Polynesian., 1857-03-14
HONOLULU, H. l., MARCH IA, 1857
From the London Evening Mail :
The Darien Canal.

The expedition sent ont by the Governments
of Eng gland, France and the United States of Anne
rica, in December, 1853, to survey the proposed
canal route across the Isthmus of Darien from
Caledonia bay the Atlantic cast to the Gulf OF
San Miguel that of the Pacific, is generally sup
posed to have proved a complete failure, and in
deed the circumstance that none of the engineers
engaged in it has made any report would seem to
Justify that snppositiOn. It can, however, be ca
silly shown that Notwithstanding the deporable
mismanagement Of the expedition, and the very
hasty and incomplete examination made of the
country with O tunnel of three miles in length a
canal between these two points is practicable The
only published accounts of the expedition are Com
mander Preyost's ''ofcial report" in the Journal
Of the Royal Geographical Society for 1855, and a
pamphlet 10y DR.. Cullen, entitled The Mismanaged
Odrien Expedition Of 1854, published by Eangliam
| Wilson. Commander Prevost's report has no
bearing on the question of the practicabity of the
canal, as the course he took from the Pacific side
was three points of the compass westward of the
proper route. Appended to it, however, there is
section of the isthmus, and a very accurate map
compiled, believe, by Capt Fitzroy and Mr.. Ar
rowsmith, In which the longitude Of each coast is
corrected in accordance with the surveys of Com
mander Parsons and Captain Kellett. The rivers
Sucubtl and Chuquanaqua are in it laid down from
an accurate Spanish survey, found in the archives
of Bogota. The levels are those taken by Mr.
Osborne and his assistants, Messrs. Bennett, Arm
strong, Devenish and Bond. From this map and
section the following facts appear to be establish
ed
/. The hqrbors on both coasts are admirably
adapted for termini off grand ship canal.
z. The Savanna river is quite free from obstruc-
tions, and Is navigable to the mouth of the Lara
3. From the junction Of the Lara with the Sal
vana to the Chuquanaqua, opposite the mouth of
the Sucubti, distance of IL miles, the country is
OF such character as to present no engineering
difficulties, nor for that distance would any deep
cutting 5e required in the construction of canal
4. The next stage, from the Chuquanaqua to the
confluence of the rivers Asnati and Sucubti a dis
tance OF nine miles, the country is Of the same
character.
S. From the confluence of the Asnati and Su-
cubti for the next six miles, to the little Indian
hamlet OF Sucubti, there is difficulty to be sur
mounted.
8. For the next three miles the land gradually
rises from $50 feet to an elevation of 420 feet.
Z. In the next three miles, in the direction of
the Atlantic, the ground rises intl peak $50 feet
high, so that here tunnel would be required
g. From the foot of this peak to the Atlantic
seaboard, distance Of only two miles, the ground
is very low, and presents no difficulty whatsoever
g. The whole length of the canal to be cut would
be 35 miles.
Snch are the facts, and it should be borne in
mentioned above the existence of q valley across
the COrdilera is not taken into account, and re-
gret to say no search was made for it. myself
have repeatedly and distinctly seen it from Gale
doni..-bIy, and taken the bearing of its entrance
which was nearly due west of Isa del Orc, or Col
den Island. The mountain which, according to
Mr.. Osborne, would require tunnelng is south
east Of it. This mountain, DR.. Cullen says, is
called Agla by the Indians.
The cOuntrv hanO OverOrown bv n denSa f,rast
of tall trees and high brushwood, and Mr.. Gis-
borne having made only very hurried examina-
tior Of it, the valley remained unseen by aim, and
its existence therefore ignored. 1t is, howev-
er, very plainly marked on Commander Parsons
survey of Caledonia-bay and Port Escoses, 1854,
lately published by the Hydrographic-ofice.
Again, DIR. Ross, who accompanied Commander
Provost, in 4 conversation which had with him a
few weeks ago, distinctly informed me that he de-
scended into another valley transverse to the Cor
diera several miles to the \. W. Of that opposite
Golden Island This would show that the noun
tain running parallel to the shore of Caledonia
bay, instead Of being, as is generally supposed,
part of an unbrokcn range, is really Isolated.
Mr. Osborne himself, in letter to Commander
Hantock, dated Her Maiesty's ship Espiegle, Cal
edonia-bay, April 4, 1854, says-"I am quite
aware that in now concluding my surveying oper-
ations there is great deal of interesting infOrma
ton still wanting and that the examination Of the
isthrous is not near 50 perfect as had hoped to
make it."
Commander Provost, in despatch to Rear Adj
uiiral Fairfax Morcsby, C.B. at Callao, dated Her
Majesty's ship Virago, Savanna River, Jan. I, 1854,
says-''Fording the river 1.-THE Chuquanaqua), we
began to ascend, entering, as we supposed, the
Cordillera. and during our progress passed over
several hills the highest of which we estimated at
700 and 500 it. in height. From this and other
SUBMITS we were able to see, though indistinctly,
over the surrounding country, which showed the
ranges of hills to be broken; assuming a sugarlOaf
form, apparently having narrow passes or valleys
at theis bases, along which several rivers and
streams may find their way into the At
lantic."
In fine, think there are sufficient grounds to
Justify Her Majesty Government in sending few
vessels of war to Caledonia-bay and the Gulf OF
San Miguel, whence parties of sailors, marines,
and engineers might be landed to survey the four
or FIVE miles of ground which separate the head
waters of the Aglaseuiqua and the Sucubti, and
which are, believe, trayersed by valley