New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-24

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The shortest line from England to Sidney
in Australia lies through the Isthmus of Te-
huantepec. Says Mr.. Stevens;
"The Tehuantepec route is, Of all the routes
proposed from the Atlantic to the Pacific
Ocean, the true American route. 1t is the
route which is entirely commanded by our
possessions on the Gulf of Mexico, and not
domineered over by any British possessions
whatever. In case of war with Great
Britain, our vessels bound to Chagres would
be obliged to sail almost within gunshot
of the British forts Mt Jamaica. The
Mississippi river being the great artery of
the West, and the Mississippi Valley des-
tined to be the great reservoir of the
population, enterprise, and nationality of the
United States, we are at all times better
prepared to defend the Isthmus of Tehuan
tepec than any other position on this side Of
our Continent south of New Orleans"
THE PANAMA ROUTE.
We do not propose to discuss the advantages
claimed for either of the intermediate lines of
Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, since all
that could be said in behalf of either of them
applies with the same or greater force TO one or
the other of tho extreme northern and south
ern routes. 1t is quite possible, if not very
probable, that in due time the requirements Of
trade will warrant the construction of each
and every one of the several practicable roads
between the two oceans; and for our own part
we consider that such a result would be for
kha houf iufa of md in ii
ance with the spirit of the age. If there is any
one thing against which more than another the
mercantile instincts of the present day rebel
| it is the existence of monopoly in any form,
and more especially is this true when any ex-
listing state of things suggests n possible mo-
nopoly Of great channel of trade. The world
Of to-day believes in the fullest and freest com
petition. AS between the Panama and Tehu-
antepec routes, however, the case is somewhat
different While, as a matter of course, they
will exercise n certain degree of competition
which will necessarily be for the general good
of commerce, each has its own peculiar advan-
tages, quite sufficient to warrant its construc-
ton and sustain its prosperity independent of
the other. What some of these are we have
endeavored to show in discussing their sew
eral connections and local advantages, but
the question is not unfrequently asked "Why,
if Panama is not obviously the best route, was
it so promptly selected in the first place and
why has it so long been permitted to remain
the only transit7" The latter question is suii-
ciently answered by reference to the unfortu-
nate condition of Mexican affairs, which rem
dered it for so long time next TO impossible
to engage enterprise and capital in the con-
struction of the Tehuantepec line; adding, how
ever, that the timidity of our moneyed men has
at no time been warranted by the conduct of
the MeXicans themselves, since they have ever
shown q most lively interest in the transit UNI
dertakng. AS to the first query, it may he
said that, although the first portion of the New
World to be visited and explored, the Isthmus,
was, until latterly the least known and under
stood; and the general ignorance of its topog-
raphy led to greatly exaggerated estimate of
the difficulties in the way of opening a pas.
sage; while, for the same reason, when the de-
mand for one became imperative, men were
prompted to seize upon the first available
route that was discovered. Subsequent explo-
ratons have developed the fact that some of
the worst of the difficulties so GAL
lantly and perseveringly overcome by
the energy and daring of Stevens and his as
sociates, are hardly to be found in so terribly
vexatious a degree at any other point Ii is
indeed almost to be doubted if even their deter
mined pluck would have held out, if the mira
culously rapid growth of Californian commerce
and migration had not come TO their aid with
an assurance Of, large and immediate profit.
When we read, in the history of the construc-
ton of the Panama road, of the long and ter
rible struggle with boys, quicksands, swamps,
tropical forests, pestilence and death, while
the story forms one of the most striking
episodes in the romance OF modern mate
rial development, we can but regret that
the thousands Of lives which were thrown
away in that desperate fight with adverse
circumstances had not been saved by trans
ferring the scene OF their exertions to the
more genial climate and less difficult topography
Of Tehuantepec. Had the Isthmus been rs thor
oughly understood IN 1850 as it is in 1869, there
can be bat little doubt that Panama would not
have been the first route selected, though event
ually southern transit would have been 70.
CURED by the necessities of commerce.
1t is well worthy of remark, at this point,
that Mr. Marshall o. Roberts, the principal pro-
moter Of the present enterprise, earnestly urged,
even at that early day, the adoptionof the Te-
huantepec route instead Of the Panama, but was
oyerrnled by his associates. 1t was then, as
now, his deliberate aud decided Judgment that