The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-29

account OF the information 1t might give to foreign
Powers" gives this fact and furthermore says that
the navigation OF the Rio San Miguel (savana), the
Atiato and Of otner rivers was prohibited on pam
OF death.
tits, therefore, not surprising that years passed
without any vigorous or well directed effort being
made to establish communication between the two
continents 1t is true that the Count OF Revilagigedo
one OF the most. energetic OF Spanish viceroys OF
Mexico. did pay attention to a canal projected
across the isthmus Of Tenuantepec, but nothing
came therefrom But the Investigations had not
been confined to single locality before the arbitrary
act Of the Spanish King put an END to them. What
is now known as the Nicaragua route had attracted
attention at an early period, which we are assured
Of from the fact that "old maps point out commu-
ncation by water existing across the isthmus
from the lake to the great ocean, Other maps,
somewhat newer, represent river. under the name
of Rio Partdo, which gives one OF its branches to
the Pacific Ocean and the other to the lake OF Mica
ragua.v
century passed away inertly. war was waged
between England and Spain; swarms OF buccaneers
crowded the Caribbean Sea- OF the vast wealth
Of Central and South America attracting them there
to- Jamaica was conquered, and from Port Royal har.
Dor bold Adventures, who were nothing less than
pirates, sailed forth to prey upon the Spanish colo
MES. In 1850 Damper. at the head OF his despera-
does, crossed to the Isthmus from his rcndez-
on Golden Island. and marched into the interior
in search Of gold Guided by Indians he reached
river which they told him led into the South Sea
Pacific Oceanl. Surgeon Lionel Wafer, who accom-
panied the buccaneers on this expedition, was COM
PEELED to cross the lsthmus some time later. The
record ne has left OF his trip is interesting II
had been stated that from certain point on the
Cordilleras both oceans could be seen. He admits
haxio t,rrfo nfo
depression Of the mountain range SO depressed that
they are mere hills separated from one another by
Valleys which allow free course for the passage OF
the numerous rivers. Alarmed at the boldness OF
the buccaneers the Spanish monarch issued decree
in 1885 closing by destruction the gold mines Of
Daren in the vicinity OF rivers, because the covet
ing Of them has induced the pirates to undertake the
transit from the OF the north to the sea OF the
SOUTH by these rivers the prejudice OF the public
cause.n
AN INTERREGNUM AND AN OPPORTUNITY LOST.
Perhaps the term 'interregnumr Is not applicable,
but none other thought OF at the moment expresses
with suf1cient significance the changes which the
lapse OF another century wrought II was really a
period OF time between two governments. An
Angio-Saxon empire had been established in the New
World by Great Britain, whose rule had gwen way
before the sturdy blows Of American patriots thus
1856 saw colonies vast in size and repiete with unde-
eloped resources under the sway OF island In the
German ocean, and 1855 found them thirteen inde-
pendent States known to the world the republic Of
The United States. IL must not be imagined that
during these one hundred years absolutely nothing
was done towards finding or constructing passage
between the two oceans We have the account OF
an expedition numbering 300 men, under Carrera,
sent by Don Arlsa to discover passage. 1t failed
miserably; but Adjutant Milla, Spanish offcer,
crossed once. IL is SHOWN that he left the Savanna
ever at Principe moving directly the country
ascending the ravlnes OF the Cordieras to the head
waters OF the Sucubtl, thence down the snuous
Chuquanaque to the ocean. IL was proposed by en-.
gIneers to the court at Madrid to use the river
Chagres as the medium OF communication and
canal projected from verta dc Cruces to Havana.
But spain was no longer the great power she once
had been. True, she still was the mistress OF Mexico
all OF Central and the greater part Of South America
Her material strength, however had been wasted In
worse than insane in Europe in revolutions
at home. The record of her deeds is, therefore,
blank. Portugal had made some efforts. but with