FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118  
119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   >>  
n, all entrance into or examination of this quarter of America by foreigners, or travellers in general, was prohibited by the Spanish government, under the punishment of death for a violation of the law. The Spaniards were particularly averse to and jealous of England, or Englishmen, becoming acquainted with this portion of America. In some one of the points mentioned, and most probably from Lake Managua to Rialejo, or from Lake Nicaragua to the Gulf of Papagayo, the best line for a communication between the Atlantic and the (p. 099) Pacific will be found. The shores of Lake Nicaragua are tolerably well cultivated, and it has several harbours. Numerous streams flow into it from all sides, but particularly from the north. The river St. Juan is a considerable stream--as large, say the Spanish writers, as the Guadalquiver in its lower course. In a distance so short, a canal, fit to bear ships of the very largest tonnage, could be cut, at certainly no very heavy expense; say, at the rate of 300,000_l._ for 10 miles. Even if the river St. Juan should not be found to be navigable, and that it might be most advisable to cut a canal along its banks, from the Atlantic to the lake, the distance is not very great (45 or 50 miles), and the country presents no insuperable obstacles to it; on the contrary, it is believed to be easy of access. This distance might be cut for 675,000_l._--a small sum even joined to the other, when the immense object to be attained is considered. The choice of position, after considering attentively every point, will remain between Chagre to Panama, and between St. Juan and Nicaragua to Rialejo, as to which is the best line for a water communication; for it is pretty clear that the lines to the eastward and to the southward of Panama, narrow although the neck of land certainly is in these parts, can only be looked to as points for a speedy road communication in some, and for small craft in the others. The jealousy of the government of Spain formerly sealed up every possible line of communication between the Atlantic and the Pacific, in all the places mentioned, from the rest of the world; and it is probable that the jealousy, and also the poverty and inability of the new governments lately started up in these parts may continue to do so, if they are allowed to do so, or if they remain unaided in the enterprise by foreign capital, and not be impelled thereto by foreign, but particularly European i
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118  
119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   >>  



Top keywords:

communication

 

distance

 

Atlantic

 
Nicaragua
 
Panama
 

jealousy

 
Pacific
 

remain

 

Rialejo

 

mentioned


America
 

Spanish

 

foreign

 

government

 

points

 
contrary
 

believed

 

access

 

Chagre

 
attained

object

 
choice
 

position

 

immense

 

attentively

 

considered

 

joined

 
inability
 

governments

 

poverty


probable

 

started

 

impelled

 

thereto

 

European

 

capital

 

enterprise

 

continue

 

allowed

 

unaided


places

 

narrow

 

southward

 

eastward

 

pretty

 

sealed

 
looked
 

speedy

 

Managua

 

portion