INTEROCEANIC CANALS. 12J 



some cannon made in the Philippines were carried by this 

 route to the fortress of Uloa, near Vera Cruz. The fourth 

 is that of Uraba to the Gulf of San Miguel. 



The distance between Nombre de Dios and Panama is 

 sixty-eight miles, that of Uraba and San Miguel seventy-five 

 miles ; these two are the most difficult, but handicraft is 

 plentiful. If it is decided to make the passage.it will be done. 

 Means are not wanted. The Indies, which will benefit by this 

 work, will supply them. For the King of Spain, who disposes 

 of the Indies' wealth, it is possible and easy, so much the 

 more so, that the object is the trade of spices. 



If the passage of which I speak is made, the navigation 

 to Moluccas will be shortened one third, and the ships would 

 sail constantly in warm latitudes without leaving the domains 

 of the Spanish Monarchy, and without fear of meeting 

 enemies. Our goods would be sent to Peru and other pro- 

 vinces on the same ships freighted in Spain. Much expense 

 and trouble would be avoided : — 



Herrera mentions also the same lines quoted by Gomara, 

 and he adds that the project of a Canal was proposed to 

 Charles Quint, and that it was always a subject agreeable to 

 speak upon, with the Emperor. 



Nevertheless, neither the Emperor nor his successors ever 

 decided upon the digging of the Canal. 



This was attributed to their firm resolution to keep the 

 traffic between America and the Moluccas entirely to them- 

 selves. Everyone knows that for more than two centuries 

 this traffic enriched, and gave a great importance to Spain. 

 What Spain never did, it is probable that the Scotch Company 

 would have tried to do, if they had had time. The founder, 

 Mr. Paterson, a very bold man, had projected to take posses- 

 sion of the Isthmus. To that effect, he established a Colony 

 of merchants and soldiers in the Isthmus. In his manifesto he 

 said that those who would be in possession of the Isthmus 

 would be masters of the universal trade. In reply to this 

 manifesto, Scotland contributed to equip a first expedition of 

 twelve hundred men, who landed in the Gulf of Darien, and 

 founded several localities, which they named New Caledonia 

 and St. Andrew, but the Spaniards soon obliged them to 

 abandon the country. 



In 1 804, when the celebrated Baron de Humboldt returned 

 from his long voyage in Mexico and South America, in his 

 Political Essay of New Spain and in his Historical Relation 

 of the Voyage to Equinoctial Regions, he called the attention 



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