The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-02

only that portion OF the new transcontlncn-
tai line which would lie within Bra<ilian
territory. His road would start from
Curltiba, the capital of the province Of
Parana, which will soon be connected by O
railway now building with the harbor OF
Paranagua. From this point to Miranda in
the province OF Matte Crosse the distance
to be travcrsed would approximate thou
sand miles. The natural resources OF this
wide region are said to be astonishing. Ac-
cording 10 LLOYD, who seems to have per-
sunally surveyed tho route the junction OF
tho Ivahy and Ivinhcima with the majcs-
tic Parana, within earshot Of the famous
Seven Falls, the Niagara Of Brazil, must one
day become the site Of great commercial
emporium, perhaps the most important in
the interior OF South America. Nor does his
assertion appear ill-foundcd when CHANGING
at the map we note the number Of large
rivers which radlatc from this centre pre-
scnting an aggregate Of some fifteen hum
dred miles to navigation. Ii Is an interest
ing fact that the country between the upper
Parana and tho coast although now q will
derness Of rank and almost impenetrable
vegetation, was once populous and culti-
waited. Here dwelt civilized race OF In
dams, tho so-callcd Guarany tribe, who
were converted by the Jcsuits and formed,
in the sixteenth century, "A curious thcocratic
republic The somewhat impressive ruins Of
their capital city are said to bc still stand
ing, but since 1881, when the whole nation
migrated to escape the periodic slave
hunts organized by the Portuguese planters,
their domain had not been visited 10y any
white man. with the exception of the Spanish
traveller AZARA, for upward of two CEN
turtles
Tho second plan, which appears. on tn"
whole To- have the better chance ofaduptiun.
has In view continuous road froma Brazil
ian port through Bolivia and the southern
part Of Peru to the Pacific. Like the route
suggested 10y LLOYD, this trunk line would
begin at the harbor Of Paranagua, and, PISS
ing thence To Curitiba. proceed In n north
westerly direction to Miranda. From this
point the road would trend northward 20
CuyaOa, ari there fork abruptly toward the
Bolivian town OF Capao. The railway would
now lie in Brazilian territory AMI travcr-"
for considerable distance a district at
present occupied only by Indians. But from
riapet 10 Chuqui-aca it would tap the
fth'~I ana most populouS provinces 81
Bolivia. Finally from the latter city the
line would follow the valley Of Lake paria
and push on TO Carocarr, where it would
connect with the railway already building
from Islay ON the Pacific to Arequipa and
La Paz. The total lcngth OF the proposed
road from the Atlantic to the South Pacific
would fall little short Of three thousand
miles.
This South American Pacific Railway
seems to present no engineering difficulties
at all comparable to those encountered in
the Sierra Nevadas On the other hand with
| the exception If a short stretch in the Andes,
! the region opened would bee found every
where productive. and often Of unparalleled
fertility. Under these circumstances, Eng
lsh investors, who will probably be asked
to provide tho necessary funds, are not
likely to prove intractablc. especially il
! interest should be guaranteed by the Brazil
ian Government. whose credit ON the London
Exchange is good. 50 much Of the line
therefore az traverses Brazil may very
possibly bc built. but whether the Bolivian
section can find market for its scrip IL
another question.