128 NICARAGUA. 



of all the World to the possibilities of digging an Interoceanic 

 Canal between the two Oceans. The project which he 

 thought best was that of the Isthmus of Cupica, but he was 

 not opposed to those of Panama and Nicaragua. 



In 1842, he wrote to Mr. Salomon : " Twenty-five years 

 ago I sent you the description of a project of communication 

 between the two Oceans, either by the Isthmus of Panama, 

 the lake of Nicaragua, or the Isthmus of Cupica. It has been 

 discussed topographically, but nothing has been done yet." 



This citation shows that these three projects were those 

 which he considered to be the best, leaving out entirely the 

 two others of Tehuantepec and that of Darien to Raspadura. 



In 1827, the celebrated General Bolivar, the father of 

 South American Independence, who spoke with Humboldt 

 and was very interested in the question of the Canal, instructed 

 the English engineer, Mr. Lloyd, to survey the Isthmus of 

 Panama ; and it is probable that if the English capitalists had 

 been disposed to undertake the opening of a Canal at that 

 time, they would have been certain to obtain the most complete 

 co-operation from Bolivar and his successors. 



Immediately after the constitution of the Central American 

 Confederation, the Hon. Deputy for Nicaragua, Mr. Manuel 

 Antonio de la Cerda, proposed to Congress to discuss the 

 question of the Canal, which was forthwith done and approved. 

 But the Guatemalan Archives relating to Nicaragua having 

 been destroyed, when the Mexicans entered and occupied the 

 capital, it was resolved to make a new survey. 



This survey was made during the years 1823- 1825, and 

 on the 1 2th of July, 1825, the President of the Republic, Don 

 Manuel Jose Arce, deputed the authorisation to a private 

 Company for the opening of a Canal through the Isthmus of 

 Nicaragua. Among many propositions offered by various 

 Companies, two were the principals, one presented by the 

 engineer, Mr. John Bailly, in the name of Messrs. Barclay, 

 Herring, Richardson & Co., of London, the other by Mr. Carlos 

 Beneski in the name of Aron Palmer, of New York. The pro- 

 position of Mr. Beneski was accepted, but it came to nought. 



In 1828, Guillaume I., King of Holland, the richest 

 Sovereign of Europe, and a very enterprising man, sent 

 General Verveer to the grand Assembly convoked in Panama 

 in 1825. The Central American Confederation was repre- 

 sented in that general Assembly by M. M. Lorrazabal and 

 Molina. General Verveer was so impressed with the com- 

 munications made by M. M. Larrazahal and Molina to him, 



