Exclusive of specie—the amount of which, from the western coasts of America, cannot be less than 10,000,000 dollars yearly to Great Britain, and perhaps half as much to the United States. The value of British imports from Western America is not given in the official tables in any tangible shape, and therefore the imports are taken to be the same as the exports. The amount of imports from China is taken correctly from the tables; and the value of all the rest, as near as possible, from the same tables, in proportion; the whole being entered to all countries east of the Cape, China excepted; but in this amount also the amount for freight and charges should, it is thought, be added. The proportion of foreign and colonial produce, &c. to British manufactures exported, is, according to the official tables, as near as may be, the proportion taken. The value of the whole British trade to the places specified, may therefore be fairly taken at 17,500,000l. exports and imports, and exclusive of the profits thereon.

Next comes the trade which the United States have with all these places. In this there are more precise data, as the value both of exports and imports is given in their tables; but it may be observed, that the amount, both as regards imports and exports, is given exclusive of freights and charges, which in almost all the articles carried is greater in proportion, as regards the American trade, than in British produce and manufactures. It may also be observed, that the whole trade which the United States have with all countries to the eastward of the Mauritius, would pass through, and return through, the communication made in central America, as the nearest and the best route for them. The following was the trade and tonnage of the United States with the places specified in 1835:—

United States with

Imports.Exports.Tonnage Inwards.Tonnage Outwards.
British East Indies, dolls.2,293,012406,5437,4005,655
Dutch ditto582,159581,1493,4978,669
Spanish ditto283,68515,9192,647222
Asia generally377,842434,0374792,593
China7,892,3271,010,48315,5508,123
Mexico, ½4,033,0345,265,05318,22515,768
Chili787,4091,476,3552,5359,191
Peru618,41258,863493685
South Seas27,34897,16939,506280
N. W. Coast America" 118,81345,886
——————————————
16,595,2289,464,384136,21851,216
¼ freights, &c. &c.4,123,8072,388,09351,216———
———————————
20,719,03511,852,477187,434
11,852,477————————
————
Total United States32,571,512
Ditto specie5,000,000
————
Grand total, dollars37,571,512—Sterling, £7,827,398 at 4s.2d.
————

General Trade and Tonnage.

Value Trade.Extent Tonnage.
British£17,500,000221,818
United States7,827,398187,434
————————
Total£25,327,398409,252 tons.
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To the above should be added all the specie sent both by Great Britain and the United States to the Eastern World, particularly to China, to purchase cargoes, from the States alone about 7,000,000 dolls.; also all the tonnage which goes, or would go, from one coast to another in the three republics of Venezuela, Guatemala, and Mexico. To these states, such a communication would prove of inestimable value, and tend very greatly to add to the revenue to be obtained from the traffic by it. There are other nations, also, besides Great Britain and the United States, which traffic with the quarters of the world already specifically alluded to, particularly France, Spain, and Holland; but no accurate account of such trade has hitherto come in the writer's way; though, taken collectively, it must be to a considerable amount. Moreover, the whole trade between Holland and Java, and between Spain and the Philippine Islands, would pass by the channel under consideration, and the trade which both nations has with these places is well known to be very considerable.

Such as it has been described is the trade at this moment; a sure foundation upon which the magnificent undertaking under consideration would, at the outset, have to build. The increased and increasing communications through the grand thoroughfare goes beyond calculation, and would most certainly exceed every thing that ever has been seen, or that ever can be witnessed, in any other portion of this globe. The trade of mighty empires would sink into insignificance, when compared, in all their present magnitude, with what it would become one hundred years hence. Admitting that it cost 1,000,000l. to complete the navigable communication, (and there are good grounds to believe that it could be done for one-half of the sum,) the question or point next to be considered is, what would the revenue be, which could be derived from it? To exact a per centage on the value of the commerce which passes through it would be uncertain, and liable to evasion, and consequently give much trouble, and occasion much vexation; and therefore it would be best to exact so much per ton, the exact extent of which the register of each ship or vessel so passing through the canal would at once and readily determine. The question is, What should the sum so levied, or the toll, actually come to be? Ten shillings per ton would certainly be a moderate sum; and taking it so it will be shown how it will pay at the outset.