On a Communication between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. 333 



arrival : the former cargoes would be conveyed, either by the usual coast- 

 ing vessels of the country, or by steam boats adapted to the navigation of 

 the rivers, to the commencement of the rail-road on the banks of the Na- 

 pipi ; and, after once more hmding, be conveyed in less than an hour's time 

 to the vessels waiting for their reception in the harbour of Cupica, which 

 the government of New Granada has already, with a commendable fore- 

 sight, declared a free port, and thus the cargoes would be conveyed with 

 little delay and almost as little risk to their respective destinations. New 

 and populous towns would rapidly spring up in regions now desert, unfre- 

 quented, and indeed unknown ; centres of civilization would be formed at 

 Carthagena, on the banks of the Napipi, and on the shore of the Pacific. 

 The eye of science would be enabled to penetrate into regions closed against 

 discovery from the very instant of the creation ; while the enterprize of 

 commerce would pour into the lap of Europe treasures hitherto undreamt 

 of, and productions to which she has hitherto been a stranger. 



It does not fall within the province of a sketch like the present, to 

 entei into calculations as to the probable cost of the improvements sug- 

 gested, or the return which might be reasonably expected for the capital 

 embarked in the speculation ; the object of this paper is merely to shew 

 the practicability of the scheme, and point out in the most general way the 

 advantages which can hardly fail to accrue from its execution. The go- 

 vernment of New Granada is not insensible to the benefit which the vast 

 and fertile regions which compose the territory over which they preside, 

 must derive from the projected communication between the two oceans j 

 and a decree has already, as there is reason to believe, been passed, au- 

 thorising the executive to receive proposals, and enter into arrangements 

 with persons disposed to attempt it. As an inducement to embark in the 

 undertakitig, it has been proposed to grant the tolls upon all goods con- 

 veyed by this line to the company or individuals concerned, for a period of 

 fifty years, together with a grant of a large extent of waste land, which 

 the adventurers are to colonise and cultivate at their own expense, and 

 for their own profit. To these might be added such other stipulations on 

 both sides, as might tend to the more certain success of the project, and 

 to the mutual advantage of all concerned. 



The province of the Choco, it should be remembered, is celebrated for 

 its mineral as well as its vegetable riches; its mountains yield gold, silver, 

 and platina ; while its forests furnish timbers of requisite beauty for the 

 cabinet maker ; and, above all, for those wonderful fountains of nutritious 

 milk, which a munificent Providence has taught to flow from the trunk of 

 a tree, as a monument at once of his power and his goodness. 



No. 5.— Vol. I. 2 X 



