THE DARIEN CANAL. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING POST.

Sir,—In a letter from Baron Alexander von Humboldt to Mr. Fred. M’Kelley, of New York, dated Berlin, Jan. 27, 1856, and published in M’Kelley’s pamphlet on the junction of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, edited by Ch. Manby, Secretary to the Institute of Civil Engineers, the following passages occur:—

“It was on account of his not having made so thorough an examination of the mountainous country between the Gulf of San Miguel and Caledonia Bay that Mr.

Lionel Gisborne’s plan of 1852 could not be carried out.

The ignorance he was in as to the localities, and the absence of measurements of altitude, led to the unfortunate issue of the courageous expedition of Lieutenant Isaac Strain. * * * * * I think nothing more dangerous to the extension of commerce, and to the freedom of international relations, than to inspire an aversion to all future investigation by an absolute and imperious declaration that all hope of an oceanic canal must now be abandoned.”

I am quite able to prove that, from the manner in which the late most deplorably mismanaged Darien expedition was conducted, it was impossible for the explorers to find the valley to which I directed attention six years ago, as affording the greatest facilities for a ship canal communication, and which is distinctly marked in Commander Parsons’, of H.M.S. Scorpion, “Survey of Caledonia Harbour and Port Escoces,” published by the Hydrographic-office in 1854.

Having recently terminated the engagements which detained me abroad, and being now free to devote myself to the promotion of the Darien canal project, I am ready to proceed again to the Isthmus, for the purpose of cutting a road across it over the lowest ground, with the aid of a party of bush Negroes; so that the engineers may take the levels without fear of losing themselves in the bush, as happened on the late expedition.—I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant, EDWARD CULLEN.

11, Royal Exchange, Aug. 26.