National Republican., 1873-05-06
THE TEHUANTEPEC CANAL
THE REPoRr OF CAPT. R. W. sHUPBLDT.

A Great InternstlonaI Enterprise - Tho
Meaning and Importance Of the Work
Thc Calf Of Mexico Converted into an
American Lake-Feaslbility OF the Rn.
sorprise-The NapIpi Route.
The report Of Captain II. W. Schufeidt,
commanding the United States surveying expe-
dltion for the survey OF the Isthmus OF Tehuan-
tepec, In order to ascertain the practlcabllty Of
q ship canal between the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans, has been issued from the Navy Depart
ment. The report is Of a very interesting char
acter, especially for Its statements In regard TO
the condition Of the country through which the
expedition passed, tho manners and customs Of
the people and their relations with the General
Government.
Capt. shufelit says: 'TThe right Of the state
government 10 make war upon Its own citizens,
70 raise troops and to levy taxes for war pur-
poses, irrespective Of the federal authority, Is q
constant source Of revolution and disorder, AZ
well a. abuse Of power by irresponsible rulers.
Owing TO these and other causes the southern
and central portion Of the Isthmus presents
no,,alng bpt stasns,ion p business, dIstrust ahd
for life and property, dlsanectiOn against the
Government, and, indeed, an entire absence OF
All the elements which constitute the public and
private happiness OF people. Judging from
me past also there 1, no hope for the future.
Itriyeied over this country ifteen years ago,
buoyed with me hope q its regeneration; to-day
no Improvement and no progress.
at Is essential to know that the central Gov
ernment, inspired as believe II In TO be, by the
over this distant portion Of its Jurisdiction; and
I am convinced that before any public work IA
undertaken here Il will be necessary for Its secu-
guarantees that the federal power asserts its
authority over all local powers, and II ever
deemed BY the United States the point for the
pun,on sboud be M rss n sos ,1e w., n's ~
protecting American interests and the lives OF
Ii d very evident, from the report of Capt
shqfedlt and the accompanying reports OF his
subaltern officers, that the Isthmus Of Tehuan-
tepeo does not present feasible route In every
respect for an inter-oceanie canal The report
"A canal through the
BrHNus op TmUANTEFBc
Ia an extension Of The Missisappi river 10 the
Paeino ocean II converts the Cult Of Mexico
into an American lake. In time Of war II closes
that gulf TO all enemies. Il In the only route
which our ove<rnent can control. SO TO speak,
y renders our own territory clrcumnayigable.
II brings New Orleans fourteen hundred nauti-
cal miles nearer 10 San Francisco than q canal
via Darten, and such 10 the character Of the IN
tefyening waters that u permits canal boat 70
California with little more than the risk Of In
land navigation. As matter OF political econ
omy, therefore, a. well a. Of commercial neces-
sity, q canal here assumes the Rravcst proper
Jlons, Il may be that the future Of our country
lies hidden In this problem, whether In the
demonstration Of which our principles Of gov.
which represents them, are % 20 hand IN hand
10 further development, until are reached and
taught the remotest corners Of the East and VI
resisting ne strussies and oheckins ths aspirs.
| tlons Of the American heart for space and free.
i dom, we are % i've IN disregard of natural law
and leave to another nation glorious mission
aFinsiiy, although We are fully justified in re-
porting this canal practicable a. an engineering
1 vort, yet from the length OF the main canal and
pense OF construction OF lts feeder, the question
becomes q serious one-so serious that it will
probehly require national resources 10 build IT,
nm NArIrI ROUTE,
on the Isthmus Of Darien, recently surveyed b.
, Commander Thomas o. Belfridge, IL generally
regarded BY competent engineers as presenting
I more feasible points for an inter-oceanie rout'
than that Of any other yet surveyed between tn
Atlantic and Pacific oceans. .... ..
! This route Is spoken Of In the most fayorabl.
terms by such eminent engineers as Mr.. u
n. Latrobe, engineer and constructor Of IN,
baltimore and Ohio railroad; Mr.. ]. ID. Francis
OF Lowell, Mass., one OF the nrst hydraulic en-
rineer N the country: Mr.. Walter Stanley, thi
Successful contractor and engineer Of the Hoosa
tunnel, md M. 8. a: Sweet, prominent en-
gineer OF the Erie canal.
: Tue prominent advantages Of the Naplpl rout
are: It's freedom from swamps; Its construction
through rock which admits OF closer calcula
tion a cost, than through any other materia
It's shortness, il ani less .fot .Ispatfl
fact that the heaviest and most expensive wor
"a within I'VE miles OF the Pacific ocean, an elC
vated ground giving great facilities for ID
movement OF supplies, 4c., and especially a
fortlng as healthy II not the most healthy spt
In the tropics; finally the least expensive whe
compared with rival lines, whose estimates ai
based upon results obtained by actual survey.