May 25, 1857.] CENTRAL AMERICA. 465 



a work by Captain Eandolpli B. Marcy, of the U.S. 5tli infantry, 

 on his exploration of the Ked Eiver of Louisiana, in which he was 

 assisted by Captain George B. McClellan, of the U.S. Engineers. 

 The book is accompanied by reports on the natural history of the 

 territories visited by the expedition, and also by two valuable maps 

 of the country between the frontiers of Arkansas and Kew Mexico, 

 and of the tract embraced within the basin of the Upper Eed Eiver. 



Mr. J. G. Kohl, the industrious labourer in the field of statistical 

 research, whose works on Eussia and other countries have obtained 

 for him due consideration, has now entered upon the illustration 

 of the geography of America, and, as a prelude to labours which 

 he hopes will be found useful, has just published a little treatise 

 under the title of a ' Descriptive Catalogue of those Maps, Charts, 

 and Surveys relating to America, which are mentioned in Hak- 

 luyt's Great Work.* 



Though the last session of Congress was the short one, or from 

 December to March only, the subject of geography was not neglected. 

 Adequate grants of money were made for the publication of the sur- 

 veys of the Expedition to the North Pacific Ocean and Behring 

 Strait, and for finishing the publication of the Charts made by the 

 late Expedition for the Exploration and Survey of the Eiver la Plata 

 and tributaries, as well as for an Exploration of the Parana and the 

 tributaries of the Paraguay Eiver. 



I am also informed that towards the verification of the Survey of 

 the Atrato and Truando Ei vers in New Granada, as proposed by Mr. 

 Kelley (see last Anniversary Address, p. ccxxii), for the purpose of 

 making a ship canal between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, 

 Congress has liberally granted 25,000 dollars. It has also, I am 

 happy to say, been intimated, that the Governments of Great Britain 

 and France are not unwilling to assist in this Yory important preli- 

 minary Survey. 



Central America. 



The communication by canal between the Pacific and Atlantic, 

 to which my predecessor called attention, has a much better chance 

 of being investigated, now that all the states of Europe are at peace, 

 and that the most friendly relations possible exist between the 

 Governments of the United States and Britain. 



The Proceedings record how favourably the project of Mr. Kelley 

 of New York was entertained by this Society, and show how deep 

 an interest we take in realizing the early anticipations and wishes 



