The Osceola times., 1884-04-12
ENGINEERING.

The Atlantic and Pacific ship Railway.
London Engineering.
Work on the roadbed of the railway
for carrying ships between the Atlantic
and Pacific ocean, projected by Mr..
James b. Eads. across the Isthmus Of
Tehuantepec in Mexico, was formally
commenced last year near Minetitian,
its northern terminus on the Coatza-
coalcos river. As this enterprise un-
questienably takes foremost place
among the engineering and commercial
enterprises elaborated during this CEN
tury, eome account Of its leading fetrures
will posses unusual interest.
Tehuantepec is the most northern of
the several isthmuses which, with the
states of Central America, from the con-
Meeting link between North and South
America. Being 200 miles nearer the
former continent than Panema, the
route over it possesses immense climatic
- well as geographic advantages over
the latter one. No less than five states
of Central America lie between these two
rival routes, viz, Yucatan, Campeaahy,
Guatamala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and
also parts of the Mexican states of OAK
sca and Vera Cruz and the Columbian
state of Panama. In considering, there
fore, the great superiority ofthe Tehuan-
tepec route for all commerce between
the British island and the North Pacific
ocean, Japan, China, and the Orient,
the fact should be KEEP. in mind that be-
tween the Locality where NJ. De Lesseps
is striving to cross the American isthmus
and that where Mr.. Eads has commenc-
cd to construct the ship railway there
exists territory twice tine length of
Great Britain. To go by way of the
ship-railway to California, ritish Col
umbia, Japan, the Philippine Islands or
Chsna, we would pass through the Gulf
Of Mexico. but to go by Panama we must
sail south to tho Caribbean sea, cross the
lower end of the isthmus, and then sail
l, 200 miles along its Pacific coast to the
Bay ofTehuantepec, where the ship-rail-
way crosses it.
That the ship railway project is one
fraught with the most stupenduous re-
suits, may be readily seen when we
consider the fact that the American 18TH
mus separates about lO0,O00,0O0 of the
most enterprising, industrious and en-
lightened people on the earth. inhabit-
ing the North Atlantic coast of Europe
and America, from 600, 100000 souls who
inhabit the Orient and islands of the
Pacific.
II is true that the sailing distances
whcih separated England, France, Ger
many and Italy from India, China and
ether Oriental nations, have been great
" lessened by the Suez canal, but these
distances are almost insignificant when
compared with those which the ship
railway will annihilate. For instance,
the greatest saving effected by the Suez
canal between London and Calcutta is
about 4,500 statute miles, whereas the
sailing distance by the ship railway from
London to every port on the Pacific coast
of North America will be lessened by
nearly twice this vast distance, or about
$3.50 miles.
The Suez canal brought London and
Canton about $500 miles nearer together
by sea The ship railway will save more
than three times this distance the Amer
ican metropolis and every port in Brit
ish Columbia. II will lessen the sailing
distance which to day separates the At
lantic and Pacific ports Of British Amer
ica by distance but little less than ha II
II the circumference Of the world and
give sea route between the Gulf of St.
Lawrence and vancouver's sound only
50 per cent longer than the railway route
across The American continent.
The American Isthmus and the Cor
dilicras of North America constitute
narrow bat almost impossible barries to
the interchanges ofthe manufactures and
productions of forty millions of people
in the Mississippi valley and Atlantic
states, not only with those Of the tenmil-
Hons Of their countrymen to the ives, of
them, but with the products Of nearly
hundred million others on the islam; IS
and coasts of the Pacific, who are seem
ingiy their nearest neighbors.
! ~ ~ rsIlway viii give to these de-
1o1f - Ddtish isles sea route
~ A1lzullr ed Racihc ports