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APPENDIX. 
transitu, and not to levy any imposts or forced loans on the grantees." 
The grant also secures the right to " all foreigners to acquire real proper- 
ty, and to exercise any trade or calling, not even excepting that of mining, 
within the distance of fifty leagues on either side of the line of transit." 
Finally, " in the name of the Supreme Government, and under the most 
solemn assurances, it is declared and promised that all and every one of 
the concessions mentioned shall be honorably fulfilled now and at all times, 
pledging the honor and public faith of the nation to maintain the projec- 
tor, Don Jose de Garay, as well as any private individual or company suc- 
ceeding or representing him, either natives or foreigners, in the undisturb- 
ed enjoyment of all the concessions granted, holding the national admin- 
istration responsible for any acts of its own or its agents, which, from want 
of proper fulfilment of the covenant, might injure the interests of the pro- 
prietor." 
Under this grant topographical, geological, and hydrographical surveys 
of the line of a communication across the Isthmus have been made. They 
were made under the direction of Mr. Moro, an Italian engineer of high 
distinction, assisted by two other scientific gentlemen. " The entire line 
of country was carefully surveyed and mapped ; the face of the land, its 
productions and capabilities, were examined with untiring perseverance," 
and a very full report was subsequently drawn up, which has been pub- 
lished, with accompanying maps ; all of which are now in the possession 
of your petitioner. 
" From these surveys it is established that the entire distance from sea 
to sea is 135 miles in a straight line, and presents a wide plain from the 
mouth of the Coatzacoalcos to the port of the Mesa de Tarifa, a table or 
elevated plain on the line of the Andes, which rises to the height of 650 
feet above the level of the sea, and at the distance of 5 miles again de- 
scends to a plain which reaches the Pacific. The summit level to be over- 
come is only 650 feet ; 30 miles of the River Coatzacoalcos are navigable 
for ships of the largest class, and 15 miles beyond this for vessels of light 
draught, leaving only about 115 miles of railroad to be made. It would 
occupy too much space to enumerate all the details of these surveys, and 
which go to show so strongly how easily a railroad can be constructed 
across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. It is sufficient to say that the abso- 
lute practicability has been clearly ascertained." 
In other respects it affords great facilities for construction. " The en- 
tire course of the Coatzacoalcos is bounded by forests, which can supply 
immense quantities of the proper kind of timber suitable for the construc- 
tion of a railroad, and all of which is, by the terms of the grant, the prop- 
