The New York herald., 1871-03-06

the rivers Rio eranae ana chsrss ana connect
favorably. in is4s on this project, proposing tun-
ns nvHea Ss a S and Tie emp
ment Of thirty We locks In the ascent and descent
The several explorations ana projects at Nicara.
qua for canals with locks all have general refer
ence enc TO tae supply Of water upon the summit level
Nicaragua. OF the lines proposed sree pass through
mates at San Juan del Sur; sixth proceeds BY the
ves sau 81 s a.
ne state n Costa RiSs q S1sO5s sSsv ea sT
length utilizing Lake Nicaragua and the. san Juan
ana descent between the two oceans. By the san
Juan del Sur route the distance from the river to the
@ o Dn das sn ss In s g H' s sa
four feet Of locEage is required- Then come two
miles Of deep cutting and ope milo Of tunnel, ana
to the Paciic level TES REPORTS Of the surveys Of
these seyeralroutes DO noJsdemonstrato which OF
them, II either, is the more practicable.
We now pass from projected canals TO an accom-
- i THE UNION PACIFIC RAILWAY, 7
which is the only completed line Of railway across
Che Continent. 1t is composed Of the following sec
New York to Omaha, Nebraska. 1,431 miles.
Union Pacifc Railway from Omaha to
Central facic Railway to sacramento. TAI miles.
Railway from Sacramento TO San Fran
CISCO. La 1lileSs
Total from sea to sea. ...... s,36l miles.
The Kansas Pacific branch OF this line affords q
connection with the more SOuthcrly railway lines
and ports Of the MlssIssppi valley and the Atlantic
seaboard. Both the comparative success and fail.
through freight has stlmuated the search for ship
canal routes, while the rapid development OF the
country It has penetrated with the growth of its
way traffic. has greatly encouraged other similar
undertakings.
THE NORTHERN PACIsic RAILWAY.
This enterprise proposes the construction Of a
railway from point on the western shore OF Lake
Superior to point on fnXes ssnnd, with branch
wv r ass. cSsss our
bic for purposes oi civilized settlement and is per
naps geographically the most central OF all the
northern border OF the territory OF the United States
and VIII exercise an important influence on the de-
velepment OF tho British domlnions The road has
a large land grant from the United States, and the
work OF construction has been already begun.
THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILWAY.
This project undertakes for the extreme south OF
the territory OF the United states what the Union
Pacific has done for the centre and what the North.
ern Pacific will do for the extreme north. The de-
tail OF is connections with the Atlantic States rail.
way system cannot now be determined but its easts
western at San Diego. the California coast t.
be united Dy line OF railway passing through re
advantages both for railway construction ana sub
seauent settlement.
THE PANAMA RAILROAD.
For years, as every one knows, the Isthmus OF
Panama has been crossed by railroad Its con-
struchon marked new era in the commercial rela-
Continent. It's cost was about $S oO0 900 and 1t
completed in 1865. Its length, from Aspinwa, on
mes. % The engnesrins M dicuiiies I siat had had 10 bo
overcome were rather at the terminii that at any
other points on the line. The absence Of good har
the usefulness OF the route.
Among railroad projects we notice first
THE TEHuANrEPEC RAILWAY.
6TMs isthmus lies in mexican territory, ana just
north OF the peninsula Of Yucatan, on or near line
1s wss a sa11y sd was y
ns Sssn 2 s apS y now IL
which flows into the Gulf Of Mexico, 70 port on q
large lagoon near the mouth Of the Tehuantepec
ana the length Of railway Viii be less than las lilies
Like the tfanscontinental lines through the territory
er and ss IS n g0S
open and develop but is main value to the world is
IN shortening the through lines OF commerce between
the coasts OF the Atlantic and Pacific
COSTA RIGA RAILROAD.
The governments OF Costa Rica has made grants 10
interoceanc railway across its territory ana
although the terms Of these concessions have been
Liberal M the @ have not been able to
the projected railway Is 142 miles.
HONDURAS RAILR0AD
The Typographical characteristics OF the isthmus
at this point have confined practical explorations
railway purposes only and road Is now In process
OF construction. lake those already mentioned the
Honduras Railroad promises to be OF great local i'm
portance, Independent OF any foreign freight tran
sit. 1t is TO connecG Port C0rCes, on the Atlantic
side, with the Gull OF F0nsica, the Pacific. lhe
distance IN direct line Is about 1863 miles and by
rati 200 The government OF Honduras has given a
liberal concession 70 the undertaking. Including
large grants Of land.
And now, having briefly run over the many routes
that have been mapped out, 1t is perhaps well to
close by showing the Immense saviRg In distance
that would be secured. at any rate to steamships,
by an nteroceanic canal. Sailing vessels will OF
course follow the track or the great wind currents
and distance TO them not very material SO long as
they can get abundance OF motive power. But to
steam vessels shortened route means
necessarily saving In time and EXPENSE And
when the shortening that would thus he made
is put into dgures 1t is simply enormous tor
instance q steamship starting from New York
Tor Yokohama would now have to steam
1S4es miles. via the Suez canal. Ii an 18th.
mian canal were open she would only have to sail
over a.536 miles, aud though, even with an opened
American canal. the route from LIVERPOOL to Yoko.
hama Dy tae Suez canal would still be the shortest
by about 800 miles, 1t Is probable that the west
about route would be taken On account of Its COM
paratiyc freedom rom "dangers.n The Red sea
and the OhtDa Sea are both very per0us aud the
to navigate them frequently loses them In thick wea-
ther days OF valuable time. The Atlantic ana the
Pacific the other hand, are both "plau sailing