A ready and safe communication with these important places, and at the same time with all the most eastern parts of Asia, with all the Islands in the Pacific Ocean, and with all the western coasts of the great continent of America, it will be readily allowed, is of the utmost importance to Great Britain and to the whole civilized world.
Through the isthmus of central America only, a short, safe, and easy passage from Europe to the eastern parts of Asia and the Pacific Ocean, can be effected. That a passage over the Pole exists, is extremely probable, nay, it may be said, is certain. This passage, when found, will be obtained by standing north between Nova Zembla and Spitzbergen, and thence over the Pole, inclining first eastward above Europe, and thence westward for some distance, to Behring's Straits. But admitting that there is a passage open by this route, it can only be so from the end of May to the middle of September, and during this period only comparatively safe; a period much too short to accomplish a voyage out and back from China, and scarcely sufficient to perform the voyage out and back between Great Britain and her territories on the west coast of America situated to the north of Columbia River. Moreover, even if a passage this way was open for a period sufficient to enable the navigator to accomplish the voyage to either of the quarters alluded to, still it will appear, when the distances come to be noticed and contrasted, that, considering the winds and the weather which ships would encounter in passing over the North Pole into the Pacific, as contrasted with those which they would most certainly meet with in sailing westward through tropical seas, by the Isthmus of America; that the latter route would, upon the whole, be the best, and in all respects preferable and most expeditious.
A communication by the latter quarter may be advantageously and speedily opened up, both for steamers and for sailing vessels; and in the conveyance of mails, both or either may be employed, as shall appear to be most eligible and most advisable. To lay open such a communication as this would prove, is an object of the first importance, worthy of the attention of any body of men, and of any nation, but more especially of a nation like Great Britain, to support and to patronize in every way. By this route, all vessels, mails, and merchandise could reach the more distant and wealthy parts of Asia and Australasia, sooner and safer, and through seas comparatively always tranquil, borne by winds scarcely ever varying, and always favourable, than these can do by any other course that is known, or that remains to be discovered. In an especial manner, this would be the case as regards all the western coasts of America, North and South, the Islands in the Pacific, New South Wales and Van Dieman's Land, Japan, China, Eastern Siberia, &c. The perpetual trade-winds would bear vessels before them from Madeira to Canton, and almost to Sydney, while in returning they would merely have to run through these trade-winds, with a steady breeze on the beam, until they reached the latitude of 30° to 32° north, when the steady and certain, and strong westerly and south-west winds, would bear them in these parallels first, to the west coast of America; from which point winds off the land, and north-easterly trade-winds, would carry them, in the second place, to the point of communication with the Atlantic, through the Isthmus of central America; from which they, in the third place, would run to the north, carried by the trade-winds and the Gulf stream, into and through the Gulf of Florida, into the variable winds, which would quickly bear them to all the eastern ports of North America, and to all the ports in Europe, or along the coasts of the Mediterranean.
By this channel, namely, through the Isthmus of central America, the valuable, but almost unknown, British territory on the west coast of North America, would be brought near, and cleared, and cultivated. So also would the whole remaining western coast of America, from Nootka Sound to the southern extremity of Chili, be brought near to the civilized world, and become, in consequence, also peopled, cleared, and cultivated. Without such a communication is opened up, these coasts, and states upon them, can scarcely ever be brought to this state, but to which it is most desirable for the general interests of the world, and of the human race in it, that they should be brought. Situated as they are, there is no produce of their soil which their inhabitants can raise that can bear the expense of carriage to enable it to come into competition in the general markets of the world, with similar articles raised in other countries, which are all more accessible and placed nearer markets; and unless the soil of the western coasts of America and the islands in the Pacific are brought into cultivation, and peopled by people more civilized and industrious, it is obvious that these countries and the states and population at present in them, must remain in the poor, ignorant, miserable, and uncultivated state and condition in which they are, of little service to themselves or to the remainder of the world.
The points where the communication between the Atlantic and the Pacific are most feasible and practicable, is at one point on the southern boundaries of the Republic of Mexico, and the others within the territories of the Republics of Guatemala and Venezuela. The neck of land, or isthmus, which connects North and South America together, may be taken to extend from 8° N. lat., in the meridian of 77° W. long., to the parallel of 18° or 19° N. lat. in the meridian of 100° W. long. Narrow as the continent of America is in all this space, but more especially in the southern portion of this space, recent surveys have reduced it still more; and it is not improbable that, when the late surveys of the west coasts within the tropics are published, that it will be found to be still narrower, and more contracted than is supposed, or than the late accurate surveys by Captain Owen, under the orders also of the British Government, of the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, have shown it to be; and consequently the communication between the Atlantic and the Pacific will be found to be still shorter and more easy than it has been, or is even now considered to be.
The first two points within the limits above mentioned, where communications are most practicable, are the following:—First, in the territory of Mexico, from the mouth of the river Guazacoalcos, on the Gulf of Mexico, to the mouth of the Chimalapa, in the Gulf of Tehuantepec, on the Pacific, between the parallels of 16½° to 18½° N. lat. The distance from sea to sea at this part is 92 geographical miles, in a south-west direction. The sources of the streams which flow, the one eastward into the Gulf of Mexico, and the other westward, into the Pacific, come within the short distance of 20 miles of each other. Secondly, The channel from the Gulf of Dolce, which communicates with the Gulf of Mexico, to the southward of Honduras or the Balize, to Trinidad, situate on a bay in the Pacific, to the north of Point Remedios. The distance of the Gulf of Dolce to the Pacific, at the point just mentioned, is 60 geographical miles, with the advantages of the courses of rivers which bend their courses to the opposite oceans. But if it is correct that the River Balize is, as it has been stated to be, navigable upwards in its course to a distance of 200 miles, then it must penetrate so deeply into the continent, that its sources must approach to points still nearer to the Pacific than the Gulf of Dolce, or its tributary streams. It is doubtful, however, if any canals could be cut in either of the lines mentioned, because the land rises very considerably, forming in the central parts what is denominated Table Land, and is in general studded with ridges and high volcanic mountains, while the ports on either shore are neither very commodious nor of safe approach. There has been of late years also a tolerable good road constructed in the first-mentioned line, which will tend greatly to facilitate the communication from sea to sea, so far as the interests of Mexico are immediately concerned.
These points adverted to are the only probable channels of communication to the northward of the River St. Juan and Lake Nicaragua, which, like the last-noticed line, are situated in the territory of the Republic of central America, the capital of which is San Salvador. For reasons which will subsequently be adduced, the consideration of this important position is left until those points in the Isthmus of Panama and Darien have been particularly noticed and examined.
The first points to examine are those which are situated to the southward and eastward of Panama, and which are immediately connected with, and contiguous to, the Gulf of Darien. These are as follow:—In the province of Choco, famous for its gold mines, there is a ravine called Rapsadura, extending between a head branch of the River St. Juan, which, after a course from N. E. by N. to S. W. by S., falls into the Pacific in lat. 4°5' N.; and the river of Quito, one of the head branches of the River Atrato, which flows in nearly a due north course into the Gulf of Darien. Through the ravine just mentioned, the parish priest of Novita dug a small canal in 1778, which was navigable during the rainy season, and by which canoes, laden with coffee and other produce, passed from one sea to another, a distance of 250 miles; as they found it requisite and convenient.
The next point, and more to the north beyond Cape St. Francisco de Solano, in about 7°30' N. lat. is, from the mouth of the Cupica, or Tupica, as it is denominated in some maps, along that stream, which descends from the eastward into the Pacific, through a break in the mountains to the head of the river Naipi, a distance of from 15 to 20 miles only. The latter river is deep and navigable, and flows through a lake of considerable magnitude, nearly due east, into the River Atrato, a little below the village of Zitara, about 60 miles from the mouth of the latter stream, in the Gulf of Darien. The distance from the Pacific to the Atrato, through the channels mentioned, is only 60 geographical miles. The Atrato springs (its farthest branch the Rio Chame) in the rising ground, in 5°40' N. lat. and 75° 15' W. long., and runs almost due north, a distance of 200 miles, into the Gulf of Darien. At this point, the western and secondary chain of the Andes is broken and interrupted, and there is good reason to believe that they continue to be so in several places more to the northward: in fact, that they cease, and are succeeded through all the Isthmus of Darien and Panama, by a low range, broken into fragments in different places. At the point under consideration, namely, by the Cupica and the Naipi, the Spanish Government had it in contemplation, about forty years ago, to open a communication from sea to sea, by means of a canal; but the events in Europe, and the decay of their power, prevented the important enterprise from being undertaken. The Gulf of Darien, and the course of the Atrato, were rigidly guarded and concealed by the Spanish Government, so much so, that by special decrees the punishment of death was denounced against every one who should either permit or attempt the exploration of the country in these parts. This showed clearly that their practical knowledge gave them to know, that a communication between the Atlantic and the Pacific was easy and practicable in more places than one in this quarter of their dominions.
The next point where the communication is practicable, either by water or a short distance by land, where a canal could be cut, or a road made, is between the Gulf of St. Miguel on the Pacific, to the bottom of the Gulf of Darien, due east, and also to the Port de Escoces, or New Edinburgh, more to the N. (N. E. by E. from St. Miguel) in the upper part of the Gulf of Darien, on the Atlantic. The distance from the head of the Gulf of St. Miguel to the latter point is 30 miles, and to the former 45 to 50 miles, but with river communications to within 16 miles of the latter, and 10 miles of the former. The Gulf of St. Miguel opens to the Pacific from 8°8' to 8°17' N. lat., and runs E. N. E. and N. E. by E., fully 22 miles into the country, its centre crossing the meridian of 78° W. long. As has been shortly adverted to, the rivers which seem to form the Gulf of St. Miguel run deeply into the country, both to the S. E. and to the N. E., one particularly, the Chuqunaque, with an extremely zigzag course between ridges of mountains, is laid down to within 10 miles of New Edinburgh; which, by the last Admiralty charts, drawn from the best Spanish authorities, is placed in 8° 55' N. lat. and 76° 45' W. long. To the S. E. the source of streams which run into the Gulf of San Miguel spring within 15 miles of the mouth of the Atrato, while branches of each approach within half that distance of each other. The land in this quarter is clearly low, because, for a considerable distance from its mouth, the Atrato runs through a very marshy and flooded country. New Edinburgh, or Port de Escoces, is an excellent port, commodious, and well sheltered, and is the celebrated spot where, in 1699 (one hundred and thirty-eight years ago), the Scotch colony, under the direction of a Scotch clergyman, named Paterson, a most intelligent and enterprising man, was established, in order to open up a communication between both seas, and which was afterwards so shamefully, disgracefully, stupidly, and unguardedly abandoned by the then Government of Great Britain, spurred on to the act by the miserable and contracted commercial rivalry of England and Holland; and afterwards by the jealousies, the fears, and the representations of the Government of Spain, which at that time had really no right to the country, the natives thereof being independent of, and at war with, Spain. The Gulf of Darien is of easy entrance, and penetrates southward to a little beyond the 8° of N. lat., and to the southward of the principal mouth of the Atrato; the centre of the bottom of the Gulf being in the meridian of 76° 55' W. longitude.