The New York herald., 1871-03-06
htefeceanic Ship Canals and Gigantic
81 Il. ai Railway Enterprises.
nscsntinental, Isthmian and
Oceanic Routes.
Interesting Sketch Of the Different Schemes
'ss'. Proposed and in Operation.
Central Position Of the United
Z States and New York ON
.rss tfle Map Of the Globe.

The accompanying map brings out in bold relief
me reflection which must have often arisen In
Ehe minds OF many OF our patriotic readers
as they have looked upon the geographical out
lines OF the American Continent-that IL is an
imperative duly to pierce the slender little strip
Of land that joins the northern and southern
sections OF the New World by water highway.
We stand at present between the most nourlshing
and prosperous civilizations OF the East and the
West, playing the unsatisfactory role OF an mpassa
bic barrier; we block up the ocean thoroughfare
Of commerce, and the peaceful navies Of Europe,
Instead Of speeding 'west about" through
American waters to China and Japan,
are forced to make tedious and
lengthy voyage round the Cape Of Good Hope and
through the treachereus China Sea. Our own ships
are also, OF course reduced to the same lamentable
0ecessity, and In their case the hardship Is even
vrsater. Commercial interest, the progress or civil.
Aataon and the promptngs OF q legitimate national
ambition aiiKe call for the speedy opening Of an
Isthmus canal. In this article we shall briefly
notice the various facilities Of transit OF all kinds
now working across the Continent, as we'll as the
more numerous class OF those which are projected.
some OF these latter, OF course, viii never be
carried out; amt II is as yet somewhat premature
70 pronounce auth0ritatively upon their merits
When the Darien ana Tehuantepec expeditions
shall have finished their explorations a fair de-
cston upon the relative claims OF The different routes
Wall he possible.
The need for o connecting link between the At.
lAntic and the Pacific is not now felt Tor the frat
rmc. Prom the date OF the discoveries Of Columbus
and Magellan all the early explorers sought, and
sought diligently, for this necessary passage When
American geography however, grew little more
definite and II was kno yn that no such route
existed, the "Darten barrier'' apsed Into being =
constant theme Of regretful comment That was
s position for nearly three centuries but the eort
Sor Its practical removal was in manner delay ed
by the swift development OF the Atlantic coast. In
time, however, the new life of America crossed the
Rocky Mountains aud began to build up rich and
prosperous States on the shores Of the Pacific. The
discovery OF gold IN CALIFORNIA called tlther large
population and created wealth and commerce which
impelutivey demanded shorter lines of cohmunica-
lion. The prOtractcd peril OF the voyage around
the HON suggested transisthmian enterprises and
several We're attempted. Tie rival claims OF the
Nicaragua, Tehuantepec and Cnagres river routes
were all urged by their respective friends, and all
were Temporarily used. Local and financial COM
plications procured the dsuse oil the two former,
while the latter, between 1850 ana 1856, was per-
fected by the construction OF tine Panama Railroad.
which, for the time being, answered all purposes.
TAs ''Uyer,and Ronteu to California was the germ
Of the Pacific Railroad, AMI that splendid monu-
Uenf to American enterprise was conlpletel by the
eAarax - \ naeriSen cet,tNfsts bHcxed up ~ uiA
from the national fe2islature. fat
The Panama Railroad is strictly q transit route,
with no purely local vaie. But the Union Pacific
Railroad and its connections, and the similar lines
now pro,ecCed to the Dortlward and southward aud
Indicated OH the map ia'.st be considered more
with reference to theii ehecf as agencies for
the development Of The vast regions which
they traverse than 10 any facilities tney
afford to 'ahrough freight or tho commercial
relations OF their ternini. For great distances
water transportation must always be necessary.
These two railways have indeed themselves demon.
atrated the necessity OF something more capaclous
End forced the attention OF exploring science once
90 Ie ros for Ann Ts sfsn search
Uon1ned by geographical necessity TO the narrow
lands which unite the great divisions Of the Amerl.
Continent. Here, II ship canal Is practicable,
the problem OF s precise location Is complicated by
questions OF relative COST OF engineering difficulties
OL adaptation to the requirements Of commerce ana
III the respective advantages and disadvantages OF
canals with anu without locks.
The projects for a snip canal through the Ameri.
can isthnus have been numerous, some Of them
dating from the time OF Cortes, and several OF the
localities indicated on the map include more than
We shall briefly allude 10 ,hem each in turn, be.
There are four routes at Daricn whose merits nave
gained them more or less favor, and many others
history y In isss line was surveyed n from 1 the he
larbor Of San Bias. on the, Atlantic to the river
thirty miles long, but would require tunnel Of
seven miles through the central ridge. A second
he Atlantic, with those Of the savanna river, moving
tntQ the Pacific. This also is for a canal without
1ocks, but claims 70 require no tunnelling. A third
route tS suggested from the southern part Of the
Gulf Of Darien 10 the Cult Of San Miguel by way Of
tae river Iuyrs Du. The data & CONCERNING II are ss
from Escondido on the Atlantic, up the Tanela and
Turgandi rivers, across a ridge which rises 10
hoIght OF loo leet above the central plateau.
ATRATU
Al the extrenfty OF tho Isttmus Of Darien, where
Il becomes part OF the northwestern shoulder OF
South America, the dividing ridge between The two
oceans s KNOWN to be very low. Here the facilities
the large agoons at its mouth on tile Gu OF Darlcn,
In COn.eoti0n with the San Juan aud other rivers
and inlets on tho Pacific side, have attracted much
Atenkion anu exploration. Several lines have been
suggosed, With Hlofe or less iDltiy for 'thAr
oughcns,n from sea TO sea- One OF these involves a
tuhnel, at the summit, OF twslve Mules IN .engt, ana
aHsjlher one OF seven and the expense has been
only approximately estirnated, The uaited States
lex lSIfipy Expedition. under ConGaader Selfridg,
mas Ve voted most OF It's abors to the determination
OF th.y practicahtY oi thus Locality, having exau-
thereon viii probably go far towards determining
rsHUAsrEtEo saIr CANAL
Arouta SAr Q ship canal las also been projected
across tNa iEtnmus OF Tehugntepec Tie idea orIgi-
sstses sa rs ay and s SSs o n
possible, all explorations nc this point have been
made wlslt reference to q canal WITH locks. Il IS
proposed 70 utilize the nayiganio waters of the
toatzacoal, x's river, flowing into the Guf or Mexl-
CO. and the xrge lasoons on the Pacific SIDE, rs
10 reduce the yengtn OF actual canal construction
about flLy IN, ks. Within this distance elevation
of lftla mora than 600 feet has to be overcome
which Is less fhan is accomplished IN similar
works III other parts or the world. The govern
ment Of Mexico 9as made Important grants and
concessions in ald of the enterprise. ana the gov
ernment OF the Uttaed States is aiding in the pre-
oao hundred and lweuty feet In width aad
twsny.one feet IN ptn' These n pes;,oa re about The
commodata eleven rteen,hs OF the chin.
ping Of the world. CapvAin Shufeidt is now upon
she lsthmus or Tehaun,vrec. IN command OF
ship canal, and when he makes mis- final report a
fair estimate Of tho value M chs scheme may be
route win probaby be tho " snr Of water required
the summit level to sup,sy tho locEages for
ships passing up and down on D oth siacs
THE PANAMA snip ,xSAi.