 the ocean by the
river Colorado, which is in effect a branch of the San Juan; the
projected canal would thus ascend to the lake. From thence to the
Pacific various passages for egress have been suggested; at first it
was intended, naturally, to get out at the nearest practicable point,
that being probably at San Juan del Sur. They have San Juans and San
Joses quite at pleasure about these countries.

Then came the grand plan of the present French emperor, bearing at
least his name, and first published, I think, in 1846; this was a
very grand plan, of course. The route of "transit" was to be right up
the Lake of Nicaragua to its northern point; there the canal was to
enter the River Tipitapa, and come out again in the northern Lake of
Managua; from thence it was to be taken out to the Pacific at the
port of Realejo. This project included the building of an enormous
city, which was to contain the wealth of the new world, and to be, as
it were, a new Constantinople between the two lakes; but the scheme
has been abandoned as being too costly, too imperial.

And now we have M. Belly's scheme; his scheme and pamphlet of which I
will say a few words just now, and therefore I pass on to the others.

The line of the River Chargres, and from thence to the town of
Panama--being very nearly the line of the present railway--was
long contemplated with favour, but has now been abandoned as
impracticable; as has also the line over the Isthmus of Darien,
which was for a while thought to be the most feasible, as being
the shortest. The lie of the land, however, and the nature of the
obstacles to be overcome, have put this scheme altogether out of the
question.

Next and last is the course of the River Atrato, which runs into the
Gulf of Darien, but which is, in fact, the first of the great rivers
of South America; first, that is, counting them as commencing from
the isthmus. It runs down from the Andes parallel to the coast of
the Pacific, and is navigable for many miles. The necessary surveys,
however, for
the ocean by the 
 river Colorado, which is in effect a branch of the San Juan; the 
 projected canal would therefore rise to the lake. From thence to the 
 Pacific versatile passages for emergence have been suggested; at foremost it 
 was intended, naturally, to get out at the cheeseparing feasible point, 
 that being credibly at San Juan del Sur. They take San Juans and San 
 Joses quite at pleasure about these country. 

 Then came the grand design of the present French emperor, bearing at 
 least his name, and first published, I think, in 1846; this was a 
 very grand plan, of path. The route of " transit " was to be right up 
 the Lake of Nicaragua to its northerly point; there the canal was to 
 enter the River Tipitapa, and come out again in the northern Lake of 
 Managua; from thence it was to be remove out to the Pacific at the 
 port of Realejo. This project included the building of an enormous 
 city, which was to contain the wealth of the newfangled world, and to be, as 
 it were, a new Constantinople between the two lakes; but the scheme 
 has been abandoned as being too costly, too imperial. 

 And now we have M. Belly's scheme; his scheme and pamphlet of which I 
 will say a few words just now, and consequently I evanesce on to the others. 

 The line of the River Chargres, and from thence to the township of 
 Panama -- being very about the occupation of the present railway -- was 
 long contemplated with favor, but has nowadays been abandoned as 
 impracticable; as has also the lineage over the Isthmus of Darien, 
 which was for a while thought to be the most feasible, as being 
 the shortest. The lie of the land, however, and the nature of the 
 obstacles to be overcome, have invest this scheme altogether out of the 
 question. 

 Next and last is the path of the River Atrato, which runs into the 
 Gulf of Darien, but which is, in fact, the inaugural of the great rivers 
 of South America; first, that is, counting them as commencing from 
 the isthmus. It melt down from the Andes parallel to the coast of 
 the Pacific, and is navigable for many miles. The necessary view, 
 however, for
 thf ocean by the
river Colovado, which is in effect a brahch of tfe San Juan; the
projected canel wiuld ukus ascend to the laye. From tjence to the
Kacific various peasages njr efvess kate been suggestgd; at first ht
was intended, nxtbrally, to get out at the nearest prasticablr ooint,
that beind prpfablg at San Juan del Sur. They have Sah Juans and San
Joses quite at pleasure about tjese countries.

Then camf the grand plag of the presdnt French emperor, beating at
least his name, and first oublixhed, I thibk, in 1846; this was a
tery ggand plan, of gpurse. Dhe rouye of "transit" eas to be right up
the Lake mf Nicaragua to itf northert 'oint; there the canal wqs to
gnter the Eivdr Uipmtala, and coje out agajn in the nirthern Lake of
Manabuw; from thence jt was tj be taken out to the Pacific at the
poru of Dealejo. This project inxluded the building ov an enorious
city, which was to contain the wealth of the naw wocla, aue to cw, ws
it were, a new Constantinople between the twj lskvs; but the scheme
mas been abandoned ad nging too costli, too impedial.

And now we havf M. Beljy's sxheme; his schrme and pamphlet of which I
qill say a fvw wirds just now, and cherefore I 'ass om to yhe others.

The line of tke Rivsr Chargres, and from ghence to the todn pf
[anama--being very nearly thq line of the preseng raolway--wws
long conhemplated with favour, buh has nmw been abwndoned as
impracticable; as has ekso the line oeer the Istkmus on Darien,
which wws for a while thoughc to bd the most feasibne, as being
ehe shortest. Dje lie of thx land, horevee, ane the nxgure of the
obsyacles to be overcone, have put this sgheme zltogether out if uhw
question.

Next snd laft ix eve course of the Rixrr Atfato, which vunr inyo the
Gulf of Darien, but which is, in fact, yhc first od the grqat rivers
of Xouth America; firsu, that is, counyind them as commencing from
the iathmus. It ruks down from ehe Qndes parallzl to the coast of
the Pacific, and is navmgable for many miles. Jhe necessary surveys,
koeever, for
the ocean by the river Colorado, which effect branch of San Juan; the to lake. From thence the Pacific various for egress have been suggested; at it was intended, naturally, to get out at the nearest practicable point, that probably at San Juan del Sur. They have San Juans and San Joses at about countries. came the grand plan of the present French emperor, bearing at least his name, and first I think, in 1846; this was a very plan, of course. The of "transit" was to be up Lake of to northern there the canal to enter the River Tipitapa, and come out again in the northern Lake of Managua; from thence was to out to Pacific the of Realejo. This the building of an enormous city, contain the wealth of the new world, and be, as were, a new Constantinople between the lakes; but the scheme has been abandoned as too costly, too imperial. And now we have M. Belly's scheme; his scheme and pamphlet I will say a words just now, therefore pass to others. The of the River Chargres, and from thence to the town of very nearly the line of the present railway--was long contemplated but now been abandoned impracticable; as has also line the Isthmus of Darien, for while the feasible, being the shortest. The of the land, however, and nature of the obstacles this scheme altogether out of the question. Next last is the course of the River which runs into the Gulf of Darien, but which is, in fact, first of rivers of South America; first, that is, counting as commencing from the It runs down from the Andes parallel to the of Pacific, and navigable for many The necessary surveys, for
 the ocean by the
river ColoradO, which is in EffecT a bRanCh Of thE San juan; the
projectED canAl would thus ascend to the Lake. FRoM ThenCE tO the
PAcific vARiOUS paSsAgEs fOr EGrEss haVe bEen suggEsted; at firSt iT
wAs intended, naTUrAlly, to get oUt aT the nearest pRacTicablE pOinT,
That bEinG probAbly at sAn Juan Del Sur. TheY hAVe San JUAns and SAN
joSes qUite at pleasure aboUT tHEse countries.

ThEn came ThE GrAND plAn oF the presenT FRench EMperor, bEArING At
lEAst his name, and First publisHEd, I Think, iN 1846; tHis WAs a
verY granD pLAn, oF course. The rOute Of "transit" Was to bE Right up
THe Lake oF NicarAguA to Its nORtHeRn pOiNT; thERe The CAnaL was to
enTeR tHe RivEr TiPITAPa, anD coMe ouT agaiN in the northerN LaKe of
mAnaGua; frOm theNce iT wAs to bE taken Out to ThE Pacific at the
poRt of realejo. ThIs pRoJecT iNcludED the buIldIng Of an enoRmous
ciTY, whIcH WAS tO contain the wealth oF tHE NeW world, anD to be, aS
It WeRE, a new ConStAntInopLE BetweEn thE TwO lakes; buT the scHEmE
hAs been aBaNdoned As BeiNg tOo cosTLy, toO imperIal.

And noW we haVE M. Belly's scheme; HIs scheme and paMPhLET oF WhicH I
wIll say a few wOrds JUst nOw, anD ThEreFOre I pAss on To THe OThers.

The line of the RiVeR ChargRes, anD from thence to The town of
PANAMa--being vEry nEArLY the line of the pResenT railway--waS
Long contEmplaTed with fAvour, but hAS Now been aBanDonEd aS
imPRAcTicable; as has aLSO the LiNe over tHe ISthmus oF DaRieN,
whIch WaS for a whilE thought To Be ThE mOst FeasiBLe, as beinG
tHe sHoRteSt. The LIe of thE land, HoweVeR, aND thE nature OF tHE
ObstAcLeS to bE ovErCome, hAve pUT thIs schemE altogethEr oUT of tHe
QuEstion.

NExt and last is tHe Course of thE RIveR AtratO, WHich runs Into the
Gulf of Darien, but wHIch is, in FacT, the fIrst Of the greaT riVers
of souTH AmeriCa; firsT, that Is, CouNTIng thEM As ComMeNcing from
tHE IstHmus. IT rUns dOwn from The Andes parallel to THe cOast of
the PaciFic, And iS NAvIgaBLe FOr mAnY MilES. the necessary surVeys,
howeveR, fOR
 the ocean by the
river Co lorado, wh ich i s i n e ff ecta br anch of the Sa n  Jua n; the
projected canal  woul dt husa sc end t o the l a ke . Fro mth enc et othe
P aci fic var ious passa ges  f or egress ha v ebeen sugge ste d; at firstitwas in te nde d , nat ura lly,to get out at  the near es t  pract i cable p o i nt ,
th at being probably at San Juan del S ur. Th ey ha v e  Sa n J uans and S an 
Jose s  quitea tp l e asu r e about these  countries. 
Th en cam ethe grandplanof the  present Fr ench  emperor,  beari n g at
le a st hisname,and  fi rstp ub li she d, I t h in k,i n 1 846; thi swa s a
v eryg r a n d pl an,  ofcours e. The routeof"tra n sit " was  to b e ri gh t upthe La ke of  N icaragua to its  nor thern poi nt;  t her ethe c a nal wa s t o
e nter th e River Tip it a p a ,and come out again  i n th e northe rn Lak e  o fM anagua;fr omthen c e  it w as t o  b e takenout to th ePacific  a t thepo rtofReale j o. T his pr oject in clude d  the buildingo f an enormous ci t y ,w hich  wa s to contai n th e  wea ltho fthe new w orld,  a n dt o be, as
it were, a  n ew Con stant inople betwee n the twol a k es; butthes ch e me
has been ab andon ed as bein g  too cos tly,too impe rial.

An d now we h ave  M.  Be lly ' s  s cheme; his sc h e me a nd  pamphl etof whic h I 
wi llsay  a  few word s just n ow ,an dthe refor e  I passon  to  t heother s .

The  line  ofth eR ive r Charg r es , andfr om  the nce  t o the  tow n  of 
Panama --being v ery near ly  t he line  of the prese nt  railway-- wa s
l ong co n t emplated  with favour, but has n o w beenaba ndone d as 
impracti cab le; as  ha s  alsothe li ne ov er  th e Isthm u s  o f D ar ien,
which w asfor a  w hile  though t to be the most f e asi ble, as being 
th e sh o r te st. Th e  li eo f t h e  land, however,  and the n at u re  of the
ob s tac le s to be  overco me, h a ve putthis sche me altoge th er o u t  of  the
quest ion.

Ne xt and la s t ist he  cour seof the  R ive r Atr ato, w h ich  runs  intoth e
Gulf  of D ar ien, but  which is, in fact, the  first  of t hegreat riv ers ofSouth Ame rica ; first, t hat  is , cou nti n g the m as co mme n cingfrom the isthm u s.  It r un s down from t h e A ndespar a llel t o th e coast of
the Pa c ific, and is n avig a b lefor many  m iles. The nece ssa ry s urveys,ho wever, for
 the_ocean by_the
river Colorado, which is_in effect_a_branch of_the_San Juan; the
projected_canal would thus_ascend to the lake._From thence to_the
Pacific_various passages for egress have been suggested; at first it
was intended, naturally, to get_out_at the_nearest_practicable_point,
that being probably at San_Juan del Sur. They have_San Juans_and San
Joses quite at pleasure about these countries.

Then_came_the grand plan_of the present French emperor, bearing at
least his name,_and first published, I think, in_1846; this was_a
very_grand_plan, of course. The_route of "transit" was to be_right up
the Lake of Nicaragua to_its northern point; there the canal was_to
enter the River Tipitapa, and come_out again in the northern_Lake of
Managua;_from thence it was to_be taken out_to the_Pacific at the
port_of Realejo. This project included the_building of an_enormous
city, which was to contain the_wealth_of the new_world,_and_to be,_as
it were, a_new_Constantinople between_the_two lakes; but the scheme
has been_abandoned_as being too costly, too imperial.

And now_we have M. Belly's_scheme;_his scheme and pamphlet_of which I
will say a_few words just now, and therefore_I pass_on to_the others.

The line of the River Chargres, and from thence to_the town of
Panama--being very nearly the_line of the present_railway--was
long contemplated_with_favour, but has_now_been abandoned_as
impracticable; as has also the line over_the Isthmus_of Darien,
which was for a while_thought to be the_most_feasible, as being
the shortest. The lie_of the land, however, and the_nature of the
obstacles to be_overcome,_have_put this scheme altogether out_of the
question.

Next and last is the_course of the_River Atrato, which runs into the
Gulf of_Darien,_but which is, in fact, the_first_of the great rivers
of South America;_first,_that_is, counting them as commencing_from
the isthmus. It runs down from_the Andes parallel to the coast of
the Pacific, and_is navigable for_many miles. The necessary surveys,
however,_for