Book Description

Excerpt from Report on Interoceanic Canals and Railroads: Between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans The following report is made under the direction of the Hon. Secretary of the Navy, in compliance with a resolution of the Senate of the United States, dated March 19, 1866, which resolution reads as follows: "Resolved, That the Secretary of the Navy furnish, through a report of the Superintendent of the Naval Observatory, the summit levels and distances by survey of the various proposed lines for interoceanic canals and railroads between the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans; as, also, their relative merits as practicable lines for the construction of a ship canal, and especially as relates to Honduras, Tehuantepec, Nicaragua, Panama, and Atrato lines; and also whether, in the opinion of the Superintendent, the isthmus of Darien has been satisfactorily explored; and if so, furnish in detail, charts, plans, lines of levels, and all information connected therewith, and upon what authority they are based." The object of this inquiry is to collect and collate our existing information concerning the several isthmuses through or over which it has been proposed to open a communication between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It is the aim of the Honorable Senator, Mr. Conness, of California, to acquire by the answer to his resolution, such accurate knowledge with regard to the whole question as will, in the first place, prevent the re-examination of any ground which is already sufficiently known; and, in the second place, will prevent any useless expenditure of money upon schemes that are infeasible or unpromising. The resolution is properly divided into two general heads, which are again subdivided as follows: I. The consideration of the "various proposed lines, will include - "Summit level;" "Distances by survey;" and "Their relative merits as practical lines for the construction of a ship canal, especially for the Honduras, Tehuantepec, Nicaragua, Panama, and Atrato routes." II. The inquiry, "Has the isthmus of Darien been satisfactorily explored," calls for - "Charts;" "Plans;" "Lines of levels, and information therewith;" and "Authorities on the whole subject." In conference with the mover of the resolution, I have ascertained that I shall execute the task assigned me in the most acceptable manner, if I confine myself to a simple statement of facts, avoiding all unnecessary descriptions, whether of geography, topography, or natural history, all scientific details not required for a full comprehension of results, and all merely speculative opinions. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.