110 THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. 



The distance across the Isthmus of Panama, ac- 

 cording to the report of Mr. Garella, is only about 

 forty miles, in the course surveyed for a ship canal 

 commencing at the head of Navy Bay, and the 

 highest summit necessary to attain is four hundred 

 and fifty-nine feet ; and since the explorations were 

 commenced to ascertain the most feasible route for 

 a railroad, under the direction of the Panama Rail- 

 road Company, I have been informed that Mr. 

 Baldwin demonstrated a still more advantageous 

 course, with an elevation of but two hundred and 

 seventy-five feet. The great difficulty to be over- 

 come is that of supplying a sufficient quantity of 

 water to feed the canal on the summit level, and 

 this is undoubtedly a most serious one. 



When the railroad shall have been completed, 

 and the Isthmus in some measure populated, with 

 its agricultural resources developed, so that not only 

 laborers, but their supplies may be furnished there, 

 then will be the time to not only talk, but to act, in 

 this important matter. Then let every nation of 

 the earth that is so disposed, contribute its propor- 

 tion, not for the prospect of a direct revenue, but 

 for the purpose of improving commerce, and who 

 can say but that we shall have, not only a ship ca- 

 nal, but an uninterrupted water level communica- 

 tion from ocean to ocean. Such an undertaking I 

 am not aware of having ever as yet been anticipa- 

 ted, but to decide that it is impracticable, is to deny 

 the possibility of new inventions for the purpose of 

 removing and excavating earth and rock. Such a 



