nama, and naturally hostile to a change, were among the causes that suspended the opening of the transit across Honduras; and in the subsequent troubles of the mother country, extending equally to the colonies, harassed by invasions, and their coasts infested by pirates of every nation, it would seem that the project was not only neglected, but absolutely forgotten. It is said that some time during the last century the line was again examined by engineers with reference to a canal, but of this fact I have been unable to obtain any satisfactory evidence. CHAPTER XXX. INTER-OCEANIC RAILWAY THROUGH HONDURAS GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS LINE OF ROAD-PUERTO CORTEZ PUERTO CORTEZ TO SANTIAGO-PLAIN OF COMAYAGUASUMMIT—BAY OF FONSECA, ETC. OF the various points which have at different peri ods been suggested as affording facilities for interoceanic communication, three have been claimed to be fit places for opening canals, viz., Nicaragua, Darien, and Atrato. It was once supposed canals might be opened at Tehuantepec and Panama, but, since the proper surveys have been made at these points, this idea has been relinquished. The survey made at Nicaragua in 1850 (see ante, p. 417) has also shown that the construction of a canal through that state, although possible, will be attended with unexpectedly great dif ficulties, and a cost so heavy as to preclude any adequate return on the capital invested. A reconnaissance at Darien in 1853 proved the utter impracticability of that line for a canal. The Atrato line remains to be brought to the test of a survey-a test which has proved fatal to many plausible speculations in other instances. But, even if it should be shown that a canal be feasible at that place, its extreme southern position will always be an insuperable obstacle to its success, inasmuch as the principal points in the Pacific with which it is most important to have a means of speedy communication lie in high northern latitudes. In fact, so far as the United States are concerned, the great desideratum is a route as far to the northward as possible; and whether it be by water or railway, adequate ports on both seas are indispensable requisites. Without these, there can be neither facility nor security of communication; and every mile to the southward of the latitude of New Orleans which any route may lie, adds two miles to the aggregate distance between the Atlantic States and California, Oregon, the Sandwich Islands, and the great centres of Oriental trade which are now opening to our enterprise. Any route, therefore, which shall best conform to these conditions, viz., a high latitude and good ports, has not only the first claim on the public attention and support, but will, in the end, supersede all others. And here it may be observed, that when the project of opening an inter-oceanic communication across the Central American Isthmus first began to attract the attention of the world, steam-boats and railways were unknown. Accordingly, no lines were indicated except such as were supposed to have an adaptability for canals; and hence also resulted that predilection, almost amounting to prejudice, with which certain particular lines have continued to be regarded, even since modern discovery has altered the entire nature of the question. The Spaniard designated the Isthmuses of Panama and Tehuantepec as probably the only places where a canal could be dug. He was governed in this selection wholly by the consideration which I have named, and to which all other considerations were necessarily subordinate. Had he been acquainted with steam in its application to land-carriage and to navigation, he would never have given those isthmuses a second thought, but would have selected other lines which should combine the great and indispensable conditions to a good and |