The next to be considered, and perhaps the last and the best channel by which a communication between the Atlantic and the Pacific could be opened up, and safely carried on, is through central America, or the Republic of Guatemala, by means of the River St. Juan and the Lakes Nicaragua and Managua, or, as the latter is more generally called, Leon. These lakes are connected with each other by a river, and are navigable for ships; Nicaragua for ships of the line. The River St. Juan forms the outlet of both into the Atlantic Ocean, and is, according to Estella, navigable throughout its course for ships of large burden. The mouth of the St. Juan, according to the late survey by Capt. Owen, lays in 10°53' N. lat. and in 83°40' W. long. Leon, the capital of the province in which Lake Managua is situated, and from which the name of Leon is generally given to the latter, stands, according to the best Spanish authorities, in 12°20' N. lat. and 86°45' W. long.; and its port, Rialejo, on the Pacific, in 12°29'50" N. lat., and 87°6' W. long. From the mouth of the River St. Juan to Rialejo, in a bearing of N. 66° W. the distance is 235 miles; and this bearing runs nearly through the centre of the lakes and the course of the River St. Juan. From the point where the River St. Juan issues from the Lake Nicaragua to the point where the River Lapita, which issues from Lake Managua, falls into the former, the distance, taken on the best maps, is about 95 miles. Rialejo is situated on a river of the same name, which is deep, and capable of holding in the harbour 200 sail of the largest ships. The harbour is well protected from the force of the Pacific, and from storms, by an island stretching out before it, with two channels between it and the main land; the one opening to the south-east, and the other to the north-west. The adjacent country is very fertile, but the place itself is reckoned unhealthy, owing to some swamps in the vicinity and to the southward; but which, it is believed, might be drained and cleared, which would render the climate salubrious, or, at least, as much so as any tropical climate can be to Europeans.
Lake Nicaragua, in its broadest part, is about 35 miles: it has several considerable islands, some of them active volcanoes, and all of them fertile. The country around its shores is stated to be very healthy and very fertile, and studded with high peaks, mostly volcanic, and many of them, on both sides, volcanoes in activity. At the point on its north-east corner, where the River St. Juan issues from it, there is (according to some of our best maps) erected the castle of St. Carlos; and lower down, about 16 miles on the banks of the river, is placed the castle of St. Juan, which castle was taken by the English in 1780. Alcedo says that this river is navigable for ships of large size; but others add, that during the dry season, when the river is low, in one or two places the navigation is obstructed by sand banks, which, however, could easily be removed by a deepening machine, such as that used for a similar purpose on the Clyde. Lake Managua in its western shore approaches in its southern portion to within 8 to 9 miles of the Pacific; and here the conical peak range appears to be discontinued and broken. So also it is in the route from Leon to Rialejo, a distance of 21 miles. The next nearest point of communication is to the southward of the town of Grenada, situate on the upper part of Lake Nicaragua, westward to the port of St. Juan, which runs considerably into the country from the Pacific. Here the distance from the lake to the sea is 10 miles. The next point of communication is from the neighbourhood of the town of Nicaragua to the bottom of the Gulf of Papagayo, the distance being about 15 miles. The river Partido flows from the S. E. through a course of fully 60 miles, and enters the Pacific at the bottom of the Gulf of Papagayo. At this point, also, the volcanic peaks and the ridge appear to be interrupted, and very low, thereby rendering a passage more probable and easy. On the neck of land, also, between the upper part of Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific, there are situated in three different places between the Pacific and the interior part, three lakes, which, while it shows the low nature of the coast, tends also to shorten very considerably in this otherwise very narrow neck (12 miles), the space that intervenes between the lake and the ocean.
The American coast of the Pacific is, in fact, bordered with an alluvial plain, varying in breadth, which tends still more to lessen the breadth of the high lands in every quarter. Between the bottom of the Gulf of Papagayo to Lake Nicaragua, the distance, the alluvial strip included, is, (see Journal R. G. S. vol. vi.), only 29,880 English yards, nearly 15 geographical miles. The highest point of land that intervenes, is only 133½ Spanish feet (the Spanish foot is 0.9267 English) above the level of the sea, and only 19 feet above the level of the lake. The lake is very deep, and at this point is said to be 15 fathoms. The surface of the lake is thus 133½ Spanish feet above the level of both oceans. The tide in the Pacific in the Gulf of Papagayo rises about 11 feet, decreasing in its rise towards the north, and increasing its rise towards the south. When Mr. Canning proclaimed that he had "called a new world into existence," he ought, as he then might, to have kept these places, the key to both worlds, in his power, and in the power of his country.
Some Spanish authorities state, that Lake Nicaragua has a communication with the Pacific, but at what point does not appear, nor is it probable. Others state that it has a tide in it like the ocean; and if so, this certainly indicates a communication with it by some low and level channel, where the tide from the sea drives back the flow of waters from the lake. To ascertain these points are objects of great importance, and well worthy the attention of the civilized world; and the wonder is, that it has not before this time been attempted. All the old and best Spanish writers, who wrote either from access to the best materials, or from practical information regarding the Spanish territories in South America, but more especially Estalla and Alcedo, mention, in the most pointed manner, that, by the places which have just been considered, the nearest and the safest channel would be found, nay actually existed, whereby a communication could be opened up between the Atlantic and the Pacific; and farther, that the possession and the command of Fort St. Juan and the river St. Juan on the one hand, and of the port of Rialejo on the other, gave the holder and possessor of them the key to and the command of both oceans. Like the Gulf of Darien, all entrance into or examination of this quarter of America by foreigners, or travellers in general, was prohibited by the Spanish government, under the punishment of death for a violation of the law. The Spaniards were particularly averse to and jealous of England, or Englishmen, becoming acquainted with this portion of America.
In some one of the points mentioned, and most probably from Lake Managua to Rialejo, or from Lake Nicaragua to the Gulf of Papagayo, the best line for a communication between the Atlantic and the Pacific will be found. The shores of Lake Nicaragua are tolerably well cultivated, and it has several harbours. Numerous streams flow into it from all sides, but particularly from the north. The river St. Juan is a considerable stream—as large, say the Spanish writers, as the Guadalquiver in its lower course. In a distance so short, a canal, fit to bear ships of the very largest tonnage, could be cut, at certainly no very heavy expense; say, at the rate of 300,000l. for 10 miles. Even if the river St. Juan should not be found to be navigable, and that it might be most advisable to cut a canal along its banks, from the Atlantic to the lake, the distance is not very great (45 or 50 miles), and the country presents no insuperable obstacles to it; on the contrary, it is believed to be easy of access. This distance might be cut for 675,000l.—a small sum even joined to the other, when the immense object to be attained is considered. The choice of position, after considering attentively every point, will remain between Chagre to Panama, and between St. Juan and Nicaragua to Rialejo, as to which is the best line for a water communication; for it is pretty clear that the lines to the eastward and to the southward of Panama, narrow although the neck of land certainly is in these parts, can only be looked to as points for a speedy road communication in some, and for small craft in the others.
The jealousy of the government of Spain formerly sealed up every possible line of communication between the Atlantic and the Pacific, in all the places mentioned, from the rest of the world; and it is probable that the jealousy, and also the poverty and inability of the new governments lately started up in these parts may continue to do so, if they are allowed to do so, or if they remain unaided in the enterprise by foreign capital, and not be impelled thereto by foreign, but particularly European influence. A glance at the map of these parts of America, and at a map of the world, and a moment's reflection and consideration bestowed on the great interests that depend upon it, that would be laid open and connected by such a communication, is sufficient to show the prodigious benefits which would therefrom flow to the human race, and especially to the governments and the people of North and South America, and those fine but comparatively poor and miserable portions of this globe. The treasures and the labours of nations would be well bestowed in completing such an undertaking. Laying open such a communication would do more to people, to cultivate, and to civilize the world, than any other effort—than all other efforts made by the world at large, when combined and brought together. No nation in the world is so deeply interested in seeing a proper communication through the best of the channels pointed out laid open, as Great Britain; and no other nation could so well undertake it as she can. The immense empire which is rising under her flag in New Holland; the large territory which she would thereby bring within the sphere of cultivation and civilization on the west coast of North America, to the north of Colombia River, where both the climate and the soil are good; the vast and important trade which she has with China, and may yet have with all the beautiful islands in the Pacific, with Japan, and with all Eastern Siberia; and the very great trade which she has, and would have with all the shores of America on the Pacific,—all render the attainment of the object contemplated peculiarly her interest, and peculiarly her province to undertake, support, complete, and protect, in a way and on a scale worthy of the intelligence, the enterprize, the strength, and the resources of her government and her people. The number of people, and the traffic which it would in time add to the present trade and population of the world, exceed the powers of calculation.
Taking Lake Nicaragua as the point for the communication between the two seas, the calculations which have been made as to periods and distances connected with the conveyance of mails from Europe, in order to cross the Pacific, will not be materially different from those which would arise were Panama to be chosen as the point of communication. Confining every thing to this route, it is necessary to consider and to show what advantage trade and commerce would derive from it; what extent of commerce would pass through this line of communication;, and what revenue could reasonably, and with propriety, be raised therefrom, in order to prove a remuneration for the expense of the undertaking.
The official records of British trade and commerce, and also the official records of the trade and commerce of the United States, will enable us to estimate these points just alluded to, for the present period, with considerable accuracy. From both records, the following extent and amount of imports and exports, and tonnage, engaged in transporting these, are selected; premising that, as regards both countries, the value of each is, without either freight or charges: and as regards the former, viz. Great Britain, the value taken is what is denominated, in the Customs return, "the declared value," and which, exclusive of freight and charges, is considerably below the real amount. The commerce of both states mentioned, with all the countries about to be enumerated, would most certainly pass through the channel already alluded to, besides a considerable portion more from other countries, but which is uncertain.
Great Britain with
| Exports. 1834 | Imports. 1834 | Tonnage Inwards. | Tonnage Outwards. | ||
| China | 842,852 | 3,528,635 | 29,308 | 8,887 | |
| New South Wales | 716,014 | ⌉ | 12,400 | 29,567 | |
| Java | 410,273 | | | 2,435 | 4,289 | |
| Philippine Islands | 76,618 | | | 3,163,049 | 1,958 | 728 |
| Siam | 19,742 | | | " | 337 | |
| E. Indies & Ceylon, ½ | 1,289,284 | | | 37,731 | 45,416 | |
| New Zealand | 936 | ⌋ | 382 | 3,650 | |
| Chili | 896,221 | ⌉ | 7,415 | 6,532 | |
| Peru | 229,235 | | | 1,240,358 | 2,768 | 2,176 |
| Mexico, ¼ | 114,902 | ⌋ | 1,845 | 1,498 | |
| Whale Fisheries, 1/3 | 100,000 | 11,353 | 11,007 | ||
| Guatemala, 1/3 | 10,122 | 10,122 | 136 | ||
| ———— | ———— | ——— | ——— | ||
| £4,606,199 | 8,042,164 | 107,731 | 114,087 | ||
| Freight & charges, &c. | 921,235 | ——— | 107,731 | ||
| Foreign & Colonial ¼ | 1,381,858 | ——— | |||
| ———— | 6,303,093 | Total tonnage | 221,818 | ||
| ———— | ——— | ||||
| Total British trade | £14,345,257 | ||||
| ———— |