296 
SIR RODERICK I. MURCHISON’S ADDRESS. [May 24, 1858 . 
and the railroad it is estimated will not have a greater length than 
180 miles), Her Majesty’s Government have sent out Colonel Stanton, 
an officer of the Eoyal Engineers, to inspect the survey, which is 
now completed. A chemical geologist and naturalist (Mr. Kirk- 
patrick) is also proceeding to Honduras to explore the mineral 
wealth and physical geography of the country, and the productions 
and quality of its soil. There will, therefore, not long remain 
any doubt respecting the capabilities of Honduras. Already we 
know from the work of Mr. E. G. Squier, that its harbours on both 
oceans, and its natural valley from sea to sea, intersecting the 
Cordilleras by the courses of the rivers Humaya and Goascoran, 
point out this tract as a great highway of commerce. In antici- 
pation of the good results which are likely to follow from this 
effort of British capitalists and the suggestions of Mr. Squier, let 
me add that, out of near 60 persons hitherto employed during a 
year in a tract which has been considered insalubrious, not one 
death has occurred. 
Through our active associate, Mr. John Power, of Panama, we 
have received notices of various works in progress bearing upon 
the geography of these important but still very imperfectly mapped 
countries. 
Dr. Wagener, the German traveller, was by the last accounts at 
Panama, proposing to devote some time to an examination of the 
geography of the isthmus. 
Of Guatemala an entirely new map is preparing for publication 
by Mr. Van Gehucht, a civil engineer, who has spent eight years 
on a trigonometrical survey of this state, in which he has deter- 
mined by astronomical observation the true position of all the 
principal towns, as well as of the leading physical features of the 
country. Our correspondent, Mr. Power, has sent us a portion of 
the positions so determined, which will appear in the next volume 
of our Journal. To him we are also indebted for the trans- 
lation of the first part of ‘ A Description of the State of San Sal- 
vador,’ by Mr. Sommenster, an engineer who has been employed in 
making a new survey of it for the Government, which will shortly 
be published. Costa Pica has been partially surveyed by an English 
Company from Port Arenas, on the Pacific, to San Jose, the capital, 
a portion of the isthmus said to be now very incorrectly laid down. 
Mr. F. M. Kelley, of New York, well known as the originator 
of the proposed great ship-canal across the Isthmus of Central. 
America via the Atrato river, has sent to us the interesting report 
