The New York herald., 1869-01-30
INTERoeEAN1C TRANsITs.

Ineir POAtlc0l HlstOry-Eu0FtS Oi tn0 OuAtcsa
States, England, France and the Pope.
The following interesting paper has been furnished
70 US by DR.. Gornam d. Abbot, and Is condensed
from chapter OF his work now In press, mexico
and the United States"
THE GREAT ..EAsTERN'' QUESTION.
The struggle Of the century in Europe has been FOR
the commerce OF the Orient. England, Russia and
France have ever been at cross purposes In tne
Levant. They have never been able to agree In ad-
Justing their respective claims. The Eagle, the Lion
and the Bear with mutual jealousies have guarded
the passage, which neither s willing the other
should enjoy. The question Will yet arise whether
the Suez canal and the Euphrates Valley Railway,
or some other track shorter ana more direct from
lhe Mediterranean to the mouth OF the Euphrates,
should not be opened to all the world, on scale
commensurate with the wants and the enterprises
Of our century, and under the protection and con-
troll Of some kind OF International commission,
charged with the preservation Of the rights OF all
nations
THE GREAT "wRsTERNn QUESTION.
The transit OF the American isthmus from the At
lanc to the Pacific by canal and railroad, has en-
gagged for centuries the attention Of mankind.
Where, when, and how shall these waters be joined,
the gateways be opened, on a scale equal to the
wants of Europe, Asia and Americas
The question has received far more the attention
of European governments than IL has that OF our
own. The following brief historical sketch may
give some idea OF the importance attached to this
subject by transatlantic powers, and Of the political
and commercial aspects In which 1t has been Viewed.
Since the sixteenth century this American isthmus
section has occupied the attention OF the great
Powers OF Europe. The most eminent statesmen
have devoted themselves to the subject. JEFFERSON
ana Pitt in The last century, the successive minis
ters OF the British government, Louis Philippe
Louis Napoleon and their unrivalled corps OF engi
neers, Pope Pho Mono, the sdrons Of Europe Hum
boldt and others and the late administrations Of our
g0vernment-Everett, Marcy, Webster and Clay
have directed to 1t the most marked public and
Official attention. Many treaties and concessions
have been made by the different governments OF
Mexico and Of Central America, with a view to Sc
cure to foreign governments to companies or in
dividuals, at home abroad, some exclusive rights
or privileges over the great highway
PROPOSED ROUTES FOR CANALS AND RAILROADS.
There have been at least nineteen different routes
proposed for interoceanic communication between
the waters Of the Atlantic and the Pacific 0cean-by
Canals.
First-The Tehuantepec route, by the Coatzacoal-
co river and the bay OF La Ventosa.
Second-The Honduras route between that bay
and the bay OF FOnseca.
Ttird-The eight Nicaragua routes-l. BY the
river San Carlos direct to the Gulf OF Mexico. to
several rivers connecting the lake with the Pacific
Ocean-the Milo, the Sapoa, the San Juan del Sur
Managua viz, by the river Tamarnda, by the
City Of Leon and the port Reaeo, and by the bay OF
TouyTn-The four Panama routes-1. BY the river
Chagres and Panama. 2. BY the way OF Trinidad
and Caymito. Q. BY Navy bay and the rivers Cha.
Eres, Bonito and Bernardo. 4. BY the Gulf Of San
FUln-The two Darien routes-l. BY the Bay Of
Caledonia and the Gulf OF San Miguel 2 by the
N puu nfnv md ffan fy1 n Co n
!. sirtn-The three Atrato routes--l. By, the river
iey's inlet. g. BY the Atrato river.
There have been at least seven different projects
for communication by
First-The Tehauntepec route, by the Coatza-
coalco.
Second-The Honduras to the Gulf Of Fonseca.
Tntrd-The Nicaragua.
Fourth--The Chiriqu to the Dulcc Gulf
F.rh-The Panama, In operation.
Sirth-The Gorg0n bay and Realejo.
Sepe,u1t--The Gorgon bay and San Juan del Sur.
great variety of projects have been put forward
from time to time some Of the more important Of
which are as follows:--
THE DECREE OF THE SPANISH C0RTEs-1s14.
In 1914 the Spanish Cortes, with such Information
as they possessed, passed decree authorizing the
opening OF canal across Tehuantepec. The revo-
lutions and contests in Spain ana in Mexico, how
for many years in other things In 1926 an associa-
tion was formed in London for the purpose Of cut
ting ship canal across the isthmus Of America. r.
b. Pltman published volume OF $50 pages 12mo.
giving an analysis OF all the information then extant
in regard to the subject. He quoted from Dampier
and Wafer In 16; Sharp and Funnel In 1708; De u
loa in 1926; Edwards In 1880; Humboldt In 1903;
Walton In 1917; Robinson In 1870; Hall In 1922 and
Purdy in 1894. He cited the remark Of Humboldt,
that there was no paper'' at that date to throw
light on The possibility Of cutting canal across the
isthmus OF American The work contains o map
ana q description OF the I'VE routes that had been
then suggested-the Tehuantepec, the Nicaragua,
the Panama, the Darien and the Atrato.
The author says-"t Is especially within the obli-
cations and the power OF Great Britain to investigate
the subject impartialy, and 4 practicable, to &C
benedtng herself, would confer inestimabe advan-
tages upon the rest Of the world" and suggests "a
convention, under the mediation OF the British gov
ernment, with all other maritime nations, by which
war and Its hideous consequences should, by COM
on the earth's surface winch appears destined by
nature 60 be the heart OF the commerce Of the
world"
In lS45 Napoleon Gavclla, chief OF the royal corps
of mining engineers, published In Paris o resume OF
Of the Panama Canal The volume contains $50
pages, 12mo, with an accurate Typographical map
and condensed statement OF che results OF his ex-
animation OF the isthmus the details OF which In
the estimates OF construction, revenue, &C., being
deposited in the archives OF state. The report Of NJ
Is, 1S46.
In 1s46 M. Garay published volume In London,
OF $50 pages, 12no, with maps tables and estimates
based upon the surveys and reports OF the scientific
commission authorized under his grant. He claimed
the superior advantages OF the Tehuanfepec route
over every other In shortening the commercial lines,
and In other respects, while 1t did not dier In any
extraordinary degree in any Of its dimensions OF
length, breadth, DEPTH l0ckage or summit level
TO be crossed from similar works already executed
IN Great Britain, France, Holland or the United
States
SPIRIT or THE ENGLISH PREss-1s46
The London Spectator, september TO- 1876, con-
tained the following article:-A railroad or even
good common road, across the lsthmus. of Panama,
would be invaluable boon to the country through
which IL passed, and would not be devoid Of utility
TO commences; but II would be immeasurably mfe-
rior In Importance TO ship canal between the two
oceans and would by no means supersede the
necessity for that grand highway for the navigation
OF the world. What Is wanted is a maritime
channel which shall enable merchant vessels OF the
largest class to avoid the expense danger and loss OF
time incident 10 doubling Cape Horn, and to pass
from ocean TO without discharg1ng their car
sOes or being delayed more than two or three days