The New York herald., 1871-05-15

about one hundred and hftv miles.
This in brief is the route recently surveyed and OF
which such ardent hopes are entertained Whether
the canal will be constructed In the direction al
ready to condemn II at q glance, owing to the en-
gneerlng difficulties to be, overcome, but IT
would be q sorry compliment to the great men OF
the present age were 1t to be positively asserted that
the physical obstacles which IL may present were
insuperaDle, considering the magnitude OF the
OBJECT purposed be realized. But there Is a di-
cuity which besets this enterprise that the most
brilliant engineers cannot remedy, and that Ia the
whereaDouts TO 1nd the etiiclent necessary labor.
II ls generally admitted that the achievements
OF engineering science are alone limited Dy expense,
but the question OF labor certainly requires mature
consideration To be sure. a large portion OF the
population oI CartnageEa might be relied upon, but
u would assuredly renuire great reward to induce
white laborers 10 work IN the interior OF the ishmus
and expose thcm>elves all the year round to the In
from the Pacific along the Nappf is concerned, the
climate is much better in every respect than IN
rounding scenery OF Limon Bay the salubrity OF the
atmosphere and the excellent water found In seve-
the members of the expedition, and contrasted
strongly with the sickly exhalatiOns OF decaylng
up the Atraso river Without further discussing the
question: 1t Is well to mention that this route by
tue Napipi Is regarded n1 as q successful ane one
who surveyed It. lie does not apprchend
that any insurmountable difficulties stand IN the way
tire cost Of constructing the canal Will thin
loJ,oooooo. Tnus the expedition confidently rees
upon the fact OF having satisfactorily solved the
question to the feasibility OF this route Whether
II will be selected as the precise locality most eg
bic for the great work 1t Is Impossible to say but 1t
IL certainly matter for congratula0n 10 know that
the strenuous and uniagging efforts Of this expedl
roughly equipped sailed upon sucn an en-
terprise have rewarded 10 tnat extent that the
suit Of his Investigation Well and truly has il Deen
SAID that the execution OF the long con.
event. aa in favor Of the peaceful intercoSrse Of
| nations which the physical circumstances OF
the globe present TO the enterprise OF man.
full description or this route has already ap-
peared IN the HERALD. The line was commenced
early in February last from the Gulf OF Daren, on the
Atlantic side, and from the Gulf OF San Miguel
the Pacific. About three months have elapsed
this date, IL is impossible 10 say what the result
Will be, SINCE 1t would be almost unjust 10 predict
failure before the official report Shall have been
placed in the hands Of the commander. Earnest
hopes are still entertained that the route VIII he an
energy, courage and wonderful perseverance, Of the
explorers on both sides shall be crowned With de-
serving triumph. An eye witness Oh many q naru
days werk and many night Of torture lniilcted by
the vilanous insects, can aver that the oicers and
men OF this expedition have prosecuted their iabors
with a vlgor and resoluteness under adverse
circumstances that would indeed be difficult
to surpass. From the manner IN which matters
were pushed forward and the willingness displayed
by a hands to contribute 10 the success OF the pro-
ect, however great the incidental suferlngs might
ton they would nnd 1t. In previous letters the pro-
posed line has been alluded TO at length, the only
wanax nos mi % n piess
Of the expedition anu very much desired. 70 be
sure, Commander Selfridge, alter making his recon-
nolssance In January last announced that he had
discovered route with an elevation Of 800 feet rs
measured by his pocket compass; ihat 1t was not
was not even mile ana half Ii may be men-
toned By way or explanation that Commander Sell
fridge :scended the Atrato. and having entered the
Cacarica river for some miles landed adjacent to
the dividen IN question aud then proceeded on foot
| which left the Emitted states ship Guaid IN
February did not ascend the Cacarica, but
recommendation OF one OF une engineers who had
made hasty reconnaissance OI.lt the week before.
~ up the last mentioned river the party were
| pushing forward when lett the Atlantic side for
| the Pacific, III March. NO time was lost Ia COM
meacing operatons up me iuyra ny n rlver' ana wnsn
force W as Immediately despatched to the mouth OF
the Cue river, with orders to continue tnrouxh the
| reached. 1t Will be unnecessary TO recapilulate
what mas already been described at length il refer
ence TO the progress along the Cue Alter the party
! had proceeded some distance up that river II was
abandoned. owing TO ITS tortuous course anu way
proceeding proving exceedingly tedloas the
| explorers returned to the river. Not the
arose from The TACT that the provisions
which in the first instance were conveyed in canoes
| from Pmogana TO the meuth OF the Cue, mad TO be
! carried by hand through the woods up to the pio
party at The 'front.'. And this reminds Inc OF the
niggardness and tight.nstea propensties displayed
| by the natives at Plnogana, who, perceiving with
| the!r usual amount OF
that they We're more or less depended upon. as the
the steam launch could not go TO the Cue, owing 10
the shaiiowness OF the river. struck for hard bar
| gains for the hire OF their canoes. The journey
nom Pnogana TO the mouth OF the Cue generally
occupied about forty y-eight hours and tue owner Of
| the canoe In most Instances refused TO carry an
ounce more than he stipulated for. lad Il not been
l for the energy and executive ability OF Mr.. a. ID.
Kelly, OF the masters from tie Resaca. VINO had
| been placed In command OF the steam launch.
the consequences might have been very
the party was frequently received. but the
intelligence was never OF that eacouraglng nature
hat, hal hnan lo1 IN un ,raa, ,l.
| beginning Of Apul large number OF men fell sick,
| including nearly all the natives, who possess no
sLcn power o! endurance as they are generally
dlred with. Indeed. the seamen nom the ship IN
many cases proved themselves 10 be superior to the
the officer IN command Mr. Eaton, to state mat al
| though sorcy distressed with an aching foot, ne
Others the remainder having been sent back to Boca
Cnica to u temporary hospital erected there under
the charge OF Dr. fussell have already given the
details o Mr. Eaton's survey, and Will only add that
| suderngs and prtvations endured during Ills inde-
| fatigabe career were not whit less than those
| which marked the progress OF the party froin the
Atlantic side. When Mr. Barnes, accompanied by
Mr. Couden, crossed the divde on Aprll 3, leaving
| their party near the head waters OF the Parancha
| TO await their return he communicated with Mr..
Eaton few days afterwards. 1t Is evident they
| must have come over In a more southery direction
than that crossed by Commander Sellridge, ior the
elevation found hy Mr. Barnes was more than treble
beit Barnes and Gouden returned 20 tner party ON
| the Atlantic side In order to prosecute q more
| VIGOROUS SEARCH FOR THE DEPRESSION
said to exist the vicinity OF the exploring ground
while Eatons men continued their march to make
| the connecting line. Up to my leaving The Resaca,
on Inc 2lst ut to forward dispatches. no further
intelligence had been received relative to the opera
tons OF either party Notwithstanding this state OF
| iacts hopes were entertained that an elevation OF
400 feet would be obtained, and Intelligence TO that
| effect was eagerly awaited on board the Resaca.
] On the morning OF the 2lst the steam launch, in
| charge OF Mr.. Kelly, left the Cnipagana Tor Pino-
| CANA, distance OF about fifty miles,. to have
forwarded BY canoes another cargo OF provisions to
the mouth OF the Cue RIVER IL was generally expected
| that Mr. Eatons party would commence their return
10 the steamer the 10th April, by which date the
''iivde" was 10 have been examined. drawing a
line from the mouth OF the Cue, which would occupy
about fortnight that the party Is daily expected
on board the kesaca which, upon their ARRIVAL will
| Immediately weigh anchor for Panama Meanwhile
| the photographic work and trianguatlon are being
! actively carried on In the vicinity or Cnpagana,
! under the supervision OF Commander Selfrige. The
| Ecsaca IS anchored about mile ana hall from the