Itotered ajpoorduufto^at of'£mq» vjjtitv the>je*wW68by the TehijUi/tt&Mpc iiaiZwaY Co- ifv thy Clerks (Wice of (h"J)ijtfru-t ibitrt o/'tfw- (hiteii •s foteA' fo/'tke Southern-District ofjVewt'orh. Photolith.by lheN.tlith.tf Kntfrtf & Prt* Co. 16 A18 Park Plan TEHUANTEPEC THE TEHUANTEPEC RAILWAY its location Features and Advantages Under the La Sere Grant of i 869 D. APPLETON & CO 90, 92 and 94 Grand Street, New York 1869 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1809, by TIIE TE1IUANTEPEC RAILWAY COMPANY, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York. TC 7% 7-T2-+ library bureau of railway economics, washington. d. c. f If XxtU til ' • OCT 3 1910 BAKER & GODWIN, P it inters, Printing House Square, N. y. THERE ARE FEW MEN LIVING TO WHOM AMERICAN COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IS MORE LARGELY INDEBTED THAN TO (0. Ilobcrto. IN THE TRUE SPIRIT OF AN EMINENT MERCHANT, HE HAS DEVOTED YEARS OF PATIENT ENERGY AND OF LIBERAL AND FAR-SEEING EN¬ TERPRISE TO THE GRAND WORK OF OPENING AND KEEPING OPEN THE INTER-OCEANIC GATEWAYS OF THE WESTERN CONTINENT, AND PROVIDING NEW CHANNELS FOR TIIE COMMERCE OF THE ORIENT. IT IS BELIEVED TIIAT HE IS NOW ABOUT TO REALIZE ANOTHER OF THOSE SAGACIOUS PROPHECIES OF THE ROUTES OF COMMERCE WHICH HAVE WON HIM niS PRESENT PROUD POSITION AMONG THE MERCANTILE LEADERS OF TIIE NEW WORLD. TO HIM THIS MODEST VOLUME, DEVOTED TO THE DEFENCE AND ELUCIDATION OF IDEAS WHICH ARE DEAR TO HIS HEART AND HOPES, AS THE LEADING PROMOTER OF THE TEIIUANTEPEC RAILWAY, IS INSCRIBED. CONTENTS. PART I. Dedication. Introduction. Grant from Mexican Government to Don Emilio La Sere, to open lnteroceanic Communication. Article 1. Decree of 1S67 to be modified. 2. Authority to open communica¬ tion across Isthmus. 3. By roads, or by water and roads. 4. Railroad to Pacific. Carriage road meanwhile. 5. Surveys and maps to be ap¬ proved by Government. 6. Before survey Government to appoint commissioners. 7. Surveys, &c., submitted within eighteen months. Notice of commencement of work with¬ in six months thereafter. 8. Construction to begin with¬ in two years. Fifteen leagues to be completed each year, and the whole line in three years. 9. Carriage road to be built with¬ in a year an 1 a half. 10. Grant of right of way and every alternate league of public land on each side of road. 11. Reservation of one-half of the land on each side of road by Government. 12. Cession of Government land for wharves to be construct¬ ed in two years after com¬ pletion of road. 13. Company to have gratis from Government, lands, mater¬ ials for roads, wharves, &c. 14. Private property may be taken and owners indemnified. 15. Light-houses to be built by company within three years after railroad, and to belong to Government. 16. Company to give bond in $100,000 to complete road and telegraph line within prescribed time and com¬ pany to be chartered by one of the states of the U S. Article 17. Exemption from duty granted for importation of materials for building and running road. 18. River to be cleared. 19. Company's tariff. 20. No tax on through traffic. 21. No similar concessions and exemptions to any other company. 22. Government protection guar¬ anteed. 23. Certain ports of entry to be kept open. 24. Minister of Finance to regu¬ late transportation. 25. Concessions for seventy years. Government to receive eight per cent, from profits and twelve cents for each pas¬ senger. 26. After grant expires Govern¬ ment may take railroad at valuation. 27. Mails, &c., to be carried free. Government property at half rates. 28. Transit open to all nations. 29. Foreign mails to be in sealed bags. 30. Government may appoint one- fourth of directors. 31. Right to navigate river Goat- zacoalcos. 32. Not to conflict, with right of other vessels. 33. No tonnage duty for through transportation. 34. Company responsible for Falco¬ net loan. 35. Company to be a Mexican or¬ ganization, but to have the privilege of forming other companies in Mexico or the United States. 36. All engaged now or hereafter in company to be regarded as Mexicans. 37. Action of foreign tribunals in respect to company not to affect this decree. - 111 Vlll AiJflciiB No Bale of fo.-ul, Ac., without Government consent,. Sale to foreign government,"pro¬ hibited. I low bonds inity be Issued and propel'ty hypothe¬ cated. 39. Hoard of Direction may be In United States. 40. Depot for coal and navy-yard in Hnatulco. 41. Regarding suspension caused by " force majeure." 42. Restrictions on the company. Firxt. No fort to be built on Isthmus. Second. No armed force to be organized. Third. No foreign armed force to be carried. Fourth. No contraband of war to be carried. Fifth. Transportation of na- . tional armed force and war materials subject to Gov¬ ernment authority. Sixth. Smugglers and crim¬ inals to be discharged from company's employ. Seventh. Measures as to rev¬ enue laws to be observed. 43. Causes of forfeiture of privi¬ leges. Fir at. In default of bond. Second. For failure to pre¬ sent plans and construct road within time limited. Th ird. For constructing fort on Isthmus. Fourth. For organizing an armed force Fifth. F< >r unaut li o r i z e d transportation of foreign armed force. Sixth. For carrying articles contraband of war. Scent'i. For carrying na¬ tional troops without consent. Eighth. For suspension of work for one or two years. Nin th. For transfer of rights and property without con¬ sent of Government. 44. Company liable for non-com¬ pliance with other obliga¬ tions. 45. Effect of forfeiture of privi¬ leges. 40. All information concerning the company to be furnished to Government. 47. Controversies concerning the construction and execution of this law to be decided by Mexican tribunals. CoNVKVAtfdfi of AitfRNrRib finANf. Act to KsTAfit.isu Incorporation, Preamble Mexican Grant. Articles of Association. Company formed by La Sere. Article 1. Njime of company. 2. Duration of company. 3. Capital, $18,000,000, not liable to assessment. Sharehold¬ ers and distribution of stock. 4. Meeting of shareholders and choice of directors 5. Shareholders may make by¬ laws. G. Company not dissolved by death or act of shareholders. 7. Four directors first year, after¬ wards seven. Mexico to have two directors after first year. 8. Vacancies to be filled by re¬ maining directors. 9. Choice of president, vice-presi¬ dent, treasurer, and secre¬ tary. 10. Duty of president. 11. Duty of treasurer. 12. Duty of secretary. 13. Description of seal. 14. Control of company in direct¬ ors, subject to authority of shareholders. 15. Contraction of debt. No indi¬ vidual liabilities. 1G. Contract to be signed by presi¬ dent and secretary, and sealed. Enactment hy tih? General Assembly of the State of Vermont. Sec. 1. Incorporation of Tehuantepec Hailway Company. 2. Authority to build or charter vessels and hold real estate. 3. Act to take effect immediately. Specifications as approved by Mexi¬ can Government, Jan. 5th, lSGt). Location of road 53 Carriage-road 5G Graduation, masonry, and bridging 57 Masonry and bridging 58 Bridging 59 Tunnels GO Uuage and rail GO Turn-outs 01 Depots and fixtures til River navigation G2 l'ifers and wharfs G2 Light-houses 03 Telegraphs 04 Estimated cost G5 Rond given to the Republic of Mexico G8 PART II. Historical 1 Topography ... 25 Inhabitants : European 30 Creoles 30 Mestizoes 31 Indians 31 Dona Marina 33 Mijes - 34 Zoques 34 Zapotecos 34 Huaves 35 Mulattoes 35 Zainbos 35 Negroes 35 Climate 3G ix Harbors : Atlantic ports 40 Pacific ports 43 CIeology and mineralogy. 40 Timber and Vegetable Productions : Mahogany 52 Cedar 52 Oak 52 Phony 52 Iron-wood 52 Acacia 52 India-rubber 52 Jabi 58 Maize 53 Frijoles 53 Sugar 53 (lacao 53 Tobacco 53 Coffee. 53 Cotton 53 Pita 54 Indigo 50 Balsam of Peru 50 Styrax Officinale 57 Liquorice Hoot 57 Sarsaparilla 57 Vanilla 57 Cubeba-canina 57 Fruits 57 Animals : Cattle 58 Horses 50 Mules 59 Deer 00 Birds: Wild turkey 00 Crested curassow 00 Partridge 00 Cliachalaca 00 Tinamou 00 Quail 69 Pigeon 00 Dove GO Fisii 61 Towns, Productive Industry, &c.: Minatitlan 01 San Juan Chinameca 02 Jaltipan 03 San Martin Acayucan 04 Mai Paso 05 San Gabriel Boca del Monte .. 05 San Juan Guichicovi 00 Santa Maria Petapa 00 EI Barrio de la Solcdad 07 La Chivela 07 Tar i fa 07 Santiago 07 Agua Escondida 07 San Miguel Chimalapa 08 Santa Maria Chimalapa (59 San Gironimo 09 Santo Domingo Chihuitan .... 70 Itztaltepec 70 Juchitan 71 Tehuantepec 72 Sources of He venue 74 ILLUSTRATION S. PART I. Vignette Title Page. Map of the world, on Mercator's Projection 52 Map of the isthmus of Tehuantepec PART II. Cerro Morro(Ventosa) .. 25 Bay of Ventosa from Cerro Verde, looking North 28 A mate Picadura 52 Minatitlan 02 Table Lands near El Barrio 00 Church of El Barrio 07 View in the Masahua Pass 08 l'iedra Lagarto (Kio del Corte) 09 Cerro Guie-Vixia 79 Tehuantepec from Cerro del Tigre 72 o /yj ERRATA. Part II, page 13, line 23; for Cuba, read Japan. " " G9, in title of illustration; read Piedra Lagarto, INTRODUCTION. Tite Teiiuantepec Railway Company in¬ vites attention to a Grant or Concession for seventy years, including large grants of land, made by the Government of Mexico, on the 6th of October, 1867, to a Company to be formed by Don Emilio La-Sere, to open in- teroceanic communication across the Isthmus of Teliuantepec, by railroad, carriage-road, and telegraph line. It is free from all taxa¬ tion or imposts of any hind by the Gov¬ ernment, except the payment of eight per cent, of the net profits of the enterprise, when¬ ever dividends shall be declared for the stock¬ holders, and twelve cents for each through passenger. This grant was modified and con¬ firmed by the Congress of that Republic on the 29tli of December, 1868; approved by the Pres¬ ident, January 2d, 1869 ; and published in the Official Gazette of that Government on the 4th of January, 1869. Pursuant to said grant, Don Emilio La-Sere formed the "Teliuantepec Railway Company," composed wholly of citizens of the United States. This Company, in November, 1868, procured from the General Assembly of the • • Xll State of Vermont* an act establishing its in- O corporation, with a capital of eighteen millions of dollars ($18,000,000), divided into shares of $100 each; and received from said La-Sere an assignment of the errant or concession. On o the 2d day of March, 1869, to comply with the 16tli article of the grant, the Company gave to the Republic of Mexico its bond in $100,000, which was accepted and approved as satisfactory by Sr. Don Juan N. Navarro, Consul-General of Mexico in the United States, on April 14, 1869, under instructions from his Government. On the 20th of April the Consul-General notified the Company that the President of Mexico had, on the 28th of March, appointed the directors to which it is entitled under the 80th article of the grant. Col. Julius W. Adams, Consulting Engineer 7 O O of the Company, eminent in his profession, pre¬ pared in August, 1868, and the Company adopt¬ ed; a general project for the construction of the proposed works, also a map of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, showing the proposed lines of railway, carriage-road and telegraph, which were submitted to the Mexican Government, Jan¬ uary 5th, 1869, and were approved. The form of the mortgage, and of the bonds which the Company is authorized to issue in aid of the construction, repair, and mainten¬ ance of the works, were prepared by learned counsel, and were adopted by the Company, * The 16th article of the Grant, provides that the Comoany shall be organized according to the laws of one of the States of the American Union. The Legislature of Vermont was the only one in session at that time. • • • Xlll and submitted for and received the approval of the Government, January 5th, 1869. Official documents and further details will be found in the body of this work. It admits of but little doubt that the discoveries of Columbus arose less from a con¬ viction in his own mind that a new continent would reward his exertions, than from a far- sighted conclusion to which he had arrived, that O ' the true connection of old Spain with the Indies lay in the western direction rather than in the east. The whole of the discoveries at the time of his death embraced the various islands of the West Indies and the coast of Honduras, and he died in the belief that he had accomplished the object of his earliest efforts. Explorations under others extended to the coasts of Florida on the north and Darien on the south ; but the Mexican Gulf, sweeping far into the interior, with its concealed riches, re¬ mained as yet unexplored. What he aimed to ac¬ complish—a ready passage to the east by travel¬ ing westward—is left for American enterprise. Die^o, the son and successor of Columbus, O / ' first colonized Cuba, or Fernandina, as it was called, and Velasquez, the governor of that is¬ land, pushed his explorations from St. Jago, his capital, around the coast of Yucatan, and in 1519 organized the expedition under Hernando Cortez, which, landing at Vera Cruz, resulted in the conquest of Mexico. The first care of Cor¬ tez was to secure his conquest. The harbor ot Vera Cruz being- considered as dangerous, even O O 7 for the small vessels then in use, he sent " a xiv commission composed of liis pilots and others," who surveyed the coast south of Vera Cruz for a distance of sixty leagues, as far as the great river Goatzacoalcos, which seemed to offer the best, indeed, the only accommodation, for a safe and suitable harbor. A spot was selected at its mouth for a fortified post, and a colony under Velascpiez de Leon was established there in 1519. Subsequently, in 1520, an addition was made to the colony, under Diego de Ordaz. It appears in the celebrated letter of Cortez to the Emperor Charles V., to have been an object of intense interest with him to discover some strait which might naturally unite the two seas, but, as his hopes declined in this respect, lie conceived the idea of a lucrative speculation by means of a carriage road over the Isthmus of Teliuantepee, to supply Spain with the spices of the East Indies and the products of such new regions as he expected to discover; and Hum¬ boldt remarks in reference to the road, that the Elver Goatzacoalcos furnished great facilities for transporting across the Isthmus from Vera Cruz materials to build vessels which he fitted out in Tehuantepee for the Pacific; and as an evidence of the views which Cortez entertained of this part of the country, he selected large tracts of land on the Goatzacoalcos Eiver, and in Oaxaca, in the neighborhood of Tehuantepec. These estates were confirmed to him by the Em¬ peror Charles V., and were cultivated and the mines worked by Cortez to great profit, and his descendants to this day possess large tracts of XV land in tliis neighborhood known as the estates of tlie " Marquesanas;" and during the life¬ time of the conqueror he never lost sight of the advantages to be realized by establishing and maintaining the transit of the Isthmus by this most favorable route. On the death of Cortez no one appeared on the stage to take an in¬ terest in the project, and the government of Spain, occupied in conquests elsewhere, allowed the subject to sink into comparative oblivion. Towards the close of the seventeenth century, Dampier made an exploration of the country, and speaks of the " bar of Goatzacoalaz as less dangerous than any on the coast, with two fathoms of water, and but little sea." In 1745, the project of opening the Tehuan- tepec route was again revived, and the viceroy of Mexico was urged to make the Goatzacoaleos a port of entry; but merchants interested in other parts of the country, particularly at Vera Cruz and Acapulco, made such representations at the court of Madrid that an order was ob¬ tained prohibiting, under the penalties of regal displeasure, any revival of the subject. But in 1774, Don Antonio M. Bucareli, viceroy of Mexico, ordered Don Augustin Cramer, governor of the San Juan de Ulloa, an engineer by pro¬ fession, to make a survey of the whole route. He confirms the previous statement of the depth of water on the bar at the mouth of the river, and adds that the bar is a permanent one, never having changed in depth of water since its dis¬ covery. His survey was made for the purpose of opening water communication between the xvi two oceans, tlie entire practicability of which lie demonstrates, and at a comparatively small cost, and lie remarks on the facilities wliicli ex¬ ist for a good road to Telmantepec. These re¬ sults, as also tliose to the same purport furnished at a later day by the viceroys of Mexico, Eevil- lagigedo and Iturrigaray, the importance of which was urged upon the Spanish Cortes, failed to elicit any response or action from the govern¬ ment of Spain, which was fast losing its hitherto well earned character for energy and enterprise. However, in 1814, the Spanish Cortes waked up sufficiently to issue a decree for the opening of the canal by way of the Isthmus of Tehuan- tepec, in preference to that of Nicaragua or Pa¬ nama; but the political distractions which shortly followed, and the subsequent independ¬ ence of Mexico, left the government of Spain without either the means or the power to pro¬ mote such a scheme. In 1820, William I). Robinson, an American citizen, who had spent considerable time 011 the Isthmus, published the results of his observa¬ tions on the various interoceanic routes, and drew the attention of commercial men to tlie advantages of this route. lie says, speaking of the Goatzacoalcos, that "it is the only ])ort in the Mexican Gulf where vessels of war or others of a large size can enter, and it is far superior to Pensacola or Espiritu Santo." When the Mexicans had established their independence, their first natural desire was to develop the elements of prosperity which their territory possessed. In 1S24, the State of Vera xvii Cruz and tlie Federal Government appointed each a commission to survey the Isthmus, con¬ sisting of Don J. de Ortiz and Co]. Juan de Or- begozo; but from the engrossing political con¬ tests in the State, the government was for some years prevented from attempting the realization of this grand enterprise, and it was not until 1842 that, upon the representation of Don Jose de Garay, the Government of Santa Anna con¬ ferred upon him an exclusive grant with liberal provisions, to construct and operate a line of railroads in connection with river navigation, to be operated by steam power from ocean to to ocean across the Isthmus of Teliuantepec. So important and valuable was this transit considered by the Government of the United States, in 1847, the time the treaty of peace with the Republic of Mexico engaged the attention of the Administration of Mr. Polk, that the following correspondence took place: Mr. Buchanan, Secretary of State, to Mr. Trist, United States Commissioner to Mexico. Extract. Department of State, Washington, April 15th, 1847. *- . * -*■ 1. " Instead of Fifteen Millions of dollars stipulated to be " paid by the fifth articles, for the extension of our boundary "over New Mexic o, and Upper and Lower California, you " may increase the amount to any sum not exceeding thirty " millions of dollars, payable by instalments of three mil- " lions per annum, provided the right of passage and transit " across the Isthmus of Tchuantcpcc, secured to the United " States by the 8th article of the Projet shall form a part of " the treaty."—Executive Doc. No, 69, 1st Scss,, 30tit Congress. % xvin Instructions of the Mexican Government to their Com missioners, 29tii August, 1847. Extract. * * * * " As regards the privilege solicited by the Government " of the United States to navigate the river Tehuantepec, or " to traffic upon any way or road that may be established " between the two seas, the Government of Mexico absolutely " denies or refuses to concede any such right."—Senate Doc. Xo. 52, Ut Scss., 30th Cong., vol. 1, page 332. This offer (sufficient nearly to build two such railroads as this Company propose to con¬ struct), it must be remembered, was made before the acquisition of California; and, although we now have the Union Pacific Railroad built, his¬ tory will demonstrate in twenty-five years that the new impetus given to the settlement of the Pacific coast, and the trade with the Indies, will require these, and several more railways, to supply the commerce of the world. It is but just to the government of Mexico, to state here, that her refusal to entertain the proposition made 011 the part of the govern¬ ment of the United States, was wholly based on the ground that it had already given to Don Jose de Garay a concession embracing the entire question. Notwithstanding the re¬ fusal of Mexico, at that time, to cede to the United States the right of transit, the grant to Garay having been subsequently annulled, and a new grant to citizens of the United States having been made by Mexico, the protection of the latter was embraced in the eighth article of the treaty concluded between the Republic of Mexico and the United States of America, dated at the City of Mexico on the 30th of xix December, 1853, and amended and exchanged at tlie City of Washington on the 30th of June, 1854, known as "The Gadsden Treaty." Garay, though himself a gentleman of enter¬ prise and energy, failed to enlist the proper material for the completion of his scheme, and the grant to him was revoked. Since that elate, under the various governments of Mexico, there have been three grants issued to various parties for the accomplishment of this project, all of of which for various reasons have failed and been annulled by the Government itself. The grant to La Sere is the only one in existence, and is owned by the Tehuantepcc Railway Company, which has settled all out-standing claims relative to this Isthmian transit, whether in law or equity, and now enjoys its title in peace. It is impossible to overestimate the advan¬ tages, both immediate and prospective, which must result to the United States and to Mexico, as well as to the commerce of the world, from the establishment of a rapid and safe inter- oceanic communication across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, the gateway between the Gulf and the Pacific Ocean. The neighboring regions of Central America, o o o " which are now compelled to seek an outlet else¬ where for their valuable productions, would, in the event of the opening of this route, be drawn by the most powerful of all ties, the tie of a direct and visible commercial interest, into most desirable relations with the United States; while the splendid Mexican provinces on both coasts. XX which are by no means fully developed by reason of tlieir want of easy access to tlie mar¬ kets of tlie world, would be enlivened by immigration, and enriclied by the commercial development of their mineral and vegetable wealth. At the present day, lines of steamships, American, English, and French, in connection with a railway across the Isthmus of Panama, are maintained and made immensely profitable by the commerce which unites the wealthy and increasing population of the Pacific coast of North and South America with the United States and with Europe. Yet the commerce thus carried on is forced to make a long and circuitous journey, involving unnecessary ex¬ penditure both of time and money, and yearly exposing thousands of passengers of all nations to the unwholesome influences of the climate of the Isthmus of Panama/55" No one, therefore, can doubt that a line of communication across the Isthmus of Teliuan- tepec, passing through a region the superior healthiness of which has been attested by repeat¬ ed surveys, and shortening the distance about 1,500 miles, statute, and time of transit between New York and San Francisco no less than six or seven days, must speedily draw to itself * Don Alonzo Guzman, in the account of his voyage from the island of Espanola to Peru, via Panama, in 1534, published by the Hakluyt Society, in 1802, says, that on his arrival at the port of Nombre de Dios, in the Province of Castilla del Oro, he learned that the native name of the place means Bones, and was so called on account of the number of people who have died there. xxi the greater portion of the great interoceanic trade, and become, in fact, the highway from Europe and Atlantic America to the States of the Pacific, to South America, to the islands of the Southern Sea, and the older continents of Asia and of Africa. In a political point of view it plainly mat¬ ters but little by whom this great work shall be constructed, if only it be under the control and supervision of the Mexican Government. We have seen in the old world that the independence of Egypt, which it was first sup¬ posed would be threatened by the construc¬ tion of the Suez Canal by English and French enterprise across Egyptian territory, to unite the Mediterranean Sea with the Indian Ocean, has in fact been fortified thereby, and made more important to all civilized nations. A similar effect must assuredly follow in Mexico, from similar causes, the more especially that in a few years the increase of wealth and population accruing to Mexico from an inter¬ oceanic route and the settlement of the lands of the Company, must render the Republic, al¬ ready so populous and so rich, stronger than ever before to protect its own interests and main¬ tain its own dignity. As the public are but little apprised of the peculiar features, geographical, physical, or com¬ mercial, of the several Isthmian interoceanic tran¬ sits, the aim of the present paper is to sketch, as briefly as possible, the advantages to be antici¬ pated by adopting the route by way of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. The exposition of xxii tlie Isthmian routes in detail is foreign to our object, although a most careful comparative ex animation has been made of them all, as well as of the trans-continental routes between the At¬ lantic and Pacific Oceans. The conclusions that have been arrived at, are based upon data de¬ rived from the best known sources, official and private; and, while we disparage no other transit, we present to the public the best and most reliable array of facts to show the superi¬ ority of the Isthmus of Teliuantepee, espe¬ cially so far as the United States is concerned. We would wish to acknowledge in this place our indebtedness to the individual sources from which we have drawn our information, but they are so extended that we can only refer in general to the list of authorities published in the report of Pear Admiral I)av is, U. S. N., superintendent of the Na¬ tional Observatory, in relation to the various proposed lines for interoceanic canals and rail¬ roads between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, communicated to Congress, July, 18GG. Most of the papers referred to in this list bearing upon the route in question have been open to us, and in addition we have had the advantage of per¬ sonal intercourse with gentlemen resident on the Isthmus, or who have visited it either for commercial purposes or scientific exploration. We must, however, make one exception in the list of authorities quoted by Admiral Davis, and particularize as a source from which we have largely drawn, the admirable report of J. J. Williams, C. E., New York, 1852, being • • • xx111 the result of a survey for a railroad to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, made by the scientific commission under the direction of Major (now Major General) J. G. Barnard, U. S. Engineers. In conclusion we may say of the vignette 011 the title page, that it illustrates the twenty- second article of the grant, the determination of the Mexican Government, the wishes of the Company, and the hopes of Commerce. SIMON STEVENS, President Tehuantepcc Railroad Company. 171 Chambers Street, New York. June 11th, 18G9. TElIUAFfEPEC C0NCES10N DE LA SERE. M exico, Limes, 4 de Enero de 1801). Ministerio de Fomento, Colonizacion, Indus- tria y Comercio. El C. presidente de la republica se lia servido diri- girme el decrcto que sigue: 44BENITO JUAREZ, Presidente constitucional de los Estados- Unidos mexieanos, d todos sus habi- tantes, sailed ; 44 Que el Congreso de la Union lia decretado lo siguiente: 44 El congreso de la Union decreta : 44 Art. 1.—El decreto cxpedido por el Ejecutivo en 0 de Octubre de 1807, autorizando a D. Emilio La- Sere, 6 a la cornpafna que el.formara para abrir la co- niunicacion interoceanica por el Istmode Teliuantepeo, queda modificado en los terminos siguientcs : 44 Art. 2.—Sc autoriza a la compafiia que forme D. Emilio La-Sere, para la apertura de la comunicacion interoceanica por el Istmo de Tebuantepec, con las condiciones expresadas en cste decreto. 44 Art. 3.—La compafiia que forme La-Sere, podra liaccr la comunicacion por agua, en la parte navegable del rio Goatzacoalcos; j en donde clla concluya prin- cipiaran los caminos a que se rciiere el articulo sigui¬ ente; pero si no juzga conveniente liacer uso del rio, comenzanin los caminos desdeel punto de su desembo- c ad ura. TEIIUANTEPEC LA SERE GRANT. Mexico, Monday, 4th January, 1869. Department of Improvement, Colonization, Industry, and Commerce. The Citizen President of the Republic has been pleased to address me the following decree: BENITO JUAREZ, Constitutional President of the Mexican United States, to all its inhabitants: Be it known that the Congress of the Union has decreed the following: The Congress of the Union decrees: Article 1st.—The decree issued by the Executive Decree of is6r to on the 6tli October, 1867, authorizing Don Emilio La bemodlfled' Sere, or the company that he may form, to open the inter-oceanic communication across the Isthmus of Teliuantepec, is modified in the following terms: Article 2d.—Authorization is granted to the com- Authority to open , communication pany, that Don Emilio La Sere may form, to open across isthmus, the inter-oceanic communication across the Isthmus of Teliuantepec, with the conditions expressed in this de¬ cree. Article 3d.—The company to be formed by La Byroads or by wutcf unci roads* Sere may establish communication by water in the navigable portion of the Goatzacoalcos River, and, where that ends, the roads will commence as refer¬ red to in the following articles; but if it should not be deemed expedient to use the river, the roads will commence at the mouth of the same. 4 "Art. 4.—La compania La-Sere debera construir un ferrocarril dela mejor clase, que partiendo del punto en que termine la navegacion del rio Goatzacoaleos 6 de su desembocadura, segun lo expresa el articulo anterior, llegue basta el puerto de la Yentosa, o cual- quiera otro del Paeitico que se creyere mas conveniente que este. Entretanto se concluye el camino de fierro, La-Sere establecera la comunicacion por medio de un camino carretero, que conservara en buen estado de servicio, y con los puentes necesarios para el trans- ito de carruages que conduzcan pasageros y mereanci- as de poco peso. " Art. 5.—ITecbos los reconocimientos necesarios para el ferrocarril y para el camino carretero, y levan- tados los pianos correspondientes por los ingenieros, se someteran a la aprobacion del Gobierno general, sin lo cual no podran ponerse en ejecucion. " Art. 6.—La compania La-Sere avisara oportuna- mente al Gobierno cuando debe empezar el reconoci- miento del terreno por donde ban de pasar los caminos, para que aquel nombre el comisionado o comisionados que lo representen en las operaciones que bayan de practicarse, pagandose por la compania los honorarios de aquellos. Para el deslinde de los terrenos baldios que deban cederse a la compania, intervendran los peritos que nombre el Gobierno, pagandose tambien sus honorarios por ella. " Art. 7.—En el termino de diez y oclio meses, contados desde la feclia de esta concesion, deberan estar heclias las exploraciones del terreno, levantados y presentados los pianos que marquen la direccion de los caminos, y sometidos a la aprobacion del Gobierno, al que se dara aviso dentro de los primeros seis meses, de que va a procederse a los trabajos, a tin de que el comisionado o comisionados de que liabla la primera parte del articulo anterior, se liallen presentes para inspeccionar las obras que se ejecuten. 5 Article 4th.—The La Sere Company is bound Railroad to pa- , cific. Carnage- to construct a first-class railroad, starting from the road meanwhile, point where navigation on the Goatzacoalcos River terminates, or from its moutli in conformity with the preceding article, and continue said road to the port of Ventosa, or to any other port on the Pacific that may be deemed more suitable. While the railroad is being finished, La Sere will establish the communi¬ cation by means of a carriage road, "which he will keep in a good serviceable condition, and with bridges necessary for the passage of vehicles carrying passen¬ gers and merchandise of light burden. Article 5th.—The necessary surveys being made ^urveys and for the railroad and for the carriage road, and the cor- proved by gov- responding maps or plans being made by the engineers, these will be submitted for the approbation of the General Government, without wdiich they will not be allowed to be carried into execution. Article 6th.—The La Sere Company shall notify Before survey, the Government opportunely of the time when the appoint commis- survey of the lands through which the roads are to pass, is to begin, so that the Government may appoint the commissioner or commissioners who are to repre¬ sent it in the operations which will follow, their fees to be paid by the company. For the demarcation of the un¬ claimed lands to be ceded to the company, the experts that the Government may name will intervene; these also will be paid by the company. » Article T*th.—Within the term of eighteen months, surveys, &c., sub- ° ■> nutted within counting from the date of this grant, the survevs of eighteen months. o 7 «/ Notice of com- tlie ground are to be made, the plans showing the pencementwith- o 7 jr o in six months lines of the roads are to be made, and submitted thereafter, for the approbation of the Government, and notice will be given within the first six months that the works are going to be commenced, in order that the commis¬ sioner or commissioners referred to in the first part of the preceding article, may be present to inspect the works that may be executed. G "Art. 8.—La compania La-Sere comenzara la construccion del ferrocarril y linea telegrafica, dentro deseis meses, contados despues del alio y medio de que Labia el articulo anterior, debiendo terminar en cada ano, a satisfaccion del Gobierno, un tramo de quince leguas por lo menos, basta la conclusion de toda la linea, que sera precisamente tres afios despues del dia en que empezaron los trabajos. Las quince leguas que la compania esta obligada a dejar construidas anualmente, podran serlo en tramos aislados unos de otros, con tal que no se separen del trayecto general aprobado por el Ejecutivo. " Art. 9.—La compania comenzara la construccion del camino carretero al mismo tiempo que la del fer¬ rocarril, y la terminara a satisfaccion del Gobierno dentro de un ano y medio a lo mas, contado desde la feclia fijada para comenzarlos. "Art. 10.—De los terrenos baldios que liubiere, el Gobierno da & la compania la faja que necesitare para la linea de los caminos, y ademas la mitad de los baldios que se encuentren dentro de una legua lateral por cada lado de solo el ferrocarril, en todo el espacio que recorra. Diclios terrenos baldios se dividiran donde su extension lo permita, en cuadros de una legua cada uno; y en donde tuvieren menos de dos leguas en su longitud a lo largo del camino (o en las frac- ciones de menos de dos leguas), se dividiran por mitad, perteneciendo una a la Nacion y otra a la compaflia. Las porciones divididas se numeraran en cada lado, comenzando en ambos por el numero 1 en el Norte, y siguiendo en el orden numerico bacia el Sur; de man- era que el numero 1 del lado de Occidente, o sea el la¬ do derecbo del camino, quede frente del numero 1 del lado de Oriente o lado izquierdo, a no ser que pasando el camino por lugares en que por un solo lado bay a baldios dentro de la linea lateral, liubiere puntos de interseccion en terrenos de propiedad particular, en 7 Article 8th.—The La Sere Company shall com- Construction to . „ •-! i be begun within mence the construction of the railroad and telegraph tw0 years- Fift- ~ x een leagues to be line within six months, counted after the year and a compieted each 7 year, and whole half mentioned in the preceding article, and the com- line in three n ' years. pany is to complete within each year, to the satisfac¬ tion of the Government, a section of at least fifteen leagnes, until the completion of the whole line, which must be precisely three years from the day on which the works were commenced. The fifteen leagues which the company is obliged to construct annually, may be made by it in sections separate from each other, pro¬ vided that they should not be apart from the general line of road approved by the Executive. Article 9th.—The company shall commence the camage-road to construction of the carriage road at the same time year and a bait, as that of the railroad, and shall complete the former to the satisfaction of the Government within a }Tear and a half at the utmost, counting from the date fixed for its commencement. Article 10th.—Of the unclaimed lands that may Grant of un- • , , i z-t • -j i claimed lands exist, the Government gives to the company the along line, and .. i I one halt of Giose strip that it may require for the line of the roads, and withinaleague besides this, the half of the unclaimed lands (which may be found within a lateral league) on each side of the railroad only, through the whole length of its line Said unclaimed lands will be divided, where their ex¬ tent will allow, into squares of a league each; and where they cover less than two leagues longitudinally along the side of the road (or the fractions of less than two leagues), will be divided into halves, one belonging to the Nation and the other to the company. The portions divided will be numbered on each side, com¬ mencing on both by No. 1 on the north, and follow¬ ing in numerical order toward the south, so that No. 1 on the western side, or be it the right side of the road, should be opposite to No. 1 on the eastern or left side, unless the road should pass through places where only on one side of it there should be un¬ claimed lands, within the lateral line, where there 8 cuyo caso quedara interrumpido el orden expresado, siguiendo luego liasta el fin del camino la nnmeracion prescrita para las porciones del terreno por ambos lados. "Art. 11.—La Nacion se reserva desde luego, en pleno dominio, en el lado occidental 6 derecho del camino, todas las porciones senaladas con los numeros impares 1, 8, 5, &c., y de la misma manera se reserva en el lado oriental o izquierdo del camino, todas las porciones marcadas con los numeros pares 2, 4, 6, &c., cediendo a los concesionarios en propiedad, revocable solo en el caso de que no conciuyan el camino, las porciones senaladas con los numeros pares en el lado occidental o derecho del camino, y las porciones mar¬ cadas con los numeros impares en el lado oriental o izquierdo. Si por el caso de interseccion enunciado en el articulo anterior, se encontraren mas porciones de terrenos baldios en un lado del camino que en el otro, los que hubiere de exceso en cualquiera de los dos lados, seran divididos por mitad entre la Nacion y los concesionarios; de manera que se observen siempre precisamente delegua en legua, las dos alternativas, de lado y de frente, entre las porciones nacionales y las de la empresa. " Art. 12.—El Gobierno concede a la compania, si lo liubiere, el terreno para los muelles, diques y otras obras indispensables en los puertos de Goatzacoalcos y de la Ventosa, comprometiendose la compafiia a con- struir por su cuenta, a satisfaccion del Gobierno, en los dos aflos siguientes a la feclia en que se construya el ferrocarril, diclios muelles y diques; liaciendo desde luego las obras precisas para facilitar la descarga de los buques y evitar la a vena de las mercancias. " Art. 13.—La compania tomara gratis de las tier- ras que fueren del dominio publico, por el tiempo que lo fueren, sin que esto importe para el Gobierno la ob- ligacion de no enagenarlas, en todo 6, en parte, los 9 might be points of intersection on lands of private prop¬ erty, in which case the said order would he interrupted, and afterwards the prescribed numeration continuing to the end of the road, for the portions of land on both sides. Article 11th.—The Nation reserves for itself, in Reservation of full dominion, all the portions on the western or right land on each side side of the road marked with the odd numbers 1, 3, 5, emment. Ac., and in like manner reserves for itself on the east¬ ern, or left side of the road, all the portions marked with the even numbers, 2, 4, 6, Ac., ceding to the grantees in proprietorship, revokable only in case that they should not finish the road, all the portions marked with the even numbers on the western or right side of the road, and the portions marked with the odd numbers on the eastern or left side. If, in case of in¬ tersection as specified in the preceding article, there should be found more portions of unclaimed lands on one side of the road than on the other, those that should be in excess on either of the two sides, will be divided in halves between the Nation and the grantees, so that the two alternatives of side and frontage be exactly observed from league to league between the National portion and that of the company. Article 12th.—The Government cedes to the com- Cession of Gov¬ ernment land for pany such ground as it may own, for wharves, docks, wharves to be x J ° . constructed in and other indispensable works, in the ports of Goatz- two y,eays after x ] x completion of acoalcos and Yentosa, the company engaging to con- road- struct said wharves and docks at its own cost, to the satisfaction of the Government, in the two years follow¬ ing the date in which the railroad will be constructed; making at once the necessary works to facilitate the discharge of vessels, and to avoid damage to merchan¬ dise. Article 13tii.—The company may take, gratis, Company to have . n from Government trom the lands which may be ot public domain, lor land materials for . , roads, wharves, the time that they may be so, without implying thereby &c. any obligation on the part of the Government, not to 9 10 niateriales necesarios para la construccion y conserva- cion do los caminos, telegrafos, muelles, diqucs 6 de sus pertcncncias " Art. 14.—Los terrenes y materiales de propiedad particular que necesitare la compania, los tomara in- demnizando a sus duefios conforme a las leyes. "Art. 15—La compania tendra obligacion de con- struir y conservar faros de primera clase en donde fuere mas conveniente a los dos extremos de la via, debiendo quedar concluidos dentro de tres anos despues de ter- minado el ferrocarril, los que seran de la pertenencia exclusiva del Gobierno. " Art. 16.—A los sesenta dias de la feclia de esta ley, la compania dara una fianza por valor de cien mil pesos fuertes, a satisfaccion del ministro de Mexico en Wash¬ ington o de quien le supliere, siendo indispensable esta condicion para la existencia y validez de las concesiones hechas por este decreto, y perdiendo los concesionarios la expresada suma en caso de que no cumplan dentro de los plazos senalados las obligaciones de presentar los pianos y de comenzar y acabar los caminos y linea telegrafica. Con la mencionada fianza se asegurara tambien la obligacion que contrae la compania de acreditar que esta organizada ya conforme a las leyes de uno de los Estados de la Union Americana. "Art. 17.—Durante el tiempo necesario para la construccion del ferrocarril, la compania podra im- portar al Istmo, libres de dereclios, los materiales, ma- quinas, herramientas, carbon de piedra, carruages y utiles necesarios para la construccion de la via y de sus pertenencias. Pasado el termino de la construccion del camino, solo podra introducir, libres de derechos, las maquinas, carbon de piedra, carros y rieles que ne¬ cesitare, durando esta exencion por espacio de setenta anos, y haciendo la compania uso de ella, asi como de 11 sell or alienate them, in whole or in part, the materials necessary for the construction and repairs of the roads, telegraphs, wharves, docks, or their appurtenances. Article 14th.—The lands and materials of private Private property property, which may he needed by the company, will owners indemni- be taken by it, indemnifying the owners in conformity with the laws. Article 15tii.—The company wTill be obliged to Light-houses to construct and keep in repair light-houses of first pany within three class, where most desirable, at the extreme ends of the road, and to be- road, which are to be finished within three years from ment!°Govern* the termination of the building of the railroad; said light-houses remaining as the exclusive property of the Government. Article 16tii.—Sixty days from the date of this Company to give i .-l .11 . i i * ii e bond in $100,000 law, the company will give a bond m toe sum ot to complete road one hundred thousand dollars coin, satisfactory to the line within pre- Mexican Minister at Washington, or to whomsoever 8Cr may fill his place, this condition being indispensable for the existence and validity of the concessions made by this decree, and the grantees forfeiting the said sum> in case of non-compliance within the terms of time marked, with the obligations to present the plans and to commence and finish the roads and telegraph line. With the said bond the obligation will be insured, wdiicli the company contracts to accredit, that it is already organized according to the laws of one of the States of the American Union. Article 17th.—During the time necessary for the Exemption from ° ^ duty granted for construction of the railroad, the company shall have importation of 7 materials for the right to import on the Isthmus, free of duties, the building and run- . . , . ningroad. materials, machinery, tools, mineral coal, carriages, and necessary utensils for the construction of the road and its appurtenances. After the expiration of the time fixed for the construction of the road, it will only be allowed to introduce, free of duty, the ma¬ chines, mineral coal, cars and rails, which it may re¬ quire ; this exemption lasting for the space of seventy years, and the company making use of it, as well as of 12 la anterior, Begun las reglas que se clicten por el min- isterio de liacienda. " Art. 18.—La compania tiene obligacion de limpiar el rio Goatzacoalcos en la parte de el que dedique a la navegacion. " Art. 19—Se concede & la compania la facultad de cobrar peages, dereclios de transito, de muelles, de almacenage y cualesquiera otros, por fletes de mercan¬ cias, conduccion de pasageros y trasmision de tele- gramas ; pero la tarifa que se fije por la compania para la suma en junto de todos esos dereclios, excepto sola- mente el de almacenage, no excedera de cincuenta cen- tavos por legua para cada pasagero, de tres centavos por legua para cada arroba de mercancias, de uno por ciento del valor de los metales preciosos y de alhajas, entendiendose esta asignacion para toda la travesia del camino por tierra y por agua; y de diez centavos por cada palabra de los telegramas. "Art. 20.—El Gobierno no exigira, durante los setenta alios de la concesion, impuesto ni contribucion alguna, ya sea sobre las mercancias que pasen solo de transito por el Istirio, ya sea de los pasageros, ya sea de los telegramas, o ya, en tin, sobre los capitales inverti- dos en los caminos y linea telegrafica, y en toda la em- presa. Las mercancias que se consuman en puntos del Istmo, 6 que se extraigan de ellos, no disfrutaran de esta exencion. " Art. 21.—Respecto de la linea de transito que se forme entre los puertos de Goatzacoalcos y la Ventosa, o del puerto que se elija en el Pacifico, en parte por agua, y en parte por el ferrocarril, el Gobierno se obliga a no otorgar a otra compania, durante los setenta aflos mencionados, las concesiones especificades en esta ley; entendiendose, respecto del cobro de impuestos, que a ninguna otra compania se dispensara ni rebajara el pago de los dereclios que debieren satisfacer con arreglo a los aranceles que estuvieren vigentes en las aduanas maritimas. 13 the former one, according to the rules that may be dic¬ tated by the Minister of Finance. Article 18th.—The company is obliged to clear River to be cleared that part of the Goatzacoalcos River which it may use for navigation. Article 19th.—The right is conceded to the com- company's tariff ~ t limited, pany to collect portages and transit-fees, wharfage, storage, and any other fees for freight on merchandise, transportation of passengers, and transmission of tele¬ grams ; but the tariff which the company may estab¬ lish for the sum total of all its fees, wharfage alone excepted, will not exceed fifty cents per league for each passenger, three cents per league for each arroba (25 lbs.) of merchandise, one per cent on the value of precious metals and jewels, this assignment being un¬ derstood to be for the whole transit of the route by land and water, and ten cents for each wTord of the telegrams. Article 20tii.—The Government will not exact No tax on through •j 9 i r% -l • • traffic. during the seventy years of the concession, any impost or contribution, be it on the merchandise which may pass only on transit through the Isthmus, be it on the the passengers, be it on the telegrams, or be it, in fine, on the capital expended on the roads and telegraphic line, and in the wdiole enterprise. The merchandise wdiich may be consumed in points on the Isthmus, or . exported therefrom, shall not enjoy this exemption. Article 21st.—With respect to the line of trans- no similar con- _ i. i i _ _ cessions and ex¬ it that may be established between the ports of emptions to any _ , , other company. Goatzacoalcos and Yentosa, or such Pacific port as may be chosen, partly by water and partly by railroad, the Government obligates itself not to grant to any other company during the said seventy years, the concessions specified in this law. It being under¬ stood, in regard to the collection of imposts, that no other company wdll be exempted from, or have any re¬ duction made, in the payment of the duties as exacted by the tariffs which may be in force in the maritime custom houses. 14 \ "Art. 22.—El Gobierno protejera la prosecucion, conservacion y seguridad de los trabajos, con toda la fuerza que estimare conveniente para una obra de grande y notoria utilidad publica. " Art. 23.—El Gobierno conservara abiertos y lia- bilitados para el comercio de altura, durante los setenta afios de la concesion, el puerto de Goatzacoalcos en el Golfo de Mexico, y en el Pacitico el de la Ventosa o cualquiera otro que se creyere mas conveniente que este. "Art. 24.—La facultad concedida a la compania para el trasporte de mercancias, se reglamentara por el Ministerio de Hacienda, procurando evitar los abusos y facilitar la pronta expedicion de aquellas; sin que se entienda por diclia facultad que la compania tiene de- recbo de abrir expendio de mercancias en ningun punto del Istmo. " Art. 25.—Las concesiones hechas a la compama duraran setenta anos, contados desde que el ferrocarril y telegrafo se pongan al servicio publico; y en todo ese tiempo el Gobierno recibira un 8 por ciento de las utilidades liquidas de la empresa, siempre que se hagan dividendos a los accionistas, y bajo el concepto, de que luego que hay a utilidades, se liara por lo menos un di- videndo anual. Tambien percibira el Gobierno, medi- ante liquidacion y pago por meses, doce centavos por cada uno de los pasegeros que transiten por la via general. "Art. 26.—Al espirar el plazo de la concesion, tendra el Gobierno mexicano el dereclio de adquirir la propiedad del ferrocarril con sus estaciones, telegrafos, muelles, diques, utiles y pertenencias, por el avaluo que de ellos liicieren dos peritos nombrados uno por el Gobierno y otro por la compania, o por un tercero designado por los primeros en caso de discordia. Si el Gobierno no usare del dereclio que le concede la fraccion anterior, la compania La-Sere continuara 15 Article 22d.—The Government will protect the Government Pro- prosecution, preservation, and safety of the works with all the force that it may deem desirable for a great work of notorious public utility. Article 23d.—The Government will keep open aS Certain ports of . . pi entry to be kept ports ot entry during the seventy years ot the grant, open, the port of Goatzacoalcos, on the Gulf of Mexico, and of Ventosa, on the Pacific, or any other port that may be deemed preferable. Article 24th.—The privilege granted to the com- minister of fi- ft .-I . ii* /* i i# *n i nance to regulate pany tor the transportation ot merchandise will be privileges, regulated by the Minister of Finance, trying to pre¬ vent abuses, and to facilitate its quick transmission; nor by said privilege is it to be construed that the company has the right to open the sale of merchandise on any point of the Isthmus. Article 25tii.—The concessions made to the com- concessions for pany will continue for seventy years, counting from the Government to , . . receive eight pet* time when the railroad and telegraph are placed in the cent from profits, 0 . and twelve cents public service, and during all that time the Government *°erreach PasseQ- will receive eight per cent of the net profits of the enter¬ prise, whenever dividends shall be declared for the stockholders, and with the understanding that as soon as there may be profits, one annual dividend, at least, will be declared. The Government will also receive, in monthly settlement and payment, twelve cents for each passenger going over the general road. Article 26th.—On the expiration of the term of After grant ex- this grant the Mexican Government shall have the ment may take . ,, • i • -i ^ railroad at valua* right to acquire the proprietorship ot the railroad, tion, with its stations, telegraphs, wharves, docks, tools, and appurtenances, for the valuation that may be made by two experts, one named by the Government, and the other by the company, or by a third, appointed by the former, in case of disagreement. Should the Government not use the right given to it by the previous clause, the La Sere Company will 1G gozando la propiedad y posesion del camino con todas bus obras y material; pero cesaran las exenciones que le concede esta ley, y seguira pagando al Gobierno el 8 por ciento de las utilidades liquidas, y los doce centa- vos por pasagero en los terminos que el articulo an¬ terior lo previene. " Akt. 27.—La compania estara obligada a llevar a cualquier punto, en todo el transito del camino, libres de gastos, la correspondence e impresos que transiten por el, y a que de curso la oficina respectiva, recibien- dolos y entregandolos con las formalidades debidas. De la misma man era trasportara todos los frutos y ob- jetos que sean de propiedad del Gobierno, por la mitad de la tarifa. Igualmente conducira sin estipendio al- guno, los oficiales, tropas, empleados o agentes del Gobierno general o de los Estados, cuando caminen por causa del servicio publico. Trasmitira tambien, libres de gastos, por su linea telegrafica, todos los men- sages enviados por funcionarios 6 empleados de la Ke- publica mexicana, 6 de cualquiera de sus Estados, sobre negocios publicos. Los metales y productos agricolos e industriales de la Eepublica, seran trasportados por un 30 por ciento menos del precio de tarifa, sujetan- dose k las reglas que se dicten por el Ministerio de Hacienda. " Art. 28.—El transito por la via de comunicacioii sera libre para todos los babitantes del globo; pero se aumentara un 25 por ciento a las mercancias de las na- ciones que no tuvieren tratado de neutralidad con Mex¬ ico, respecto del transito del Istmo. " Akt. 29.—La compania tendra facultad de tras- portar en balijas cerradas, que no podran abrirse, la correspondencia extrangera, por la via de comunica- cion; y dichas balijas seran selladas por la administra- cion de correos, o la de las aduanas maritimas. 17 -continue enjoying the proprietorship and possession of the road, with all its works and material; hut the ex¬ emptions granted by this law will cease, and it will continue paying to the Government the eight per cent, of the net profits, and the twelve cents per passenger, ac¬ cording to the terms specified in the preceding article. Article 27tii.—The company will be obliged to Mails, &c., to be , carried free, Gov- carry to any point on the whole line of the road, free emment property " J 1 'at half rates. of charges, the correspondence and printed matter sent by it from the respective post offices, and the com¬ pany will receive and deliver the same with the due formalities. The company will also carry, for half tariff rates, all the freight and property of the Govern¬ ment. Also, the company will give free transportation to the officers, troops, employees, and agents of the General Government, or of the State Governments when traveling for purposes of public service. It also will transmit, free of charge, by its telegraphic line, all the messages sent by functionaries or employees of the Mexican Republic, or any of its States, on public mat¬ ters. The metals, agricultural and industrial products of the Republic, will be transported at a reduction of thirty per cent, less than the tariff rates, and be sub¬ ject to the regulations that may be dictated by the Minister of Finance. Article 28th.—The transit by this route of com- Transit open to munication will be open to all the inhabitants of the a11 ndtlons' globe, but will be increased twenty-five per cent, on the merchandise of the nations not having a treaty of neutrality with Mexico with regard to the transit of the Isthmus. Article 29tii.—The company will have the privi- Foreign mails to . be in sealed bags. lege of transporting by this route foreign correspond¬ ence, in closed mail bags, which must not be opened; and said mail bags will be sealed by the postmasters, or the collectors of the maritime customs. 3 18 "Art. 30.—El Gobierno nombrara la cuarta parte de los directores de la compania, y los nombrados por el tendran las mismas facultades y prerogativas que los otros; podra tambien constituir en el Istino una com- ision que vigile las obras y trabajos que se emprendau en virtud de este eontrato. " Art. 31.—Los vapores 6 buques de la compania tendran derecho de navegar en el rio de Goatzacoalcos, durante los setenta alios de la concesion, liaciendolo precisamente con bandera mexicana, y estando obliga- dos a tener la dotacion de oticiales y tripulaciones que las leyes requieren para los buques nacionales, forman- dola con inexicanos por nacimiento o por naturaliza- cion. Para el segundo caso se daran a la compania las cartas de naturalizacion que pida. " Art. 32.—La concesion otorgada en el articulo anterior, no se opone a que otros buques y vapores na- veguen en el rio Goatzacoalcos, para el comercio y cu- alesquiera otros objetos, siempre que esa navegacion sea arreglada a las leyes de la Republica mexicana. " Art. 33.—Los buques de la compafiia que eon- duzcan unicamente pasageros, correspondencia y mer- cancias para el transito de toda la via, estaran exentos del dereclio de toneladas. Si condujeren ademas mer- cancias para algun punto del Istmo, pagaran el dereclio de toneladas por solo lo relativo a esas mismas mercan- cias, y no por lo demas. " Art. 34.—La compania se hara cargo de pagar lo que legal y justamente pueda deberse del prestamo que Mr. Francisco P. Falconett liizo a la empresa Sloo, continuando el Gobierno libre de toda responsabilidad futura respecto de ese prestamo, y sin que por esto se disminuya la parte de utilidades que le pertenezcan de los productos del camino. 19 Article 30th.—The Government will name one- Government may n appoint one- IOUrth of the number ot the directors of the company, fourth of direc- and those named by it will have the same rights and prerogatives as the others. It will also have the right to appoint a commission on the Isthmus to watch the wrorks and operations that may be undertaken in virtue of this contract. Article 31st.—The steamers and vessels of the Right to navigate River. company shall have the right to navigate the Goatz- acoalcos River, during the seventy years of the con¬ cession, doing it necessarily under the Mexican flag, and being obliged to have the muster of officers and crew that the law requires for national vessels, forming it with Mexicans by birth or by naturalization. In the latter case, letters of naturalization will be given when¬ ever the company may demand. Article 32d.—The privilege granted in the pre- Not to conflict ceding article is not to conflict with the navigation of othervSseis. the Goatzacoalcos River by other steamers and vessels, for purposes of trade or otherwise, which vessels, in their navigation, are to observe the existing laws of the Mexican Republic. Article 33d.—The company's vessels, carrying ex- No tonnage duty x ** ' " ~ for through trans - clusively passengers, correspondence, and merchandise, potation, for the transit of the whole route, shall be exempt from tonnage duty. Should they, besides, carry merchan¬ dise for any point on the Isthmus, they will pay ton¬ nage duty only on that portion appropriated for said merchandise, and no more. Article 34th.—The company will undertake to Company respon- ■, , , , sible for Falconet pay whatever may be legally and justly due on the loan, loan that Mr. Francis P. Falconet made to the Sloo Enterprise, the Government to continue free from all responsibility in future with respect to said loan, and without diminishing for that reason the part of the profits that may belong to it out of the proceeds of the road. 20 " Art. 35.—La empresa a que esta ley se refiere, es y sera sicmpre exclusivamente mexieana; y la compa¬ nia de La-Sere para el train si to de Tebuantepec, aun cuando se forme en el extrangero, se considerara, sin em¬ bargo, como constituida aliora en la Republica mexi¬ eana, cual si en ella misma se liubiere formado y or- ganizado, con arreglo a las leyes mexicanas; pero si estimare oportuno constituir eompanias separadas, bajo las razones sociales que escoja, para cad a uno 6 para varios de los rariios comprendidos en las operaciones que debe ejecutar, podra instituir tales eompanias, for- mandolas y organizandolas, ya sea en la republica, ya en los Estados-Unidos, conforme a la leyes generales o especiales del lugar en que las instituya, aunque siem- pre deberan ser consideradas como dependientes en todo de la misma compania principal, exclusivamente mexieana, y sujetas en consecuencia a las prescripcio- nes de esta ley. "Art. 36.—En virtud de lo provenido en el articu- lo anterior, la compania La-Sere, y cualquiera otra que pueda sucederle, asi como todos los extrangeros y los sucesores de estos que tomen parte en la empresa, sea como accionistas, empleados, 6 con cualquiera otro ti- tulo o caracter, seran considerados como mexicanos en todo lo que a diclia empresa se refiera; no podran ale¬ gar respecto de los titulos relacionados con la empresa, dereclios de extrangeria; solo tendran en caso de den- egacion de justicia, los mismos dereclios y medios de liacerlos valer en todo lo concerniente a la empresa, que los que las leyes de la Republica conceden a los mexicanos; y no podran liacer valer diclios dereclios si no ante los tribunales mexicanos. "Art. 37.—Las restricciones del articulo anterior no tendran. lugar en las discusiones 6 diferencias que se susciten entre extrangeros accionistas, y fuera de la Republica, en cuyo caso se podran examinar y decidir como si las restricciones no existiesen; pero sin que las 21 Article 35th.—The enterprise to which this law company to be a P . -I'n i i • i nr • i Mexican organi- reters, is, and will ever be exclusively .Mexican, and zation, but to , have the privilege the La Sere Company for the transit of Tehuante- of forming other , , i p it i . -a -a -| companies in pec, though it may be lormed abroad, will be con- Mexico or the V * . . . . United States. sidered, notwithstanding, as now constituted within the Mexican Republic, as much so as if it had been formed and organized within it according to the Mex¬ ican laws ; but if he should deem it opportune to or¬ ganize different companies, with the titles or names that he may elect, for the purpose of carrying out one or more of the objects comprehended in the operations that he hereby undertakes, he can constitute such com¬ panies, forming and organizing them, be it in this Re¬ public, or be it in the United States, in conformity with the general or special laws of the place where he con¬ stitutes them, though they are always to be considered as dependencies of the one principal company, exclu¬ sively Mexican, and consequently subject to the pre¬ scriptions of this decree. Article 36th.—In virtue of the provisions of the All engaged now ,. . , , T a ri i or hereafter in preceding article, the La Sere Company, and any other company to be , . i .. n p • i regarded as Mex- which may succeed it, as also all the foreigners and icans. their successors who may take part in the enterprise, whether as stockholders, employees, or under any other title or character, will be regarded as Mexicans in all that concerns said enterprise—they shall not bring forward any claims based on their rights as foreigners in any matter connected with said enter¬ prise ; and in case of appeal for redress, they shall only have the same rights and means of asserting them, in anything concerning the enterprise, that the laws of the Republic grant to Mexicans, and they shall only make good their said rights before the Mexican tri¬ bunals. Article 37th.—The restrictions contained in the Actions of foreign . 1 . tribunals in re- preceding article shall not be operative m any contro- spect to company . i • , i , i , . not to affect this versies or differences that may arise between foreign decree, stockholders, out of the republic, in which case they may be examined and adjudged as if the said restric- decisiones de los tribunales extrangeros afecten en manera alguna a las prescripciones de este decreto, a la compania La-Sere, la cual se reputa mexicana para todos los efectos del mismo decreto, y a los intereses mexicanos. " Art. 38.—La compania que forme La-Sere, no po¬ dra traspasar, ni enagenar, ni hipotecar las concesiones de esta ley, ni el ferrocarril, ni el telegrafo, ni los di- ques y muelles, sin consentimiento previo del Gobierno general, y en ningun caso podra traspasar, ni enagenar, ni liipotecar las concesiones, ni el ferrocarril, ni el tel¬ egrafo, ni los diques y muelles, a ningun Gobierno ex- trangero, siendo nula y de ningun valor la enagenacion 6 liipoteca que se hiciere. Tampoco podra la compa¬ nia admitir en ningun caso como socio a un Gobierno 6 Estado extrangero, siendo igualmente nula y de nin¬ gun valor cualquiera estipulacion que hiciere en este sentido. Se autoriza, sin embargo, a la compania para que sin la aprobacion del Gobierno pueda expedir y vender bonos y obligaciones, cuando, en las cantidades y por el precio que juzgare conveniente, y para asegu- rar el pago, hipotecando solo el ferrocarril, linea tele- grafica, estaciones, muelles, diques y demas obras, con tal que la liipoteca no se extienda a la concesion, y que se concluya a favor de individuos o asociaciones parti- culares. " Art. 39.—D. Emilio La-Sere podra establecer en Nueva-York o en cualquiera otro punto de los Estados- Unidos, la junta directiva de la compania, con tray endo la obligacion de constituir en Mexico un apoderado, amplia y suficientemente autorizado, y con las instruc- ciones necesarias para entenderse con el Gobierno gen¬ eral y demas autoridades de la Repiiblica, en todos los negocios que se refieren a las obligaciones que le im- pone este decreto a la empresa. "Art. 40.—-Se permite a la compania que forme La-Sere, establecer a su costa en el puerto de Huatul- 23 tions did not exist. But tlie actions of foreign tri¬ bunals are not to affect in any way the provisions of this decree, as towards the La Sere Company, which shall be reputed Mexican for all the effects of said de¬ cree and as Mexican interests. Aeticle 38th.—The company to be formed by La n0 sale of road, Sere shall not transfer, sell, alienate, or hypothecate eminent consent. - # J Sale to foreign the concessions ot tins law, nor the railroad nor the government pro- telegraph, nor the docks and wharves, without the pre- Bonds may be is- _ , sued and property vious consent of the General Government, and under hypothecated, no circumstances will it be able to transfer, sell, or hypothecate the concessions, or railroad, or telegraph, or docks and wharves, to any foreign government; such sale, alienation, or hypothecation would of itself be a nullity and of no value. Neither shall the company admit, in any event, as associate, a foreign govern¬ ment or State; any stipulation which might be made in this sense would be equally null and of no value. The company is, however, authorized, without the approbation of the Government, to issue and sell bonds and obligations, when, in amounts and for the price it may deem advisable, and to secure pay¬ ment by hypothecating only the railroad, telegraphic line, stations, wharves, docks and other works; pro¬ vided, that the hypothecation should not extend to the grant, and that it should be made to individuals or private associations. Aeticle 39th.—Don Emilio La Sere has power to board of directors establish in New York, or in any other place of the States. United States, the board of directors of the company, contracting the obligation to appoint a representative in Mexico, fully and sufficiently empowered, and furnished with the necessary instructions to treat with the Gen¬ eral Government and other authorities of the Republic on all matters which may refer to the obligations that this decree imposes on the enterprise. Aeticle 40th.—Permission is given to the com- depot for coai ° , and navy yard in pany to be formed by La Sere to establish, at its Huatuico. cost, in the port of Iluatulco, a depot for mineral 24 co, mi deposito de carbon de piedra y nn astillero, que estani bajo la immediata vigilancia de la autoridad, para la reparacion de los vapores que se ocupen en la conduccion de pasageros y mercancias por el Istrno; pero sin que en ningun caso se entienda concedida la propiedad del terreno destinado a tales establecimien- tos. " Art. 41 —Las obligaciones que contrae La-Sere respecto de los plazos tijados en esta ley, se suspenderan en todo caso fortuito 6 de fuerza mayor, que impida directa y absolutamente el cumplimiento de tales obli¬ gaciones ; y la suspension durara solo por el tiempo que dure el impedimento. D. Emilio La-Sere debera presentar al Gobierno general las noticias y pruebas de baber ocurrido un caso fortuito 6 de fuerza mayor, del caracter mencionado, dentro del termino de tres meses de baber comenzado el impedimento; y por solo el heclio de no presentar tales noticias y pruebas dentro del termino senalado, no podra ya La-Sere alegar en ningun tiempo la circumstancia de caso fortuito o de fuerza mayor. Igualmente debera presentar La-Sere al Gobierno general las noticias y pruebas de que los trabajos ban continuado en el acto de cesar el impedi¬ mento, o a lo menos dentro de dos meses despues de liaber cesado, liaciendose la expresada presentacion dentro de los dos meses siguientes a los dos menciona- dos. Solamente se abonara a D. Emilio La-Sere el tiempo que bubiere durado el impedimento, o a lo sumo dos meses mas. " Art. 42.—Se imponen a la compania La-Sere las restricciones siguientes: " Primer a. No podra construir ninguna fortaleza en el Istmo. " Segunda. No podra organizar fuerza armada de ninguna clase; pero los empleados de la compania po- dran estar armados para su defensa personal. coal, and a ship yard, which wfill be under the imme¬ diate vigilance of the authority, for the repair of steamers vjliich may he engaged in the transportation of passengers and merchandise to and from the Isthmus; but in no event is it to be understood that the pro¬ prietorship of the grounds used for such establishments is conceded. Article 41st.—The obligations contracted by La obligations as to \ p. t'me susoende(i Sere, with respect to the terms ot time fixed by this during o'peration *■ , f of "force ma- laW, will be suspended in any fortuitous case, or of jeure." " force majeure," which may prevent, directly or ab¬ solutely, compliance with said obligations, and the suspension will continue only for the time the impedi¬ ment lasts. Don Emilio La Sere shall present to the General Government the notices and proof of a fortuitous case, or of "force majeure," of the char¬ acter mentioned having occurred within the term of three months from the commencement of the impedi¬ ment, and for the sole fact of not presenting such no¬ tices and proofs within the term specified, La Sere will not be able any longer to allege, at any time, the circumstance of a fortuitous case, or case of " force majeure." La Sere shall also present to the General Government the notices and proofs that the works were resumed immediately on the cessation of the im¬ pediments, or at least within two months from the time of such cessation, and notice of such fact will have to be made within two months from the termination of the two just mentioned. All that will be allowed to Don Emilio La Sere will be the time of the duration of the impediment, or, at the utmost, two months more. Article 42d.—The following restrictions are im- Restrictions, posed on the La Sere Company: First. It shall not construct any fort on the No fort to be built T - on Isthmus. Isthmus. Second. It shall not organize an armed force of any no armed force kind, but the employees of the company may be arm¬ ed for their personal defense. 4 20 u Tercera. No podra dar passage a fuerza alguna armada extrangera, sin expresa autorizaeion del Gobi- crno general. " Caarta. No podra conducir ningunos efectos de nil beligerante, declarados contrabando de gnerra por las leyes de la Pepublica mexieana, sin expresa autor¬ izaeion del Gobierno general. " Quinta. No podra dar pasage a fuerza alguna armada nacional, ni conducir municiones o pertrechos de guerra nacionales, sin expresa autorizaeion del Go¬ bierno general, o de otra autoridad competente. u Sexta. Despedira inmediatamente de su servieio a cualcpiiera de sus dependientes que liaga 6 proteja el contrabando, o que cometa eualquier delito, y auxili¬ ary, al Gobierno para su persecueion. " Sctima. Pondra en ejecucion los medios que se le design en por el Gobierno general, para que todo pasagero observe las leyes aduanales de la Republiea. " Art. 43.—Las concesiones otorgadas en la pre- sente ley, caducaran por las causas siguientes: " Primera. Por no dar la fianza dentro de noven- ta dias contados desde la fecba de esta ley, por valor de ($100,000) cien mil pesos, de que habla el art. 16. " Segunda. Por no cumplir las obligaeiones relativas a la presentaeion de los pianos y a la construccion de los tramos y de todo el camino, dentro de los plazos bjados al efecto en esta ley. " Tercera. Por construir alguna fortaleza en el Istmo de Tebu an tepee. " Cuarta. Por organizar fuerza armada de eual- quiera clase que sea, sin comprender en esto a los empleados armados para su defensa personal, 27 Third. It shall not give passage to any foreign no foreign armed . J force to be car- armed force without an express authorization from ried. the General Government. Fourth. It shall not carry any effects of a bellig- no contraband of ^ " ° war to be carried. erent, declared contraband of war by the laws of the Mexican Republic, without an express authoriza¬ tion from the General Government. Fifth. It shall not give passage to any national Transportation of , ,, , . . national armed armed torce, nor to carry national ammunition or force and war . p , , , . , n materials subject articles 01 war, without express authorization irom to Government the General Government or from some other com¬ petent authority. Sixth. It shall immediately discharge from itsserv~ Smugglers and . /. .. t . . t -i . criminals to be ice any ot its subordinates who smuggle or protect discharged from t i i n , company's em- smugglmg, or commit any crime, and shall co-operate pioy. with the Government in the prosecution of the same. Seventh. It shall execute all the measures that Measuresasto revenue laws to the General Government may designate, in order beobserved- that all passengers may observe the revenue laws of the Republic. Article 43d.—The privileges granted by this de- forfeiture of x . . privileges. cree will be forfeited for any of the following reasons: First. For failing to give, within ninety days, £"nddefault of counted from the date of this decree, the security for one hundred thousand dollars, as mentioned in Arti¬ cle 16. Second. For failing to comply with the obligations For failure to . . present plans of tins decree relative to the presentation of the plans, and construct 1 11 road within time and to the construction of the sections of the road, and limited. of the whole road, within the terms of time as fixed by this law. Third. For constructing any fort on the Isthmus For constructing „ m fort on Isthmus. ot lehuantepec. Fourth. For organizing an armed force, whatever For organizing an , . armed force. its character may be, but this does not include the em¬ ployees of the company, who may be armed for theii' personal defense. 28 " Quinta. Por dar pasage a cualquiera fuerza armada extrangera, sin expresa autorizacion del Gobi- erno general, excepto en el caso de fuerza mayor, plenamente justifieado. " Sexta. Por conducir, sin expresa autorizacion del Gobierno general, efectos de alguna potencia beli- gerante, de los deelarados contrabando de guerra por las leyes de la Pepublica mexicana. " Setima. Por dar pasage a cualquiera fuerza armada nacional, o conducir municiones o pertrechos de guerra nacionales, sin expresa "autorizacion del Gobierno general, o de otra autoridad competente, a no ser que baya fuerza mayor, plenamente justificada. " Octava. Por suspender durante un ano consecu- tivo los trabajos en el camino, o por dos anos cuando se liaya empleado en el ferrocarril y demas obras un millon de pesos por lo menos. " Novena. Por infringir cualquiera de las clausu- las de esta ley, en las que se previene que no podra la compania La Sere traspasar, ni enagenar, ni liipotecar las concesiones de la misma ley, ni el ferrocarril ni el telegrafo, ni los muelles y diques, sin previo eonsenti- miento, del Gobierno general; y que en ningun caso podra traspasar, ni enagenar, ni liipotecar las conces¬ iones, ni el ferrocarril, ni el telegrafo, ni los muelles y diques a ningun gobierno o Estado extrangero; no pudiendo tampoco en ningun caso, admitir como socio a ningun Gobierno 6 Estado extrangero. " Art. 44.—En caso de que la compania faltare a las otras obligaciones o restricciones que le impone esta ley, quedara sujeta a la reparacion de la falta, y a la correspondiente indemnizacion. " Art. 45.—En cualquiera de los casos especifi ca- dos en el articulo 42j perdera la compania las con¬ cesiones otorgadas en esta ley^ de las cuales podra 29 Fifth. For giving passage to any foreign armed For unauthorized „ , . . . o ,1/^1 i transportation of force without express authorization trom the General foreign armed force Government, except in the case of overpowering force, fully justified. Sixth. For carrving, without express authorization r°r carrying art i- ^ _ y, r> it cles contraband from the General Government, effects of any belliger- of war. ent power of those declared by the laws of the Mexican Republic contraband of war. Seventh. For giving passage to any National armed For carrying Na- n, . t i 4 i •, • , • i o tional armies torce, or carrying .National ammunition or articles of without consent, war, without an express authorization from the Gen¬ eral Government or other competent authority, unless done under the compulsion of superior force, fully justified. Eighth. For suspending during one consecutive For suspension of . Til i n , l M'ork for one or year the works on the road; or tor two years, when one two years, million of dollars, at least, have been expended on the railroad, and other works. Ninth. For violating any of the clauses of this de- rightsandeprop- cree in which it is provided that the La Sere Company sentofGovern-n shall not transfer, sell, alienate, or hypothecate the taent' concessions of this same law, nor the railroad, nor tele¬ graph, nor the wharves and docks, wfitliout the pre¬ vious consent of the General Government, and that in no event shall it transfer, sell, alienate, or hypothe¬ cate the concessions, railroad, telegraph, wharves, and docks to any foreign government or State, nor in any event admit as associate any foreign government or State. Article 44th.—■-In case the company should fail to company liable i ~ . , -it * • f°r non-compli- comply witii any of the other obligations or restrictions ance with other , . . . obligations. which this law imposes, it shall be subject to the reparation of the fault, and to the corresponding in¬ demnity. Article 45tii.—In any of the cases specified in Effect of forfeiture Article 42d the company will forfeit the privileges of pilvlleges- granted by this law, and the Government will he 30 dispoiier el gobierno a su arbitrio; pero la compafiia La-Sere conservara unicamente como cle su propiedad, los ediiicios que liubiere eonstruido, la parte de camino ya concluida, las locomotoras, trenes y demas objetos empleados eu su servieio; y el Gobierno de la Repub- lica, o individuo o compafiia J quien este conceda su dereclio, lo tendra para tomarlo todo, previo el pago correspondiente segun el avaluo que al efecto practi- caran peritos nombrados por ambas partes. " Art. 46.—La compafiia que forme La-Sere queda obligada a dar al Gobierno general anualmente, los informes que tenga a bien pedirle respecto de la or- ganizacion de la empresa, del estado de los trabajos del ferrocarril, del capital empleado en el, y de todo cuanto el ministerio de fomento crea necesario para tener conocimiento exacto de lo perteneciente a la via de comunicacion por el Istmo de Tehuantepec. " Art. 47.—Toda duda o controversia sobre la in- teligencia 6 ejecucion de esta ley, sera decididapor los tribunales federales competentes de laRepublica mexi- cana, con arreglo a las leyes de la misma. " Salon de sesiones del Congreso de la Union. Mexico, Diciembre 29 de 1868. JOSfi M. MATA, Diputado Presidente. JUAN SANCHEZ AZCONA, Diputado Secretario. JULIO ZARATE, Diputado Secretario. 31 able to dispose of them at pleasure, but the La Sere Company will only retain as its property the build¬ ings whicli it may have constructed, the part of the road already finished, the engines, rolling stock and other objects in its service; and the Government of the Republic, or the individual or company to whom it may concede its right, will have to take it all, subject to corresponding reimbursement, according to valua¬ tion, which, for the purpose, will be made by arbi¬ trators, named on both sides. Article 46tii.—The company which La Sere may ah information form, is obliged to furnish to the General Government, company to be -l-i .-i * c* j* i i? furnished to Got annually, the information winch may be asked from it, eminent, as to the organization of the undertaking, the condition of the wmrks of the railroad, the capital invested in it, and everything that the Minister of the Department of Improvement may desire to ascertain concern¬ ing the route of inter-oceanic communication across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Article 47th.—All doubts or controversy as to the Controversies . • . • ^ .-I • -| #iit^ i • J l c°ncerning the construction or execution of this law will be decided construction an by the competent Federal Tribunals of the Republic law to be decide by Mexican of Mexico, and in conformity with its laws. tribunals. Hall of the Sessions of the Congress of the Union, Mexico, 29th December, 1868. JOSE M. MATA, Deputy President. J UAH SAHCIIEZ ASCOHA, Deputy Secretary. JULIO ZARATE, Deputy Secretary. 32 " For tanto, man do se imprima, publiqne, circnle y ne le de el debido cnmplimiento. " Dado en el palacio nacional de Mexico, a 2 de Enero de 1869. BENITO JUAREZ. *c A1 C. Blab Balcakcel, Ministro de Fomento, Colonization, Industries y Comer do * Y lo comunico a vd. para su inteligencia y fines consiguientes. « INDEPENDENCE Y LlBERTAD. ) Mexico, Enero 2 de 1869. ( / i balcarce£." 33 Iherefore, I order that it be printed, published, circulated, and duly observed. Given in the National Palace of Mexico, on the 2d of January, 1869. BENITO JUABEZ. To the citizen Blas Balcarcel, Minister of Improvement, Colonization, Indus¬ try, and Commerce. And I communicate it to you for your intelligence and corresponding ends. Independence and Liberty, ) Mexico, 2d of Jan'y, 1869. j BALCAKCEL. TRASPASO DE LA MODIFICADA CONCESION. EMILIO LA SERE A LA COMPAQ IA DEL EERPOCAPRIL DE TEHUANTEPEC. Eebrero 1° de 1869. »i« Sepase por las presentes: Que el Gobierno de Mejico en Octnbre del ailo de nnetro senor mil, ocliocientos, sesenta y siete, concedio autoridad a una compania que se iba a establecer el Senor Don Emilio La Sere, para que se abriera una comunicacion inter-oceanic a traves del Istmo de Telmantepec, bajo ciertas condiciones y con ciertas privilegios, expresados en la concesion a que se refiere, cuya concesion fue modificada y ratificada por el Con- greso de Mejico, el veintinueve de Diciembre del ailo de nuestro senor, mil ochocientos, sesenta y oclio, y en el dia dos de Enero de mil ocliocientos sesenta y nueve fue por el Presidente Constitucional mandada imprimir, publicar, circular y observar y la cual concesion fue en debida forma publicada en el Diario Oficial del Supremo Gobierno de la Republica de Mejico el dia cuatro de Enero del ailo de nuestro senor mil, ocho¬ cientos, sesenta y nueve. En tanto que, el dicho La Sere en conformidad con lo concesion ha establecido una compania con los objetos y con las facultades que quedan mencionados? bajo el titulo de Compania del Eerrocarril de Te huantepec, cuya incorporacion fue concedida por la Asamblea General del Estado de Vermont. CONVEYANCE OF AMENDED GRANT. EMILIO LA SERE TO THE TEIIUANTEPEC RAILWAY COMPANY. ' Dated February 1st, 1869. Know all men by these presents: That whereas the Government of Mexico, in Octo¬ ber, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, granted authority to a company to be formed by Don Emilio La Sere to open inter-oceanic communication across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, upon certain con¬ ditions, and with certain rights expressed in the grant, to which reference is to be had, which said grant was moditied and confirmed by the Congress of Mexico on the 29th day of December, 1868, and on the 2d day of January, 1869, was ordered by the Constitutional President of Mexico to be printed, published, cir¬ culated, and observed, and which was duly printed and published in the Diario Official of the Supreme Government of the Republic of Mexico, on the 4th day of January, 1869 ; and Whereas, the said La Sere, in pursuance of the said grant, has formed a company for the purposes and with the powers therein mentioned, under the name ■of the Tehuantepec Railway Company, the incorpo¬ ration of which company has been established by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont; 30 Por lo ictnto y en consideration de la materia de que se trata y de un peso pagado por diclia compania a diclio La Sere y por otras buenas e importantes con- sideraciones, dielio Emilio La Sere lia concedido y transferido y por estas presentes concede, y trans- fere a diclia Compania del Ferrocarril de Teliuan- tepec, todos los dereclios, privilegios e inmunidades, concedidos, mencionadoso sobreentendidos en la diclia concesion como quedo moditicada y ratificada, y por este, el diclio La Sere declara que diclia compania esta revestida con todos los dereclios y facultades con que el Gobierno de Mejico intento revestir la com- pafiia que se iba a formar el diclio La Sere, como queda mencionado en aquella concesion asi moditicada y rati¬ ficada. En testimonio de lo cual, el diclio La Sere firmo y sello el presente el primer dia de Febrero del afio de nuestro senor mil, ocliocientos, sesenta y nueve. EMILIO LA SERE, [sello.] Firm ado, sellado y entregado en presencia de Charles B. Elliman. J. B. Perry. Estados Unidos de la America, Estado de Nueva York, Ciudad y Condado de Nueva York: Iloy dia diez y ocho de Febrero del afio de nuestro senor mil, ocliocientos sesenta y nueve, ante mi com- parecio personalmente Emilio La Sere, a qui en doy fe y conozco y en mi presencia firmo el presente decla- rando liaberlo otorgado para los fines y efectos que en el se expresan. En testimonio de lo cual y para que conste firmo el presente y le sello con el sello de mi oficio el dia y afio antes mencionado. HENRY STANTON, Notario Publico, Estado, Ciudad y Condado de Nueva York. 37 Therefore, in consideration of the premises, and of one dollar paid by the said company to the said La Sere, and for other good and valuable considerations, the said Emilio La Sere has granted, assigned, and transferred, and does hereby grant, assign, and trans¬ fer to the Tehuantepec Railway Company aforesaid all the rights, privileges, and franchises granted, men¬ tioned, or intended in or by the said grant as so modi- tied and confirmed, and does hereby declare that the said company is fully invested with all the rights and powrers with which the Government of Mexico in¬ tended to clothe the company to be formed by the said La Sere as mentioned in the said grant as so modified and confirmed. In witness whereof the said La Sere has hereto set his hand and seal, this first day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine. EMILIO LA SERE, [seal.] Signed, sealed, and delivered in presence of Charles B. Elliman. J. B. Perry. United States of America, State of New York, City and County of New York On this eighteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, before me personally came Emilio La Sere, to me knowrn to be the individual described in and who executed the foregoing instrument, and acknowledged that he executed the same for the purposes therein mentioned. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal, the day and year last above written. IIERRY STARTOR, Rotary Public, State, City, and County of Rew York. ACTA PARA ESTABLECER EL ESCRITURAMIEXTO DE LA * ♦ « Considerando, que el Gobierno de Mexico, en Octubre de mil ocho cientos sesenta y siete, concedio autoridad a una compafiia que debia formar Don Emilio La Sere, para abrir una eomunieacion inter- oceanica al traves del Istmo de Teliuantepec, bajo ciertas condiciones y con ciertos dereclios expresados en la concesion hoy archivada en la oficina del Secre- tario de Estado de este Estado, a la cual es preciso referirse; y Considerando, que el citado La Sere, en virtud de dicha concesion y de los articulos de asociacion, ha formado una compania con el objeto y las facultades que en adelante se mencionan, y bajo el nombre de la Compania del Ferrocarril de Teiiuantepec, en la forma siguiente, a saber : articulos de asociacion de la compania dill ferro¬ carril de teiiuantepec. Considerando, que el Gobierno de Mexico, en Octubre de 1867, concedio autoridad a una compafiia que debia formar Don Emilio La Sere, para abrir una comunicacion interoceanica al traves del Istmo de Teiiuantepec, bajo ciertas condiciones y con ciertos dereclios expresados en la concesion a que es preciso referirse; y Considerando, que el citado La Sere, en virtud de dicha concesion, lia formado una compania con el objeto y las facultades que aqui se mencionan ; an act TO ESTABLISH THE INCORPORATION OF THE Tehuantepec Railway Company. Whereas, the Government of Mexico, in October, PreambleMexi- eigliteen hundred and sixty-seven, granted authority to a company to be formed by Don Emilio La Sere, to open inter-oceanic communication across the Isth¬ mus of Tehuantepec, upon certain conditions and with certain rights expressed in the grant, now on tile in the office of the Secretary of State of this State, to which reference is to be had ; and Whereas, the said La Sere, in pursuance of the said grant, has by articles of association formed a company, for the purposes and with the powers hereinafter mentioned, under the name of Tehuan¬ tepec Railway Company, in the following words, to wit: articles of association of the tehuantepec rail¬ way company, 1867. Whereas, the Government of Mexico, in October, Articles of asso- 1867, granted authority to a company to be formed by Don Emilio La S&re to open inter-oceanic com¬ munication across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, upon certain conditions and with certain rights expressed in the grant, to which reference is to be had; and Whereas, the said La Sere, in pursuance of the La Sere formed i -i /» , i comparly. said grant, has lormed a company tor the purposes and with the powers therein mentioned; 40 Pot tanto, por la presente se atestigua y declara lo que sigue : Primero.—El uombre de dielia compafiia es Com¬ pania del Eerrocarrid-de TeHUANTEPEC. Segundo.—La compafiia continuara mientras dure la citada coneesion, y durante el tiempo que se la prorogue. Tercero.—El capital de la compafiia es de diez y oclio millones de pesos, divididos en acciones de cien pesos cada una, cuyo capital sera considerado como equivalente de los dereclios, privilegios y franquicias otorgados por dicha concesion, y no estara sujeto a otras contribuciones o demandas, y la cantidad total se dividira entre los accionistas en la forma siguiente: A Emilio La Sere, treinta mil acciones. A Luis Eugenio ILargous, mil acciones. A Pedro A. Hargous, mil acciones. A IIoracio J. Heisch, cien acciones. A Simon Stevens, Fideicomisario, ciento cuarenta y siefe mil novecientas acciones. Cuarto.—Los accionistas se reuniran una vez al afio, el segundo lunes de Enero, para elegir directores, liacer 6 cambiar los reglamentos, y despacbar los demas negocios corrientes de la compania. Tambien pueden ser convocados en cualquiera otra epoca por el Presidente o dos directores cualquiera, avisando con dos meses de anticipacion en anuncio inserto en tres periodicos diarios de la ciudad de Nueva York. Quinto.—Los accionistas pueden en cualquiera reunion regular, y por los votos de la mayoria de intereses, redactar y establecer reglamentos que pro- vean a la coiistruccion, operacion, y manejo del ferro- carril u otras obTas de la compania, el modo de admitir nuevos accionistas y el de liacer el traspaso de las acciones y los intereses de los accionistas a nuevos accionistas o a los apoderados, el mimero de empleados, 41 Therefore, it is hereby witnessed and declared as follows: First.—The name of the said company is The Name. Tehuantepec Railway Company. Second.—The company is to continue during the Duration, continuance of the said grant and of any extension thereof. Third.—The capital of the company is eighteen capital, $18,000,- millions of dollars, divided into shares of one hundred assessment, dollars each, which capital is to be deemed an equiva¬ lent for the rights, privileges, and franchises conferred by the said grant, and not liable to further contribu¬ tion or assessment; and the whole amount thereof is divided among the shareholders, as follows: To Emilio La Sere, thirty thousand shares. Shareholders and t d distribution of To Louis Eugene IIaegous, one thousand shares, stock. To Peter A. IIaegous, one thousand shares. To Horace J. Heiscii, one hundred shares. To Simon Stevens, trustee, one hundred and forty- seven thousand nine hundred shares. Fourth.—The shareholders shall meet once a year, Meeting of share- Tivri i? ~r ji ,i holders and choice on the second Monday ot January, to choose the 0fdirectors, directors, make or change the by-laws, and transact other proper business of the company. They may also be convened at any other time by the President or any two directors, upon two months' previous notice inserted in three of the daily newspapers in the city of Hew York. Fifth.—The shareholders at any regular meeting shareholders may may, by the votes of a majority in interest, frame and establish by-laws providing for the construction, operation, and management of the railway and other works of the company; the mode of admitting new shareholders, and of transferring the shares and in¬ terests of shareholders to new shareholders or assigns; 6 42 sua debercs y compensaciones, el modo de celebrar contratos, y generalmente los medios y manera de establecer el ferrocarril y otras obras de la referida compaiiia, el de proseguirlas, y el de la gerencia y inanejo de toda la propriedad y asuntos de dieba compaiiia. Sexto.—La compaiiia 110 se considerara disuelta por lamuerte o acta de cuaqluier accionista, pero su sucesor en intereses ocupara su lugar, y los derecbos de cada accionista dependeran del complimiento, por parte suya, de las obligaciones que se le imponen por la re¬ ferida concesion, por estos articulos, y por los regla- mentos, y en caso de no cumplir con los mismos, des- pues de liabersele notificado por escrito, y con sesent'a dias de anticipacion, que asi lo liaga, perdera sus dere- clios, los cuales pasaran a ser adquisicion de los demas accionistas. Setimo.—La referida compaiiia sera manejada du¬ rante el primer aiio por cuatro directores, y despues del primer aiio por siete directores. Para el primer aiio seran directores, Emilio La-Sere, Luis E. Hargous, y Simon Stevens, que son tres de los actuales accionistas, dejando al Gobierno de Mexico que nombre otro para diclio aiio. Las tres personas mencionadas conservaran su empleo de directores basta el segundo Lunes de Enero de mil oclio cientos sesenta y nueve, y basta que otros sean elegidos en su lugar. En cada ano despues del primero se elegiran anualmente cinco directores por los accionistas y de entre ellos mismos, y los dos restantes seran nombrados por el Gobierno de Mexico. Octavo.^Toda vacante que ocurra entre los direc¬ tores, por muerte, dimision, u otra causa, sera cubierta durante el resto del plazo por el voto de los directores restantes. Noveno.—Los directores de la compaiiia elegiran tmo de entre ellos que sera Presidente, y de entre los accionistas se elegira un Vice-Presidente, un Tesorero, y un Secretario de la compaiiia. the number, duties, and compensation of officers; the manner of making contracts, and generally the means and mode of establishing the railway and other works of the said company, and carrying them on, and of controlling and managing all the property and affairs of the said company. Sixth.—The company shall not be deemed dis- Company not di -i-i-i r. i tit i -I* solved by death solved by the death or act ot any shareholder, but his or act of share- '' \ 7 holder. successor in interest shall stand in his place; and the rights of each shareholder shall depend on his own fulfilment of the conditions imposed on him by the said grant, and these articles and the by-laws ; and in case of his failure to fulfil the same after sixty days' notice in writing to him to do so, his rights shall be forfeited to and devolve upon the remaining share¬ holders. Seventh.—The said company is to be managed Four directors during the first year by four directors, and after the wards seven, first year by seven directors. For the first year Emilio La Sere, Louis E. Hargous, and Simon Stevens, being three of the present shareholders, shall be directors, leaving to the Government of Mexico to appoint one other for that year. The three persons last named shall hold their offices of directors till the second Monday of January, one thousand eight hun¬ dred and sixty-nine, and until others are chosen in their places. For every year after the first, five Mexico to have directors shall be chosen annually by the shareholders after first year, out of their own number, and the remaining two shall be appointed by the Government of Mexico. Eighth.—Any vacancy that may happen among Vacancies to the directors by death, resignation, or otherwise, shall maining direc- tors be filled for the remainder of the term by the votes of the remaining directors. Ninth.—The directors of the company shall choose Choice of Presi- dont Vice-Presi- one of their number to be President, and from among dent! Treasurer, the stockholders shall choose a Vice-President, a y Treasurer, and a Secretary of the company. 44 Deeimo.—Sera obligation del Presidents presidir todas las reuniones de accionistas y directores, y en general atender a los negocios de la compania bajo la direccion de los accionistas y directores; y en su ausencia o por imposibilidad de presidir, ocupara su lugar el Yice-Presidente. Undecimo.—Sera obligation del Tesorero llevar los libros de certificados de acciones, y de todos los fondos de la compania, cpie seran depositados en nn banco design ado por los directores, y seran desembolsados bajo su direccion ; pero no se pagara cantidad alguna a no ser en virtud de voto de los directores, y con cheques firmados por el Tesorero y refrendados por el Presidente. Duodecimo.—Sera obligation del Secretario llevar todos los libros y documentos de la compania que no sean llevados por el Tesorero, y tomar cuenta y razon de los votos y transacciones de los accionistas y direc¬ tores. Decimo-tercio.—El sello sera de forma circular, contendra el escudo de armas de Mexico, con las pala- bras " Compania del Ferrocaeril de Tehuantepec, 1867," grabadas en la circunferencia. Decimo-cuarto.—Los directores pueden nombrar y relevar a su albedno todos los empleados subalternos de la compania, y tendran el manejo y gerencia general de los negocios de la compania, siempre con sujecion a la autoridad superior de los accionistas. Decimo-quinto.—No se incurrira en ninguna deuda, o cualquiera otra obligacion por parte de la compania, a no ser por voto de los directores en reunion regular, y las misriias solo seran pagaderas con las propiedades de la compania, y en ningun caso estaran sujetos los accionistas a responsabilidades personates de ninguna calse. 45 Tenth.—It shall be the duty of the President to Duty of Presi- preside at all meetings of the shareholders and direc¬ tors, and generally to superintend the business of the company under the direction of the shareholders and directors ; in his absence or inability to act, the Yice- President shall take his place. Eleventh.—It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to Duty of Treas- keep the books of share certificates, and all the moneys of the company which shall be deposited in a bank , designated by the directors, and shall be disbursed under their direction ; but no money shall be paid except in pursuance of a vote of the directors, and upon checks signed by the Treasurer, and counter¬ signed by the President. Iwelfth.—It shall be the duty of the Secretary to Duty of secre- keep all the books and papers of the company not Uri' kept by the Treasurer, and to record the votes and transactions of the shareholders and directors. Thirteenth — The seal shall be in circular form, Description of containing the coat of arms of Mexico, with the words sed1' " Tehuantepec Pailway Company, 1867," on the cir¬ cumference. Fourteenth.—The directors may appoint and re- control of com- , ,, ~ „ . pany in directo move at pleasure all subordinate omcers ol the com- subject to authc pany, and shall have the general management and holders, control of the affairs of the company, subject always to the superior authority of the shareholders. Fifteenth.—No debt or other obligation of the Contraction of t/ O , ,, XT . i • n . i debt. Noindi- company can be incurred except by a vote ol the viduai liabilities directors at a regular meeting, and the same must be made payable only out of the property of the com¬ pany ; and in no event shall the shareholders be sub¬ ject to any personal responsibility whatever. 40 Decimo-sexto.—Toclo contrato de la compania debe Her firmado por el Presidente y el Secretario, y sellado con el sello de la compania. En fe de lo cual, el citado Emilio La-Sere y los demas accionistas de diclia compania, ban firmado y sellado la presente, boy, diez y seis de Diciembre de mil oclio cientos sesenta y siete. EMILIO LA-S£RE. [sello.] L. E. HAKGOUS. [sello.] P. A. HAKGOUS. [sello.] H. J. HEISCII. [sello.] SIMON" STEVENS, [sello.] Fideicomisario. Sellado y entregado en presencia de Charles B. Elliman. W. II. Morgan. Por tanto, La Asamblea General del Estado de Vermont deer eta por la presente; Articido 1.—Que Emilio La-Sere, Luis Eugenio Ilargous, Pedro A. Ilargous, Horacio J. Ileiscb, y Simon Stevens, y cualesquiera otras personas que en lo sucesivo sean accionistas de dicba compania, quedan autorizadas por la presente en cuerpo corporado bajo el nombre de Compania del Ferrocarril de Teliuan- tepec, con todos los derecbos, privilegios y franquicias otorgadas por la antedicba concesion del Gobierno de Mexico, o que en lo sucesivo sean otorgadas por cual- quiera concesion adicional, con el fin de llevar a cabo todos los objetos a que se refiere dicba concesion, con sujecion a las clausulas de los antedicbos articulos de asociacion. 47 Sixteenth.—Every contract of the company must Contracts to be • ( si^D^d by Presi- be signed by the President and Secretary, and sealed f the Tehnantepec Bail way Co. given to the Republic of Mexico,pursuant to Article 1 Qth of the grant. BOND. Know all men by these presents : That we, the Teliuantepee Railway Company as principal, and Marshall O. Roberts as surety, are jointly and severally held and firmly bound unto the Republic of Mexico in the penal sum of one hundred thousand dollars [100,000] of the coined money of Mexico, to be paid to the said Republic at the National Treasury in the city of Mexico; to which payment well and truly to be made, Ave bind ourselves, our suc¬ cessors, and representatives firmly by these presents. Sealed with our seals, and dated the eighteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine. Whereas, the Government of Mexico, on the sixth day of October, A. D., one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, granted authority to a company to be formed by Don Emilio La Sere to open interoceanic communication across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, upon certain conditions and with certain rights ex¬ pressed in the grant to which reference is to be had, which grant was modified and confirmed by the Con¬ gress of Mexico, the 29th day of December, 1868, and on the 2d day of January, 1869, was ordered by the Constitutional President of Mexico to be printed, pub¬ lished, circulated, and observed, and which was duly printed and published in the Diario Official of the Supreme Government of the Republic of Mexico, on the dtli day of January, 1869, and, Whereas, the said La Sere, in pursuance of the said grant, has formed a company which has procured from the General Assembly of the State of Vermont the 69 establishment of its incorporation, which company is established and organized in such manner as to fulfil all the requirements of the said grant. Now then, the condition of this obligation is such, that if the company shall, within eighteen months from the 2d day of January, 18C9, as specified in the said grant, comply with its obligations to present plans and to commence and finish the construction of the roads and telegraph line mentioned in the said grant, and according to the terms thereof, and if the said company shall, within the said specified periods, comply with its obligations as mentioned in Article sixteen of the said grant, and according to the terms thereof, then this obligation shall be void, otherwise it shall continue in full force. (Signed) SIMON STE 7ENS, [seal.] President Tehuanlejpec Railway Co. (Signed) MARSHALL O. ROBERTS. Surety. (Signed) P. A. IIargoits, Secretary. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. State, City and County^ of New York. On the eighteenth day of February, A. D., one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, before me, Ilenry Stanton, a notary public, duly commissioned and sworn in and for the city and county of New York, personally came Peter A. Hargous, to me known to be the Secretary of the Tehuantepec Railway Com¬ pany, with whom I am personally acquainted, who, being by me duly sworn, said that he resided in the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, in the United States of America; that he was Secretary of the said Tehuantepec Railway Company ; that he knew the common seal of the said company ; 70 that the seal affixed to the foregoing instrument was sueli common seal; that it was so affixed by order of the Board of Directors of the said company, and that lie signed his name thereto hy the like order as Secre¬ tary of the said company: And the said Peter A. Ilargous further said, that lie was acquainted with Simon Stevens, and knew him to he the President of said company; that the signa¬ ture of the said Simon Stevens subscribed to the said instrument was in the genuine handwriting of the said o o Simon Stevens, and was thereto subscribed hy the like order of the said Board of Directors, and in the presence of him, the said Peter A. Ilargous. And, also, on the day and year aforesaid, before me personally, came Simon Stevens, to me known to he the President of the Tehuantepec Railway Com¬ pany, with whom I am personally acquainted, who, being hy me duly sworn, said that he resided in the city and county of New York, in the State of Hew York, in the United States of America; that he was President of the said Tehuantepec Railway Company ; that he knew the common seal of the said company ; that the seal affixed to the foregoing instrument was o o such common seal; that it was so affixed hy order of the Board of Directors of the said company, and he signed his name thereto hy the like order as President of the said company. And, also, on the day and year aforesaid, personally came Marshall O. Roberts, to me known to he one of the individuals described in and who executed the foregoing instrument as surety, and acknowledged that he executed the same as and for the purposes therein mentioned. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal the day and year [seal.] last above written. HENRY STANTON, Notary Public in and for the City and County of New York. 71 El Consul general de la Eepublica Mejicana en los Estados Unidos. Certifico que la firma y sello que anteceden y dicen Henry Stanton, son del Escribano publico, del mismo nombre y los mismos que acostumbra usar en todos los documentos que autoriza, por lo que se les debe dar entera fe y credito. En fe de lo cual doy la presente en la Ciudad de Nueva York a dos de Marzo, de mil ochocientos sesenta y uneve. (Signed) JUAN N. NAYAERO. [l. s.] Certifico tambien que la fianza anterior suscrita por Mr. Marshall O. Roberts, me ha sido presentado hoy por la Compania del Ferrocarril de Tehuantepee, para cumplir con el Art 16 de la Concession, por no liaber actualmente en Washington representante al- guno del Gob0. Mejicano, y que yo he hecho presente a diclia Compa. que aunque creo la fianza entera- mente satisfactoria, no tengo instrucciones para reci- birla, y la remitire por el proximo vapor a mi Gob°. para que la examine y diga si esta o no conforme con ella. (Signed) JUAN N. NAYAREO. [l. s.] Certifico tambien que el documente anterior es una copia perfectamente exacta del original que envio a mi Gobierno para su examen. (Signed) JUAN N. NAYAEEO. [l. s.] Nueva York, Marzo 29, de 1869. n Nueva York, Abril 14 de, 1809. Habicndo rccibido boy instruccioncs y autorizacion do mi Gobiorno para aprobar la fianza anterior, caso de encontrarla satisfactoria, y siendo tal en mi con- cepto por la presente y en nombre del Supremo Gobi- erno de la Republiea Mejicana, admito la dicba fianza y declaro que la Compafiia ba cumplido pi en am en te con las obligaciones que le impone el articulo 16 de la concesion aprobada por el Congreso de la Union el 29 de Diciembre de 1868, y sancionada por el ejecntivo el 2 de Enero de 1869. (Signed) JUAN N. NAVARRO. seal.] [translation.] The Consul General of the Republic of Mexico in the United Stales. I certify that the preceding signature and seal saying "Ilcnry Stanton," are those of the Notary Public of that name, and the same that he affixes to all the documents that lie authenticates, and are, there¬ fore, entitled to all faith and credit. In witness whereof, I give the present in the City of New York on the 2d day of March, 1869. [l. s.] (Signed) JOHN N. NAVARRO. I also certify, that the preceding bond, signed by Marshall O. Roberts, has been presented to me to-day by the Tehuantepec Railway Company, in order to comply with the 16th Article of the grant, because there is not actually, in Washington, any representa¬ tive of the Mexican Government; and I have made known to said company, that although I consider the bond to be entirely satisfactory, I have no instructions to receive it, but will forward it by the first steamer to my Government, in order that they may examine it and state whether it is satisfactory or not. [l. s.] (Signed) JOHN N. NAVARRO. 73 I also certify, that the foregoing document is a c°py perfectly exact of the original that I send to my Government for its examination. [l. s.] (Signed) JOHN N. NAYARRO. New York, March 29, 18G9. New York, April ldth, 1869. Having received to-day, instructions and authority from my Government to approve the foregoing bond, in case I find it satisfactory, and being so, in my opinion, by the present and on behalf of the Supreme Government of the Mexican Republic, I admit the said bond and declare that the Company has fully complied with the obligations imposed on it by Article 16th of the grant approved by the Congress of the Union the 29th December, 1S68, and sanctioned by the Executive the 2d January, 1869. (Signed) JOHN N. NAYAEEO. [seal.] P A E T I I Congress of Badajos. HISTORICAL.* ♦♦♦ A retrospect of four centuries, with a rai>id glance at the progress of modern discovery, ex- ploration, and invention, will jirobably serve as an appropriate introduction to our projected scheme of Interoceanic Communication by means of the Tehuantepec Baieway, and show that the time is near at hand for its accomplishment. Let us, therefore, go back for a moment, and survey the little old world and its inhabitants as , they appeared about the middle of the fif¬ teenth century. According to Ptolemy, the best recognized authority, whose geography had stood the test of thirteen hundred years, the then known world was a strip of some seventy degrees wide, mostly north of the equator, with Cadiz on the west, and farthest India or Cathay on the east, lying between the frozen and the burning zones, both impassable by man. The inhabitants, as far as known in Europe, were Christians and Moliamedans, the one sect about half the age of the other. Christendom, the elder, that once held considerable portions of Asia and Africa, had been driven back inch by * This chapter was contributed by Henry Stevens, gmb; fsa, 4 Trafalgar Square, London, May 10,1869. 4 inch, in spite of the Crusades, even from the Holy Land, the place of its birth, up into the northwest corner of Europe; and both in lands and xieople was outnumbered six to one by the followers of Mahomet. For seven hundred years the fairest provinces of Spain acknowl¬ edged the sway of the Moors, and the Mediter¬ ranean, from Jaffa to the Gates of Hercules, was under their control. The crescent was constantly encroaching on the cross ; while Christendom, schismatic, dismayed, demoralized, and disheart¬ ened, seemed almost incapable of further resist¬ ance. India beyond the Ganges, from the days of Moses, Alexander, and Aristotle, to say nothing of the geographers Pomponius Mela, Strabo, and Ptolemy, was deemed the land of promise, the abode of luxury, the source of wealth, and the home of the spices ; but the routes of com¬ merce thither, via Venice and Genoa, by the Eed Sea, Egypt, the Nile, Arabia, Asia Minor, the Black and Caspian Seas, through Persia and Tartary, were one by one being closed to Chris¬ tians. The i>rofits of the overland carrying trade were mostly in the hands of the Arabians, who inherited it from the Romans ; but Mem¬ phis, Thebes, and Cairo, that flourished by it, had declined as it fell off, and yielded to Alex¬ andria nearer the sea. Finally, in 1453, Constan¬ tinople, the Christian city of Constantine, fell into the hands of the Turks, and with it the commerce of the Black Sea and the Bospliorus, the last of the old trading routes from the East to the West. Christendom for a time was dis¬ consolate, and could only "pray for the conter- ition of the Turks." The whole of the carrying trade passed into the hands of middle men or agents, who passed goods without news, and In- 5 dia became more a land of mystery than ever ; but this apparent misfortune proved to be the beginning of a new and brighter era. The learned Christians of Constantinoxde, with nothing but their heads and their books, fled in exile into Italy, and became its school¬ masters. At once began there the revival of learning, which # soon extended throughout the West. " Westward the star of empire takes its way." The Medici family of Italy, at Venice and Florence, welcomed these learned Greeks, and bought their precious manuscripts of ancient lore. The gunpowder of Europe had already silenced the Greek lire of Asia. On the Khine the young printing press was just giving forth the first sheets. The compass and the astrolabe, recent inventions, began now to give confidence to mariners and teach them that, though the old paths of trade overland were closed, they might venture on new ones over sea. In 1453, in Western Europe there was no tea, 110 coffee, no tobacco, no Indian corn, no potatoes; and many of the necessities of our day were not even known as luxuries. Though the Crusades had failed in their immediate objects, they had ex¬ posed the secrets of the India trade, and the vast revenues of the Eastern cities. The manu¬ script travels of Marco Polo and Mandeville had found their way into the hands of thinking men. Venice was already waning, ju'exmratory to yielding its trade to Portugal, the then most rising and active maritime x)ower- Prince Ilenry the Navigator had still ten years to live to carry out his great schemes of discovery and exx>loration of the western coast of Africa. He was an ambitious student of geograx>hy, history, mathematics, astronomy, and navigation, and for almost forty years had stood alone. At the G early age of fifteen lie liad a successful brush with the Moors at Ccuta, opposite Gibraltar ; and by 1418 had crept down the coast of Africa to Cape Nun, lat. 28° 40', the southern boundary of Morocco. In 1434 liis captains doubled Cape Boyador, and seven years after obtained from Pope Martin Y a grant to the crown of Portu¬ gal of all he should discover from this cape to the Indies. In 1442 Bio del Oro was reached, and gold and negro slaves brought back. These were two real stimulants to Portuguese discovery, avarice, pride, and wealth, though the conver¬ sion of the infidels to Christianity, was, no doubt, a strong additional motive power. The reintro- duction of negro slavery, and the part it soon played in commerce and the world's progress, may be ascribed to Prince Henry. He encouraged the traffic, which, with the love of gold and the hatred of the Moors, aroused his countrymen to his projects, and insured the promotion of dis¬ covery, in so much that by the time of the fall of Constantinople, Bis captains had reached Cape Verde, lat. 14° 4-5' A, probably a few de¬ grees beyond, and had exploded the old theory of a boiling belt about the equator. In all ages there had been a prevailing notion that one might sail round Africa; but when once it was demonstrated that Portuguese sailors could cross the equator and survive, Prince Henry's vague idea of reaching the Uind of spices by this route was confirmed. At all events, he was schooling hardy sailors, and training them for bolder work, so that soon after the date of the fall of Constantinople, Italy and Portugal had reached that turn for adventure and enter- X>rise, which spread like wildfire throughout the other States of Europe, and caused the entire revolution in the commerce of the world. 7 In 1453, Columbus was a lad of six years at Genoa, Vespucci of two years at Florence, and John Cabot a youth at Venice. The new learn¬ ing' at once took deep root. When these three Italian boys became men, behold how changed ! The sciences of mathematics, astronomy, and navigation had grown with their growth, and developed with marvelous rapidity. The press had spread broadcast the learning of the ancients. The secrets of the earth were inquired into and revealed. Many islands of the Atlantic had been discovered and described, and sailors knew the coasts of Europe and Africa from Iceland to Cape Verde. But, above all, the knowledge of the sphericity of our earth was no longer confined to philosophers. Alexander had told Aristotle what he knew of the East, and Aristotle had written down that there was but a small space of sea be¬ tween Spain and the eastern coast of India. Strabo had said that nothing stood in the way of a westerly passage from Spain to India but the great breadth of the Atlantic Ocean ; but Seneca said this sea might be x>assed in a few days with favorable winds. Pomponius Mela and Macro- bius put in like testimony, with certain difficul¬ ties about passing burning zones, and the earth being shaped like an egg floating in rrater. All these opinions were rehashed and digested by Ptolemy of Alexandria, in the second century, who first jwoperly reduced the globe into 300 degrees of latitude and longtitude. In latitude he was as correct as he was incorrect in his longi¬ tude. Eoger Bacon, an Englishman, again sum¬ marized these theories in his Opus Majus, in the thirteenth century ; and in the fifteenth century Pierre d'Ailly, a Frenchman, reviewed the whole question, bringing together the opinions of the ancient writers named, as wrell as the fathers of 8 the church, including modern philosophers, trav¬ elers, and theologians, especially Roger Bacon, Marco Polo, and Gerson, and gave to the world his well-known Imago Mundi. This celebrated work, finished in 1410, was afterwards the guide, comx)anion and friend of Columbus. The learned author was Trovost of the ancient Ecclesiastical College of St Die in Lorraine, away up in the Yosges Mountains, in the remotest corner of France. This was on the very spot where, nearly a century later, in the Gymnasium within the same precincts, a confraternity of some half dozen earnest students, lovers of geography, of Avhom the poet Mathias Ringman was the soul, in a little Avork called Cosmographies Introduction printed there in May, 1507, suggested that the Ncav World should be named America, after a man, inasmuch as Eurojje and Asia had been named after Avomen. Thus a little mountain town of France first gave aid and comfort to Columbus and after Avar ds a name to the New World. As early as 1474, Paul Toseanelli a learned physician of Florence, sent to Columbus the Chart of Marco Polo, and Avas in correspondence with him on these very subjects, slioAving that even then the plans of Columbus Avere maturing. In 1478, the great geographical Avork of Ptolmey, Avith the 27 beautiful copper x>kite maps, Avas X>rinted at Rome, and about the same time many other of the ancient historians, poets, x>hiloso- X>liers, mathematicians, and astronomers saAV the light. The Imago Mundi Avas x>rinted at Louvain, in 1483, and there still exists at Seville, Columbus' oavu cox)y, with many of his manuscrix)t notes, discovered and described about forty years ago by our countryman, Washington Irving. Meamvliile, the work of discovery and ex- X>loration Avas earnestly xnirsued by the Portu- 9 guese. In 1454 Prince Henry secured the services of Cadamosto, an intelligent Venetian, well ac¬ quainted with the trade of the East, and sent him down the coast of Africa, where he reduced the explorations and trade to order, and pushed southward the discoveries to Sierra Leone in J403, the year of Henry's death, and the capture of Gibralter by Spain from the Moors. Kings Alplionso and John continued these discoveries with so much energy that, after passing Con¬ go, the bold captain, Bartholomew Diaz, reached the Cape of Good Hope, and looked beyond it, in 1487, thus completing an exploration of some six thousand miles of coast line in seventy years. Bartholomew Columbus was in this expediton. Meanwhile King John had sent overland through Egypt, Pedro de Covilliam, to India and Eastern Africa to gain information and report. In 1487 he reported that he had visited Ormuz, Goa, Calicut, &c., and had seen pepper and ginger, and heard of cloves and cinnamon. He visited the eastern coast of Africa, went down as far as Sofala, and returning northward, sent a message to King John that he had learned for certain that if Diaz should pursue his course round Africa he would reach India over the Eastern Ocean via Sofala. This theoretical discovery of Covilliam exactly coincided with the practical one of Diaz. All these events were but leading up to the grandest discovery the world ever knew, but it is difficult to trace the precise origin and the gradual development of the plans of Columbus. We know, however, that at the early age of fourteen he went to sea, educated with small knowledge of Latin and less Greek; and in 1474, at the age of twenty-seven, was in corres¬ pondence with Toscanelli, and became the father of Diego, the boy for whom, some ten years 2 . 10 Liter, lie begged a night's lodging at the Con¬ vent of La ltabida. l»y the year 1487, when the .mystery of a path to India around Africa was solved, lie bad not only completely worked out his great idea of sailing West to find the East; but had ofterele to a more lively interest in the commerce and navigation of the Indies. The success of Columbus and the Cabots is referred to, and the speedy return of Cortereal from the north, from his second voyage, is expected. This magnificent folio volume, the first important book (not bibli¬ cal) printed in Portugal, must have had a pow¬ erful effect in drawing popular attention to the land of spices. It was the first collection of voy¬ ages printed in the vernacular tongue, and could be read by all the unlearned who had a penny to venture. It was translated into Spanish, and printed at Seville in 1503. No rarer books are now known to geographers. In May, 1507, the four voyages of Vespucci were published for the first time together, in Latin, at St Die, in France, as stated above, as an appendage to a little work on cosmography, a science which now began to assume new and startling importance. On the third of November, the same year, there was published in Italian, at Vicenza, a most important collection of voyages, under the title, Countries newly discovered, and the Neiv World of Albcricus Vespucci, containing accounts of the voyages of Cadamosto to Cape Verde, in 1454-5; of de Cintra to Senegal, in 14(12; of Vasco da Gania, in 1407-1500; of Cabral, in 1500-1; of Columbus (three voyages) ; of A1 ouzo Negro and the Pinzons ; of Vespucci (four voy¬ ages ; of Cortereal, &c. This work was the next year, 1508, printed in Latin and German. All these new geographical works hitherto printed, it will be perceived, pointed to the same thing, enlightenment of the public as to India beyond the Ganges, and how to go and trade thither. In 1508, for the first time in print, all 17 these discoveries were collected and laid down in a beautiful copper-plate map, by Joliaim lluyscli, a German, who had probably* visited the new found islands with the Cabots, and knew well what he was doing. It.appears in the Ptolemy of 1508, published at Pome, accompanied by A new description of the world, and the new Naviga¬ tion of the Ocean from Lisbon to India, bp Marcus Bencventanus. A careful study of this map and its descriptive text, if we exclude all subsequent publications, and look at the world as seen by the geographers of that day, will greatly aid us in clearing up many apparent inconsistencies. There were three distinct and independent fields of discovery. .First, the Archipelago of Columbus in the center, filling a space of above a thousand miles from north to south, and open to India. This part of the map was no doubt laid down from Columbus' own letter, the only authority, in 1507, existing in print, lie had, in¬ deed, coasted along Paria from Trinidad west¬ ward, in June, 1108, as Pinzon, Gjeda, and others had done subsequently, supposing it to be an¬ other large island, or part of the mainland of Cathay, but nothing of this had then been printed. Second, the Mundus Novas of Vespucci, * Beneventanus says "Joannes vero lviiisch Gerinanus Gcographo- runi mco judicio peritissimus, ac in pingendo orle diligentissimus enjus adininieulo in hae lucubratiuncuia usi surnus, dixit, se navigasse ab Albionis australi parte; et tamdiu quo ad subparallelum ab subtequa- tore ad boream subgraduin, 53, pervenit; et in eo parallelo navigasse ad ortus littora per anguluni noctis atque pi arcs insulas lustrasse, qua- rum inferius descriptionem assignabiinus." An ghee: But John Ruysch, of Germany, in my judgment a most exact geographer, and a most painstaking one in delineating the globe, to whose aid in this little work J am indebted, has told me that he sailed from the south of England, and penetrated as far as the 53d degree of north latitude [straits of Belle Isle (?) F and 011 that parallel he sailed toward the shores of the East [Asia (V) ], bearing a little northward, and explored many islands," the description of which I have given below. 3 18 being the eastern coast of South America from Darien to Upper Patagonia, one vast Island Avith an unknown background. The authority for this was what lias since been called Vespucci's " Third ■Letter," tirst printed at the end of 1502, or prob¬ ably early in 1505. And third, the discoveries of the (Jabots and the Cortereals in the north, re¬ presented by them as part of .the mainland of Asia. This is only Marco Polo's chart of Cathay extended considerably to the northeast, and mod¬ ified by the experience, probably, of ltuyscli himself, and the information he gathered from the Bristol men, when he was with them in 1497-8.* * The chart of Juan de ]a Cosa, representing the then known world, bearing the date of 1500, is not overlooked, but its significance, so far as the coast line of the United States is concerned, has been so manifestly distorted by almost every one who has described it, from its discovery by Humboldt in the library of Baron Walckenacr, nearly forty years ago, down to the present day, that the writer hesi¬ tates to venture his opinion. But by long study and comparison of this with other early maps, especially those of Ruyseh and Peter Mar¬ tyr of 1508 and 1511, he is convinced that the coast line, from the most westerly of the five English flag-staffs marking the extent of Cabot's discoveries southward and westward, to a point west of Cuba, pre¬ cisely like the map of Ruyseh seven or eight years later, is laid down as the eastern coast of Cathay, from the map of Marco Polo. If our Maine friends, therefore, will place behind their red line border, Marco Polo's name Maurji, they will see that this territory is farther " down East'' than is generally supposed, being indeed Eastern Asia. The word Cuba, instead of Juana the name given by Columbus, and the fact that it is represented as an island, may be accounted for by a circumstance mentioned by Peter Martyr, that it was customary to add to recent maps the new discoveries as they were made. La Cosa perished in Ojeda's mad expedition in Dec., 1509. lie was a clever fellow, and a great favorite, and used to boast that he knew more of the geography of the new lands than did Columbus him¬ self. Indeed, of all others, says Peter Martyr in 1514, his charts were the most esteemed. His knowledge nnd experience were great, for he had been, between the years 1493 and 1509, on no less than six explor¬ ing expeditions, either as pilot or commander, with Columbus, Ojeda, Vespucci, and Bastides, and had visited repeatedly the entire coast, from Paria to Uraba, and thence on his own account, north to the mid- 19 Columbus liad placed liis discoveries in tbe Indian Archipelago beyond the Ganges, and tbe/ world accej)ted tbe names be gave to tbe sepa¬ rate islands. No new general name was required. Cabot's discoveries being also East, were so re- dle of Yucatan, as well as most of the islands in Columbus' vast Archi¬ pelago. When with Bastides, in 1501-2, he found that the Portu¬ guese were meddling on*the wrong side of the line of demarcation, en¬ deavoring, probably, to find a shorter route to Calcutta via Darien, and therefore, on his return to Spain, La Cosa was sent to Lisbon to re¬ monstrate against this encroachment. He was there imprisoned and was not released till August, 1504. Nothing daunted, the next year, 1505-6, he went on an exploring and trading expedition of his own to Uraba and Panama, and on another similar one in 1507-8. On the 11th of November, 1509, he embarked with Ojeda from Hispaniola, and per¬ ished soon after. From this it will be seen that he might be in Spain, chart-making, from June to October, 1500; from September, 1502, to 1504, autumn (except when in prison in Lisbon); and again parts of the years 1506-7, as well as parts of 1508-9. He had, therefore, am¬ ple time to touch up his great chart of the world, which he made and dated in 1500. The date is positive, and there is probably no reason to doubt it. But that he did retouch it subsequently is apparent from many circumstances. In the first place, there are manifestly two dis¬ tinct letterings, in what may be called thin and thick letters, probably all by the same hand, but written at considerable intervals. All t»ho thin letters may have been put on in 1500, but it is impossible to be¬ lieve that all the thick letterings could have been received or known in time to be recorded in that year. There are many other points for discussion, but as the writer has never had under his eye the orig¬ inal chart, but judges only from M. Jomard's excellent colored fac¬ simile on three double elephant folio sheets, he feels that he is treading on ticklish ground. The fac-similies (greatly reduced in size) given by Humboldt, Ghillany, Lelewel, and other writers, are in many re¬ spects defective, and tend to mislead the student, inasmuch as the col¬ oring, and the lines of latitude and longitude are left out. Some names are misplaced and others are misspelled, while many important ones are omitted altogether. Only the western sheet or third, is given (ex¬ cept by Humboldt). But it should not be forgotten that the chart is intended to represent, on a plain, the entire globe as far as known in 1500. There is a broad green border above and beyond the Ganges, showing that the northeast of Asia is terra incognita. But La Cosa had the same authorities up to the Polisacus river and bay, in latitude 52° north that Behaim had for his globe made in 1492. Hence the two works agree remarkably well, but La Cosa, taking advantage of the seven years progress in geography has attempted to complete Asia by 20 cognized jis lie placed tliein, and required no new general name, but bis names of particular locali¬ ties, snob as Terra Nova and Haccalaos, were adopted. I bit as to tbe New World described by Vespucci, tbe case is different. Tliis large coun- laying down its northeastern coast on the other side of the globe, from somewhere about Zaiton in the Corca, to and some thirty degrees eastward, beyond the Polsiacus river and bay, through the king¬ doms of Gog and Magog, and thence by a dream line connecting Asia with the discoveries of the Cabots and the Corterenls. The Polisan- ehiu river of Fra Mauro in 1457 is the Polisacus of lluysch and the Ptolemies of 1511, 15111, 1555, and 1540. These and the Posacus of Schoner, the Puluisangu of Ortelius and Pulisangu in later maps maps are probably the Amoor river of our day. At all events, the river and bay are in eastern Asia, are about 50° to 52° noi th latitude, and therefore, America on La Cosa's chart cannot extend further west than the left flagstaff, the meridian of Porto llico. The three rivers on the three reduced facsimiles are not in the original map of La Cosa, and, on one of them, the important words, Mar dcxenbu rta par Ynpleses, are placed too low down and half an inch too far west, thus conveying the idea that the English had discovered Mangi. In short, La Cosa's coast line, from Cuba to the first flagstaff, was intended for Asia, and to this day answers better for Asia than Amer¬ ica. The student, therefore, who is not clear on th \se points is liable to get the Polisacus (sometimes spelled Plisacus) Pay, the Gulf of Maine, Rio Gomez, Cathay, Mernph ram agog, Gog and Magog, Quinsay, Cape Cod, Rhode Island, New York, Zaiton, Zipangu, Capes Race and Ilenlopen, Mangi, Carolina,Ciambu, Florida, Chicora, Cuba, etc., into a beautiful muddle. This is no exaggeration. This utter confusion has been made by compilers and amateur geographers from the times of llylacomilus, Apianus, Schoner, Laurence Fries, Orintius Fine, and Muenster, to the present day, and no doubt will continue so until geographers look more carefully into the chronology and bibliography of their subjects. With these explanations this map is perfectly intelligible, and is reconcilable with other good maps made since the discovery of the Pacific in 1513, when America first began to stand alone in geography independent of Asia. The question next to be asked is, how far west and south did Sebastian Cabot go in 1497-8? According to lluysch, as far probably as Cape Sable. The remark of Peter Martyr, in 1515* (after their eyes were opened to the size and shape of the globe by the discovery of the Pacific), about Cabot's reaching on the American coast the latitude of Gibralter, and finding himself then on a meridian of longitude far enough west to leave Cuba on his left, is simply absurd, dilemmatize it as you will. Such a voy¬ age would have landed him near Cincinnati. 21 try was undoubtedly new, and as liis was the first description of it printed, his friends of the Yosg'es Mountains, lovers of geography, sought very properly, in 1507, to compliment him by giving it, instead, the beautiful name America. This was done without the knowledge of Ves¬ pucci, and was never intended to interfere with the just rights and claims of Columbus. The truth is, there was then no other book in print describing Brazil but Vespucci's very simple and interesting letter, written (but in what language it is doubtful) probably immediately after his re¬ turn in September, 1502. He gave the country he described no name, but the translator into Latin, Jean Basin de Sandacourt, Canon of St Die, entitled his little tract Miindus Novus. But time wore on, and the mistakes of the geogra¬ phers, as well as those of Columbus and Ves¬ pucci, are made apparent-.* In 1505-0 Nicaragua, Honduras, and Yucatan were seen by De Solis and Pinzon, and in 1508 J nana (henceforth called Cuba) was circumnavi¬ gated by Ocampo, thus dispelling the doubt about its being Zipangu, or part of the main land of Asia. It was found to be a long, narrow island, extending east and west, and not north and * A little book, hitherto unknown, written by Walter Lud, and printed at Strasburg in 1507, entitled Spec ul i Orb is Decla ratio, discov¬ ered by the writer in 1802, has been the means of clearing up many unjust aspersions of historians against Vespucci, and explaining the tiuc state of affairs. The book is now in the British Museum. The writer, after unsuccessful endeavors for two years to place it in Amer¬ ica, at the end of March, 1804, had the great satisfaction of calling the attention of his friend, It. 11. Major, Esq., to it, and pointing out to him the passages referring to the Vespucci books. How well Mr. Major has used these materials his excellent paper on the Manuscript Map of Leonardo da Vinci, printed in the Archieoloyia, and his admir¬ able Li fe of Pi •ince Henry the Navigator, abundantly show. The next year the writer called Monsieur Harrisse's attention to it, and in his Bib. Am. Vet. it appears, under No. 49. 22 south, like Zipangu. A strange confusion now began to seize the German geographers of Stras- burg and Vienna. They made Cuba an island, and called it Isabella, and then transferred all the names from Isabella to a mainland, named usually, Terra <1(5 Cuba., connecting it with Paria (sometimes with and sometimes without a nar¬ row strait), standing bolt upright, and extend¬ ing to 45° north latitude, with a point like Flor¬ ida, and a gulf to the west of it. This was still supposed to be part of Asia, but in reality ex¬ isted only in the imaginations of the geograph¬ ers, like Antilla and San Brandan. It holds on their maps about twenty names, some of which are found on Kuysch's large island or main land west of Spagnola, and all of which are found on early maps, especially on a Portuguese portolano described by Lelewel under date of 1501-4. It is in the Ptolemy of 1513, extending up to 45°, while on the globe of Schoner, of 1520, it reaches 51°, and is separated from Zipangu by live or six degrees of Balboa's newly discovered Pacific Ocean. Off to the northeast, in its proper lati¬ tude and longitude, most of these maps have Terra rinted shortly after, that all these provinces of Paria, Cariena, Canehiet, Cu- quibacoa, Uraba, Yeragua, and others, are sup¬ posed to pertain to the continent of India. Flor- 24: idaand I>eimini forgotten by Marco Polo, arid left out of bis report! Shade of Sebastian Cabot! In 1511 Cuba was settled under favorable aus¬ pices, and with Diego Velasquez as governor over well to do colonists, it became the base of operations for extensive explorations. On the 8th of February, 1517, Francisco Hernandez de Cordova, accompanied by Bernal l)iaz del Cas¬ tillo, he of the True History, and Antonio Ala- minos as pilot, who as a boy had sailed with Co¬ lumbus, set out on an exploring- expedition to the west, to look for trade, gold, and the long- sought passage to the land of promise. He went by Cape Catoche, the Bay of Campeche, as far as Ohampoton, and returned. The next year, 1.518, on the 5th of April, Juan de Grijalva set out on the same route, with a better fleet and fuller in¬ structions, accompanied by Bcrnal Diaz, Pedro de Alvarado, and the ever faithful Palinurus, Al- aminos. They visited Cozuniel, Cape Catoche, Campeche, Bio Tabasco, Potonchan, and named the country New Spain. They went as far as Panuco. Alvarado was sent back with the sick and heaps of gold, but Grajalva himself did not return to Cuba till the 15th of November. The journal of this important expedition, kept by the chaplain, Diep, was first published in Italian by Zorzi, at Venice in 1520, as an appendage to the Itinera rio of Varthema. Three days after Grijalva's return, Hernando Cortes, on the 18th of November, 1518, with the instructions in his pocket, which the governor sought in vain to recall after the return and fav¬ orable report of Alvarado, embarked on that most wonderful expedition of modern history, but he did not really leave Cuba for Cozumel till the lOtli of February, 1519. He followed the courses of Cordova and Grijalva till he reached Vera 25 Cruz. From tlience lie ascended the Grand Pla¬ teau, and what followed is known to all the world. In his Second Eolation, dated 30tli October, 1520, Cortes sent to the Emperor a map. of the entire Gulf of Mexico, well laid down, which was print¬ ed for the first time in 1524, at Augsburg, where Charles Y had resided. On this map are the names of all the jdaces at which he touched from Yucatan along the coast as far as Vera Cruz. These are, in order, Santo Anton, Boca Partida, Eio de Grijalva, Eio de la Palnia, Eio de dos botas, Caribes, Santo Andres, Eio de Co- cuqualquo, Eoca partida, Eio de Yanderas, Eio de Alvarado, P. de Sant Juan, Seville, Almeria, and San Pedro. The Eio de Cocuqualquo was surveyed for many miles, ])robably with the hope of finding an opening to the South Sea. In 1519, Francisco Garay, the Governor of Jamaica, dispatched Alonzo Alvarez de Pineda to explore the keys and coasts of Florida, but owing to the reefs and contrary winds, he di¬ rected his way round by the northwest coast by Mobile Bay, and the Mississippi river to Vera Cruz, thus completing a full and careful survey of the Gulf of Mexico. But still the disappointing report to the home government of Old Spain was —no thoroughfare. Here was the eclipse. Por¬ tugal had gained a strong foothold of eight hun¬ dred miles on the coast of Brazil in consequence of removing the Line westward. In this way Spain became hemmed in between two lines of demarcation, the one the breath of the Pope, the other the Cordilleras of the new hemisphere, the one about as impassible as the other, to the Spanish mind. Thus all these three fields of discovery had by degrees crept into one vast continent, extending from the Arctic to the Antarctic Circles, and, in- 4 stead of being India, the land of fabulous treas¬ ures, it was an impassible barrier to the approach thither by the western route. In 1513, when Vespucci had been in his grave a year, and Co¬ lumbus seven, Nunez de Balboa first saw the Pacific Ocean front the mountain tops of Panama, and soon after navigators began to realize that the land of spices was beyond another ocean, even more vast than the Atlantic itself. The beautiful name America now began to swal¬ low up the conjunctives, to spread itself eventu¬ ally all over the new hemisphere, by the same law that made the Libya of the Komans suc¬ cumb to its younger and more beautifully named daughter, Africa. But Spain, with her new Emperor, her Fonsa- cas, her Gorteses, her Pizarros, her Almagros, her Don Quixotes, her affluent miseries, her newly awakened thirst for gold, her Christian zeal, and her jealous rivalry for possession of the Spiceries, was not the power to bend or break. She redoubled her energies, made laws for the regulation of her half of the world, and pious and unscrupulous as they were, systematized her efforts. She would not permit the Portuguese to seek a passage to their eastern possessions through her half by the way of the Isthmuses of America, and by the same rule she felt a delicacy in using their route by the Cape of Good Hope. Her ambassadors and agents in foreign countries manifested 110 such scruples. In 1512 or earlier, Sebastian Cabot was se¬ duced from England, and induced to take ser¬ vice, with his experience, in Spain ; and the same year Juan de Solis, exploring the coast of South America, discovered Pio de la Plata. In 1515 he was again sent thither with a view of finding a passage to the South Sea, and thence to the 27 Moluccas. Tliis expedition returned soon after in consequence of the death of de Solis, but it led the way to a successful one in 1519, under Magellan, a disaffected Portuguese gentleman who had served his country for five years in the Indies under Albuquerque, and understood w ell the secrets of the Eastern trade. In 1517, con¬ jointly with his geographical and astronomical friend, Buy Ealeiro, another unrequited Portu¬ guese, he offered his services to the Spanish court. At the same time these two friends pro- posed not only to prove that the Moluccas were within the Spanish lines of demarcation, but to discover a passage thither different from that used by the Portuguese. Their schemes were listened to, adopted, and carried out. The Straits of Magellan were discovered, the broad Pacific was crossed, the Ladrones and the Phil¬ ippines were inspected, the Moluccas were passed through, the Cape of Good Hope was doubled on the homeward voyage, and the globe was circum¬ navigated, all in less than three years, from 1519 to 1522. Magellan lost his life, and only one of his five ships returned to tell the marvellous story. The magnitude of the enterprise was equalled only by the magnitude of the results. The globe for the first time began to assume its true character and size in the minds of men, and the minds of men began soon to grasp and utilize the results of this circumnavigation for the en¬ largement of trade and commerce, and for the benefit of geography, astronomy, mathematics, and the other sciences. This wonderful story, is it not told in a thousand books ? The Spanish eclipse was now passed, and America stood bold¬ ly out as an independent hemisphere. Meanwhile, the Spanish were timidly tempt¬ ing their new ocean. The Pacific shores of Darien, Panama, and Veragua were exjdored in 28 1515 to 1517, as tliey had been a few years before on tlie north side, with a view of finding a water communication from ocean to ocean. Estevan Gomez, another decoyed Portuguese pilot in the service of Spain, who went with Magellan in 1519 as far as the Straits and there discreditably deserted him, returning to Spain in 1520, reported that, though a strait had been found by the admiral, it was too remote and too dangerous for use. It was resolved, therefore, to seek for the supposed isthmian passage by a more thorough examination of the coasts of the Pa¬ cific. Accordingly, in 1522, four vessels having been built at Panama, d'Avila and the pilot Nino set out to explore the coast from the Bay of San Miguel to the Gulf of Fonseca, expecting to find at the latter place a passage by water through to the Gulf of Honduras. The same year Cortes, after having subjected the mighty barbaric empire of Montezuma, ex¬ tending from the Atlantic to the Pacific, with characteristic energy set himself to work explor¬ ing to find a natural water passage, or to make an artificial one. He ordered four ships to be built at Zacatula, two for direct trade to the Mo¬ luccas, and two to search for the strait. Tlie voyage to the Moluccas was jmstponed, but the search for the strait was prosecuted so vigor¬ ously that, between the expeditions of d'Avila and his own, every inlet was explored between Colima, in latitude 18.1° North, and' the Bay of San Miguel, a distance of above 2,500 miles of coast line, but of course, without finding any passage. The following year, 1528, Cortes dis¬ patched five small vessels to reconnoitre the coasts from Florida northward, to seek for the passage connecting the two oceans. His plan was to send another fleet up the western coast, 29 that they might meet somewhere north of the German geographers' fancy continent, or sail round it. Of course they never met. In 1524, Fizarro and Almagro, the future con¬ querors of Peru, began their approaches thither from Panama, carrying with them always the impossible instructions to seek out the hidden passage, while they were looking for trade and searching for gold. o o The Portuguese in India and the Spiceries, as well as at home, now seeing the inevitable con¬ flict approaching, were thoroughly aroused to the importance of maintaining their rights. They openly asserted them, and pronounced this trade with the Moluccas by the Spanish an encroach¬ ment 011 their prior discoveries and possession, as well as a violation of the Papal Compact of 1494, and prepared themselves energetically for defence and offence. On the other hand, the Spaniards as openly declared that Magellan's fleet carried the first Christians to the Moluccas, and by friendly intercourse with the kings of those islands, reduced them to Christian subjec¬ tion and brought back letters and tribute to Caesar. Hence these kings and their people came under the protection of Charles V. P>e- sides this, Spain claimed that the Moluccas were within the Spanish half, and were therefore dou¬ bly theirs. Accordingly great preparations were made to dispatch a fleet of six new ships to the Moluccas, to establish and protect trade. The Council of the Indies advised the Emperor to maintain this fleet there, and to take the Spice¬ ries into his own hands, and carry on commerce and navigation thither through his own exclusive channels, either by the strait recently discovered by Magellan, or by some hidden one which must soon be disclosed (if any reliance could be 30 placed in the geographers) in a more direct line through some one of the Isthmuses ; or, failing that, by opening communication from the coast of the Pacific. Matters thus waxing hot, King John of Por¬ tugal begged Charles Y to delay dispatching his new fleet until the disputed points could be dis¬ cussed and settled. Charles, who boasted that he had rather be right than rich, consented, and the ships were staid. These two Christian princes, who owned all the newly discovered and to be discovered parts of the whole world between them by deed of gift of the Pope, agreed to meet in Congress at Badajos by their representa¬ tives, to discuss and settle all matters in dispute about the division of their patrimony, and to de- tine and stake out their lands and waters, both parties agreeing to abide by the decision of the Congress. Accordingly, in the early spring of 1524, up went to this little border town four-and-twenty wise men, or thereabouts, chosen by each prince. They comprised the first judges, lawyers, mathe¬ maticians, astronomers, cosmographers, naviga¬ tors and pilots of the land, among whose names were many honored now as then—such as Fer¬ nando Columbus, Sebastian Cabot, Estevan Go- % inez, Diego Itibcro, etc. They were empowered to send for persons and j>apers, and did in reality have before them pilots, Papal bulls, treaties, royal grants and i)atents, log books, maps, charts, globes, itineraries, astronomical tables, the fathers of the church, ancient geographies and modern geographers, navigators with their compasses, quadrants, astrolabes, mathematical instruments, etc. (See the frontispiece, en¬ graved by Jacob Colon, 1600). For two months they fenced, cyphered, debated, argued, i>ro- 31 tested, discussed, grumbled, quarrelled and al¬ most fought, yet they could agree upon nothing. Whereas in the treaty of 1494 the Portuguese claimed the right of placing the line farther west than 370 leagues from the Cape Verde Islands, while the Spaniards contended rather to carry it farther east than placed in the original bull,-both parties now (so much does self-interest some¬ times modify arguments of right) contended for the very opposite to their former arguments. The line, however, had been fixed and approved by the Pope in 1494, and therefore could not be altered by them. But as there were 150 miles be¬ tween the most easterly and most westerly of the Cape Verde Islands, they discussed angrily as to which island the line should pass through, each party knowing that every mile the line was moved here to the east or west, it would necessa¬ rily have to be moved just so much at the anti¬ podes, the real field in disjmte. The debates and proceedings of this Congress, as reported by Peter Martyr, Oviedo, and Go- mara, are very amusing, but no regular joint de¬ cision could be reached, the Portuguese declining to subscribe to the verdict of the Spaniards, in¬ asmuch as it deprived them of the Moluccas. So each party published and proclaimed its own decision, after the Congress broke up in confu¬ sion on the last day of May, 1524. It was,'how¬ ever, tacitly understood that the Moluccas fell to Spain, while Brazil, to the extent of two hund¬ red leagues from Cape St. Augustine, fell to the Portuguese. The calculation of longitude was tha pons asinorum of the Congress, the very prob¬ lem that had deceived Columbus and other expe¬ rienced navigators a quarter of a century before. At this time, let it be remembered, no geogra¬ pher had given any hint of the fan-like shape of oo North America, but nil maps represent it as a narrow strip of land, like that from Panama to Teh nan tepee, with the South Sea itself narrow running- up to the west of it. However, much good resulted from this tirst geographical Congress. The extent and breadth of the Pacific was appreciated, and the influence of the Congress was soon after seen in the greatly improved maps, globes, and charts. Many doubt¬ ful points in geography and navigation were cleared up on both sides of the globe, and the latitude and longitude of many places were de¬ fined. Indeed, on the ucav maps after this, all the discoveries actually made, up to 1524, were tolerably well laid down, but there was a deal of imposition left in the imaginary lines of those parts of the North American coast which had not yet been explored, that is, between Florida and Nova Scotia. These false lines were still used by the pilots of both Spain and Portugal, proba¬ bly with a view of blinding the eyes of each other, or leading astray the outside barbarians of England, France, and Holland, who, though children of the Father, and given to trade and adventure, had no share in the Papal gratuity. The fact that all the coasts of South America, Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, Yucatan, the Gulf of Mexico and Florida, as well as of the Pacific shores from the Gulf of San Miguel to Coliina, that had been surveyed by the Spaniards up to this time, were well laid down, both as to latitude and longitude, proves almost to a cer¬ tainty that the indefinite coast line of the United States was st ill imaginary, if not Asiatic. Indeed, the old wood-cut maps of 1513 and 1522 of the German geographers, with their ideal continent, Terra de Cuba, did service, without alteration in the Ptolemies, for a quarter of a century later. 33 * The return of Magellan's ship Victoria in 1522 aroused the spirit of public and private enter¬ prise throughout Spain. Innumerable schemes for developing commerce with the Orient, and making further explorations, were proposed and discussed. Every pilot, whether amateur or prac¬ tical, had his card of the shortest route to the Indies. Of these schemes no less than six in 1523 and 1524 were adopted by the government, and promoted wholly or in part by public funds ; viz., that of Cortes, of Loyasa, of Gomez, of Aill- on, of Cabot, and of Saavedra. The impend- in g conflict with Portugal called together the Congress of Badajos. That being over by the 1st of June, 1524, and resulting practically in fa¬ vor of Spain, these several plans were matured as fast as practicable. Cortes, the first and most active, had no sooner conquered Mexico and clenched his con¬ quest than he began his exploration of the coasts of the Pacific. Without delay he sent Alvarado and other captains to the south and southeast, to bring into subjection the chiefs of the Province of Qaxaca and what- is now called the Isthmus of Teliuantepec, and, shortly after, proceeded thither himself. Ships were built on the Pacific side, but with many of the materials carted over from the Co- atzacoalcos River. All the details of this scheme, from the 15th of May, 1522, to the 15th of Octo¬ ber, 1524, are recorded in Cortes's Fourth Rela¬ tion to the Emperor, printed at Toledo, October 20th, 1525. This Relation in Spain, with the re¬ ports of Alvarado and Godoy attached, gave still another impulse to the new speculations and enterprises, as it showed not only the practica¬ bility, but the probability of opening by artificial means a direct route to the Orient in a low lati- 34 * tilde and good climate. Cortes was elear-1leaded and far-sighted (mioul»1i to see tlia.t lines of com¬ merce must be straight lines, and tliat the curves of the capes in high latitudes arc only temporary matters of necessity. Indeed, so sanguine was Cortes on these points, that he planted his per¬ sonal hopes and private fortune on and near this isthmus, as likely to become the Old World's highway for Oriental commerce. All the lands and private estates selected for himself and his posterity, and confirmed to him in 1520 by the Emperor, were located here in the Valley of Oax- aea, and near Tehuantepec. lie was ennobled in 1520, taking his title, Marquis del Valle, from his possessions chosen here. To this day they are called the Cortes Estates, or the Marquisanas. He and his kinsman, Saavedra, had vast schemes for opening communication, by means of a ship canal or lioman road, for the transportation of merchandise brought hither from the Moluccas and other parts of the East for passage or tran¬ shipment to Spain. How unexpectedly this rational scheme was thwarted will appear far¬ ther on. At the end of 1521 or early in 1525, Estevan Gomez, the pilot, who had been in the east, had started with Magellan and deserted him, a dele¬ gate to the Congress of Badajos, was the first to get off from Spain. He had boasted that he could find a passage to Cathay and the Spice Islands by the north, as Magellan had done by the south. He must have seen at Badajos, if not before, the maps of Buysch, with the continent west of Spagnola extending to 35° north, and the Hilacomylus map of 1513, carrying the same ideal continent up to lat. 40°, ending with Cape Mar del Oceano, just above Buyscli's Cape Heli¬ con (probably named from the rumored fountains 35* of Florida). Peter Martyr's map of 1511, aiul Cortes' map of 1520, printed in March, 1524, to¬ gether with the knowledge that Ponce de Leon, in 1512, and Aillon, in 1520, had explored the coast of Florida up to 33°, a little above Charles¬ ton ; and it being known that Aillon had another commission in his pocket, dated June 12, 1523, to explore still further north of Florida ; and his own commission being to lind a strait be¬ tween Florida and Pacalaos ; these considera¬ tions make it probable that Gomez' Held of search lay between 35° and 45°, or between Nor¬ folk and Cape Sable, where, as Peter Martyr ex¬ presses it, "he found pleasant and profitable countries agreeable with our parallels." Very little is known about this unimportant expedi¬ tion, and no authentic maps or papers have come down to us. The contemporary historians give no prominence to it, and very few facts about it. Indeed, from what is at 'present known, it is very difficult to tell whether he *• sailed up or down the coast, or both, or at what points he touched. So little information did he bring back, that it would not now be a matter worth discussing, if the results of the voyage had not been so enormously exaggerated by re¬ cent writers. Let it be borne in mind that Gomez sailed with only a single caravel of fifty tons, with per¬ haps a dozen men, in the dead of winter, from Coruna, in lat. 43°, the government contribu¬ tion towards the cost of the fit-out being only 750 ducats, returning in November, 1525, after an absence of about ten months, with some Indian slaves, whom he had kidnapped against a recent law of Spain and the positive instructions of the Emperor, and you have the whole story. Oviedo, writing in 1520, says that he sailed to the north- 36 * ern parts and found a great ]>art of land contin- uate from that which is called Bacalaos, taking 7 O his course towards the west to 40° and 41°, from whence he brought certain Indians. "Would an intelligent pilot sail north with such a craft in winter? Might. not New England be the "great CJ o o part" of land next to Bacalaos; and might not the fine tall natives of Illiode Island have been kidnapped, part being taken to Cuba for sale, the rest taken to Toledo, thus consuming the ten months, without having gone north of Cape Cod? Peter Martyr says, writing also in 152(5: "He, neither finding the strait nor Cathay, which he promised, returned back within ten months from his departure. I always thought and presupposed this good man's imaginations were vain and frivolous." Herrera, who wrote three quarters of a century later, is hardly more favorable to this explorer. The reader is referred, by recent writers, to the manuscript map of Ilibero of 1529, now preserved at Weimar, for the result of Gomez' voyage. But the intelligent reader will see with half an eye that this is a partizan map, and intentionally deceptive in the coast line between 35° 40' and 50° N. The discoveries of the English are thrown into Greenland, and called Labrador, while Bacalaos is given to the Portuguese, and cut off by the line of demarcation. All the rest of the coast is closed up under the names of Gomez and Aillon, and so given to Spain. There is no room left for the discoveries of Yerazzano for the French in 1524. The Spaniards knew of his voyages, for they had been watching him, had caught him, and in 1527 hanged him as a corsair. Indeed, the best that can be reasonably said of the voyage of Gomez is, that it exploded the ideal continent of the German geographers, and, connecting the explorations of Aillon with New 37 * England, showed that the coast of North Amer¬ ica trended continually eastward, so as probably to connect it with the discoveries of the Cabots, and thus make the whole coast west of the Line Spanish. Lucas Yasqucz Aillon, a lawyer, a Senator in Hispaniola, and a man of position, immediately af¬ ter the survey of the entire Gulf of Mexico under Grijalva and Cortes, went up the coast of Florida in 1520, as far as Ohicora, exploring beyond the limit of Ponce de Leon, as far, probably, as Cape Fear, seeking for the passage to Cathay. He found a tine country, but to Asia no througlifarc. The next year he returned to Spain, and Avas, according to Peter Martyr, in behalf of the lie¬ ge ncy of Hispaniola "a long time suitor [to the Council of the Indies] to have leave to depart again into those countries, to build a colony there." At length, after the return of Magellan's ship Victoria with its glorious news, the Council granted his request, and articles of agreement were signed the 12th of June, 1523, giving him permission, at his own expense, to tit out as many vessels as he pleased for the purpose of planting his proposed colony, but the usual instructions were inserted in his grant, to explore all in¬ lets and islands with a view of linding a passage to Cathay. This license, given by Navarrete, per¬ mitted him to explore as far as 800 leagues to the north from Hispaniola. He returned to His¬ paniola, built there six tine vessels, and, after many delays, sailed Avith them and above 500 men and nearly 100 horses, in July, 1520. lie Avent as far north as hit. 33° 40', found no strait, and met Avith nothing but misfortunes. The 18th of October Aillon died, and soon after the feAV survivors, about 150 out of the 500, returned to Hispaniola, the expedition being a dead fail¬ ure. Thus ended the attempt to plant a colony oo * tJ O near the mouth of Tape Fear Fiver, and thus ended the Spanish attempt to penetrate to the East by the way of the North. Both Gomez and Ail Ion had found no gold, and no strait, and even the trees and the animals they reported were eonnnon in Europe ; whereat old Martyr exclaims, "to the south! to t lie south! for the great and exceeding- riches of the equinoctial ; they that seek riches must not go unto the cold and frozen north." The whole story is compre¬ hended in Martyr's sentence. North America, by the Spaniards, was never considered of any consequence of itself, and was regarded only as a barrier or a stopping* stone to a richer, older and better land. It was necessary, however, to shut it up by a coast line west of the line of de¬ marcation, so that other nations might be de¬ terred from linding a northern passage to India. The Emperor, considering the verdict of the Congress of Badajos in his favor, lost no time in dispatching his new tleet of six sail and 450 men by the Straits of Magellan, from Coruna, 011 the 24th of July, 1525, under the command of Loya- sa, to the Moluccas and the Spice Islands, with the view, first, to succor the men left there by Magellan's tleet, and then to establish a govern¬ ment bureau and to protect its commerce. The Straits were passed, and four of the six ships reached the Moluccas ; but the story of their long, long sufferings is too long to be told here. y Cj <~» <7? In April, 1520, Sebastian Cabot, who had for years been the Pilot Major of Spain—said, how¬ ever, to have been a better cosmographer than pilot—after long and ample preparations at Se¬ ville, sailed for the Moluccas via the Straits of Magellan, with four well-equipped ships, for the purpose of reinforcing and assisting the expedi¬ tion of Loyasa. This expedition was another dead failure. For some unaccountable reason, 39 * Cabot did not deem it prudent to try the Straits of Magellan, but attempted to find a passage through the Rio de la Plata. He penetrated far into the interior of Paraguay, explored many large rivers and fertile provinces, suffered many hardships, lost most of his men and ships, and finally, after four years of toil and disappoint¬ ment, returned without any favorable results. Cortes was kept informed of these several ex¬ peditions, with a request from the Emperor that he would cooperate with them at the Moluccas, by sending a fleet from the western coast of Mexico. Accordingly he caused three ships fo be built on the Pacific, and dispatched them, with 110 men and thirty pieces of artillery, un¬ der command of his kinsman, Saavedra, from some port of Southern Mexico, probably Tc- lmantepee, Huatulco, or Acapulco, 011 the 31st of October, 1527. This fleet met that of Loyasa in the Moluccas, cooperated with it, found the Portuguese strong and resolute, by no means disposed to abandon the islands, fought them separately, and fought them together for months, nay, for years, never hearing a word from home, being cruelly neglected, yet loyal and true, till, reduced to a handful, some few of the survivors, long after Loyasa and Saavedra had died, as well as most of the sub-oflicers, found their way home after twelve years of unspeakable hardships. Thus all these six hopeful expeditions brought nothing but disappointment. The Straits of Magellan were found so dangerous and remote, that old Peter, had he lived, would no doubt have again exclaimed as before, "To the north ! to the north! they that seek riches must not go to the dangerous and frozen south I" As early as 1520 or 1527, before the extent of these failures was known, it became apparent, 40 * it' tlio commerce of the I^nst was to flourish, it must bo by somo more direct communication. These great difficulties of tlio oxtroiuo North aiul South (lotormiuod tlio Spaniards to explore the Isthmuses yet more thoroughly. All the five routes, from Darien to Tehuautopee, wore spoken of thou as now, with the view of constructing" immediately a canal, road, or portage, deeming it safer and cheaper to tranship goods, than to carry them round by the Strait. "These are mountains it is true,," exclaimed the old histor¬ ian, "but Spanish hands, and Spanish enter¬ prise can overcome them." But no Spanish hands could overcome the impolitic blunders of the Emperor. There is little doubt that inter- oceanic communication would have been opened in 152!) or 1530, by means of a ship canal or a turnpike across the Isthmus of Tehuantepee, had not the Emperor, who was greatly in want of money, defeated all the schemes, against the advice of the Council of the Indies, by pawning to the King of Portugal, who had just married his sister, the Moluccas for 350,000 ducats. So the trade, of the Moluccas passing for a time out of the hands of the Spaniards, there was no im¬ mediate pressure for the completion of this great work. The opportunity then lost of securing an exclusive transit was never recovered by Spain, but it is reserved to us of to-day to make the Isthmus of Tehuantepec the world's highway. h. s. May 10, 1809. Kkuata. Let him that is not, without errata in his own life correct neatly with his pen, and pardon these of mine: Page 13, line 23, for Cuba, read Japan; Page 14, line 9, for Virginia, read the south; Page '24, line 27, for l)iep, read Dies; Page 29, line 29, for theirs, read hers ; Page 32, line 7, for was, read were; and also, any others that his quick eye may detect. The writer will reciprocate with opportunity. From Nature by J. ML Murphy, U S N CERRO M.ORRO (VENTOSA ) N.Y.Lilhf Kntfr- S- Frtf Co. 10 & If, I'yik Plan- 25 II. TOPOGRAPHY OF TI1E ISTHMUS. Tlie Isthmus of Tehuantepee is that portion of the Mexican territory which lies between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, where the two seas approach the nearest to each other, and comprises the eastern portion of the States of Yera Cruz and Oaxaca, or the extreme southern portion of Mexico, bordering upon Central America. From the mouth of the Goatzacoalcos, which dis¬ charges itself into the Gulf in 18° 8' 20" north latitude, and 9-1° 32' 50" longitude west (from Greenwich), to the harbor of Yentosa, on the Pacific, situated in 10° 11' 45" north latitude, and 95° 15' 40" west lon¬ gitude, the distance in a direct line is 143^ miles. The coast-lines on either side have a general direction nearly east and west. In considering the Isthmus with reference to its general topographical features, it may properly be said to comprise three main divisions, more or less distinct in their general characteristics: the first, em¬ bracing that1 portion extending from the Gulf to the base of the Cordillera, and which may be called the Atlantic plains; the second, comprising the more elevated or mountainous districts in the central parts; and the third, including the level country bordering the ocean on the south, and known as the Pacific plains. The first division comprises a belt of country of some forty or fifty miles in breadth, lying contiguous to the Gulf coast, and made up of extensive alluvial basins of exceeding richness and fertility, through which the drainage of the northern slope of the Cor¬ dillera discharges itself into the Gulf. o 4 20 The principal of tl 1 esc hydrographic basins is that of tlic Goatzaeoalcos, which occupies the central por¬ tion of this division, and lias a general direction of N.N.lb by S.S.A\r. It is separated from the basin of the Tonala and Taneochapa rivers on the cast, and the San Juan on the west, by a moderately elevated pla¬ teau or table land, furrowed by numerous small streams, and generally covered with dense' forests. These table lands, with few exceptions, are not ele¬ vated more than two or three hundred feet above the sea level. "With the few exceptions here referred to, the entire country embraced in the northern division presents the appearance of a broad plain entirely cov¬ ered with dense forests. The second or middle division may be said to ex¬ tend from the Jaltepec Itiver on the north to within twenty or twenty-five miles of the Pacific coast, com¬ prising a strip of country through the central portions of the Isthmus, of some forty miles in breadth on the west, and gradually widening out towards the east to sixty or seventy miles. This division presents a great diversity of feature. The immense chain of the Cor¬ dillera, which under different denominations extends almost without interruption the entire length of the two Americas, traverses the country from east to west; but instead of those lofty volcanic peaks, which con¬ stitute so striking a feature of extensive portions of this gigantic chain of mountains, there is a sudden depression of the range in its passage across this isth¬ mus, the continuity of the chain being nearly broken at a point directly in the line of shortest communica¬ tion between the two oceans. The Cordillera here approaches very near the Pacific coast, and its south¬ ern slope terminating suddenly, extends in nearly a right line for a considerable distance in an east and west direction. The elevated spurs and ridges, which traverse the 27 country generally in an east and west direction, offer the principal obstacles to the construction' of a rail¬ road across this portion of the Isthmus. The mount¬ ain range gradually becomes more elevated as we approach the Summit Pass, and presents a more uni¬ form level surface, bounded on the south by the cerros Prieto, Masahuita, and Espinosa, which terminate in rugged limestone peaks, at an elevation of from 1,500 to 2,000 feet above the Pacific. By a narrow opening or gap in these mountains we descend suddenly from the elevated table lands to the Pacific plains, which form the third or southern division. These plains average about twenty miles in breadth, from the base of the mountains to the Pacific coast, and descend to the lagoons at an inclination varying from ten to fifteen feet in the mile, thus form¬ ing as it were an immense inclined plane, with its side next the mountains about two hundred and fiftv t/ feet above the Pacific. Under these circumstances they present a remarkably smooth, even surface, with a uniform, gentle slope towards the sea. In some instances there are occasional isolated hills, which, rising abruptly, form a prominent feature in the topography of this part of the country. The plains are traversed by eight rivers, which discharge the drainage of the southern slope into the sea. Seven of these rivers empty into the lagoons, which are con¬ nected with the sea by a narrow outlet called the Boca Barra ; the eighth, or Tehuantcpec Biver, comes from a northwesterly direction, and passing through the city of the same name, discharges itself directly into the sea at the Bay of Ventosa. The most important of the streams referred to, as respects length and the volume of their waters, are the Ostuta and Chieapa on the east, and the Tehuantepec on the west. The first two named rivers have their source in the highest parts of the Sierra, to the east of San Miguel Chimalapa. These streams derive their 28 chief importance as being the source from which a sufficient supply of water may probably be obtained for tlic summit level of a ship canal.* All of these streams as they issue from the mount¬ ains are remarkably pure and limpid, even in times of flood, thereby indicating the rocky nature of the dis¬ tricts which they drain. In their descent towards the plains they ofl'er almost unlimited sources of water power, which at many points may be made available for sawing lumber or for other purposes. The Bay of Ventosa is formed by an indentation in the coast, and the projection of the Cerro Moro on the west. The Tehuantepec Biver discharges itself near this point. The bay is partially sheltered from the north winds by low ranges of hills from three to four miles distant. A short distance to the westward are two similar indentations of the coast, known re¬ spectively as Sal in a Cruz and Salina del Marques.f Of the streams watering the northern slope of the Isthmus, the most important by far is the Goatzacoal- cos4 by reason both of the comparatively large extent of country for the drainage of which it is the outlet, and also as furnishing the natural channel through * The surveys for this canal were executed in 1842, under Senor G. Moro, with every means at his command for arriving at a correct result, and he determined the entire practicability of the scheme, which will be noticed in the proper place. j- For a detailed description of Ventosa, vide page \ Many disputes have arisen with regard to the orthography of this name. In the official dispatches of Hernan Cortes to the Emperor Charles V., he writes it in no less than six different ways, viz.: "Ma- zarnalco," " Quacalco," " Cuacuacalco," " Cuicicacalco," " Guazacualco," and " Guazaqualco." The veteran soldier Bernal Diaz del Castillo, who resided more than thirty years in the province, calls it " Cua- sualco." De Solis, on the other hand, writes it " Goatzacoalcos and the Abbe Clavigero, who, from his extensive knowledge of the lan¬ guages of Mexico, is perhaps the best authority, writes it after this manner, viz.: " Coalzacualco." We have followed De Solis, as in ac¬ cordance with the letter of the grant and the prevailing custom of official papers at this date. w. . HHP§ii F^^mssiHi :• r ;'' -sms ^Jiflraawwfi'.aK- :-■• ••'•*••. .f-S-. 8fSKSHKtM?weK!SJS®5 S6#8S%^«S6®^^;1 .-; "■ ' gWlSHMi HUM 0£3 From Nature by J. Miiller. NT.Lith^ EngrS & Frtl Co. 16 & 18 Park Place. BAY OF VENTOSA FROM CERRO VERDE, LOOKING NORTH 29 which the projected communication between the two oceans may in part be effected. This river takes its rise in the unexplored part of the Sierra to the east of Santa Maria Chimalapa. Its principal tributaries arc the Chichihua and Almaloya. The latter takes its course through the plains of Chivela, and derives its chief importance as probably furnishing the most feasible route by which the railroad may be carried to these plains from the north. The rivers Sarabia, Jumuapa, and Jaltepcc (or de los Mijes) enter the Goatzaeoalcos on the left bank, and next to them the Chalchijapa on the right. The first two descend from the Sierra of Santa Maria Guinenagate; and although the Sarabia carries a considerable volume of water, it is not navigable. The Jaltepee Iiiver has its source in the Sierra of the Mij es. This river is nearly as large as the Goat¬ zaeoalcos above the confluence of the two streams, and is the most important tributary 011 the west. Above the confluence of the Jaltepee, the country 011 either side of the Goatzaeoalcos is more or less broken and hilly, and the banks of the stream often rocky and precipitous ; but below this point the mar¬ gins are comparatively low, and the surface level for some distance back from the river. Below the island of Tacamichapa, the Goatzaeoal¬ cos receives the waters of the Coachapa Iiiver 011 the east. The source of this stream is unknown, but it has been ascended in canoes for twelve days, the time usually occupied in going from the bar of the Goat¬ zaeoalcos to the Pass of Sarabia; schooners have also sailed up it for some distance. The cross-ties used on the railroad at Vera Cruz were manufactured from timber obtained from the banks of this stream. Four miles below the debouche of the Coachapa, but on the opposite shore, is the village of Minatitlan, and three miles below this the river Uspanapa joins the Goatzaeoalcos by its right bank. The Uspanapa is the most considerable of all the 30 numerous tributaries of the Goatzacoalcos, and is in some respects even superior to the latter stream for purposes of navigation, carrying a sufficient depth of water to float larsre vessels to a greater distance from the Gulf, and being also less tortuous. The Indians assert that it has been ascended in canoes for twenty- five days, but it was probably never explored by them to its source. The mountains near the head waters of this stream have the reputation of being rich in gold and silver mines. The banks of the river below Minatitlan are very low, and frequently flooded. The mouth of the Goat- zacoalcos, the geographical position of which has been given, is one hundred and fifteen miles west from the river Grijalva or Tabasco, and about one hundred and ten miles from Vera Cruz. Its width is about fifteen hundred feet, and its depth varies in different places. III. INHABITANTS. Tiie Isthmus of Tehuantepec comprises within its limits a mixed and heterogeneous population, consist¬ ing of Europeans, Creoles, Mestizos, Indians, Mulat- toes, Zamljos, and Negroes. The European portion, numerically considered, is exceedingly insignificant; embracing only a small remnant of French colonists, with a few German ad¬ venturers, and some old Spanish settlers, dispersed over various localities. They control almost the en¬ tire trade of the Isthmus, and, with few exceptions, are the only mechanics and tradesmen to be found. The Creoles (the descendants of the Conquistadores and other Europeans) compose the native white popu¬ lation, and are somewhat more numerous. On the southern portion of the Isthmus, where they princi¬ pally reside, they are found holding all the civil and V 31 military appointments. Although the landed wealth of the country is mostly in their hands, they are far from being individually rich; and there is, perhaps, 110 social organization in which the extremes of wealth and the extremes of poverty so often meet. The dif¬ ference in color is made the criterion of respectability. With few exceptions, they exclusively possess the lit¬ tle amount of learning which is disseminated over the Isthmus—a circumstance that helps to define, with rigid accuracy, the boundaries of social distinction. The Mestizos, in point of influence, may be justly considered next; the more especially " where rank de¬ pends more on the complexion than on endowments, and where almost every shade has its limits defined by terms which, though apparently only expressing the color, in reality express the rank of the individ¬ ual." This division of the inhabitants has become an important part of its population, and constitute what may be appropriately denominated the middle class. As such, many of them are prominent men, and enjoy the advantages of comparative wealth and education. The Mestizos are scattered over almost all parts of the Isthmus, and comprise the mayordomos, the mayo- rales of the haciendas, the arrieros of the mule trains, and the under officials of the custom-liouse, and of the municipal police. They are characterized by habits of industry, but not of strict sobriety. The Indians, who are by far the most numerous portion of the inhabitants, comprehend the remnants of various once powerful tribes, which, notwithstand¬ ing the changes and vicissitudes that have marked o O their condition since the days of the Conquest, still exhibit distinctive characteristics sufficient to identify the sources from which they originally sprung. Among these are the Aztecs, Agualulcos, Mljes, Zo- ([lies, Zapotecos, and J heaves. These are distributed over the country in a manner which corresponds some¬ what with its peculiar topographical divisions. On the northern part of the Isthmus, within the intendcncy of Vera Cruz, and extending as far south as Mt. Encantada (beyond which, to the Itio Sarabia, a broad belt of uninhabited country intervenes), are found the Aztecs and Agualulcos. Whatever peculi¬ arities may have existed in the idiomatic structure of the native lanimajjcs of the Isthmus, it is certain that o o ' they are now little else than mere ill-spoken dialects, replete with corrupt and broken sentences of Span¬ ish. In their persons the Indians are somewhat below the medium stature, but squarely built, and of great muscular strength, being often able to support a weight of from one hundred and fifty to two hundred and fifty pounds on their shoulders for several hours, exposed to the rays of the hottest summer sun. They are copper-colored, with smooth, coarse hair, small beard, diminutive eyes, prominent cheek-bones, low, narrow forehead, aquiline features, white teeth, thick lips, and a gentle expression of mouth, strongly con¬ tracted, with a melancholic and severe look. TIiq women, on the other hand, are less strongly built, and in some instances beautiful and well proportioned—a beauty which is enhanced by the natural grace of their carriage. Their movements are quick and mercurial, and their manners are characterized by shyness rather than modesty. The Abbe Clavigero, in his excellent work on Mex¬ ico, says, in reference to the physical character of the Indians, that " there is scarcely a nation perhaps on earth in which there are fewer persons deformed; and it would be more difficult to find a single hump¬ backed, lame, or squint-eyed man amongst a thousand Mexicans, than among any hundred of any other na¬ tion." This assertion is literally true of the natives on the Isthmus. In their habits they are exceedingly simple, and their chief subsistence consists of vegeta¬ ble food. As a general rule, tliey are little inclined to 33 work; but, from tlie natural docility of their charac¬ ter, it seems only reasonable to infer that under better and brighter circumstances they would become both useful and industrious. Every man and boy wears a machete, and the facility and dexterity of its use is not a little surprising. It serves as a weapon for defence, an instrument for killing beef, an axe for cutting wood, and a knife for eating, &c. As axemen, to perform the grubbing and clearing 011 the route of the pro¬ posed railroad, their services will be found invaluable. Their amusements are scarcely worthy of note. In fact, an atmosphere of apathy seems to pervade every thing, and even their liveliest songs are sad, and their merriest music melancholy. In religious matters they are reverential but super¬ stitious; and the ceremonies of the church, with its numerous fiestas and processions, are loved because they are gloomy and peculiar. As a cultivator, the Indian is poor, but he is free; and he loves the solitude of his wretched ranchito, be¬ cause it restores him, even as a peon, some of the long- lost liberty of his ancient race. This desire for soli¬ tude has given rise to that disposition among them to inhabit the elevated sections and summits, and to lo¬ cate their pueblos on sites less convenient of access, and less advantageous to prosperity. Everywhere on the Isthmus—even on the loftiest mountains, in the deepest dells, and in the most im¬ penetrable forests—there are silent evidences of the history of a vast and powerful people, of which there scarcely remains now a tenth part, as the miserable consequence of their calamities. The Indians on the northern part of the Isthmus evince the greatest veneration for the memory of Dona Marina, the beautiful mistress of Cortes. In her na¬ tive village of Painalla, now called Jaltipan, a large circular mound of earth, known as the u Hill of Ma- linclie," serves to recall the history of her imperisha- 5 34: Lie deeds. Among the Indians, there is still preserved a tradition that her remains are buried beneath it, and that she promised, to return from the captivity of death, to sweep from their thresholds the blight which she had involuntarily aided to bring. Who, then, can say that the traditionary dream of the Indian, as he veils the pangs of his heart under the deceitful guises of in¬ difference and stupidity, is not already on the eve of realization, and that the ancient province of Goatza- coalcos, which through an humble captive slave exert¬ ed so powerful an influence over the commercial des¬ tinies of the world, may not again break forth from its sleep to effect changes far more lasting and glo¬ rious ? The J'lyes, once a powerful tribe, inhabit the mountains to the west, in the central division of the Isthmus, and are now confined to the town of San Juan Guichicovi. The Zoques inhabit the mountainous region to the east, from the valley of the Chicapa on the south, to the Ilio del Corte on the north. At present they are confined to the villages of San Miguel and Santa Maria Chimalapa. In some of their characteristics they are similar to the Mijes, but more athletic, and easily distinguished by the prominence of their fea¬ tures and the singular custom they have of shaving the crown of the head. Like the Guichicovi Indians, their knowledge of Spanish is limited.; The Zaj)otecos constitute the greater part of the population of the southern division of the Isthmus, and are incomparably superior to those of any other portion. The salubrity of the climate, the surpassing fertility of the soil, and the variety and richness of its productions, all minister to the prosperity of the in¬ habitants, who have from the most remote periods of their history been distinguished for their advances in civilization. Intellectually, the aborigines of Tehuantepec ex- 35 hibit qualities of no mean order, and they are found intelligent, docile, and lively. In personal appear¬ ance, they are noted for the symmetry of their forms, the singularity of their features, and the vigor and sprightliness of their character. The women are deli¬ cately made, mercurial, voluptuous, and full of viva¬ city. They are particularly remarkable for the exqui¬ site grace of their carriage, the winning softness of their manner of expression, and their love of gay cos¬ tumes. In morals, they are full of intrigue; but in habits, they are temperate and industrious. The Indians of Juchitan, though numerically less ' O «/ than those of Teliuantepec, form an important part of the inhabitants of the Isthmus, as being superior in every respect. They are bold, independent, indus¬ trious, and temperate, possessing great muscular strength and a high degree of mental capacity. Of the value of their services, either as laborers in the construction of works, or as cultivators in the field, there can be no question. The IJuavGS, who, according to their traditions, came originally from Peru, and once a powerful race, have, from their successive struggles for supremacy with the Zapotecos and Mijes, dwindled down to a lit¬ tle more than three thousand, scattered over the sandy peninsulas formed by the lakes and the Pacific. At present they occupy the four villages of San Mateo, Santa Maria, San Dionisio, and San Francisco. The few Muiattoes who are scattered over the Isthmus, are the descendants of the native whites and the liberated slaves of the estates of the Marquesanas. They are generally robust and industrious, applying themselves to the cultivation of indigo and cochineal. The Zamljos, a lialf-caste between the Indian and the Kegro, are found principally at El Barrio, Tarifa, and Kiltepec. They inherit few good qualities, and are neither intelligent, industrious, or sober. The Negro population -is so insignificant that they 3G scarcely claim attention. In some few instances, how¬ ever, tliey are hard-working and deserving people. In a retrospective view of the character and condi¬ tion of the inhabitants of the Isthmus of Teh nan tepee, there is little to excite our admiration, but much to pity and deplore; yet amid the atmosphere of degra¬ dation, ignorance, and depravity which overshadows the land, there are refreshing hopes that promise, under careful culture, to yield an abundant harvest. They seem to need only the example of activity to rekindle their dormant energies, and the neigh of the " iron horse" to awaken them from their indolent dream. IV. CLIMATE. As a regular mountain chain the Andes may be said to descend suddenly at Panama, and are merely continued northward to join, the Pocky Mountains by a mass of elevated ground, with an irregular mixture of mountains and table land. This table land commences at the Isthmus of Tchuantcpec, and passes northwest to latitude 42°, an extent of 1G00 miles. The result of this conformation is to give to the Isthmus the full benefit of the coast winds and rains from the north, which play over three-fourths of the breadth of land, and are only retarded from passing across its whole extent by the mountain land. There is thus a free circulation of air across the whole Isth¬ mus, sweeping through the valley of Chicapa, and carrying the cool air of the north across to the Pacific shore. " On the Isthmus there are but two seasons, winter and summer. In winter the north wind materially c diminishes the intertropical heat on the southern coast. The average temperature in October and March, at 37 six o'clock in tlie morning, is 71° Fahrenheit, and at twelve, in the shade, 81°, and never falls lower than 78°. The average temperature is 75° between eight P. M. and two A. M., and 71° from three to five in the morning. "The influence of the rainy season also tends to lessen the great heat of the summer. The temperature during the hottest part of the day when it rains does not exceed 81°. At eight o'clock in the morning it o o maintains itself at 75°, and at three o'clock in the morning it seldom falls as low as 73°. Usually the nights are of almost uniform temperature. " In summer, when the sky is clear and the sun shines with all its brightness, the thermometer varies between 87° and 90° from eleven in the morning to four in the afternoon. At eight o'clock in the evening it falls to 79°, and at four in the morning to 75°. "The month of November is the coldest month of the year, and those of May and June the warmest. Towards the close of April, the thermometer, at twelve, in the shade, occasionally.ascends to 90°, and rarely descends to 85°. The forepart of the night, on such occasions, maintained itself at 79°, and in the second part the temperature descended to 71°. " In November the thermometer never falls below 70° from nine to five o'clock in the day; at eight in the evening it never stood at less than 59°, nor less than 55° from four to six in the morning." O The rainv season commences on the Gulf coast about the first of July and ends about the first of November. On that portion of the Isthmus included between the Jaltepec and Sarabia rivers, the rainy season commences about the first of June and ends in December; and at El Barrio it commences about the first of July and ends in October. These rains are not, however, of sufficient conse¬ quence to prevent out-door work for the whole of any one day. The annual fall of rain at Vera Cruz is 66 38 inches, just one-lialf the amount wliieh falls in St. ])omingo or Jamaica, and even less than that on the northern shores of the Gulf, as at New Orleans or in Florida. It is also considerably less than falls at the Isthmus of Panama. The altitude of the table lands of Guatimala and Mexico has a more powerful effect in determining the climate of the Isthmus, than what the mere lati¬ tude, or its own elevation, could lead to believe. This table land has an average elevation of from G.500 to O 7 8,200 feet above the sea, which would give a mean temperature of 20° throughout the year less than that of the seaboard: thus, if the temperature of the coast be 85°, that of the table land would be 05°, which is a temperate climate, although within tropical latitudes. This is proved by the growth of oak, cypress, pine, and fern trees, which are inhabitants of a temperate clime; and most of the cerealia of northern latitudes grow in luxuriance. Now, it must be recollected that the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, though in itself possess¬ ing only an elevation calculated to lessen the tempera¬ ture at the sea-board by a few degrees, is subject to the influences of the land in its neighborhood, and its own warmth is very much reduced by the cool air descending from the high table lands and from the Sierra Mad re. At Tehuantepec the rains are of trifling character, and confined to the months of July, August, and Sep¬ tember. The central division of the Isthmus is perhaps the healthiest—a circumstance due to its elevation and better drainage. Yellow fever has never been known to occur on the Isthmus. Since the establishment of the Mexican Republic the official returns of the population seem to indicate a sensible decrease—which is at variance with facts. The cause is, that the Indians find it to their advantage 39 to make the returns as small as possible, as, by so doing, many rid themselves of taxes and service in the army of the republic. Compared with other places selected for forming a junction between the two oceans, this Isthmus has peculiar advantages. AVith less alluvial land at the sea level, it is more healthy than San Juan de Nicar¬ agua, and from its more northern latitude its mean an¬ nual temperature is less than that of Nicaragua or of Panama. The latter place has, indeed, a temperature and climate truly torrid, and partaking more of the character of a continent than of an island, which latter is the peculiarity of the position of this portion of Mexico. The following is extracted from the Peport of the Surgeon to the surveying expedition under P. E. Tras- tour in 1851: "It will be seen that the Isthmus of Tehuantepec naturally divides itself into three regions, each differ¬ ent from the other in topography, geological forma¬ tion, and salubrity. " The plain of Goatzacoalcos river, flat and low, with an extremely fertile alluvial soil, covered with thick forests, intersected by many rivers, here and there subject to inundation, although the least healthy, yet enjoys a high degree of salubrity, and no fears need be entertained, as proved by the experience of the French emigrants, for those who may in future settle permanently in this region, and much less so for those who may cross it as travelers. " The region of hills and mountains is as healthy as the most salubrious portions of Europe; full of roman¬ tic scenery, it is highly attractive, and will, in progress of time, when inhabited by an enterprising and labor¬ ious population, become one of the most beautiful spots on the earth. "This entire region, for its salubrity, cannot be surpassed by any country whatever. The small vil- 40 lagcs of Petapa, El Barrio, and Santo Domingo, built on the table land, enjoy a well-merited reputation for uncommon healthiness, not only among the inhabitants of the Isthmus, but many Mexicans come there, even from Oaxaca and several other states of Mexico, to recruit their health. "Last comes the plain of Tehuantepcc, nearly as healthy as the hilly region, although warmer, present¬ ing all the characteristics of a healthy tropical climate. " All these three regions together form a broad surface of country from the Gulf of Mexico to the coast of the Pacific, of a great variety of resources and of remarkable healthiness, a feature peculiar to the Isthmus, as the lands on both of its sides are very unhealthy ; such as Vera Cruz and Tabasco on the Gulf, Acapuleo, Iluatulco, and the coast of Guatimala on the Pacific shore. This peculiar and exclusive salubrity of the Isthmus, in my opinion, is chiefly due to its configuration, which forms as it were a gate, walled on both sides by heavy masses of mountains, through which pass currents of air that prevail only within the limits of the Isthmus, and render the country they traverse permanently salubrious." V. HARBORS. ATLANTIC PORT. The superior advantages offered by the mouth of the Goatzacoalcos River as a safe and convenient har¬ bor for ships early attracted the attention of the Span¬ ish conquerors. Cortes, in his official dispatches to the Emperor Charles V., speaks of the importance of this river, as furnishing the best harbor to be found on the Gulf coast of Mexico. In giving the results of 41 a survey of the river made "by his order, he says: " They found two fathoms and a half of water at its entrance, in the shallowest part, and ascending twelve leagues, the least they found was five or six fathoms." These soundings were made in the year 1520, and and give about the same depth over the bar at the mouth of the river which we now find. The fact of there being no delta at the mouth of the river, and the constancy of the depth upon the bar, which has remained unchanged for three centuries, proves that it has attained its "regimen," and is not liable to shift or change, a fact which cannot be stated of any other harbor on the coast in the Gulf of Mexico, and indi¬ cates that any improvement by deepening the channel may be relied on as permanent. Of the precise char¬ acter of the formation of this bar many opinions are entertained; and although its position and circum¬ stances seem hardly to justify the conclusion that it is rock, Mr. Temple* has so stated. The following extract from a letter written by Capt. K. W. Foster, of the steamer "Alabama," who crossed the bar several times, and subsequently sounded it, furnishes some details: "The extent of the bar east and west is about 220 fathoms, and the breadth, by actual measurement, 108 feet. The bottom, composed of sand and clay, is hard, on which account it is not liable to shift. At high water, on the full and change, the depth is about 13 feet, and falls as low as 11 feet. The general depth, however, is 12 feet, from which in sailing it deepens gradually to five and six fathoms. Except in heavy northers, there is a regular land and sea breeze. The latter sets in between the hours of 9 A. M. and noon. II. Mr. Foster. April, 1851. "N. B.—The bar, being composed of sand and clay, as already stated, and only 108 feet in width, * Now Commander Temple, of the U. S. N. 0 42 could easily be deepened for vessels of the largest draught to enter." In view of the testimony, it is presumed that the practicability or security of this harbor will not be questioned. Second, with regard to the capacity of the river itself: Commander Temple reports the head of ship navigation as placed at thirty miles from the mouth, and ten above Minatitlan. T>y deepening the bar to admit vessels drawing eighteen feet, this depth may be brought without difficulty to Minatitlan, thus forming a secure harbor for nearly thirty miles, along which the track may be laid to any desirable extent. In reference to the material composing this bar, Commander Temple says that he convinced himself that it was limestone ledge, " with a la}^er of sand of about four inches deep at the time of our survey, and beneath that was almost everywhere a soft stone. Several loose specimens of pure limestone, and of limestone mixed with clay, were picked up on the beach. Iam of opinion that they are a portion of the same ledge. If this be so, it will not only be practicable to deepen the channel over the bar, but the increased depth will remain permanent; for this is the only bar (known to me) on this coast of rock formation, all the others being of shifting sand, sometimes covered with a deposit of mud, although their respective rivers have their origin and course in similar regions with O O the Groatzacoalcos. It would seem, therefore, that this ledge had been laid bare by the running waters, rather than that it should be the accumulation of ages of deposit. And this appears the more probable, inasmuch as all the local testimony coincides in repre¬ senting the action of the freshet here to be one of O j removal instead of, as at the mouth of the Tabasco liiver, one of deposit, the layer of sand of which men¬ tion has been made appearing only when the river is low and the current weak." 43 PACIFIC POETS. The bay of La Yentosa is situated on the southern coast of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, at twelve miles distance in a southeast direction from the town of that name, and lies between 16? 11/ 36" and 16° 12' 49" north latitude, and 95° 13' 26" and 95° 15' 52" longi- • 7 r-> tude west from Greenwich, and its western extremity is formed by the Cerro Morro, an isolated rock of oblong shape. The sandy strand of La Yentosa commences at the foot of the lateral portion of the Cerro Morro, facing the east, and describes from the south to the northeast an arc nearly two miles and a half in length; then takes an easterly and almost rectilinear direction, but drawing a little towards the south, extends on about six miles further, where it runs into the sea; after which it turns back again abruptly and inclines towards the north, though " trending " all the while in an easterly direction. The sandy beach of La Yentosa itself is cut by lagoons of little depth, having several outlets into the sea, and by the bed of the Tehuantepec River. At the time of the periodical overflow, this current flows over a low country before reaching the Pacific Ocean, in which it then empties itself, not only by its mouth, but also by means of those lagoons, its sole outlets during the dry season. The volume of the water of the river is subject to very great variations in the course of the year. In the rainy season it reaches twelve feet depth in years of an extraordinary character. The immense basin of La Yentosa presents a safe and commodious harbor to vessels of all sizes. Closed at the west by the heights of the Morro, it is open at the south and east. This configuration of the bay allows vessels to have ingress and egress irrespective of the quarter from which the wind blows. Through- 44 out its great extent, and on entering it from the sea, no shoals are to he met with; everywhere a good anchorage is to he found. The bottom is of compact sand, and a great proportion of it is mixed with clay. The depth is almost regularly graduated. It pre¬ sents at from 350 to 8,000 feet distance from the shore a progressive running from 17 to 53 feetf, and averaging for the first thousand feet two feet increase per hund¬ red feet, and about six inches per hundred feet for the following thousand feet. The greatest difference that has been observed in the level of the water was six and a half feet. Besides the variable winds, which are rather light, and the land and sea breezes of the morning and evening, two prevalent winds, the north-northeast and south-southwest winds reign during a great portion of the year on the southern coast of the Isthmus. The first of these two atmospheric currents is not felt at sixty miles ea9t of La Ventosa, beyond the Barra de Tonala, nor at sixty-two miles west, beyond the mountain of Chahuhe, which bounds on the west the lagoon of Tengulunda. "x* * * * * The north-northeast wind usually begins to blow about the fifteenth of October, and ceases in the fore¬ part of April. In the month of November it blows without interruption, and at that time it reaches its maximum. Towards the middle of December it ceases during intervals of from ten to twelve days, and then begins anew to blow one or two weeks. These alterna¬ tions or interruptions and renewals are reproduced at short and unequal periods. But the length of the period of discontinuance goes on gradually increasing until the wind only blows one day, and finally ceases completely. In winter and in summer, during the prevalence of the southerly and northerly winds, the current of the sea is from east to west; its greatest veloc¬ ity is about one mile and a half per hour. This 45 continual movement in the waters of the Pacific is only discernible at a distance of about 0,000 feet from the shores of La Yentosa. The bay of La Yentosa is much safer than the harbor of Yera Cruz. Yiolent tempests frequently render the latter inaccessible during several days, and even when the north wind blows, the communica¬ tion betwreen the town and the vessels in the harbor is interrupted. An extract from a letter of Captain Mott, of the steamer "Gold Ilunter," which anchored at Yentosa, states as follows. This is dated April 11th, 1851. "I am much pleased with this port, Yentosa. The holding-ground is excellent, and the depth of six and seven fathoms almost all over the bay very con¬ venient. During the four days we have been here, we have had two fresh southerly winds, and two strong northers. The former did not agitate the sea much, and the latter, though blowing very strong, has not straightened out the chains. We are still riding o o by the ' bight,' which is buried in the clay bottom." Deferring again to Commander Temple's report, he says: "From all the foregoing considerations, I am of opinion that La Yentosa is not only the best, but the point for a harbor on the Pacific coast of the Isthmus. It is a far safer and better port than either Valparaiso in Chili, or Monterey in California, ports in constant use the year throughout. I speak from personal observation, as well as from an examination of the several charts, and their similarity of outline has suggested the comparison; for, although the in¬ dentation of the coast is possibly a little deeper at each of these places than at La Yentosa, yet they are both open to the northward, and as the general 'trend'of the coast is nearly north and south, the prevailing gales blow directly along the shore and into these harbors, creating a heavy swell, and often forc¬ ing vessels to ' slip and go to sea' for safety; whereas 4G at La Ventosa tlie 4 trend' of the coast is east and west, so that tlie 4 northers' blow directly off shore, and create no swell whatever. The danger being from the sudden strain brought upon a cable by the surging of a vessel in a sea-way, and not from the steady strain caused by the wind, it follows that northers may be disregarded in an estimate of the safety of this anchorage, as was satisfactorily shown in the case of the Gold Ilunter. Eut northers, al¬ though frequent during the winter, and seldom occur¬ ring at other seasons, are the only gales that blow in this region. The southerly winds, characteristic of the summer and autumn, are nothing more than thun¬ der squalls of short duration, and incapable of raising a sea. Even the fresh and steady sea breezes that prevailed during the latter portion of our stay at La Ventosa, were unaccompanied by any increase of swell. 44 The chart of La Ventosa shows a moderate and almost uniform grade of bottom, beginning with three fathoms at about 100 yards from the beach, and deep¬ ening to seven and eight fathoms at a distance of .1,000 yards." There are few localities where maritime works are not more or less desirable for the protection of vessels against the sea, and at La Ventosa a breakwater form¬ ing an inner basin will be desirable ultimately, but the harbor admits at present of daily use without any artificial works, which are only called for in view of extended freighting operations. VI. GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY. The geological structure of the Isthmus is less clearly marked than that of the adjoining more ele- 47 vated district of Mexico. Much of the gentle slope of the northern plains is covered over with clay, sand and gravel, and so densely wooded, that no appear¬ ance of the rock formation is discernible. The same may be said of the plains on the southern shore. On the middle more elevated regions the conformation is more evident. The tertiary clays, gravels, and beds of detritus which cover up so much of the Isthmus along the line of survey, extend on the north side almost to the summit-level, and the base of the hills which lie east and west of it. These deposits being found pretty uniformly spread, even to the depth of thirty feet in some places, as at a point north of the summit-level, and between it and the river Almalova, are evidences of the slow and tranquil elevation of this portion of the Isthmus above the sea, and of its comparatively quiescent condition since a very distant epoch. Granite and granitiform rocks do not occupy much extent of surface upon the Isthmus, but appears in the higher elevation of the mountain ranges, and in the debris brought down by the rivers. The prevailing formations is the metamorphic in the various forms attendant upon a granitic nucleus. Slates, primitive limestone and sandstones appear in great variety, and the building stone usually found in this formation are abundant in the hills. Iron is found in abundance in many points of the Isthmus, and that of Tarifa especially appears to be of excellent quality. The veins of iron ore in the immediate vicinity of San Juan Guichicovi are the richest and most extensive known to exist on the Isth¬ mus. Tin is also found in extremely rich deposits some distance beyond in the Cerro de los Mijes. As regards the precious metals, which made the depart¬ ment of Oajacaonceso famous, there is a tradition still prevalent from the time of the conquest that the mountains of Mijes and the upper Uspanapan con¬ tain very rich gold and silver mines. 48 The existence of gold in great quantities in this neighborhood is too well attested, both by tradition and history, to admit of any doubt. The question of its profitable working, however, is a matter yet to be determined. The following extract shows how over abundant and easily obtained it was at one period upon the Isthmus. Bernal Diaz, in recording the account of the ex¬ peditions of Gonzalo de Unibria and the gold which lie brought, says : " Neither did Diego de Ordas, who had been sent to the river Coatzacoalcos, return with empty hands." ' Again, in reference to the march of Sandoval: " Twenty of the caziques and principal personages soon made their appearance, bringing with them a present of gold dust in ten tubes, besides various pretty orna¬ ments." At another place, in the same connection: "We arrived in the province, and began diligently to ex¬ plore the mines, accompanied by a great number of Indians, who washed the gold dust for us in a kind of trough from the sand of three different rivers. In this way we obtained four tubes full of gold dust, each about the thickness of the middle finger. San¬ doval was highly delighted when we brought him these, and concluded that the country must contain rich gold mines," u The expedition of Alvarado to Tehuantepec, in 1522, seems to have been attended with far greater success. JBcrnal Diaz, .speaking of this expedition says: "Among the more powerful tribes who submit¬ ted on this occasion, was that of the Tecuantepec (Tzapotecs), whose ambassadors brought with them a present in gold, stating, at the same time, that they were at war with their neighbors, the Tutepecs, who had commenced hostilities with them because they had submitted to the Spanish crown. This tribe in- 49 habited the coast on the South Sea, they added, and possessed great quantities of gold, both in the raw material and in ornaments." Again: "The cazique (of the Tutepecs) soon after arrived with a valuable present in gold, which he repeated almost every day, and provided the troops with abundance of provisions. When Alvarado found what a quantity of gold the inhabitants possessed, he ordered liim to make him a pair of stirrups of the finest gold, and gave them a couple of his own for a pattern ; and indeed those they made turned out very good." The same writer, in describing the expedition of Alvarado to tins province in the following year, says : " From this place he marched to the large township of Tecuantepec, which is inhabited by a tribe of the Tzapotecs, where he met with the kindest reception, and was presented with some gold dust." Clavigero, in his history of Mexico, speaking of the abundance of the precious metals in this country, says: "The Mexicans found gold in the countries of the Cohuixcas, the Mixtecas, Zapotecos, and in several others. They gathered this precious metal chiefly in grains amongst the sands of the rivers, and the above- mentioned people paid a certain quantity in tribute to the crown of Spain." The auriferous localities of California are in the alluvial sands and clays, whether they be silicious, aluminous, or basaltic ; in granite and primary quartz, and lastly in talcose slate. Although the Sierras of Mexico are a more easterlv range, vet their o O > geological constitution is similar to that of California ; and it is also on the eastern sides of the range that these metals have been plentifully obtained. The Andes of South America are the great store¬ houses of silver for the world. The richness of the mines is almost inconceivable; but their great eleva¬ tion above the sea makes the climate so cold and the 7 50 labor of mining so great, as not to be a profitable speculation, except in a few cases. In Mexico the ores are equally rich ; but at a com¬ paratively low elevation, so that where the ore is found in quantity, it is always advantageous to work it. The general position of silver ores is in veins which traverse the primary and older of the secondary strat¬ ified rocks ; but especially the former, as well as in the unstratified rocks, the granites and porphyries which accompany the above. In the limestone the silver is generally associated with lead ore, which is then termed argentiferous galena. The same system of rocks which are metalliferous in the other districts of Mexico exist upon the Isthmus ; and the limestone contains galena which is argentiferous. Au explana¬ tion of the metamorphic rocks might lead to the dis¬ covery of valuable veins. That gold exists in the Chivela Pass in consider¬ able quantities, there can be no reasonable doubt. But its discovery is far from being of recent date. It is a well-known fact that the crown on the statue of the Virgin in the church at Chilhuitan is of pure gold, and that it came from the bed of the Bio Verde in the precise locality where the present discoveries have been made. This crown is upwards of fifty years old, and was fabricated at a time when Telmantepec was a bustling town under the old Spanish regime. Some gold has also been found in the Almaloya; but up to this date a severe day's work has not yielded over three dollar's worth of the precious metal. It occurs in the ferruginous sands in the dry valleys and gorges, but the grains are very small, usually flattened scales, showing that in the original rock it is laminated. Some very fair specimens have been found in frag¬ ments of talcose schist, with veins of quartz. This schist is invariably more or less decomposed, and stained with iron rust. The gold thus found in the 51 cellular pockets of the quartoze rock, is associated with copper pyrites, specular iron ore, hematite, &c. Every one who has passed over the road between Almaloya and the Pio Verde, has been struck with the strong resemblance which the country bears to the metalliferous tracts of Mariposa, and this remark wras often made by the California passengers long before any gold was found. The opinion prevails, however, that silver is far more abundant in that locality; and that the rock excavations, which will have to be made through the dividing ridge on the railroad line, will n o o 7 develope veins of incomparable richness. Galena ex¬ ists almost everywhere in the Chivela Pass; and an antimonial sulphuret of silver occurs here and there with native copper. It is impossible to say what results may follow a more systematic inspection of the gold fields of the Isthmus. It is undeniable, however, that the opera¬ tion of mining will be expensive, and it is this fact which has thus far discouraged explorations. The hills of San Martin, on the Gulf towards the west, are of a volcanic character, and contain cinna¬ bar ore in abundance. From this mineral (the sul¬ phuret of mercury) almost all the quicksilver of com¬ merce is made. Its location here is a future source of riches to the Isthmus. Petroleum abounds in this neighborhood on the banks of the Goatzacoalcos in quantities, and conven¬ iently disposed for shipping. With reference to the energy of the present vol¬ canic action in the country, everything on the Isthmus bears the mark of stability, and the absence of any active volcanic force. This is a point of great import¬ ance where the stability and permanence of large buildings are concerned ; and in this respect, this por¬ tion of Mexico is less liable to motions of the ground than Guatimala or Nicaragua; in which latter place several alterations of level have taken place lately. 52 Previous absence of upheaval and eruption through a long period of time is a priori evidence of the non¬ existence of the upheaving cause ; and this is the actual condition of the Isthmus of Telmantepec. VII. TIMBER AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. On all the rivers of the Isthmus are seen huge specimens of the most valuable trees of the equinoctial regions; amongst the many valuable woods, is the En- cina (live oak,) which grows in great profusion. Remote from the river margins, the limit of the periodic overflow is marked by the presence of many varieties of trees of great value, as the mahogany, the cedro, varieties of the oak, the ebony, the iron wood, the lignwn-vitoe, " chico-zapote," " quiebra-hacha," or " break axe," and the " acacia." In a pecuniary point of view the value of these products is immeasurable, especially that which would result from the felling of mahogany and cedar alone. As we ascend the rivers, first appears the oak, then the pines which grow to an enormous size. Indeed, the abundance of these and other building timber of equivalent value, is such that the only limit which can be assigned to the supply they may yield is the demand for centuries to come. Not less important in value, perhaps, is the india- rubber tree, which is found in astonishing numbers throughout the forests that skirt the tributary streams. Its value, however, is so little appreciated there, that the gum is only gathered for foot-balls, or for some medicinal purposes. So far as the necessary purposes of construction are concerned, there will be found no lack of durable timber on the Isthmus. Among these we may enum- Fiom Nature by J. MLMurptiy U S.N AMATE PICADURA N.Y.Litli® Engrf & ILril Co.16 &■ 18 Park Place 53 erate the guapaque. In the Parroqnia, at Tehuante- pec, built by Cocijopi, last cacique of the Zapotecos, in 1530, the staircase is made of guapaque, which to to this time exhibits no evidence of decay. Another instance of the durability of this valuable wood occurs at Boca del Monte, in the uprights of a little chapel, which have been buried in the ground for more than twenty-five years, and are still sound and perfect. In the construction of the Yera Cruz railroad, the cross- ties and sleepers are made of guapaque, and, notwith¬ standing the exposed condition of the superstructure, the wood remains unchanged. Both mahogany and cedar are lasting timbers, as is satisfactorily proved by the age of the canoes, many of which are known to be more than forty years old. Of the value of the pine, oak, and cypress, it is, perhaps, sufficient to say that there are many of these trees (felled by the Spaniards) in a more xDr less perfect state of preservation, still lying in the Bio del Corte, where they serve to recall the faded glory of the naval arsenal at Havana. The eastarica is also a valuable building timber, which possesses the merit of being indestructible by insects; and the macaya seems particularly adapted for the purposes of hydraulic construction. The javicue, or jabi, also merits attention for its exceeding hardness and durability. This wood is incorruptible in water, and is useful for naval construction. Of the maize, frijoles, sugar, cacao, tobacco, cofiee, and cotton raised on the Isthmus, it is difficult to speak in terms which might convey an adequate idea of the adaptation of the soil and climate to their cultivation, or the perfection to which they are susceptible of being brought. This is the native country of maize, and, upon the wet land, milpcis (those subject to periodic overflow,) the yield is two crops annually, each of which aver¬ ages sixty bushels to the acre, and without other labor than the mere planting. Indeed, it is no uncommon sight to see the reaper and the sower in the same field. 54 The fecundity of the Mexican variety of maize is astonishing. Fertile lands usually afford a return of three or four hundred fold. The general estimate for the Ishmus may be considered as one hundred and fifty fold. The sugar-cane, though cultivated to a limited ex¬ tent, except on one or two plantations, is, nevertheless, of astonishing magnitude and richness; the stalks not unfrequently exhibiting twenty-eight joints, with a diameter ranging from two to three inches. It is even o O found growing wild in the valleys and jpotreros, and of a quality and luxuriance (according to Tadeo Ortiz) superior to that of the Antilles. In the hands of an efficient planter, and with other care than the mere bounty of nature, it is not difficult to conceive the perfection and value to which the sugar-cane of the Isthmus might be brought, especially when we consider the adaptation of the soil and cli¬ mate to its cultivation, the facilities of transporting it across the plains to the ports of the Pacific, and the close proximity of the markets of California. The-pita or ixtle grows everywhere on the Atlantic Plains of the Isthmus. This plant, which is a species of hemp, produces a textile thread far superior in strength, length, and fineness of fibre to the best vege¬ table productions of China ; but, owing to the absence of machinery, this prolific plant is indifferently and imperfectly manufactured, or prepared as a raw mater¬ ial. The small quantity produced by hand labor, is sent into the interior of Mexico and there woven with other materials into cloth, which is extensively used in clothing. The fibre of this plant often measures two feet in length. For cordage and small ropes it is superior to the hemp of Sisal, and for the manufacture of paper it has no superior. It requires no labor for its cultivation, and is as easily gathered and baled as hay. It grows over so vast an extent of country, that in view of the extensive demand for paper stock, it could be made the source of immense revenue. 55 Of the cacao, the growth of which is spontaneous, one variety called " petaste " has a delightful aromatic flavor, and is greatly esteemed. The quality is said to be superior to that of Guayaquil or Maracaibo, and the prolific return which characterizes its cultivation is sure evidence of its importance and value. The lands east of the Goatzacoalcos seem particularly adapted to its growth. The plantations of tobacco are both numerous and considerable, especially in the northern and central divisions of the Isthmus. That raised in the Chirna- lapas and on the uplands generally, is known by the name of " tabaco del monte." This variety is power¬ fully narcotic, coarse, and grows to a large size, the leaves averaging thirty-three inches in length, and fif¬ teen in breadth. Another kind, cultivated on the plains, and called "corral," is smaller, and of a flavor and quality which is said to be superior to the best vuelta de abajo of Cuba. It is only necessary to say that the soil is admirably adapted to it, and it can be grown equally well in all parts. The land east of the Goatzacoalcos, and that which skirts the Mexican Gulf, is characterized by the abund¬ ance of allspice (myrtus jpimentci) disseminated over its surface. Near Ventosa, on the Pacific plains, the cassia-tree is plentiful, but the only use made of it is for occasional purposes of construction. The banks of the Goatzacoalcos exhibit, in a wild state, the greatest abundance of coffee, and, with few exceptions, no pains are taken to cultivate it, although the quality is admitted to be very superior. This neg¬ lect may be readily accounted for in the universal pre¬ ference which exists anions; the natives for chocolate. The amount of rice cultivated on the Isthmus, compared with the quantity the land is susceptible of yielding, is exceedingly insignificant; but in the potre- ros, between the Goatzacoalcos and Tonala rivers, the plantations are of considerable value. That which 50 most particularly characterizes this rogion, is the sin¬ gular fact, that one single sowing of rice will yield successively two large crops without the slightest ad¬ ditional labor. The cotton plantations of the Isthmus are so trifl¬ ing as scarcely to deserve the name, but the fitness of the soil and climate to produce it are beyond question. There are two varieties, one of which, raised in the neighborhood of Minatitlan, is not inferior in texture, whiteness, or length of staple, to the finest uplands of the Southern United States. With the single excep¬ tion of Acayucan, there are no gins in the country, and as the seed is, therefore, separated by hand, (a work which is tedious and protracted,) the cultivation of cotton in other parts is necessarily small. What would seem to favor the cultivation of cotton, is the sheltered condition of the table lands and savannas, and the entire absence of the army worm, which so seriously damages the cotton crops of the Southern States! It is entirely unknown to the natives. The enumeration of all the vegetable dyes found on the Isthmus, with all that might be said of the numerous varieties, would constitute matter for a well filled volume on botany, rather than the general details of a statistical report. The indigo plant grows spon¬ taneously in the wildest profusion, and is gathered in the rude method of the natives for their own use, and, when it is recollected that the European consumption of this dye amounts to some 28.000.000 lbs. yearly, the value of this product alone may be realized. The growth of Brazil wood and logwood is so great o o o in every part of the Isthmus, that they call for special notice of the fact. In a commercial point of view, the vegetable gums and balsams are items of important consideration. In the central and southern districts, the abundance of the balsam of Peru, and a bark which serves in treat¬ ment as a substitute for quinine, is astonishing. Hot 57 less ■worthy of note is the styrax officinale of Linnaeus, the product of which is known as the liquid amber gum ; and the numerous varieties of acacia furnish gum arabic in the greatest profusion. The medicinal plants of the Isthmus present an innumerable variety, as the liquorice root, the sarsapa- rilla, and vanilla; the lanrus-sassafras, the cubeba canina, and many others. The superior quality of the vanilla and sarsaparilla, found in almost every point of the Isthmus, and their incredible profusion of growth, cannot fail to prove a source of the most lucrative trade. Already the inhabitants cultivate them to some extent; but the amount under culture bears no comparison to that which grows wild in the dense forests. In the production of fruits and leguminous plants, the Isthmus, perhaps, stands unrivaled. Many of them claim particular notice, either for their delicious flavor, abundant growth, or the nutritive qualities for which they are distinguished: among these we find the chico- zapote, limoncillo, orange, ehayote, cocoanut, lemon, pineapple (sometimes reaching the enormous weight of fifteen pounds), melon, mamey, chiraymoya, citron, mango, banana, plantain, guava, and pomegranate. When we reflect upon the productiveness of the soil, the salubrity of the climate, and the boundless character of the vegetation of the Isthmus, it is not difficult to see how great must be the reward which would crown the efforts of an industrious planter. VIII. ANIMALS. The fauna of the Isthmus presents a rich and bound¬ less field both for the realization of pecuniary results, and for scientific investigation; but it is a subject 8 58 which commands but little attention beyond the point at which it interests by ministering to the daily wants of the travel or or the operative, and therefore we shall confine ourselves to a bare recital of the more useful animals. The domestic animals at present found 011 the Isth¬ mus arc, with rare exceptions, not indigenous, but were introduced from Europe in the sixteenth cen¬ tury, or at periods subsequent to the conquest of the country by the Spaniards. Some of these have since multiplied to a surprising extent, particularly horses, mules, and cattle, which are found in the greatest numbers throughout the inhabited parts. The immense potreros, which border all the prin¬ cipal streams on the northern division, furnish rich pastures of never-failing verdure for numerous herds. During the short season that these potreros are inun¬ dated, the cattle are driven to the more elevated sav¬ annas, remote from the river margins. The extensive ' CD table lands in the central portions of the Isthmus, as well as the plains bordering the Pacific, also furnish abundance of excellent pasturage. Indeed, the whole country seems peculiarly well adapted to the raising of horned cattle. With little care on the part of their owners, they increase rapidly, grow to a large size, and have a remarkably sleek and well-favored appear¬ ance. Enjoying a range of the finest pastures in the world, they are usually in good condition, and make fair beef. The inhabitants make very little use either of the flesh or the hides of their cattle; and milk is a luxury seldom enjoyed. This is a trait of the Indian character, to have forgotten, if it had ever known, the use of milk. On some of the estates it is not uncommon to find five, ten, or even twenty thousand head of cattle, many of which roam over the prairies in a wild state, and when required for beef, 01* any other purpose, are se¬ cured by means of the lasso. 59 No attention is paid to the breeding of cattle, as little value is set upon them; .and the proprietor of the hacienda is often as poor amid his herds, as the peon whose life is spent in their care. But, when the resources of the Isthmus shall have been developed by the establishment of proper roads, markets, and means of transport and communication, the immense droves which now roam wild in various localities will be found to constitute an important element of wealth. The horses found in this portion of Mexico are of small size, and almost uniformly poor in flesh. They are, however, of great endurance, and possess much more spirit than is indicated in their looks. Compara-. tively, they are very intelligent, and under the guid¬ ance of the powerful Mexican bit are easily managed. The inhabitants employ them principally as saddle- beasts, though sometimes for draught, in which case the load is invariably attached to the animal's tail. As ridiculous and barbarous as this custom may ap¬ pear, it is said to cause the horse no pain ; and if one may judge by the weight of the load, and the quiet manner in which the animal submits to the practice, this would seem to be the case. At all events, this primitive application of power is worth an engineer's remembrance, and may serve a useful purpose in some necessary contingency. But a small portion of the horses are broke to use, the greater number being allowed to run untrained on the prairies. Nearly the entire transportation of the country is carried on by means of mules, which are small but very hardy, and peculiarly well adapted to the rough roads found in the more elevated sections. Their usual load is 225 lbs., but on the plains they often carry from 400 to 500. In the prosecution of such works as may be re¬ quired for the opening of a line of communication across the Isthmus, the advantages accruing from the great number of horses, mules and cattle can hardly CO bo overrated, (rood beeves may be had at prices ranging from four to six dollars per head; and for purposes of draught there is no lack of oxen. On the Pacific plains, where the surface of the country is suffi¬ ciently level to admit of wheeled vehicles, they are extensively employed—the yoke being secured by hide thongs to the horns. Deer are found in great multitudes in all sections, and serve as an abundant source of prey for the nu¬ merous voracious animals which infest the country. The inhabitants make but little use either of the skins or furs of the wild animals found here, though many of them are of considerable value. It has been truly observed, that as Africa is the country of beasts, so Mexico is the country of birds. This is especially true of the southern provinces; and among the almost endless varieties peculiar to the Isthmus, a large proportion of them are valuable either for the food they furnish, the beautiful plumage in which they are decked, or the sweet songs they pour forth. An important class of birds in the Isthmus, such as the Wild Turkey, Crested Curassow, Partridge, Char chalaca, Tinamou, Quail, Pigeon,- and Dove, are found in great abundance through all parts of the country. The Crested Curassow is a magnificent game-bird: it approaches the-Turkey in size, and is easily domesticated, when it becomes very tame. In the dense forests which skirt the Jaltepec River on the south, both the Wild Turkey and Curassow arc surprisingly numerous, and have so little fear of man that the Indians frequently kill them by means of stones or other missiles. The Chachalaca is about the size of a common fowl, and its flesh is even more delicate and nutritious. It will be seen from this hasty glance at the birds of the Isthmus, that this country presents a rich field for the investigations of the ornithologist ; and it is to 61 those professionally skilled in this branch of zoology that we must leave the enumeration and detailed de¬ scription of the immense variety of birds inhabiting it. Excellent fish are found in great profusion in all the rivers and arroyos that drain the slopes of the Cor¬ dillera, particularly in the smaller streams. In most of the larger ones there are many varieties of good size and fine quality ; indeed, fish constitutes an im¬ portant item of food fur the inhabitants. Those living at Santa Maria Chinialapa, having but few domestic animals and no means of killing game, subsist almost entirely upon the fish obtained from the Rio del Corte. These are taken in such numbers that they are salted and transported to supply the towns of the central division. Indeed there is, perhaps, no country in the world, situate within the same parallels of latitude, that produces an equivalent quantity and variety of fish and wild game as the Isthmus. IX. TOWNS, PRODUCTIVE INDUSTRY, ETC. Tiie towns which are scattered over the Isthmus present so many interesting features, and are so inti¬ mately connected with the establishment of a great commercial route, that they deserve a passing notice. Their situation, the character of their inhabitants, the nature of the lands within their jurisdiction, and the productive industry of various localities, are all matters of importance to the construction of a railroad, and to the future colonization and destinies of the Isth¬ mus. We can notice but a few of the most important on the line of the proposed road, and these but briefly. Minatitlan claims attention, not only from its being the present head of ship navigation on the Goat- zacoalcos, but also as the only existing outlet on the north for the surplus productions of the Isthmus. The G2 village is located 011 the western "bank of the river, twenty miles from its mouth, with a mixed population who are variously occupied as boatmen, agriculturists, and carpenters. Back of the village, the land con¬ tinues moderately high and undulating for some dis¬ tance, but the river margins in the immediate proxim¬ ity are low and subject to periodic inundation. Tim¬ ber of ali kinds grows in great abundance, and the profusion of fruit, as guavas, oranges, mangoes, mel¬ ons, lemons, &c., is not the least interesting feature of the place. The people generally are more intelligent than in other towns of the Isthmus, a fact which is doubtless due to their intercourse with foreigners. The climate is generally salubrious and health}7; and the advantageous position of the village, its limited distance from the sea, and the capacity of the river at that point for ship navigation, cannot fail, under any circumstances, to make it hereafter a place of consid¬ erable importance. Eight miles westerly from Minatitlan is the vil¬ lage of San Juan Ciiinamkca, beautifully located on an abrupt alluvial spur, the sides of which slope to the north, east, and south. It contains well-con¬ structed houses, with balconies supported by arches of stone. The principal object of interest in the vil¬ lage is the church, built in the centre of a beautiful common, surrounded by lofty cocoanut-trees running parallel to the sides of the building, which is an ob¬ long stone structure with arched doorways and tiled roof. The interior decorations, though rudely made, arc nevertheless valuable, especially the candlesticks and altar service, which are formed of silver said to have been brought from the head-waters of the Uspa- napa. Chinameca contains about 1,400 inhabitants, who are characterized by industrious habits and hospi¬ tality. The houses, which are chiefly adobe, are ranged to face the sides of a long, winding street, forming quite a contrast with the mud ranchos of neighboring vil- l-'rom Nature by J.Miiller. MI NATULAN .\ V.Li ill- Liw'r? & lJrt- Co. 16 &■ IS Park Claoi 63 lages. In the vicinity are several fine estates, contain¬ ing in the aggregate some 5,000 head of horned cattle, and upwards of 1,200 horses and mules. At a dis¬ tance of two leagues from Chinameca is a coffee plan¬ tation, growing 7,000 trees, and within six miles of the village, in the direction of San Martin, is a spring of thermal water. Jaltipan, reached by an excellent mule-road five miles southwesterly from the last mentioned villagers somewhat celebrated as being the birth-place of the romantic and seductive Malinche, or Dona Marina, the favored mistress of Hern an Cortes. The town, which has a population of 2,300, and some 400 houses huddled together without reference to order or regu¬ larity, with the exception of one or two principal streets, is laid on a slightly elevated plain, "which over¬ looks the contiguous country. At the southern end of the town is an extensive artificial mound, about 40 feet in height by 100 in diameter at the base, known as the "Hill of Malinche." The inhabitants raise con¬ siderable indian-corn, sugar-cane, tobacco, and ixtle. The island of Tacamichapa is reputed to belong to the town, and is claimed on the ground that it was con¬ ceded to Malinche by the crown of Spain, in consid¬ eration of the invaluable services rendered by her to the great conqueror. The women of this place are not undeservedly famed as the fairest and most beau¬ tiful throughout the district; and in times past are said to have carried their ideas of hospitality and en¬ tertainment to a very singular degree. Mr. Moro says : " A singular circumstance, deserv¬ ing the attention of the ethnologist, is the existence of a race of dumb people, of which there are numerous families in Jaltipan. However strange this may ap¬ pear, it is nevertheless certain, and the Dancho de los Mudos, established a few years since, near the lower part of the island of Tacamichapa, owes its designa¬ tion to the fact that the individuals are all dumb who inhabit the settlement." G4 Jaltipan enjoys a great salubrity; fevers are sel¬ dom known to occur, and the musquitocs and other annoying insects are exceedingly few. Nine miles southwest from Jaltipan is Tesistkpec, built on the summit of a broken sandstone ridge, and contains a population of 2,200, who are almost entirely Indians. The town is supplied with water from wells, sunk in the rock to depths varying from 20 to 40 feet. The soil in this vicinity is remarkably fertile, and to¬ bacco, rice, maize, sugar-cane and ixtle are produced in large quantities. The principal manufactures of Tesistepec are shoes and cigars. The neighborhood abounds with excellent cattle. The numerous metal¬ lic indications of this locality invest it with peculiar interest. Sax Maiitix Acayucan is the most important town in the northern division of the Isthmus, and the capital of the district of the same name. Located on a ridge which extends from the mountains of Tuxtla, its climate is cool, salubrious, and healthy. It is the residence of the gefe politico, and a place of considera¬ ble trade, containing some 5,200 inhabitants, a parro- quia, two or three primary schools, several stores, a cotton-gin, and one or two sugar-presses. Latterly, however, Acayucan has greatly diminished in wealth and importance. At the period of the Conquest it was the court and residence of one of the most power¬ ful caciques of the great empire of the Aztecs; but, unfortunately, the old archives have perished with its greatness, and a few incomplete documents recording the events of the years 1G00 and 1G5S are all that now remain. In the vicinity the soil is remarkably fertile, producing maize, sugar-cane, coffee, cacao, ixtle, and a great variety of esculents. The surrounding forests also abound with valuable trees. Most of the trade of Acayucan is carried on through the Paso San Juan, on the river of that name, which serves as an outlet for the productions of all the northern division, except 05 such as find a market by sea from Minatitlan. In times of prosperity the annual exports of cotton and ixtle alone, through the Paso, to Vera Cruz are said to have reached beyond $1,250,000. Within the jurisdiction of the town are numerous haciendas and settlements, abounding in cattle, horses, and mules, and presenting many features of interest to the agriculturist by the fecundity of the soil; to the machinist, by the abundant sources of water-power; to the sportsman, by the myriads of game; to the ge¬ ologist, by the nature and variety of the formations ; to the botanist, by the rich and varied character of the vegetation ; to the antiquarian, by the number of an¬ cient idols and relics; and to the ethnologist, by the heterogeneous condition of the people. Afier leaving Acayucan, there are not any settle¬ ments met with throughout all the broad belt of coun- try lying contiguous to the Goatzacoalcos, until reach¬ ing Mal Paso, otherwise called the Paso del Sarabia, situated at the forks of the Goatzacoalcos and Sarabia rivers, and the present general head of canoe naviga¬ tion for all travel to and from the northern and south¬ ern division of the Isthmus. The products of the Pa¬ cific side, destined for the Gulf coast, are first brought down to this place for embarkation; and occasional cargoes of goods from Yera Cruz ascend the river to O O this point, from whence they are carried to the Pacific plains on mules. Beyond Mal Paso is San Gabriel Boca del Monte (entrance to the forest). This is an extensive hacienda, between the Sarabia and Malatengo rivers, and is trav¬ ersed by the road which connects the more interior towns with Mal Paso and the Goatzacoalcos. The road for the whole distance (to within a mile of the hacienda) lies through a dense forest, that scarcely per¬ mits the rays of the sun to penetrate. On emerging from the forest, the view of the surrounding country is extremely beautiful; and by ascending a small emi- 9 GG ncnce, immense prairies, clotlied with luxuriant grass, arc seen stretching to the hases of the distant moun¬ tains. Looking south, one sees the low depression formed by the passes through the dividing ridge which separates the waters of the two oceans; and to the right and left the main chain of the great Cordillera, rising in sublime grandeur. The soil, with the excep¬ tion of that in the valley, and on the margins of the streams, is coarse, gravelly, and unproductive: this refers especially to the country south and west of the Ilacienda. To the north the vegetation is more rank, and the character of the land superior. The number of cattle about Boca del Monte is limited to less than 3,000, but they are remarkably well-conditioned, and generally a larger breed than are found 011 the Atlan¬ tic plains. Southwesterly, nine miles from this ITacienda, is the extensive Indian pueblo of San Juan Guiciiicovi, accessible by a narrow mule-road, which crosses the Mogafie (one of the tributaries of the Malatengo) five miles from Boca del Monte. The inhabitants, who constitute the remnant of the old Mijo tribe, are gen¬ erally an idle, worthless set, half civilized, and poor amid abundant sources of wealth. Their number is about 5,200, who cultivate the rich valley and bottom lands to some extent, raising maize, sugar-cane, ixtle, rice, frijoles, and plantains. The number of cattle is comparatively small, but the inhabitants pride them¬ selves on the possession of their mules, which arc said to amount to several thousand. The chief object of interest at San Juan Guiciiicovi is its venerable church, which is an unfinished stone structure, oblong, with broken arches, roofless, and in ruins. Of the date of its foundation nothing is now known. With the exception of Espiritu Santo, Santa Maria Betapa, about ten miles south of this is the oldest Spanish settlement on the Isthmus, and is prettily located on a plain, bounded on the north and west by From Nature by J. Miiller. JCY.Lithl Engrf &• Prtf Co. 16 ft 18 Park Place. TABLE LANDS NEAR EL BARRIO. CHURCH AT EL BARRIO 67 an amphitheatre of lofty mountains. This town, which once contained a population of 5,000, is now reduced to a little more than 1,300, who raise maize, frijoles, indigo, calabashes, limes, &c. The church, still in a very perfect state, is said to be upwards of 300 years old. This is a rectangular building, about 200 feet by 50, with a low dome, and constructed after the style of the sixteenth century. It contains a tolerable organ and some very good paintings, among which that of the " Annunciation" and the "Prayer in the Garden" are best. , The walls are indifferently painted in stucco? and the images present some rude specimens of carv¬ ing. Within the last half century, Petapa has dwin¬ dled to ali insignificant village ; and a few agricultural o o / © products, and some manufactured articles, as shoes and buckskins, constitute the only resources of the people. El Barrio de la Soledad on the road to Tehuan- tepec within two miles of Petapa, contains a mixed population composed of Indians and Zambos. The town has a well built church, and in the neighborhood are some fine estates upon which a considerable quan¬ tity of cane is grown. Immediately east and south of El Barrio are a number of small settlements embraced within the limits of the estates of Marquesanas: these include La Chivela, Tar if a, Santiago, and Agua Lhscon dida. The hacienda of La Chivela, situated on the plains, at the entrance of the pass of the same name, 780 feet above the Pacific Ocean, and twelve miles southeast¬ erly from Petapa, is only important as being the resi¬ dence of the chief guarda de ganado of the "Mar¬ quesanas," the property of Don Estcvan Maqueo, and the principal place for the sale of cattle belonging to the estate. Santiago, beautifully located on a level plain, seven miles from La Chivela, and three miles from the Pass, is surrounded by an amphitheatre of hills. Its eleva- 08 tion is 800 feet above the Pacific, and the Winc-pa hn "•rows in great abundance all throughout its vicinity. Tarifa, built on the plains of that name, derives some interest from its being the point selected by Sehor Moro for the western termination of his ship- canal feeder, which was to conduct the waters of the Ohicapa and Ostuta rivers along the southern slope of the Albricia range to the summit level of these plains. It is possible that the waters of the Pio del Corte might be brought to Tarifa on a shorter distance, at a much less cost, and a more abundant supply obtained. But little doubt, however, exists that from either of these sources a sufficiency of water for the summit- level of a ship-canal, with capacity to pass 100 ships per day, might be brought. The item of cost would, therefore, determine the source and the route of the feeder. San Miguel Ciiimalapa is built in the valley of the Chicapa Biver at its confluence with the Monetza. This town, which is inhabited exclusively by Indians of the Zoque tribe (of whom only about, three-fourths speak Spanish), has a population of 4G0, who are chiefly occupied in raising ixtle, from the manufactures of which considerable trade is carried on with Juclii- tan and Tehuantepec. Timber of all kinds is particu¬ larly abundant about this vicinity; and there are many valuable sites for mills on the Chicapa. Between San Miguel and Santa Maria Ciiimalapa the road is, perhaps, the most rugged on the Isthmus, and for the greater part of the distance (nine leagues) lies through a dense and almost impenetrable forest, traversed by inumerable small streams, which, during the rainy months, are so swollen as to be impassable. Four leagues beyond this is the beautiful Cerro Jacal de Ocotal, so called from the ocote (or pine) forest which covers its summit. From this point the view of the country is magnificent, and the hues of the «/ o 7 foliage from every conceivable form and variety of From Nature by J.Muller. VIEW IN THE MASAHUA PASS NY!,iU\« Engrf & PrtS Co 16 8: IS Fark Place From Nature Ly J.MLMurptylJSN. PIEDRA LABARTA (RIO DEL CORTE) N.Y.Lith? Engr? & Prtg Co. 16 & 18 Park Place. 69 tree in the valleys "beneath, surpass in richness the most brilliant tints of our northern Indian summer. The town of Santa Maria Ciiimalapa is built with some regularity on an elevated ridge, within a mile of the Rio del Corte, and contains 2 churches, 101 houses, and a population of 680, of whom no more than three- fourths speak Spanish. Distant from the shores of the Pacific, and approachable only by a wretched road, the inhabitants have comparatively little social inter¬ course with other settlements. Their products are nevertheless much more numerous than those of more favored places, and considerable quantities of oranges, maize, tobacco and ixtle are annually transported by means of balsas down the Rio del Corte, for the supply of El Barrio, Petapa, Ac. The river abounds in excel¬ lent fish, and the inhabitants, whose cattle, from the want of grazing lands, are very limited, eat scarcely any other animal food. The scenery on the Rio del Corte is unequaled in beauty, and the abundance of valuable timber, as the pine, live-oak, and cypress, invest this part with peculiar interest, and cannot fail to attract a share of the future timber trade of the Isthmus. Returning again to the central division of the Isth- o o inns, the road from Petapa to Tehuantepec takes a direction nearly south, by the way of the Cerro Guie- vixia, and through the Pass of Guichilona. Rear here is a branch road leading to San Geronimo, a league o y n from the mountain bases, oil the margin of the Rio Juchitan. This town, founded by the Spaniards soon after the Conquest, contains a population of 500 Za- potecos, whose chief occupation is the raising of indigo. With the exception of its admirable situation and healthy climate, the only attraction is the church, built by the Dominican friars in the sixteenth century. This is an oblong edifice, in the Moorish style of architecture, and in very good repair, considering the carelessness of the natives and the long period of years that have intervened since its erection. Above the TO altar there are some tolerable basso relievo carvings of the patron saints of the pueblo—of San Miguel, San Pablo, and San Elias. Altogether, the village is neat and picturesque. The railroad will probably pass through it or in its vicinity. Leading to San Geronimo is a road from Chivela Pass, a portion of which was built by the engineers of Don Jose de Garay. In some places this is quite steep, and presents many difficulties for wheeled vehi¬ cles; but by blasting at one or two points it may be rendered almost immediately serviceable. All along the line through the Pass the scenery is beautifully varied, and within a short distance of the plains are several mineral springs, which with so many attractive features are doubtless destined to become places of frequent resort. Indeed, it is not unlikely that the Springs of Chivela may become, in the course of time, as well known and as fashionably frequented as those of /Saratoga and the White Sulphur. After reaching the base of the mountains in the vicinity of the Pio Verde, the road finally comes on to the plains through the Portillo de la Martar. Two miles northwest from San Geronimo is the neat settlement of Santo Domingo Ciiiiiuitan, through the centre of which courses the clear, silvery stream of Los Perros. Beyond a picturesque location and its beautiful church, Chihuitan is an unimportant place, numbering some 600 inhabitants, who are re¬ markable for their hospitality; it is, however, the chosen resort of thousands who congregate from all portions of the Isthmus to attend a fair annually held there. This generally lasts for a week, during which time the roads in every direction are thronged by the Indians, who hail the occasion to expose for sale, at so grand a market, the trifling results of their industry. Almost directly south from San Geronimo, at a dis¬ tance of five miles, is the town of Itztaltepec, signi¬ fying in the Zapoteco language " the Ilill of Salt." The town contains an industrious and quiet population CERRO G U IE - VIXIA 71 of 1,500 ; and the number of well-built houses, cisterns, indigo-vats, and other stone structures, attest the van¬ ished thrift and prosperity of the place. With the exception of Teliuantepec, JucniTAx, five miles south of the last named village, is the largest town on the southern division of the Isthmus, and contains a population of nearly 0,000, among whom are many Europeans. Of the foundation of this place little or nothing is now known, although tradition im- O ' o putes to it a very great antiquity. Its appearance from the plains on the north is that of a large city, and the contrast between the white of its buildings and the deep brilliant hues of the surrounding foliage is pleas¬ ing to the utmost. Somewhat conspicuous, in the cen¬ tral part of the town, is the Parroquia, built by the Dominican friars in the early part of 1600: this is an antique looking structure with arched roof and mas¬ sive walls, supported at the corners by strong buttres¬ ses, which are surmounted by columned towers and pinnacles. The chancel consists of massive carvings in gilt, and the interior walls are variously painted in stucco. On each side, above the altar table, are very well executed pictures of the apostles Peter and Paul, and in the centre is an excellent painting of San Vi¬ cente, the patron saint of the town. The whole struc¬ ture is inclosed by a brick wall several feet in thick¬ ness, with high arched gateways opening on the south and east. The inhabitants of Juchitan are characterized by habits of industry, and their numerous manufactures of hats, shoes, cotton cloth, hides, buckskins, mats, hammocks, &c., bear ample testimony to their mental superiority over the other settlements of the Isthmus. Among the articles raised are maize, indigo, and fruits. In addition, considerable valuable wood is annually gathered, and the inhabitants export large quantities of tallow and gum arabic. Altogether, and in spite of many severe obstacles imposed by the government, Juchitan is the most industrious and thrifty town on the Pacific plains. Its appearace is enlivened "by bust¬ ling shops, and the streets are more or less filled with ponderous carts drawn by oxen, and laden either with salt from the lagoons, or goods brought from Guati- n ; o o mala. Teiiuantkpkc is the second town in the State of Oaxaca in point of numbers, manufacturing and com¬ mercial importance. It is situated eleven miles from the Bay of Ventosa, and about the same distance from Salina Cruz. It contains a population of about 13,000 inhabitants, mostly Indians, some half breeds, and a few Castilians. The better class arc very aristo¬ cratic, the half breeds civil and polite, the poor Indians humble and thankful for the smallest favor. Tehuan- tepec boasts of sixteen churches, among which is the venerable Parroquia built by Cocijopi, last cacique of the Zapotecos, in the year 1530, when it was dedicated to the purposes of Christian worship by the Domini¬ can friars, to whom it was left as a legacy by the ill- used and dying cacique. Its massive walls, arched gateways, and ruined dome, though fast crumbling to decay, speak in voiceless eloquence of the greatness of a people whose dust is mingled with its own. The manufactured articles of Tehuantepee are leather, cotton cloth, silken sashes, shoes, hats, mats, silver-ware, saddles, horse appointments, and pottery, besides a considerable quantity of buckskins and soap. The department of Tehuantepec is controlled by a governor, who exercises jurisdiction over all the alcal¬ des of all the towns and barrios, and who is directly responsible to the State government at Oaxaca. Police duty is performed by the soldiers of the National Guard, whose quarters command the entrance to the plaza. The trade with Oaxaca consists of cochineal, cacao, fish, camarones, saddles, shoes, and leather; with Guatimala (which is contraband) it is mostly manufactured English and French goods, as calicoes, linen, muslin, silk and cotton handkerchiefs. * The coup d'ocil from the summit of the Cerro del From Nature by J.Miiller. N.Y.LUh® Enyrf & frtf Co. 1(5 &"lR Park riaoe. TEHUANTEPEC FROM CERRO DEL TICRE 73 Tigre is pleasing and picturesque in the greatest de¬ gree. But age, decay, war, and a hundred untold calamities have swept away the city's greatness, and everything now wears the gray and grief-worn aspect of olden days. The houses are of massive structure, like antique fortresses, and of a style that might have rivaled those of more classic lands. But where once was wealth, and hope, and comfort, the spider now weaves his web. Westward the Tehuantepec .River is visible, clear, and winding through many a league, its banks margined with fields of grain and the houses of old aristocratic landholders. Westward, further still, is the mountain of Guiengola, with its ruined city, its broken arches and crumbling columns. Looking south, lies Yentosa and the granite hills of the Morro dividing it from Salina Cruz. There are plains here, there, and everywhere, watered by many a stream, clothed with luxuriant woods, decked with fields, ripe and in blossom, and smiling with an eternal spring-like beauty. On the opposite shore is San Sebastian and San Bias, the pictures of quietude, ruin, and decay; and beneath, noisy men, marching soldiers, beseeching beggars, laden mules, braying asses, and dark, vol¬ uptuous women. But, besides all these, Tehuantepec has her public schools, play-grounds, flower-gardens, and places of amusement, stores, cabinet shops, shoe¬ makers' shops, and workers in silver, brass, iron, and other metals. There are also several hotels and jposa- das for the accommodation of travelers. Immediately south and in close proximity to Yen¬ tosa is a broad rich plain, which offers incomparable advantages for the location of a city. Free from over¬ flow, or the presence of miasmatic marshes, and with abundant sources of delightful water on either side, it is but reasonable to conclude that before many years the dense forest which now studs the plain will give place to cheerful habitations, and that where now only is the abode of the bird and the insect will be heard the hum and the bustle of life's business. 71 X. SOUPCES OF EE VENUE. If we look at the map of the American Continent, it will he seen that the Isthmus of Tehuantepec is the most favorable point at which an inter-oceanic com¬ munication can be established, whether we consider it in reference to the United States alone, or to the American, European, and Asiatic countries. From Europe or the United States to the Pacific it is the shortest route of any, either now in operation, or that is at present contemplated, with the exception of the Union Pacific P. P. now just completed. This is clearly exhibited by the following table, showing the respective distances from England, New York and New Orleans, to the port of San Francisco, in California, by the routes of Panama, and Tehuantepec, compared with the voyages from the same places round Cape Horn, and showing the distances each would respectively save by traversing the American Isthmus. The various Isthmian transits intermediate between Panama and Tehuantepec are of no interest in this connection. Voyage to San Francisco, in California. Round Cape Horn. 17 a Fanama. 1 ia Tehuantepec Difference in favor of Tehuantepec, From England (Liverpool) From New York From New Orleans Miles. 15,710 10,300 10,500 » ^3232 £ 5 -MJ - cc o Miles. 7,470 4,741 3,35.4 Miles. 1,131 1,477 2,334 1,131 1,477 2,334 Distance saved cia Panama. Distance saved via Tehuantepec Saved by England " by New York " by New Orleans 7,103 10,142 10,782 8,234 11,019 13,110 75 The shortest line between England and Sidney, in Australia, lies through, the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. The Tehuantepec route is, of all the routes pro¬ posed from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, the true American route. It is the route which is entirely commanded by our possessions on the Gulf of Mexico, and not domineered over by any British possession whatever. In case of a war with Great Britain, our % 7 vessels bound to Chagres, would be obliged to sail almost within gunshot of the British forts at Jamaica. The Mississippi River being the great artery of the West, and the Mississippi Valley destined to be the great reservoir of the population, enterprise, and nationality of the United States, we are at all times better prepared to defend, the Isthmus of Tehuan¬ tepec than any other position on this side of our continent south of New Orleans. In a late speech in Congress, advocating the bTorth Pacific R. R., and taking the ground that the Union Pacific It. R. will be entirely inadequate to meet the demand of trade, and that in less than ten years, three distinct roads will be required, stretching en¬ tirely across the continent, of an aggregate length of over 9,000 miles, it is stated as a modern discovery, or, at all events, quoted as the opinions of the most in¬ telligent living statesmen of Europe, " that the day is not far distant when the trade between the continent of Europe and Asia will be carried across this country." This is, as we have seen, precisely the view enter¬ tained by Columbus himself, and all the marvelous developments in mechanical science during the last 400 years, tending to improvement in the art of navi¬ gation, have served but to confirm the accuracy of his judgment; and, it is not presumptuous in us to main¬ tain, even in this day of great discovery, that what¬ ever improvement may take place in the art of mov¬ ing heavy burdens on land, the transport by water 7e will always maintain its present advantage of superior economy ; and were there a strait through the Isthmus free to navigation, without delay or hindrance of any kind, who would say that the commerce of the world would seek a land carriage of over 3,000 miles, rather than an increase of ocean navigation of a few hun¬ dreds? Every argument then in favor of the con¬ struction of the Pacific P. Ik, based on the benefits thereby to be conferred on the commerce between Europe and Asia, has additional weight when urged in favor of the shorter land route over the Isthmus, and we propose so to make use of them. It is true that no such passage exists, connecting the two oceans, nor can the art of man devise one. The very best that can be effected will be a ship canal with locks. If a passage shall be discovered which did not require a summit to be overcome by lockage (and which has repeatedly been claimed to have been discovered, and in consequence has given rise to great expectations), still the difference in level between the tides of the two oceans of some twenty- one feet, would render locks necessary ; but the pas¬ sage said to have been recently explored by De Lach- arme, with a summit of but 178 feet above tide, de¬ bouches into San Miguel Bay on the Pacific, and be¬ yond the line within which the State of Granada have by the terms of their grant to the Panama P. P. Co. restricted themselves in the event of any future grant for the construction of a canal between the oceans. Hence the Gushing grant, so called, cannot avail of this wonderful discovery, or if so, it would appear to be in conflict with the grant to the Panama P. P.; but all collateral evidence disproves the existence of any such pass.* An American engineer of great experience who had resided in that country for many years, selected and surveyed what he reports as the most feasible line between the two oceans for a ship * Since writing the above, we see that the N. Granada government have thus far failed to ratify the Cushing grant. 77 canal, and reports the expense as $325,000,000. (See report to Congress of Admiral Davis on Inter-oceanic Canals and Railroads in 18GT.) In other words, if practicable, it will be at sncli an expenditure of time and money, that the present generation cannot hope to see the project realized. For all commercial pur¬ poses of the present we must then look to railroads across the Isthmus, rather than canals ; and in confir¬ mation of this, in the speech above referred to, a quo¬ tation is made from Lord Bury, as follows: "Our trade (English) on the Pacific Ocean with China and with India must ultimately be carried on through our ]STorth American possessions. At any rate our political and commercial supremacy will have utterly departed from us if we neglect that just and important consider¬ ation, and if we fail to carry out to its fullest extent the physical advantages which our country offers to us, and which we have only to stretch out our hand to take advantage of" And that this continent is not considered as a bar¬ rier to a close connection between the East and West, the following paper read before the British North American Association, by Col Synge of the Royal Engineers, is also quoted. " America is geographi¬ cally a connecting link between the continents of Europe and Asia, and not a monstrous barrier between them. It lays in the track of the nearest and best con¬ nection, and this fact needs only to be fully recog¬ nized to render it in practice what it unquestionably is in the essential points of distance and direction." A great body of statistics is also quoted in this speech, showing the enormous increase of trade in later years, and finding a close relation between this increase and the development of the railroad system in these various countries, and claiming for the Pacific R. R., the great bulk of this increase in the carrying trade between Europe and Asia. It is true that the above roads will accommodate and will create a large amount of travel and trade, 78 "but tliis will be owing in a great measure to the local traflic due to the great increase of population following the development of the vast mineral wealth of our growing territories and Western states, which no other line of transit across the country could supply; but to suppose that the heavy traffic between Europe and Asia, or even between our own Atlantic seaboard and Asia, will follow tlic land route rather than the ocean, is simply in opposition to well established principles of trade, notwithstanding the fact is admit¬ ted that time is a far more important element in com¬ mercial transactions than formerly; but we must bear in mind the axiom, " that commerce seeks the cheapest and shortest transit," and the nations that can supply tli ese will control it. The estimate of business for the Pacific Poads includes, as an important item, teas from China,* not one pound of which will overtake the Pacific Pail- road on its way to Europe. Even supposing that the loss and damage occasioned by over 3,000 miles of incessant "pounding and shaking up" was not in itself a sufficient objection, which we are assured by experienced merchants is in fact the case. The Pacific Pailroad Company's Pcport of lSOS, in estimating the income of that road, make two capital mistakes. In the first place, tliey estimate all the trade and travel now taken by sea steamers and sailing vessels around the Cape, as taken on their road ; and, in the second place, they estimate the receipts for transport¬ ing this freight at 1TVV cents per ton per mile. With reference to the first, we would observe, that supplies from the east to the mining regions of the west, or emigration to these regions, will of necessity take their road ; business relations between the extremes of * It is likewise shown (Parliarn. papers, 1866, vol. 26) that the amount of teas imported into Great Britain alone in the three years of 1863, '64, and '65, was 382,319,173 lbs., or 191,159 tons. 79 the same country will avail of the saving of time effected by this road ; but the emigration and the traf¬ fic growing out of it, for the whole western coast of America, north and south, the products of the in¬ dustry and development of that region, the trade and commerce of Australia, Sandwich Islands, Japan, China, and the East Indies, will take the route by the Isthmus, as far cheaper, and better suited to the wants of that trade, as we propose to show. In the second place, with reference to the charge for freight on the railroad, as will appear elsewhere, the estimate of I-jW cents per ton per mile is but one-half of the charge for freight in the Eastern States, and, of course, wholly inadequate to the wants of the Pacific Railroad, which will be a road uncommonly expensive to operate and keep in repair; and it ap¬ pears from the statement of General Meigs, appended to the same report, p. 32, that, in truth, the charge for freight is $190 instead of $31, or 10J cents per ton per mile, which is confirmed by the statement in the body of the report, "that the present rates are four times the tariff of Eastern roads." AVe quote pp. 29 and 30 of U. P. R. R. Report of 1868, and also from p. 19 of the Report of 1867. AVe must be understood, however, as by no means aiming to detract anything from the merits of this road as a public benefit of the highest order, but if we appro¬ priate a peal or two of its thunder, it will scarcely be missed, and is more applicable to our case than to theirs. From Report of IS68. " We have some authentic facts on which to base a fair estimate of the business of the Pacific Railroad, when it is completed, derived from Shipping Lists, Insurance Companies, Railroads, and general infor¬ mation : Ships going from the Atlantic round Cape Horn—100. 80,000 Tons. Steamships connecting at Panama with California and China—55 120,000 " Overland Trains, Stages, Horses, Ac 30,000 " i 80 "Thus we have two hundred and thirty thousand tons carried westward; and experience has shown, that in the last few years, the returned passengers from. California have heen nearly as numerous as those going. So also the great mass of gold and silver flows eastward ; latterly there is an importation of wheat from California and goods from China hy the Pacific route. We may fairly assume, therefore, that the trade each way will he ahout equal; we have then 400,000 tons as the actual freight across the continents "How many passengers have we? We make the following estimate from the average of people: 110 (both ways) steamships 50,000 200 " " vessels 4,000 Overland (both ways) 100,000 Number per annum 154,000 "At present prices (averaging half the cost of the steamships), for both passengers and tonnage, we have this result: 154,000 passengers at $100 $15,400,000 400,000 tons rated at $1 per cubic foot.... 15,640,000 Present Cost of Transportation $31,040,000 "There can he no doubt that the number of pas¬ sengers will be more than doubled by the completion of the road; so also, the road would take all the very light and valuable goods, which would be greatly in¬ creased try the China trade. Taking these things into view—estimating passengers at cents per mile, and goods at $1 per cubic foot—we have 300,000 passengers at $150 each $45,000,000 300,000 tons at $34 (per cubic foot) 10,200,000 Gross receipts $55,200,000 " Suppose that the portion accruing to the IJnion Pacific is $30,000,000, estimate the running expenses at one-half, and this would leave a net profit of $15,000,000. 81 " This may seem very large to those who have not examined the subject, but it must be remembered— 1st, that the longest lines of road are the most profit¬ able ; 2d, that this road connects two oceans, and the vast populations of Western Europe and Eastern Asia; 3d, that the immense mining regions of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, California, just developing, will produce a transit of persons and freight at present beyond belief. We leave this estimate 011 record as a moderate (not an exaggerated) view of the business and profits which may be fairly expected from the Grand Pacific Railroad." u Estimates offuture business are doubtless valuable and important, and it does not follow that they are always too large. When the New York & Erie Rail¬ road was first projected, its future business was esti¬ mated by its friends at three millions per annum, while it is now over fifteen millions, and will steadily in¬ crease. It must be remembered that for many years to come this Union Pacific and its western connections will be the only Pacific Railroad, and, as it will be without competition, it can always charcje remunera¬ tive prices. While the present rates are four times the tariff of eastern roads, they are not one-fourth of of the former cost by teams, of which twenty-seven thousand left two points on the Missouri River on their westward journey, within a single year." " The anticipation of the early completion of the Pacific Railroad has recently stimulated all kinds of productive industry in California to prepare for that means of rapid communication which is so soon to multiply her numbers and wealth in a greater ratio than ever. Factories are being erected, large flouring mills established, vineyards planted, and farms ex¬ tended, that the State may be ready to receive the great tide of population that must soon how into it over the track of the Pacific Railroad. The East is also preparing to accommodate itself to the forthcom- 11 82 ing changes in the current of business. The Pacific Mail Steamship Company of Hew York is now run¬ ning a regular line of its splendid steamers between San Francisco and China and Japan, which is doubt¬ less the pioneer of other lines, that will traverse the Pacific Ocean laden witli the teas, spices, and other products of Eastern Asia. Excepting some very heavy or bulky articles, of comparatively low values, short¬ ness of time decides the direction of freights, and most of these cargoes will find their natural transit over the Union Pacific Railroad." The dogma, " that the longest roads are the most profitable," only hold true so far as their increased lengtli furnishes additional way traffic. A thousand miles of road over a desert cannot be run so cheaply per mile as one of a hundred miles! The proof of this requires no argument. The hint, " that the road will for a long time to come be without competition," is something which we can safely count on. The as¬ sertion that, " shortness of time decides the direc¬ tion of freight," is only true to a certain extent; the reduction of fifty per cent, or more on the freight charges will inevitably determine its direction almost irrespective of time. It would be in error to assume the present rates of freight on existing lines as a standard by which to compare the absolute cost of new lines of traffic. We may state as an illustration of the truth of this, and in evidence of the value of a little wholesome competi¬ tion, that the rates established by the Panama R. Ik Company have enabled them to pay dividends equal to the entire cost of the construction of their very expensive road, within four years of its being opened for travel, and a large trade still doubles Cape Horn for the western coast of South and Central America, which a more ju ¬ dicious policy would have secured to this road. This large and increasing commerce (of the western coast of South and Central America) is, however, still a monop- 83 oly to the railroad, the value of which we have no means of judging, no published returns being made. We only know, that judging of the future by the past, the only .hope for that magnificent region of Central and South America lies in opening a competing route for its trade, and thus aid in stimulating branches of industry which only lies dormant for lack of encouragement. The excessive charges of this railroad have hampered and retarded, not only the trade of that coast, but the development of all connecting lines of sea steamers, which have been compelled to render the lion's share of profit to less than fifty miles of land transit. The prices current of freight of the Pacific Mail Steam¬ ship Company show their charges from New York to Aspinwall, a distance of 2,400 miles, at 25 cents per cubic foot, whilst the charge on the railroad alone is from 25c. to 75c. per foot for freight and $25 for every passenger. What is called " slow freight" from New York to San Francisco by the Pacific Mail Steamship Company is charged at $60 (gold) a ton measurement, whilst the " fast freight " is charged at $140 the ton (gold). The speed of the steamers is in each case the same, but the difference of time of ten days between the fast and slow freight occurs at the Isthmus of Panama, where the railroad company benefits largely by the despatch. In 1863, a cargo of tea was taken from China to London by screw steamer, a distance of 17,000 miles in 80 days, at a freight of $60 a ton. The distance by steamer and by the Isth¬ mus from San Francisco to New York being 6,218 miles, for which $140 is charged, the time being 25 days. It will be seen from these examples that we are driven, in determining the cost of freighting, to disre¬ gard the freight charges on the various lines, and as¬ sume a fair paying price based upon collateral evi¬ dence of the value of the service. The estimate which we propose to give of the cost 84 of transport 1 >y the various lines does not therefore pretend to extreme accuracy. A fair paying rate for freighting, exclusive of insurance or other charges is all we can oiler. It will, however, he comparatively correct, the other charges incidental to shifting freight, insurance, &c., wil 1 differ so little on the vari¬ ous routes, as not to affect materially the comparisons of relative cost. The charge for freight, as now established on the Pacific Road, taken from the published reports, is 10-| cts. per ton (34 l'eet measurement) per mile, from Omaha West. The Railroad returns for the last year of the'movement of freight on the established roads at the East is nearly 4 cts. per ton per mile. We will say 3 cts. The running time for freight is never over 12 miles an hour. On the Pacific Poad it can never net, for a through freight fare, over 10 miles an hour including stoppages. The speed of sea steamers is taken from the average of the log-books of the steamers running on the Panama line both ways in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. FREIGHTS FOR HOME TRADE. AMOUNT. TIME DAYS. From New York to San Francisco via Pacific Railroad, 3,361 miles, as follows: From New York to Omaha, at 3c. per mile..$13 95 " Omaha to San Francisco, 10£c. " 199 00 $2-12 95=gold $1*79 25 14 For general merchandise, per ton of 34 feet cube.. From New York to Aspinwall. . " Aspinwall to Panama... . " Panama to San Francisco 2,392 miles. 51 3,775 6,218 miles. For general merchandise, per ton of 40 feet cube.. $140 22 to 25 85 FREIGHTS FOR EUROPEAN TRADE. TIME AMOUNT. DAYS. From England (Liverpool) to New York, 3,000 miles, general merchandise per ton measurement.... 5 50 10 From New York to San Francisco, 3,361 miles, by Union Pacific Railroad, present price 179 25 14 From San Francisco to Hong Kong, 6,470 miles. . . 20 00 30 Total from Liverpool to Hong Kong via Pacific Railroad $204 75 54 From England (Southampton) for general mer¬ chandise, per ton of 40 feet measurement, to Hong Kong via Panama and San Francisco C-? O (see tariff of the Royal Mail Steamship Packet Company) £19 15s. := $98 75 60 From France (Havre) to New York, per ton meas¬ urement 5 00 10 From New York to San Francisco via Pacific Railroad 179 25 14 From San Francisco to Hong Kong 20 00 30 Total from Havre to Hong Kong via Pacific o o Railroad $204 25 54 From France (Saint Nazaire) to Hong Kong for general merchandise, per ton of 40 feet, via Panama and San Francisco (see tariff of the Compagnie Generale Transatlantique, publish¬ ed in February, 1869) F. 525 — $105 00 60 From England (Liverpool) to Aspinwall, 4,782 miles 35 20 18 From Aspinwall to Panama, 51 miles 20 00 1 From Panama in direct line to Hong Kong, 9,567 miles, price estimated from Pacific Mail Steam¬ ship Co.'s present rates, charged via San Fran¬ cisco 37 00 35 Total from Liverpool in direct line to Hong Kong via Panama $92 20 54 From France (Saint Nazaire) to Hong Kong in direct line from Panama (including the es¬ timated price from there to Hong Kong from Pacific Mail Steamship Co.'s present rates) ... $92 00 54 86 The following tariff table of the Oompagnie Gene- rale Transatlantkpie (published on the 15th February last), shows the freights to Europe on productions of Japan and China, particularly on tea, transported with the above-named speed : Merchandise. Silk Tea General merchandise. Tonnage. S 40 feet cube, or ton | weight 40 feet cube j 40 feet cube, or 2,240 j pounds From Yokohama, Nagasaki, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, to Saint Nazaire. $120 09 95 Paris, Lyons, | Marseilles, London, and Havre. ' $12S 77 103 $130 79 105 I think it will be conceded, from the above state¬ ment, that neither for the European trade, nor for the trade from our Atlantic ports, will the Pacific Pail- road offer any advantage over the route by the way of the Isthmus. I omit all mention of fast passenger travel. We have made the comparison thus far with the Isthmus route via Panama, from the fact that the present steamship lines both on the Atlantic and Pacific, whose times and rates are known, run in con¬ nection with that road, and estimates of freighting based on these rates cannot be questioned. If, then, the advantages of trade and commerce between the continents are in favor of this Isthmus, what must be the advantages accruing to the route by way of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, which lies some 1,200 miles farther north than that of Panama? The following distances, being the log reckonings of steamships, are taken from T. I. Cram's Topograph- 87 ical Engineers U. S. A. Report on Ocean Routes, pub¬ lished in 1857: MILES. From New York to Aspinwall 2,393 " " Minatitlan 2,2*75 " Panama to San Francisco 3,775 " Tehuantepec <£ 2,304 " New York to San Francisco via Panama 6,218 " " " via Tehuantepec 4,741 Difference from New York in favor of the Tehuantepec route .. 1,477 This • difference appears still greater for the com¬ merce of the Southern ports of the United States, say New Orleans: MILES. From New Orleans to San Francisco via Panama 5,718 " " " via Tehuantepec .. 3,384 Difference from New Orleans in favor of the Tehuantepec route. 2,334 At the present speed of the steamers on the Panama route, allowing for one day to cross the Isthmus at either point, the saving of time from Rew York to San Francisco, by taking the Tehuantepec route rather than the Panama, is six days. From Yew Orleans to San Francisco, by the Teliuantepee route, there is a saving of nine days. Ueed the comparison be extended any further? From Otis's Hand-book of the Panama Road, p. 52, we learn :