ccxx GENERAL SUMMARY OF SCIENTIFIC AND 



of the Rivers Atrato and Tuyra, which promises to be sujDerior to 

 any hitherto explored route. 



The active interest which this subject is attracting abroad is well 

 indicated by the fact that the Societe de Geographic of Paris has es- 

 tablished during the past year a French section of a proposed " In- 

 ternational Committee to study the question of cutting a canal 

 through the American isthmus," which section has entered into re- 

 lations with all the geographical societies in the world of whose 

 existence it is cognizant, begging them to co-oj)erate in the work, 

 and to have sections named in their respective countries similar to 

 that in France. Finally, in connection with this subject, we may 

 notice the current report that Mr. Henry Meiggs, the great South 

 American contractor, has concluded a contract with the government 

 of Nicaragua for the construction of a canal upon that route ; and 

 also that My. John C. Trautwine, whose name is familiar to all who 

 are interested in the canal project, in a valuable paper upon the 

 Darien International Canal, jiublished in The PolytecJinic lievietc, es- 

 timates the cost of the canal at this part of the isthmus at about 

 $300,000,000, or about three times the cost of the Suez Canal. The 

 same authority, speaking of the proposed Gogorza project of a route 

 by way of the Rivers Atrato and Tuyra, above mentioned, says : " I 

 have no hesitation in predicting that the survey will result in dis- 

 ap2)ointment." 



Another engineering project of considerable interest contemplates 

 the cutting of a canal across the peninsula of Florida, in order to effect 

 the junction of the Mississippi River and Atlantic Ocean. The proj- 

 ect in question was presented at the late meeting of the International 

 Geographical Congress, and was there most favorably commented 

 upon. The following extracts from the several documents relating 

 to this subject which were laid before the Congress will be read 

 with interest : " The Associated Chambers of Commerce of the 

 United Kingdom (affiliated now with those of Germany and France), 

 in their recent report, after showing the enormous capabilities of the 

 Mississippi Valley for maintaining the most flourishing trade in the 

 world, point out among the obstructions prominently calling for re- 

 moval the difficulties and expenses attending the transportation of 

 merchandise in bond to the interior of the United States, and the 

 excessive charges and taxes in shipping at New Orleans, which 

 amount almost to a prohibition of the use of that port for general 

 commerce." By no other way, it is further asserted, can these diffi- 

 culties be avoided than by the adoption of the canalization scheme 

 here alluded to. President Grant, in one of his late annual mes- 

 sages, says, in referring to it : " Such a route along our coast would 

 be of great value at all times, but of inestimable value in case of 

 foreign war, . . . Nature has already provided the greater part of 

 the route, and the obstacles to be overcome are easily within the 



