New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-07-25
SHORT CUT TO THE PACIFIC.

THE CANAL-PLAN OF THE WORK-TIE
LATEST NEWS FROM TEHUANTEPEC.
Col. J. j. Williams, the Engineer-in-C Chief
Of the Tehuantepoc Railway Company, has just returned
from the isthmus OF Tchuantepec where he has been
engaged in verifying the location OF the line of the road
that sthmus which company proposes TO COM
nence constructing this FAN. In connection with his
iabors the road, Col Williams las ascertaned facts
which he thinks definitely settle the vexed question OF
the proper location for an American mteoceanc canal
He considers Tehuautepcc beyond doubt the proper
place Col. Williams has been occupied In ehglheeIlns
iaors on that isthmus at intervals for 20 years past III
was he who first pointed ont the feasibility oil canal
in that locality last Spring in opposition 10 tne
official opinion OF Rear Admiral Davis who adVoea'eu IN
his report the Daren route.
Not less than wentysiX different routes Tor the canal
have been proposed OF these four have exhibited such
prospects that they have each found many advocates
The other routes proposed have proved Impossible on
cursory examination The four are the Darien, Panama,
Nicaragua and Tehuantepec routes The great obstacle
common TO an, is the Cordera range the link between
the Rocky Mountains and the Andes. The backbone Of
The continent" some one has happily called It. Its
elevation varies ff"E 400 to several thousand feet.
IL is panty impossible TO gut down canal
70 water level from such q hight. The question
resolves itself into dIemma-ctbcT tunnels must DC
cut through the mountain at water level or the water
must be forced ND hill The vast size TO which tunnel
must attain in order pass large sailing vessels in fu
rigging would entail an expense the opinion OF eminent
engineers which would render che whole project impos
sble The alternative TO carry the water over the h
impossible rs IL may TO the casual reader is done
IN every canal by Of locks That the course pro
posed in this case TO urmount this great mountain range
. bv gigantic system OF lockagc Various objections
have been brought against canals over theSe
various routes. On the Panama route for
instance tho elevation Of 400 feet might be over
come if il were that durns four months Of the year
there Is no water at tho summit level from which the
hicho q part OF the canal may he filed In addition 10
this thlee-mile tunnel would be necessary costing
tOOOlOOO The Nicaragua route proposes making the
great Nicaragua lake pant of the canal and also
small river. Bnt the work win DO in all l9i miles long
Tho lake is 12s above the but between the lake
and the shore peak rises TO hight OF 34 Ieet WIlch
must be tunneod for three miles at vast cost In fact
the work would be immense and so difficult that MI
T. G. Squires who has been over the whole ground,
places its lowest cost at S25OOOO0)0 This route how
ever is deemed by many the best and is in the bands OF
company of French capitalists, who propose " carry 1t
through
Rear Admiral c. II. Davis. after examining all acces
sibe information this subject, reported that Daren
was the only which seemed in anywse practcaOe
started the basis, however, that the proposed
should parake much as possible OF the nature
OF strait and be entirely free from locks, itnggatcs
etc Messrs. Adams Williams, Trautwne, and other
engineers familiar with the localities, agree that TINS Il
iInpos.ihe Col Tautwine, the engineer OF the ran
nina Railroad placed the cost the canal at Darien at
Commander sehidge, which recently returned
from the examination Of the Darien route
Is understood to he unanimously mfavoraDle
though no official report has as yet Deeh
given to the public. The Spanish dscoverer Cortes'
firt indicated this route suitable for snip canal
Tic matter was favorahly considered by the Spanish,
and afterward by the Mexican Governments In inc
Presidency of Santa Anna the first steps toward the
actual contamination of the plan We're taken and Don
Jose de Garay organized scientific commission 10 SUP
Il tlt
Moro. an able and experienced Italian engineer.
The survey was made throughout in 1S3, and the re-
port Of Gen Moro favorable for the success OF the
scheme But the people had not the requisite enterprise
for the work nor Lad the brightest time OF engineering
triupbs vet come and the canal reluctantly aDan
doncd for want OF support Twice since then surveys
been made across the lsthmus Tor hairo"o'
by GEN. Barnard and Col. Williams, IN ISL ana once 10y
Gen sde in 1850. bill to incorporate company for
the prosecution of this work was introduced III
the Senate at a late session OF Congress On the
10Th of Ju'y a subsidy Of $4,000 was voted Tor
tbc purpose Of an accurate survey OF the
Istl1nus Of Tehuautepcc TO ascertain whether snip
canal across il is practicable The expedition 1or the
pufuosc will De under the command OF Rear Admiral
eLuielIt The Mexican Government has made preIin-
iuary concession 10 the Tcduantepec Railway Go" the
ratification OF which is now pending In their Congress
Tey VIII be requested to appoint commissioner 10 CO
aouerete with Admiral shuiedt in his investigations.
Tho I.tllus Of Tehuautcpec may be briefly described
as the arrowest portion Of the land which separates the
Gulf Of Mexico from the Pacific Ocean 1t measures
about ll0 miles across and is situated in the states OF
Oaxaca Vera Cruz ana Tabasco While there arc ahun
hcr of peaks OF very respectable altitude, the mountains
Are generally catered AID the table lands have no very
formidable elevation while, in southerly direction from
the mouth The CodtzacoacOs River, on the Gu thee
exists a remarkable natural depression or holio" eN
tending through with some Irregularities 10 lNe fachc
.lop forming very available sort of "pdss and which
has been made Of from the earliest day
for PURPOSES OF transit from coast TO coast ana here
the eyloraons Il Admiral Shufeldt will be conducted
Col williams SAWS that OF the 40 mies OF the canal on
bOwU he wholly artificial on the Gulf side At the lnout
ftle COazacoacOs there is bar upon winch the wafer
at low tide i, 10 icet This oar varies in depih and
Is believed 10 De Of limestone. II dredged away to
depth Of 20 feet it is believed that depth would be
pcrmaucut This being done vessels could with some
SLIGHT improvements in the channel ascend the river SO
miles lie has himself seen ships opposite Minattan' ~
miles up the river loading with mahogany The Uspan-
apa which cIuptic into the COatzacoacos four miles be-
low Mnattlan H. also navigabe for large ships 20 miles
above ts mouth, il may be said TO have on the gun
sCe of the sthmus at tho terminus Of the proposed snip
rauo. two rivers contributing SO miles TO It's length
having total navgable length Of SC miles These might
form a harbor for all the shipping in the word
On the Pac nc side, the lagoons or enormous sandy
sboa,s utersp.rsed with bodies OF water, will form
miles o. the distance and with little dredging Ike tDa
done on the sucz Canal, viii make vast harbor Inc
artificial portion OF the route proposed by Moro-Wcn
Col Williams thinks is the best route possible-begns Oh
the Gulf side at the Island Of Tacainchata the heau OF
shin uav the river, and follows the winding oi
The river ly means Of locks and dams slack water
navigation l27 miles. BY air hne the distance would
be only 90 miles The difficulty OF the Tehuanepec route
q the locks TO the mouth the Malutenzo, the rise Is
100 feet locks Al the mouth OF this river the
canal proper Ncr and IL tie next 20 miles the rise
tss.Ofe requiring o. locks. This brings the work TO
the highest point the T'r.fa Plss-the summit level
49, HHFsug