The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-03-25
1athmian commercial Routes.

College, recently had occasion 10 prepare
paper on the subject Of the is!hmian Com
mereial Routes OF America. IL is so fu'i,
and 30 interesting, and comes from so re-
liable a source, that VIC count ourselves
fortunate in being permitted to lay II before
our readers. IL Is as follows:
To all whose reminiscencial humors reach
back 10 and include the fascinating pages ol
"pe,er Parleyv there must be q glamour OF
romance about the American issnihus a"u
the adjacent regions. This glamour mus.
have been intensified by reading IN riper
yea,s the histories OF The conquest OF Mex.
"a inc conquest OF Peru, the accounts OF
the bold Buccaneers, OF the ruined cities OF
Paienque. etc, etc. But, In addition 10 TINS
sentimental interest IN the lsihmus tncie
has also existed the emincntly practical one
OF finding or constructing some means Vi
commercial transit from ocean 10 ocean.
lis well-known that the aim OF COLUMBUS
In his first voyage was 10 discover west
err route TO "Ceylon, lndia, ana Iar
Csthav.v and he was rather disappointed
when he found that. instead OF discovering
a new route 10 an old country, he had dis
covered new country. The original pur-
pose, however, was followed upass'duously
by Columbus himself and his Goa Tutors
and immediate successors. The CaOots,
Balboa, Magellan, Hendrick Hudson, etc {,
were seeking ic1ter communication De-
tween the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. so
that IL may be SAID with truth that since
Balboa in 1913 saw the waters OF the Pacitc
cleaning below him a. he stood on the
Ton Of The CordilIeras OF the Isthmus.
the question OF this isthmian con-
pectjon OF The Two oceans has heid
a high place in the discussions OF cabi-
nets, statesmen, Dayigatois, and engineers.
II would be interesting, but hardly prohta-
bic. 10 trace the history Of these discus
sions from those OF the Spanish Cabinet,
as detailed by the old chroniclers, through
those of the English and French Govern
ments, later the Governments Of The Cen.
irsl American republics, and for about nan
century the Government oil Tue Unileu
State, down 10 the amateur aud PROBES
sioBal engineers OF the present day. But II
must suffice 10 rCmalk that for SO years IL
has been agreed that the choice lies between
fonr routes. and in reference TO these it j.
proposed here TO present digest OF the OH
cjal surveys last made under the authority
of the United States Government by naval
officers and civil engineers Of conceded fit
ness for the work. These surveys were all
made with reference 10 the pTaclcablllty OF
correcting the oceans by means Of canals.
/ THE PANAMA ROUTE FROM AsPINwALL UATI.
guDE 30 NORTH LONGITUDE NEARLY 800
wEsT) TO PANAMA.
The general trend OF the Isthmus OF Pana-
ma ~ east and west, with The CordilIeras
constituting the ridge or backbone nearer
the Pacific than the Atlantic. The river
Chagres rising uoar san Bias. in Columbia,
runs west and southwest ill 1t reaches the
village Of Matachin, station on the rail-
way about thirty miles from Asplnwall,
where II turns t. the northwest and flows III
n tortuous course TO the Caribbean, " hich il
enters seven miles west Of Aspinwail.
The recognized impracticabihty and un-
dcsirableless according 10 the American
engineers) Of through cut make the ques'
ton OF supply OF water for the canal one
of prime importance. The Ch8gres river
Is the oniy source worth mentioning OF the
required supply for the Panama canal.
The route for the canal proposed as the
resuit OF the survey made by Commander
Lull in 1875 crosses the Cbaores river on
viaduct near Matachin, short distance
above the confluence OF the Obispo, the val
ley Of the latter river giving direct and
favorable approach TO depression in the
divide; passing which, the Valley OF the
Bay OF Panama. The level OF the surface
Of the canal 10 the yiaduct is required to be
1915 feet above the mean tide OF either
sea in order 10 provide for the ise Qhe rise
begins az high.water mark. Is feet above
tide) OF arch Of culyert az Sj7 itet), the
thickness Of wall OF yiaduct over the crown
OF each arch, and the required rs feet depth
of water In the canal. This Is the proposed
summit .eUei Of the canal. Leaving this, the
proposed line runs towards the Pacific in
southeast direction, made up Of tangentS
and clrcular-arc curves Uhree curves. ana
in 10 miles reaches Panama bay. Twelve
locks Of 1913 feet lift ale required, and one
tide-leck of 10 feet. The deepest cut on this
part Of the line IL the summit cut, OF 10
feet; but this depid i for only rod. as the
profile falls rapidly on either SIDE. The total
length OF the summit cut is 4Sl miles, and
the average depth OF cutting rs feet above
the canal surface. The excavation for the
remainder OF the Pacific division will be but
little more than the prism of the canal itself.
The Atlantic division runs from tbe via
duet northwest towards AsplnwaIl. which
ltreaches IN %. 8 miles, making seven curves,
requiring twelve locks, each OF 1913 feet lift.
For about seven miles from The vaduct the
country is quite broken, billy; it then toll
lows the Valley OF the Chagres for nearly
four miles, passing this low and swanpy
land: nillv country is then met for about
the same distance, followed by swampy
ground 70 Aspinwal bay. Thirteen cul.
verts are required for the passage under the
canal OF supeIflnOus water OF streams that
might be troublesome in the rainy season.
Thus the total length Of the canal, from As.
pinwall 10 Panama is All miles. To main
tain a supply OF water at the summit 1t is
necessary TO construct dam across the Cha.
gres, about ten miles from the yladuct, at a
spot most favorable from every point Of
yiew-s0lidlty OF foundation, comparative
narrowness Of channel, and near approach
OF the rocky hills, steGp.sided, enclosing the
valley Of the river. The water, thus raised
50 feel.above its present level, is to be con-
veyed in "feeder" OF 1922 miles in
length, partly In "cut," partly on yiaducts,
and for a total distance OF IL. 700 feet through
tunnels, seven in number, the longest some
what over a mile 5000 feet), another 1920,
the remainder OF from 1,4O0 10 800 feet.
Character Of Excavations.
In the valley Of the Rio Grande the land
Is generally low and swampy. Approach
Ing the divide (en miles from Panama)
there Is found vegetable mold everything q
stratum OF clay, with sandstone cropping
out frequently, aud judging by the railroad
cuts II may be regarded as about ten feet
from the surface al the dividing ridge aud
the billy portions OF the line. The sind
stone IS quarried at Pdrsiso, on the Pacific
(nine miles from Panama.. and also at Ba.
bia station on the Atlantic side; but it is
too soft for building purposes where great
sustaining strengths Is called for, and il is |
thought by Commander Lull doubtful Il it
could be used for concrete. lie reports no