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nation possessing fine settlements at the extre- 

 mity of Africa and the Isle de France, would, I 

 believe, in general prefer the passage from west 

 to east. The principal and real object of the 

 opening of the isthmus is the prompt commu- 

 nication with the western coast * of America, 



* We must except, however, the coast of Peru, south of 

 Lima, and that of Chili, which it is extremely difficult to 

 ascend from north to south. The passage would be quicker 

 from Europe to Valparaiso and Africa, by Cape Horn, than 

 by the canal of Nicaragua. The canal will be advantageous 

 for the trade of the western coast south of Lima only when 

 the coasting is made by steam-boats. The trade of North 

 America with China, in its present state, is carried on by the 

 three following means : 1st, The vessels of the Unked 

 States, loaded with piastres, go directly from New York or 

 Boston by the Cape of Good Hope to Canton, where they 

 purchase tea, nankeen, silks, china, &c. and return by the 

 same route j 2dly, the vessels that go round Cape Horn, 

 either for the seal and sea-horse fishery in the South Sea, or 

 to visit the north-west coast of America if they have not 

 obtained a sufficient quantity of furs, they take sandal-wood, 

 or ebony in Polynesia, carry those productions to Canton, and 

 go back by the Cape of Good Hope 5 3dly, other vessels 

 carry on a smuggling trade for several years, visiting suc- 

 cessively Madeira, the Cape of Good Hope, the Isle of 

 France, or New South Wales, some ports of South America., 

 and the islands of the Pacific Ocean ; in going, they some- 

 times double the Cape of Good Hope, sometimes Cape 

 Horn 5 but as they constantly touch at Canton at the end 

 of this long voyage, they return to the United States by the 

 southern extremity of Africa. The opening of the isthmus 

 will have a powerful influence on the two latter passages, 

 Which we have just pointed out. 



