JUNCTION OF THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEANS.

Extract from a letter on this subject, addressed by Baron Alexander Von Humboldt to Mr.

Lionel Gisborne:—

Everything depends upon energy and perseverance. I therefore, congratulate you, sir, and your courageous friend Mr. Cullen, as well as Sir Chailes Fox, Mr. Henderson, and Mr. Brassey, for having given your names to so noble an undertaking.

I have always considered, firstly, the opening of an oceanic canal without locks, and secondly, the cut at Huchnecoca, in the valley of Mexico (which is on a comparatively smaller scale, as may be seen from the map and section published), as two events calculated highly to improve the relations between the different families of the human species.

In fact, such a work as the one you contemplate will bring Eastern Asia nearer to the nations of Europe and America.

It will render the whole globe more easy to be travelled over; this little globe, of which Christopher Columbus, in one of his letters to the Queen of Spain, said—“El mundo es poco.”

It will facilitate the diffusion of productions, especially of precious metals, of which the relative value (1 to 15 5-6) would change too suddenly without this “permeability of the world.

As early as the discovery of the new continent, civilisation had spread, in a direction from north to south, over those portions of America which lie opposite to Asia, those on the European side being then occupied by barbarous hunting tribes.

The finest harbours, the most precious products, are likewise found in the west.

Even the currents of the air, by their direction, contribute towards the preponderance of West American power over the rich countries of Asia.

The increasing importance of the west coast of America promises to balance, at some future time, the surprising progress of the Atlantic States, provided the Western states keep themselves free from that hideous disease—slavery of colored people.

Indeed, sir, I feel the most ardent wishes for the happy success of this oceanic canal.

The attention which the public of the two continents bestow already upon your undertaking, will increase as soon as you will be enabled, assisted by farther explorations, and a survey extending over all details, and carried on by a great number of experienced men, to publish, on a large scale, maps and sections of the line fixed upon between Puerto Escoces and the Gulf of San Miguel.

The changes which the success of the undertaking is sure to effect in the international commerce of the world, will only disturb such people, as in the narrowness of their views, oppose themselves to the natural and providential course of events, and shed tears over the unfortunate discovery of America.

The Rio Huaxacualco with its portage to the Rio Chimalapa (Tehuantepec), of which I published the first map after the itineraries discovered by me in the archives of the Vice Kingdom of Mexico, will always be of great importance, owing to its position opposite Louisiana, in the Gulf of Mexico, which has all the appearance of soon becoming a mare clausum—a lake of the United States.

The nature of the soil, however, does not allow great works to be carried out in that locality; besides, you know the difficulties impeding any canalisation or rectification of rivers of great length, and the great variations of the volume of water, as in the river San Juan.

But a railway would be of great advantage to the southern states.