The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-10-14


and challenge TO fight any in America.
Interoceanic Routes-The Commerce OF the
World and Its Demands.
With the quieting down of the political ele-
ments in Mexico and Central America the
wants of commerce, heretofore held in the
background, again come prominently into
notice and demand the earnest attention of
our people. We cannot be too much alive to
the Importance of at once opening every avenue
possible between the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans. We already have one commercial
treasure In the Panama Railroad. We require,
however. other interocsanic lines, and the
enormous development of trade resulting from
the construction of the Panama road demon
strates that the trade will alone be limited by
the carrying capacity of the different routes
which may connect the two oceans.
Prominent among the projected railroad
lines are the Tehuantepec, Honduras, Nicara-
qua and Costa RIGA. The latter, in energetic
hands, has a fair prospect Of being pushed
rapidly to completion, and will form one OF
the most valuable as well as one of the most
accessible of all the connecting links of ocean
trade.
The Tehuantcpeo line so prominent po-
litically and financially, Is so loaded with
contracts, concessions and political schemes,
confederate and imperial, that it is
doubtful if it struggles into existence
for some years to come. Its history
is one Of continued misfortune, and is an
example of the difficulties which environ
almost every great enterprise. In 1843
the Garay grant was conceded by the
Mexican government The company did
nothing with it, and in 1853 the Sloo,
or "Mixed Company" obtained charter
to construct a Tehuantepec road. Failing to
comply with the terms, their charter was
revoked by Comonfort on February s, 1857.
Upon its ruins arose the Louisiana Te-
huantepec Company, under q concession
dated September 7, 1857. This caused the
filing OF claim by the Sloo Company in
March, 1861, in our State Department. Of ten
millions of dollars against the Mexican
government for revoking their charter
after they had already expended FIVE hun
dred thousand dollars in the work. The Louis
lana Tehuantepec Company, being unable to
meet the demands made by the conces-
sion, had their grant twice extended by
Juarez-the first extension March %, 1859,
the second October rs, 1860. In this COM
pany the Mexican empire and the Southern
coniederacy joined hands, supposing the Te-
huantepec Railway to be a valuable adjunct to
their political schemes. Benjamin, Slidell and
other leading confederatcs handled the reins.
The company, however, still failed to carry
out tho project; and in 1866 the Mexican
government virtually ignored the existence of
the grant by refusing some small concessions to
the company on the ground that their franchise
had lapsed. The company had not, as slipu-
lated, commenced tho work by April L. 1862.
They, however really committed suicide Octo-
Der IL, 1866, when they got their charter ex-
| tended by Neutrality-suspicious. Ignoring The re-
public and giving moral support 10 its NOR
tai enemy, the empire. A Washington COM
pany next entered the lists, and new organi-
cation was born under decree of Juarez, at
chihuahua, October Is, 1866. It's first article
revoked the Louisiana Tehuantepec enterprise,
and the new organization was baptized tho
Tehuantepec Transit Company. Again fail
ure on the part Of the coacessonaires to comply
with the charter has, according to our Mexican
news, caused revocation of tho grant.
This now leaves the Tehuantspcc route
open to new and, it IL hoped, more sue
cesssul commercial effort The advantages Of
this transit are in many points inferior to those of
other projected lines, for the harbors at the road
termini are difficult OF access and too shallow
for heavy ships. They give at best but twelve
feet of water. TIE land transit OF ono hun
dred AMI sixty-nine miles presents no en-
ginsering difficulties of magnitude. BY this
route the distance from New York to San Fran
cisco Is four thousand two hundred milestone
thousand miles shorter than by Panama.
One or the finest of all the lines thus far ex-
amined is across Honduras Its harbors are
spacious, deep and easy Of access. The transit
| from ocean to ocean IL one hundred and sixty
miles and grades not exceeding fifty-fve feet
per mile tell how easily the road may be con-
| structed. II Il one OF the lrst OF the inter-
oceanic enterprises which should receive the
attention Of our capitalists. The distance from
New York to San Francisco via Honduras Is
four thousand three hundred and sixty miles.
By the Nicaragua route we have four thou
sand eight hundred and eighty-four miles to
San Francisco, including one hundred and
eighty miles OF land transit, the latter being very
difficult in po,n. of heavy grades and curva'u res.
Heretofore, in the projection OF interoceanic
enterprises, every company has made Its esti-
mates OF distances relative to San Francisco, as
If that were the great objective point for all
commercial campaigns. This, however, is
great error. Tho commercial problem Is hr
broa Ter, mi towards Central America as