THE INTEROCEANIC CANAL PROBLEM 67 



I. The Tehuantepec Route. The isthmus of Tehuantepec 

 forms the narrowest portion of Mexico, it being about 150 

 miles across, from ocean to ocean. Cortez established a line 

 of transit at this point, which was maintained for a number 

 of years ; but it subsequently yielded in favor to the admitted 

 superiority of the Nicaragua route. As early as 1550, Galveo, 

 a Portuguese navigator, declared the Tehuantepec route a 

 feasible one, and urged Philip of Spain to consider it. No 

 further notice seems to have been taken of it until about 1770, 

 when Charles III of Spain ordered the viceroy of Mexico to 

 locate a site for a canal across this isthmus. The result of 

 the viceroy's survey was discouraging, and the plan there- 

 after was abandoned as unfeasible. 



II. The Nicaragua Route. This leads from the mouth of 

 the San Juan River to Lake Nicaragua, thence by several 

 proposed lines (preferably by way of Brito) to the Pacific 

 Ocean, a distance of 169J miles. Of all possible routes, this 

 seems to have claimed the most favorable attention of Ameri- 

 can engineers. It is said to possess the best conditions for 

 the location of^a lock-system canal, chief of which is the 

 existence of Lake Nicaragua, which, with portions of its out- 

 let (the San Juan River), provides many miles of natural 

 waterway, and an abundant and constant supply of water for 

 the locks. The climatic conditions of this locality are also 

 excellent. It is not unlikely that Philip of Spain would have 

 here attempted the work of canal construction in 1567, which, 

 in those days, would have been a labor of Hercules, had not 

 political complications at home diverted his attention from 

 his ambition across the sea. 



La Condamine, the eminent French scientist, who, with a 

 corps of able ingenieurs, was sent by his government (in 

 1735) to South America for the purpose of conducting certain 

 astronomical observations, made an examination of Lake 

 Nicaragua and its outlet. He became much impressed with 

 the many advantages this route offered for the construction 

 of a canal, and so reported to his government, but France 

 was not then ready to undertake so great a project. England 

 .seems always to have recognized the value of this route, 



