90 MATTHEW FONTAINE MAURY 



But after the war was over, he returned to the question, 

 as will be noted later, with his characteristic persistence 

 and energy. 



In 1848 Maury's mind was intent on the shortening 

 of communications by sea, and out of that problem grew 

 his interest in the first trans-continental railroad. His 

 opinion at first was that the most direct route to China 

 would be by rail from Memphis to Monterey on the 

 Pacific, and thence by great circle sailing by way of the 

 Fox Islands which were convenient for coaling stations. 

 He enthusiastically wrote that, if there were a canal 

 already cut from Chagres to Panama, the circuity of the 

 route and the loss of time compared with what was to be 

 gained by the proposed line from Memphis to Monterey 

 would in time cause the abandonment of the former and 

 the completion of the latter. Meanwhile the gold rush 

 to California had begun, and Maury then decided that 

 both a railroad across the continent and a canal, or 

 railroad, across the Isthmus of Panama should be con- 

 structed. As president of the Memphis Convention of 

 representatives from fourteen states, which met October 

 23, 1849, he urged both projects, and eventually each of 

 the two routes was made available as a highway of trans- 

 portation between the East and the West. 



In connection with Maury's advocacy of the Isthmian 

 route, there was a story told by his nephew which throws 

 light upon his uncle's sterling character. It appeared 

 that some papers of his upon the advantages of a route 

 to the East by way of the Isthmus attracted much 

 attention, and a Northeim firm wrote him a letter, 

 enclosing a check for $500 in token of approbation of 

 his views which strongly promoted the interests of their 

 business. He was asked to continue his advocacy of 



