The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-24
The United States Navy to Survey
the Amazon River.
OPENING UP TRADE,
United States Merchants Anxious to Deal with
Brazil and Bolivia.
THE MADEIRA RAILROAD,


ajudicious expenditure OF coal she received Neptune
and his suite the line the I'D OF May and up
from Salinas tho pilot port oil Para, tho GATH The
Enterprise has been detailed by the Navy Department
to survey the Amazon us far as Manaos ana tho Ma
dera far San Antonio tho point OF departure OF
the line Of railway around the falls OF tho Madeira
She is TO make track chart Of both these rivers 10
determine ATTITUDES and longitudes along their banks
to find shoals, rapids ana bars and TO generally so
map and plot these comparatively unknown streams
that they will be sale for future navigation by vessels
engaged In commercial pursuits.
CAPACITY THE ENTERPRISE.
This will DO long and tedious work, and, therefore,
Enterprise has been selected she greater
storing capacity than the smaller craft used on our
own coast for surveying purposes. She is 1s5 feet
long IS feet BEAM and draws 10 teet OF water; con-
qusnty, wherever she so any ordinary SHIP OF
the merchant marine can follow The Enterprise is
no novice In river surveying. During December OF
year and the three months following OF This she
engaged on The river front OF New Orleans Al
though at work but short time her officers accom-
pished the task given hem which was ascertain the
profile OF the from Carrolton Jackson Barracks
a diste OF ten ms-, and necessatng thous-
ands OF careful shore and channel soundngs. Hav-
ing thus made herself familiar with great river
It is perhaps fitting that she should DO selected to
1rsI make the acquaintance OF ITS great riva-the
traverse OF the ocean between Norfolk and Para,
| prove her rapid steamer, averaging nine knots
| expenditure Of nine tons OF coal per diem She
steers as beautifully ns pilot boat; her compound
engines are most prompt in their action, and, gen.
eraily she is much vivacious In her movements
| than a vessel OF her size is expected to be- Her
quarters slightly cramped, II is true but the glory
that awaits her officers ana the privileges promised
her sufficient, It is TO be hoped, 10 enable
haar in,ifv tba faun MOI he nj
| heat mosquitoes and lack Of breathing room.
AMAZON
| The survey will be under the command OF Com
mander Thomas y. SeIfrodge, United States Navy
well known 10 the department and the scientific
world from bis elaborate OF the route Tor the
Interoceanc Canal projected across the Isthmus Of
Daricp. Commander Ssredge has passed through
several OF hard tropical labor and thor
oughly acclimated one can DO who is not to the
manner born. He brings to the Madeira work. there-
fo.e not only . wide experience and strong
physique but aisof the future be judged by the
pasl-an indomitabs energy that will not quail be-
lore any thing but the invinclble powers OF nature
lie will be assisted by the following stan -
Lieutenant Commander 8. II. Baker, United States
Navy.
Lieutenant q. Blocklineer United States Navy.
Lieutenant q. +. Perkins, Unted States Navy
Lieutenant l.. G. Spsldlng, United states Navy.
Master Al. Il. Wright, United states Navy.
Cniei Engineer e. Laws. United states Navy.
paymasLcr u. II. Griling
Passed Assistant Engineer W. A. Min,zcr, Uuitod
Passed Assistant Surgeon NJ. L. Ruth. United States
Navy.
Ensign d. Peacock, United States Navy.
Ensgn Ii. j. Hunt, United statcs Navy.
All oil these officers are experts in river work or
arc eager become Several OF them accom-
pshed stellar observers specially that VIII be par
iicuiarly useful Ia determining atiudes ana Ionei-
tudes the rivers Thus, with good ship finely
equipped, skiliul commander, educated officers and
"A n w.,
every reason TO believe That the survey wi DO car
RED successful termination, rapidly, thoroughly
| and, II Is also hoped without disaster.
THE AMAZON UxsoUSDED
II would be imagined mat the Amazon, draining as
| Il does millions oil acres OF ricniy wooded and iln-
mcnseiy fcrulo territory would have been, long
thus, carefully surveyed properly euoyed aud thor
\ The Amazon to-day Is almost az much OF a mys-
terry as !. was when oreliana, the ia'inless leu
| 70 the great ocean. river tuat should be
as well known a the Hudson tho Della
ware; whose currents, shoals, cnanucls ana islands
should be plainly located as are those OF tho MIS-
sissippi, Is n 1uvIal highway whose many dangers
known only TO lew Indian or Portuguese pilots.
Tho Ion. itude OF ITS principal city IS not yot accu
raiely determined; rs channels aud shoals are not
marked on the best Brazilian charts That can DO
| obtained. steam craft. IL Is true ply on the river
from Para TO fabanga but these are mi rused 10 ln
dians VINO rely more on the light draugbt Of the ves
sols than lhey do their knowledge OF tho stream.
the reason oil this utter neglect Of what should be
eminent IS general apathy Of the people,
the poverty stricken condition oil the brnzan treas
| the lncomprchenslDle stupidity oil decree
winch, until lately, kept foreign nags from trading
/ wuAr EXPLORERS HAVE DONE
gro at stream that should be popu ated from It's
source 10 It's mouth. whose banks should DO studded
with villages. towns aud clues, as from these cause,
| almost deserted IL nows ut times Tor hundreds
OF miles without passing human habitatioh
or H. mere and there, along this desolats stretch
smoke arises that beings are sheltered
beneath the roof OF the ruae hut that barely shows
itself amid tho tropical green, u will come from The
IRE oil half savage, or the cmbers oil y runaway
savs hidden himself In the businesses oil the
forest away from his enemy the white man. Feeble
attempts have made settle the river, but the
Jcsuts indsiats gable they we're, faed ana the
pie the SOUTH VINO, tho close OF the war; came
10 Santaren, followed their example II remains to-
day, n u has been Tor ages, silent ana myserons,
It's banks unircquontcd ana Its waters unknown. No
well organlzea elor has ever been made 10 properly
survey sllher inc great river principal ucn,s
WHAT has been douc has been accom- pIsncu ny The
hardy explorers Herndon ana Gibbon. vt tho Ainer-
can Navy the gallant fucker, the German Keller, the
English engineers, Sdstone and Browne, aud last and
noDiest, the enthusiast orion, whose BODY hes high
up In Peru, whose grave, ON quiet island IN the
clear Lake Tticaca cverlooks one Of the sources OF
the river he loved so we'll These gallant mon, IN
canoe aud launch, have sailed ana padded IRON
| the head waters o. tho Amazon 10 It's
gigantic mouth Tney have wandered up rs tributa-
rrs ana hal ITS feeders out they, despite
their Willingness, could not accomplish the impossi-
bic tor them task Of mapping out majestic rivers ter
needed and tois incentive at last presented itself
| AMERICANS FIRST AT ruE WORK
A safe pathway Tor merchant vessels craving over
! twelve e.t OF water Is inpcraivey demanded, and
as the demand comes principally IRON American mer.
i chants IL Is but right that an American mhu-o-WT
gnould plot tue road tor American shIps me cause
OF this sudden demand Tor practical working charts oil
the Am lzon ana particularly OF tue MADEIRA, is the
prospec, which ~ now lair oil tie speedy completion
| Of the MADEIRA and Manors Railway. The nistory
OF TINS railway, which now alter years OF costly I'M
CATION endless cnancefy suits, has at last fallen
IN 10 energetic American hands has already been gwen
In tns HERALD u VIII suiice TO say that tue En.iish
contractors, not having fuincd their PROMISES have
been entirely witndrawn, and that tho construction
| coutrsct has Leen awarded TO the Messrs.
Collins Brothers, Of Philadelphia, who nave
| guaranteed 10 build the ROAD IN three years
This railway, u successfully completed, viii surround
the tails OF tho Madeira ana give outlet 10 the
products the fertile valleys OF BOLIVIA. The scheme
seems one OF sucu unbouudod promise that u Is
| strange IL has not alrcndy been realized
| BOLIVIA AND THE OUTER WORLD.
The object oi tue railway, a0d primarily the object
OF tins survey, is TO open communication between the
Repubtlc Of BoIvia aud the Amazon River. Notwith-