108 
All the grants of land made either to natives or to foreigners previous to the 
decree of the 1st of March, 1842, from among the untenanted lands mentioned 
in the 3rd article of the said decree, and which actually remain uninhabited 
and uncultivated, are comprehended in the concessions made in behalf of the 
undertaking for the communication of the two seas, therefore I do order this 
to be printed, published, and circulated for the purpose of being fulfilled. 
Palace of the Government, Mexico, Febuary 9th, 1843. 
Nicholas Bravo. 
J. M. De Bocanegra, Minister for Foreign Affairs. 
A true copy of the original document transmitted to the Governors of Vera 
Cruz and Oajaca, which I enclose to you for your intelligence. 
God and Liberty, Mexico, February 9th, 1843. 
O. Monasterio. 
No. 4. 
Communication from Don Jose de Garay to his Excellency the Minis¬ 
ter for Foreign Affairs, enclosing a letter from the Secretary of the 
Commission of Survey, announcing his return to the capital, and 
repeating the opinion already expressed by him on the possibility of 
opening the intended communication through the Isthmus. 
Office of Foreign Affairs. 
Most Excellent Sir; 
In a letter of the I8th instant the Secretary of the Commission of 
Survey writes as follows : “ I arrived here yesterday with the Commission, who 
last year left this capital to explore the Isthmus of Tehuantepec for the purpose 
of opening a communication between the two oceans, according to the decree of 
the 1st of March, 1842. My former note informed you of the favourable results 
of our labours in that part of the country, and nothing could be more gratifying 
to me than to repeat my opinion concerning the practicability of the undertaking, 
which will be ever memorable from the great good and the important changes it 
will effect in the destinies of the Republic. The Commission will now proceed 
to arrange the notes, observations, and plans, in which will be shown the project 
they have conceived, and they hope to discharge this part of their duty with all 
the exactness the great importance of the enterprise demands. It remains now 
for me to assure you that the chief engineer, Don Cayetano Moro, and Captains 
Don Manuel Robles and Don Jos6 Gonzalez, are worthy of the highest esteem 
for the indefatigable activity and zeal with which they applied their scientific 
acquirements to the attainment of our object; and the third member of the 
