THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. 245 



her frail and fruitless dominion over the Isth- 

 mus of Panama, to some more efficient power.* 

 Such an alternative might become necessary 

 to secure for the general interests of mankind, 

 a free and universal enjoyment of what would 

 then indeed become the great highway of 



* A pamphlet has recently appeared in the form of a 

 letter, to Lord William Bentinck, by Mr. Fairbairn, in- 

 viting the commercial intelligence of Europe to consider 

 the advantage of a steam communication with India, 

 across the Pacific, from the western coast of Mexico. 



For this purpose, he recommends that a good road 

 should be made from Vera Cruz, through the whole coun- 

 try of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean, a distance of not less 

 than six hundred miles. His arguments go to prove that 

 by the realization of such a scheme, an immense saving 

 would be effected in money, time, and distance. The 

 author enters into the consideration of his favourite pro- 

 ject with an enthusiasm which seems to have blinded him 

 entirely to the very superior facility presented for esta- 

 blishing this communication by the isthmus. There are 

 only thirty-four statute miles from Panama to the Atlantic 

 altogether in a direct line, and there are now only twenty- 

 one miles of land carriage. Nor is the isthmus, like the 

 roads across Mexico, infested with robbers. The argu- 

 ments of Mr. Fairbairn, if justly applied to the vast enter- 

 prise which he recommends of a road of six hundred miles 

 over a mountainous country, must be conclusive of the ad- 

 vantage and facility of the operation through the isthmus. 



