The New York herald., 1870-12-02
The New Darien Expedition.

The New Darien Expedition.
The United States storeship Guard, which
left the Navy Yard yesterday, carries out to
the isthmus Commander Sslfridge, the COM
msnder of the new Darien expedition, as he
was OF the last; Commander Lull, Commander
of the Guard; Lieutenant Commander
Schulze, five masters, two surgeons, one pay
master, five midshipmen, one boatswain, three
clerks, thirteen marines and one hundred and
six sailors. Seven civilians form the scientific
corps accompanying the expedition-a sur
veyor, geologist, civil engineer, an astrono-
mer, draughtsman, an assistant engineer,
&nd photographer. The exploring party is
amply supplied with theodolites, surveyors
compasses, pocket compasses, fine compasscs
with side wings, plain tables, patent steel
pickaxes and all other requisite Instruments
together with new boring apparatus, by
which the various strata of the earth can be
learned to the depth Of hundred feet.
Special attention has been paid to the recon-
mendation of Admiral Davis that all survey
Ing and exploring parties should be abun-
dainty supplied with provisions in a concen-
trated form. Nor has it been forgotten that
quinine is as indispensable on the isthmus as
an umbrella is in London. The Guard also
is provided with 8 team launch and three fiat
boats for ascending shallow rivers, and fitted
out with wheels SO as to be used on land.
The object Of the present expedition is, be-
sides completing some of the surveys UNDER
taken by last years expedition, to explore the
routes through the valley of the Atrato which
may seem most feasible for ship canal from
the Atlantic to the Pacific. So long ago as in
1888 the Atrato route afforded o real water
communication between the two oceans
Aalthough nayigable only for canoes), the canal
of Raspadura, three miles long, having been
constructed at that time by the Indians under
the direction Of an intelligent Spanish priest,
across the Isthmus of San Pablo, to unite the
Rio de la Raspadura, which runs into the San
Pablo, and thence by the Quito and the
Atrato into the Atlantic, with the San
Juan de Chirambira, which flows into the
Pacific. Mr.. Kelly, who has done more
than any one else to make the Atrato route
favorably known to the world, claims for it the
following pre-eminent advantages First, that
the two oceans can be thus united by an open
channel, without locks or any other impede
ment; second, that the width and depth are
sufficient to allow of the Simultaneous pas
sages, up and down, at all times, of the largest
class OF vessels; third, that excellent harbors
exist at both ends, requiring but little improve
ment, and at all times perfectly accessible; !;
and fourth, that it passes through country in
undsputed possession of a legal government,
and among people favorable instead of hos
tile to the undertaking. Commander Selfridgc
will be able to profit by all previous explora-
rations, including his own, in seeking to verify
these claims or to discover still more
practicable and convenient route. The
Guard and the steamer Nipsic will rem
which will be the base Of the operations
on this side. Meanwhile the steamer Sagi-
nav, Lieutenant Commander Greene, will be
despatched from San Francisco, to receive at
Panama the portion Of Commander Selfridge's
expedition which is to land at Aspinwall, and
convey them to the Gulf of San Miguel, whence
line Of survey will be run up the river Tuyra
or Darien and over the divide" to join the
party advancing from the Atlantic side. 1t is
by no means impossible that the results Of the
new Darien expedition may confirm the opinion
of Humboldt, who originally pointed out the
Atrato route as likely to afford one Of the best
solutions of the problem of constructing ship
canal across the American isthmus. The con-
struction of such a canal, it has been said
without extravaganza, would be "the might
est event, probably, in favor of the peaceful
: intercourse of nations which the physical
circumstances of the globe present to the
enterprise of man"