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

instantaneous prejudice in the mind OF any
northern man against the very name or Istn-
mus" Here again we must refer to the map
and to the local topography In the first place.
Tehuantepec is over thousand miles north
west in direct line, of the Isthmus of Pana-
ma: is neither swampy nor badly dralheu'
having an abundance of swift-running streams:
it lies nearly east and west, the line OF transit
being nearly due north and south, so as to be
perpetually swept and furnished with pure
air from over the ocean by the steady winds
of that quarter: it is, for the most part an
elevated table-land, and not subject to obJec-
tionable extremes of heat or cold. Indeed 1t
is firmly believed by the best medical author
tiles that the central table-lands on the
Tehuantepec route will eventually become
favorite resort for invalids and valetudina-
rians, on account of the evenness OF their
temperature and the purity OF their atmos-
phere. ..
The surveying expeditions of this and other
enterprises on this line though very much ex-
posed and compelled to sleep for the most part
in the open air, reported fewer cases OF sick
ness than would have been deemed inevitable
| in any similar circumstances in any OF the
States of this country. It will, therefore, be
seen that the climate of this portion of the
| Isthmus presents no obstacles in the way OK
| its rapid settlement; while its salubrity must
relieve future passengers between the two
| oceans of the vague terrOrs of Panama fever"
| which now not unreasonably prevent so many
| from daring the present journey. The great
| fisheries of the west coast will not be for
gotten by those who speak of the general
wealth of the country, though forming no por-
ton of the wealth of the Railway Company.
CONNECTIONS.
Here, again, those who are not thoroughly
| familiar with the commercial geography of the
world they live in, will find a constant refer
ence to the map Indispensable. They will at
once, on a superficial investigation, determine
that, so far as the west coast OF South America
is concerned the Panama route has about 1900
miles the advantage of the Tehuantepec; and
| this is unquestionably true so far as a certain
portion of that commerce is concerned,
| for Panama" is abundantly able to stand
alone, and is in no danger of being destroyed
by the greater advantages of its younger rival.
| But all such freight as is destined for the
| United States, whether by way of New-Or-
leans or New-York, will be pretty sure, even
| tually, to prefer Tehuantepec as the shorter
and cheaper channel. The vastly greater and
more rapidly increasing trade of the west
coast Of North America will at once and surely
take account, however, of that same 1900 miles,
and will be forever lost to Panama. No ar
rangement of schedules, however skillful. can
long maintain a contest against the stubborn
facts of geography. The mapis here all-power-
full.
But the same physical features which secure
to the Tehuantepec route the almost unqucs-
tionable control of the west coast freightage,
including the almost entirely, as yet, undevel-
oped commerce of the rich provinces OF West
ern Mexico, and that of part of East California,
Arizona, New Mexico. Nevada, &c, which can
not DO transported overland to the Atlantic
shores, but will find its future way to the sea
| through the Colorado river and the Gulf of
| California, as well as the already established
trade of California, Oregon, and the extreme
North West, hold good also when we come to
deal with the vast commerce of the future
which must seek its passage across the Pacific
on the line of the North Pacific current and
this includes the japanese and the best part
of the Chinese freightage. The Australian trade,
and that part of the Chinese, East Indian and
Island commerce which is compelled to take
advantage of the South Pacific trade-winds
and currents will find little to choose between
| Panama and Tehuantepec, if il has a European
| destination; but, if consigned to any port OF the
United States, it cannot fail to find q marked
| advantage in seeking the more northerly tran
| sit, especially rs the Winter passages even of
the present New-York and Panama line Of
steamers, are frequently made to the westward
of the Antilles.
Our present statistics, as we are in the very
infancy of all this commerce, do but give us
vague hints of the results which the future is
sure to accumulate. The increase Of facilities,
with the saving of distance secured by the
Tehuantepec enterprise will of themselves
tend greatly to foster the growth of all devel-
opments of the manifold resources of the west
ern coast. An empire of unimaginable rich
ness is thus added TO the connections of the
commercial world at the same time that the
Cathay and Zipangu China and Japan of Co
lumbus and the early navigators are brought
into nearer relations with European and Amer-
can civilization. 1t is strange, indeed, to find
the capitalists and merchants of New-York, in
the nineteenth century, carrying ont at last to
| practical result and success the vague dreams
of enthusiastic Spanish and Italian explorers
and geogaphers in the fifteenth, and of sa-
gacious adventures in the sixteenth century.
Turning now TO the Asiatic coast, we see
that the trade of the Gulf States of Mexico,
| Texas, and the West Indies, with the Pacific,
and all that Of the United States which is
hereafter to pass by way of New Orleans, Mo-
bile. or the Florida road. must inevitably be
tributary to Tebuantepec. We add below con-
densed tables which SIT this matter in the
plain light of arithmetical demonstra-
| ton. The new railway lines now in course