290 



tageous to make the first survey at the expence 

 of an association. A ship might transport the 

 engineers and their instruments successively to 

 the mouth of the Atrato, Rio Chagre, the bay 

 of Mandinga, Rio San Juan, the lake of Nicara- 

 gua, and the isthmus of Huasacualco, or Teh- 

 uantepec. The facility of the operations, and 

 the appreciation of the advantages of the differ- 

 ent spots of which the comparison is to be 

 made, would gain in celerity by this mode of 

 a more uniform levelling ; and the association of 

 the first survey r , after having fixed on the spot 

 to be preferred, and the magnitude of the work, 

 according to the tonnage of the ships or boats 

 to be employed, would make an appeal to the 

 public to augment the fund, and constitute an 

 association of execution, either, as we have rea- 

 son to hope, for a canal of oceanic navigation, 

 or for canals or lines of small navigation. In 

 adopting the mode of execution which I have 

 just stated, all that prudence prescribes would 

 be complied with in an affair that interests the 

 commerce of both worlds. The junction com- 

 pany would find funds from governments and 

 enlightened citizens, who, insensible to the al- 

 lurements of gain, and yielding to noble im- 

 pulses, would be proud of the idea of having 

 contributed to a work worthy of modern civili- 

 zation. It is also well to remember in this 

 place, that the attraction of gain, the funda- 



