Doc. No. 75. 



1S7 



[No. T.] Legation of the U. S. in Central America, 



LeoJi de Nicaragua,, October 10; 1849. 



Sir: In pursuance of the duties devolved upon me by my instructions, 

 I have devoted some attention to the investigation of the practicability of 

 a ship canal across the continent through the territories of this republic 

 (Nicaragua.) 1 have now passed over the entire line of the proposed 

 canal, and have no hesitation in saying that the project of constructing it 

 is entirely feasible. 1 have the honor to submit herewith the general 

 results of my observations, as also such other authentic information as 

 I have been able to collect, bearing upon the subject. I have only to 

 regret that the pressure of official duties, as also the want of appropriate 

 instruments, (which I vainly endeavored to procure before leaving Wash- 

 ington,) have prevented me from giving more attention to a subject so 

 interesting, and from presenting more exact data as respects distances, 

 altitudes, (fcc. I am, nevertheless, convinced that the reports of the en- 

 gineers who may hereafter survey the route will be more favorable than 

 mine. The maps herewith submitted may be relied on as far more exact 

 than any which have hitherto been made of this remarkable but little 

 known country. 



I am, sir, your obedient servant, 



E. GEO. SQUIER. 



Hon. John M. Clayton, 



l:^ecretary of State, ^c. 



Observatuns on the route of the proposed canal across the isthmus of 

 Nicaragua, with notices of the resources, climate, d^c, ^c., of the 

 country. 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 



The project of opening some artificial communication between the At- 

 lantic and Pacific oceans occupied the attention of the Spaniards as soon 

 as it was satisfactorily ascertained that no natural connexion existed. 

 As early as 1527, the three routes which have, by common consent, 

 come to be regarded as the only feasible ones for such communication, 

 had already been indicated. The lake of Nicaragua," says Herrera, 

 writing of the events of this period, is remarkable for its extent, the 

 towns and islands in it, for ebbing and flowing, and for that, being three 

 or four leagues from the South sea, it empties itself into the North sea. 

 Those who desired to please the Emperor, seeing him intent upon find- 

 ing a way to the Spice islandv*^, said that since there was no strait in those 

 parts - that is, between the Gulf of Uraba (Papagayo) and the drein of 

 Nicaragua — a passage might be made by any of four ways which they 

 proposed; the first along the drein of said lake, (the San Juan,) on * 

 which large boats go up and down, though there are some dangerous 

 falls, and then making a canal along these four leagues from the lake to 

 the South sea; and second, along the river de Lagartos, (Chargres,) 

 which rises five or six leagues from Panama, where the way being all 

 plain, as w^e have said before, a canal might also be cut for the sea and 

 the river to meet; the third; by way of Vera Cruz to Tecoantepec, on 



