The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-20

many great ana snterprislng men. Many schemes
have been proposed Tor It's accompisninen..
Hitherto natural difficulties have been considered
as practically nsurmountable so were thcy
considered IN regard 10 those OF the Eastern enter
PRISE. Tho time arrived when they were overcome,
and II will be well 10 inquire speedily ana sincerely
whether II IS not Al hand when difficulties must ne al
tackled and suDdued IN tue West
The various surveys and "Reminiscences wnich nave
been made along the lsthmus, between the NORTH ana
South American continents indicate several points ~
whlch the communication Can be established Inc
limits oil this article Will only permit reference 10 the
prominent features OF each several can be dismissed
~ lew words as disadvantageous IL Is not proposeo
10 use the word impractcaDe with reference 10 any
scheme having Tor us object work Of such ssupcndous
Importance.
TIM VARIOUS SURVEYS.
The most northery route by the lsthmus oil Tcnuan-
tepec is long requires no end OF cutting great
Der o JOCKS anu some tunneng, has DO good harDors
At s termin and tho consideration Of It may ~ once
sderaton oi the route through Honduras, although
there are good harbors al Ooin ends OF the line
Great attention has been paid to the Nicaragua route,
and 1t las been thoroughly surveyed. II Is recon-
ine1ded as The most easiuie by nigh naval and mill
tary authorities oil the United States. But IL has no
harbors is long, requires great amount OF lockage
and slack water navigation ana Its termin are espe
ciaily disadvantageo1s Moreover It is possible tnat
The Increased drainage caused by Strengthening anu
deepening San Juan RIVER In addition 10 the drainage
opened on the Pacific side. with the enormous evapo-
ration Of The climate might alter tue depth oil Nica-
ragua by no means the deepest Of lakes so AZ 10 IN
terlerc with navigation. The line through Costa
Rica has good harbors, but has length and decviiy
asainstit II has been fully explored. Along the
sthmus proper north OF the Gull OF DarieD are found
the shortest routes OF all, and It Is probable that
through tins isthmuS the canal wi eventually be cut
Those spoken OF, ard which have been more or less
surveyed. arc the Panama, the Bias and the Gale
donIa Bay, or Daricn route proper All require con
siderable length OF rock tuanc!hng, but pcips the
shortest VIII probably prove tue most advantageous.
References Will be made 10 them again.
The difficulties oil the more northern routes led to
the consideration of the practicabilty OF cutting
canal IRON the Pacific 10 the Atrato River, which IS
navsaDe for most OF It's course, and has been found
practicable TO construct canal at various points Mr.
Frederick ~ Kelley, oil New YORK, more tnan twenty
years ago caused an exploration 10 be made OF The
whole country Al that time his engineers
recommended u route by the Atrato aud
aud thoroughly surveyed by General Micher, OF the
United ates Engineers, anu undoubtedly practica-
Dle Its disadvantages are It's iength and the marshy
character OF the country through which much OF 1t
would necessarily pass
COMMANDERS sELPRIDGE's EXPEDITION
In 1870 the Uuitcd States government renewed at.
tention 10 the subject Commander SeiiridRe, United
states Navy, was ordered TO make preliminary sur
veys 0t different routes, and report lie did so, AID
recommended, as In MS opinion the most practicable,
the route by The Atrato and Napipt rivers. This IS
souheriy Than that by the rruando oil course
has longer canal and river navigation, and Is encum
bercd with several locks Besides 1t has depend
reservoir and iesders for supply OF water. The
route by the Truand0 Is shorter has loss tunnelng
and is OF the lew by which u may DO hoped to
connect tue oceans without locks.
Another route via the Atrato and Tuyra rivers has
been reconnoitered out reports have not been In
favor 1t Is understood that II has been lately
ined more thoroughly by French engineers.
THE THREE SHORT ROUTES.
To revert to the three short routes across the 18TH
mus-that near the existing railway is the only one
which may he SAID 10 have been thoroughly exam
ined ana surveyed IL Is the longest Of The three,
would require several locks and some tunneng. The
conslruction but runs through the most unhealthy
portion OF the country IL Is hoped that one oil the
shorter routes may be found TO DO advantageous
Severa! partial surveys have been made oil routes
from Caledonia Bay TO tue Gull vi San Miguel This
at one time represented as the true line The
gentleman who most strongly advocated this line,
Tar they have gone, show many and various di0-
entities to DC surrounded The line Is generally con-
dc nned and the longer by the Arat0 River pre-
ierred.
Tho route from the Bay Of San Bias to tho Pacific
by way OF the River Bayam0 Chepo. Is the shortest
oil all yet discovered, being not thirty miles from
to ocean. This route has been surveyed sufficiently
nsh the commerce. OF the word WITH deep, straight
wide aud especially u short passage from sea W
without other than simple tidal locks which would
cause no impeachment These are the great desiderata
tor the canal and II they are supplied It is than
probable That ths Is the point at which the slhmus Is
The SAN BIAS ROUTE.
The attention OF Mr Kelley. who caused the sur
veys OF the Upper Atra.o 70 be made in 1888
1854 and 1855, was directed 10 tue San Bias
route IN 1868. With the assistance OF Mr.
Cyrus Butler and Mr. Luke Merrill, he sent
chief engineer, with orders proceed to the
mouth Of the Bayamo River. TO ascend IL to the head
OF tide water aud to determine how far 1t would be
available Tor tue uses OF the canal From the proper
point Nj. McDougal was ordered 10 survey the route
directly 70 the Cult oil san Bias using chain and spirit
level, TO leave chance for in length
altitude. The party commenced its operations and,
ascending the Bayamo found that river available Tor
purposes OF the canal ana requiring but compare
lively insignificant work for over ten miles. Thence
their route led them through perfectly healthy and
practicable country, tree from swamp and mud for
miles. The depth of cutting having Increased TO
l56 feet it was thought advisable 10 recommend tun
mel from that point The levcs wore continued over
the summit until they reached point oil SLACK water
in one OF the small tidal rivers emptyiug into the
Gulf OF San Bias. The rise ana TALL OF the
lido in the gull Is but two feet, ana the
guilt was in full view. The necessary length OF the
tunnel was set down at seven miles, and from thence
the guilt could be judged, was Jour miles,
through IN open and practicable country. Thc sur
veyOrs were unable 10 finish the last portion OF Their
work. being dri back by tho San Bias Indians who
would not until recently permit the intrusion OF stran
gers.
Wncn Commander seliridge made his reconnaissance
OF such portion OF the San Bias route as he reconnol
tered all he commenced IRON the Atlantic side.
Alter pushing some little distance INTO tho interior ne
came upon certain points laid down by Mr. McDoIgal,
and verified Inc accuracy OF McDougas survey TO that
eyent. For some reasons wnlch he does not specify
however. Commander Sellridse differs with Mr.. Nc.
Douca as to the necessary length OF the tunnel Ths
considered 10 no ten miles instead OF seven, as Nc
Donsal made 1t. On this ground the survey was aban-
doned as the Commander considered the construction
of tunnel OF such length 100 great an obstacle II
he regretted tnat he did not make exhaustive
survey OF this, the shortest and most direct route
across the lsthmus.
THE AMOUNT TrNNELLiNG REquiRED.
The length OF the necessary tunnel is accompanied
by the shortest OF all open cutting and tcu miles Of
San Bias furnishes splendid barbor for the Atlantic
terminus, and The haroor tho Pacific IL IN the Bay
OF Panama--easly made convenient and sale. Had
the survey been made VIC should have had something
moro positive upon which TO form "A judgment upon
the only point where McDouga's report is ques-
toned-tha Is, tho length OF tunnel required on this
route. We may confidently believe That McDougal
not far wrong for C0mmandcr Scllritse, II seems
did not go the Pacific side Of the Cordcras al That
point at all Consequently, his opinion must have
been mere guess Probably Commander seliridge
conceived that oven scvon miles OF tunnelling made
the construction OF the canal at this point nadvsabe
and determined 10 abandon the survey Of this line
in any event.
But, nevertheless, II is safe 10 conclude, from the
data IN possession that IN the route under consid-
GRAFTON we have which Will give lree and direct
communication on one level between tho oceans.
tidal lock would only be necessary 10 regulate The cur
rent The tide Ia the Pacific rises from twelve 10 iii
feet while IN the Atlantic the rise aud fall rs only
two. Hence the probable necessity Tor lock 10 con
tro the eastward How the Pacific tide Ten miles Of
the canal Is nearly provided Tor by The rivcr leaving
according TO seridse. ten miles oi tunnel and leu
miles OF cutting, or, according To McDougal seven
miles OF tunnel aud thirteen OF cutting The cutting Is
generally OF easy depth and entirely through practical
hat al ih,, m ~ nan