonel the fact is not OF much con-
sequence. ,
20 look over will not say study, that falaciOus
por of mine be would have found tha he Al Snc ter
minus of the Honduras line is Puerto Caoelo in Hon
duras and not Isabel IN Guatemala. He would also
have found accurate chart of that port from the
veys of Lieai. Jrffers, United States Navy made in
1884 and have discovered from it tha' in of en-
trance d., pth of water, safety Of anchorage AMI all
other essentials this is the best port the Atlantic
coast Of Central America without exception. And if
be had pursued his inquiries further be would have
found that Cortez selected IL the grand enep, and
depot for the New World for the reason az express
in bis letter TO the Emperor Chares Nth: That It il
" the ber' port in all New-Spajn."
] should do the Colonel justice to say, ths be ~
really found out our Pacific port, and pronJun Is II
good, which Is coDsoling
Bot Col Totten is not only dissatisfied with whist b.
SCENE TO think is the northern part of the proposed
line but with the general features aud especially the
grades OF the line itself But / submit: that the
toiobels line fs not ours. HIS 20 lsabsl IN GGa-
temaia, crossing several ranges Of mountains, and
may be a. bad as he represents or worse Ours runs
to Puerto Cabelo in Hondura- and il quite aaothcr
Affair. From what know of the Cnl,D,l's line I
think his estimates for building its % 90 100 aud
fifteen years OF tlme-are altogether too low He
couldn't do y for twice the money
Seriously, am quite willing ~ ayrec with what Tgr
TRIBUNE says OF Col Tottens engineering abili,,e.
His energy and skill IN overcoming the yrea, n.,,-
obstacle 10 railroad at Pan.lnl a de,ily ,I'r1.a
great and useful work 30 a conclusion are n. yond
praise. But amount of engineering ability or nor,
spnsl energy and skill enable mao 4 write in a.,
hgibly on a subject Of which be is ignorant a. Col
T1ten palpsby is on the subject Of .he Hon lurqs
Railway. Col. Tottens zeal 20 supper. the Paosnq
Railway against any real or supposed rivalry Is neither
n matter OF surprise or complaint. He pad 10 do =
Bat bis employers have right 10 cal On hin nuke
hms If ridiculous. Even his acknosicdgei repus'
cann,t support msny such exhibitions of ignorance
prejudice, and Jealousy that AFFORDED 10 hs liter 81
Sept $50 needless 1itha since be expressly declares