Report of Historical and Technical Information Relating to the Problem of Interoceanic Communication by Way of the American Isthmus, Volume 1U.S. Government Printing Office, 1883 - 219 pages |
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Common terms and phrases
American Isthmus Atlantic Atrato basin Bayano Caledonia Bay canoe Cape Horn Captain Eads cargo carried cent Central America Chagres Chucunaqua coast Coatzacoalcos commerce committee construction Cordillera cost cubic yards Cyane distance elevation engineers estimated examination excavation expedition exploration favorable feet Gisborne Greytown Gulf of Darien Gulf of San harbor Indians Interoceanic Canal interoceanic communication Isthmus of Darien Isthmus of Tehuantepec Juan Davila Kelley's Lajas lake Lake Nicaragua length Lieutenant load lock canal locks meters mountains mouth Napipi navigation Navy Nicaragua ocean Pacific Panama party pass port Porto Bello proposed railroad rails railway reconnaissance river route sailing San Blas San Juan San Juan River says scheme ship ship-canal ship-railway side slope Strain Suez Suez Canal summit summit-level survey Tehuantepec tion tonnage tons transportation Truando tunnel Tuyra United valley vessels weight width Wyse
Popular passages
Page 19 - If the work should ever be executed so as to admit of the passage of sea vessels from ocean to ocean, the benefits of it ought not to be exclusively appropriated to any one nation, but should be extended to all parts of the globe upon the payment of a just compensation or reasonable tolls.
Page 21 - ... or companies as may undertake to open a communication between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans by the construction of a ship canal across the isthmus which connects North and South America, and of securing forever by such stipulations the free and equal right of navigating such canal to all nations on the payment of such reasonable tolls as may be established to compensate the capitalists who may engage in such undertaking and complete the work.
Page 143 - Lake Nicaragua; from thence across the lake and through the valleys of the Rio Del Medio and the Rio Grande to what is known as, the port of Brito, on the Pacific Coast, possesses, both for the construction and maintenance of a canal, greater advantages, and...
Page 14 - On the 26th of July, of the year 1698, the whole city of Edinburgh poured down upon Leith to fee the colony depart, amidft the tears, and prayers and praifes of relations and friends, and of their countrymen. Many feamen and...
Page 21 - Resolved, That the President of the United States be respectfully requested to consider the expediency of opening negotiations with the governments of other nations, and particularly with the Governments of Central America and New Granada, for the purpose of effectually protecting, by suitable treaty stipulations with them, such individuals or companies as may undertake to open a communication between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans by the construction of a ship canal across the isthmus which connects...
Page 113 - ... very much less to maintain in the future." Mr. Sidney A. Shelbourne, an earnest advocate of the San Bias route, in the discussions which took place, proposes a larger tunnel. He says, " Considering that it might be desirable that the largest vessels now afloat should pass each other within the tunnel, one going in one direction and the other in the opposite direction, and considering the progressive size of the vessels of the future, I have made this tunnel 100 feet wide at the surface of the...
Page 132 - Amazon, are all within two thousand miles, ten day's sail, of Darien. It is a barrier that separates us from the markets of six hundred millions of people — three-fourths of the population of the earth. Break it down, therefore, and this country is placed midway between Europe and Asia ; this sea becomes the center of the world and the focus of the world's commerce.
Page 155 - The markets were often inaccessible during several months. It is said that the fruits of the earth were sometimes suffered to rot in one place, while in another place, distant only a few miles, the supply fell far short of the demand.
Page 11 - There are mountains, it is true, but there are likewise hands ; let but the resolve be formed to make the passage, and it can be made. If inclination be not wanting, there will be no want of means : the Indies, to which the passage is to be made, will supply them. To a King of Spain, with the wealth of the Indies at his command,, when the object to be attained is the spice trade, that which is possible is, in fact, easy.
Page 154 - Wise men say that she has attached a curse to standing still. This is German philosophy; but the idea is beautiful because it is true. We want the stimulants to energy, the incentives to enterprise, which a highway across the Isthmus is to give, to urge us on to the high destinies that await us.