THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. 243 



localities all along the isthmus^ in order to de- 

 cide upon the best place and the best plan for 

 carrying a design of this nature into effect. 

 An agreement should then be made with the 

 State of New Granada^ to grant to European 

 capitalists every facility for the purpose. It 

 is surely time that the practicability of such an 

 enterprise and the immense advantage which 

 would accrue to that state as well as to the 

 whole commercial world from its accomplish- 

 ment, should no longer be considered as mere 

 matters of doubt and conjecture.* Colonel 

 Biddle has obtained from the government of 

 Bogota, a formal instrument, for the purpose of 

 raising foreign capital to be applied in making 

 a road across the isthmus. But the terms of 

 this agreement do not offer sufficient guarantees 

 to tempt speculators to embark their capital in 



* In order to save time and expense, Humbolt recom- 

 mends that surveyors and engineers should be sent to all the 

 different points projected. They might go out in the same 

 vessel, with their instructions, and return together after 

 the operation of surveying each point has been com- 

 pleted. The comparison of them all together, will alone 

 lead to a correct judgment upon the merits of each. 



M 2 



