The New York herald., 1879-10-22


competitor in the great commercial inarts OF the
world We are not called upon to build great and
Facilities at the expense of our own In
truth that would be creating great International
highway merely upon the very sentimental idea OF
beneiting the world at large.
WHAT HE THINKS OF NICARAGUA.
Nicaragua is probably. the only point on the sth
mus where such canal ship of say twenty five feet
depth could be built; and then it is question
able except at an outlay far in of any esti-
mate hitherto made Indeed, the difficulties to be
overcome and tho cost of the work in overcoming
them have never been put intelligently before the
public A ship canal can. however be built at Te-
huantepec for light draught commerce isay thirteen
feet depth) which would answer the requirements OF
American commerce; but the delay in the pass
age of vessel through canal which would require
many locks would. in consideration of its cost.
hardly compensate for the difference between tho
cilities thus acquired and the transportation of
goods across the lsthmus by means of steamer and
railroad. But whether by canal or railway Tehuan-
tepec the only point which preseuts the solu-
tion of the problem OF the extension and develop
ment of American commerce either upon the Atlan-
tic or Pacific coasts; and particularly that which
effects its development in the Valley of the Missis-
sippi.
'sfhe first obstacle, says the Commodore, "if OBJ
sacle it can be called after leaving the mouth OF the
Mississippi is the bar at the entrance of the Coat
zacoalcos River An accurate survey of this bar
made by Commander Farquhar. United States
Navy, in 1870. with the following results The
soundings.' says the Commander ARE all for low
water. and develop the that fourteen feet may
the bar with safety, and, by arranging buoys
fifteen feet The greatest rise and tall OF tide is two
feet; mean rise and fall, one foot. The bottom Is
everywhere stiff clay, with very thin coating of
sand Neither rock nor hard sand have been encoun-
tcred
From the data here obtained and the result of
previous it is established that tor the past
POO years the depth of water and the character Of
the bottom have remained essentially the same.
There does not remain doubt, however that the
channel can be deepened by dredging and once deep
ened that 1t will remain 80. At present I consider
it dangerous in the of northers to cross it
with draught exceeding eight feet. But in ordinary
weather it can be crossed with perfect safety. 1t
and should however, be deepened to a depth of from
eighteen to twenty ieet. After passing the bar and
ascending the Coatzacoalcos River Minattlan Ia
distance of about twenty miles) there are but two
places where twenty feet of water cannot be
ried. and these require the removal Of only
about two thousand Ave hundred cubic feet Of mud
and gravel to make o uniform channel. Minatitlan
is situated on the left bank Of the Coatzacoalcos
of railroad do not propose to go into a techni-
cal description of the country through which this
railroad would pass 1t is enough for me to say
here that it has been thoroughly explored and
veyed by competent engineers, who concur in the
free from engineering difficulties Of extraordinary
character. and Astounding on the whole line of the
road In very desirable timber and other material
necessary to its construction.
THE THREE DIVISIONS.
"The line Of road would traverse three distinct
and characteristic divisions Of the isthmus line
nearly north and south.
..The Atlantic slope. following the Coatzaco alcos
River, just beyond the line of its overflow has q
gentle ascent until it crosses the Datepec River at
y distance Of 60 miles from Minatltlan ut an eeva-
ton OF ITO feet above high water.
''The central division attains it's extreme elevation
773 feet above high water, ut Chinela. the summit
level and descends to the base of the Cordieras
the Pacific plains at point 240 feet above high
water and at u distance of GO miles. In part Of
this division does the grade exceed sixty eet the
would reach perhaps 1l6 feet to the mile. On the
Baltimore and Ohio road this grade obtains for o
distance OF IL miles.
.'The Pacific slope is gradual and gentle all the way
to the Pacific terminus at Salina Cruz, distance Of
thrty-tour miles. salina Cruz is in somewhat
Navy. thus speaks Of it in 1SI0.-True it is not by
any means harbor. and has no protection against
any winds but the northers. These. by the way.
are the only winds that blow with duration or
force:) The holding ground however. is good. the
gineer Fuertes. Of the Tehuantepec surveys expe
dition. adds:-A breakwater 500 or 1000 feet long
will adequately protect this Saiina Cruz port and
convert 1t into a safe and snug harbor'
THE CoMMoDoRE ESTIMATES THE COST.
"The cost for construction OF railroad and harbor
improvements is contained in the following resume
aud made by Mr.. Fuertes. professor of civil
Cineering at Cornell University after careful study
ate knowledge of the subject
Resume.
l. Division on Atlantic slope. ........... S4OS. $50
2. On Central division. on............... 2, ,759, 1872
3. Division on Pacific slope. 169. lag
Track ana oaiaiags 10 'SaS
Engineering. insurance and freights....... 21.479
Total. .27O 900
"The length OF road required is. according to
Mr. Fuertes 40 miles with fifteen per cent for side
tracks-say 1875 miles. In these estimates the
cost Of skilled labor. Freights included and
we have not neglected the advantage Of cheap and
abundant native laborers.
..The utilization OF the Coatzacoalcos River ought
not to be neglected in estimating the primary cost
OF this transit route. During eight months Of the
year this river Is navigabe for light draugEt
steamers to its junction with the Daltepec. at the
point OF the railroad crossing, and might. with COM
paratvely small outlay. be made navigable for the
entire year. The river may. therefore. be used for
the transportation of passengers and freight over
SIXTY miles OF the route. until the entire compile
ton the railroad.
IMPORTANCE OF THE ROUTE.
"To the most casual reader Of the history Of the
earlier discoveries this continent it must appear
evident that the efforts OF those hardy voy ayers
were directed to the sole end of finding pass from
the west to the east. Columbus himself died while
laborng under the deusion that he had reached the
ORIENT and it was not until twenty years after his
that time the gallant mariners of Spain. with sue
cess which seems marvellous in the light of the
continent now up a river an inlet; then across
the mountains. seeking channel path which
would lead them to the tabled land of Cathay. Ma
gellan. Cabot Cortes, and host OF others equally
brave and daring, encountered obstacles and
endured hardships which almost makes us
ashamed OF our modern heroism, so filled with
wonder are at their tndomitable pluck.
Finally Cortes. satisfied that there was no water
the continent settled upon the Isthmus
of Tehuantepeo the place designed by nature as
well from its geographical position its remarka-
BILE depression in the mountain range. for
q canal or q wagon road to the Pacific. Indeed,
sanguine Cortes. says q historian, ION these
points that he planted his personal private for
it would become the worlds highway for Oriental
commerce.. But. owing to political complications
in Europe. 1t not until 1774, or $50 Years after
Cortes that Spain again thought Of this nteroceanc
passage. when q survey for canal was made by Don
Augustin Aramez. Indeed 1t was with reference to
his favorable report that Humboldt observed I'VE
cannot doubt that this point Of the globe deserves
less attention than the Lake of Nicaragua. Not
withstandng this the project lay dormant until the
middle of the present century.
NINETEENTH CENTURY ENDRAvoRs
"In 1S42 President Santa Anna, of Mexico, granted
DE
lsthmus. tSee article of the Act of Concession.)
This act states that the line communication shall
be performed by water. but when this may not be
convenient, then railroad and steam carriage may
be used Upon this concession has depended all tho
efforts TO construct railway and to establish .
transit by an American company--up to 1859.
"ln 1s4S-49 the importance OF this route was so
manifest to our government that in the treaty fol-
In IL lalmoat n 1lLu ~