THE GATE OF THE PACIFIC.*

THE object of this book is to rouse the British public to a sense of the vast importance of having a gate of their own to the Pacific through Nicaragua, in addition to the one belonging to the Ame- ricans at Panama. There can be no doubt but that one direct mode of access to that part of the world is quite insufficient for the immense traffic which is flowing towards Australasia, Japan, China, and British Columbia. There can be still less doubt that it wouli be a fatal act of negligence to leave that traffic at the mercy of our greatest commercial rivals, who may any day be our enemies, and shut us out of the Pacific altogether.

The Duke of Newcastle said only last session that when there was an apprehension of hostilities with the 'United States, he was amable to communicate with the Governor of British Columbia for six weeks, for fear of any despatches sent rid Panama falling into hostile hands. Indeed, but for the delays, expense, and incon- venience of the Panama route, it is not improbable but that Bri- tish Columbia would have made more rapid progress. The colo- nies to the east of Melbourne, viz., Sydney, Queensland, and New _Zealand, have long been dissatisfied with the tedious route by Suez, and are endeavouring to have their mails sent through Central America. To Sydney there would be a saving of eleven days as compared ti ith the Suez route, and to New Zealand a still greater gain ; there would not be so many changes from steamer to steamer ; there would be less

trying changes of climate ; and there would be the advantage of a route (that of the Pacific) unequalled for fine climate and -weather. Yet, at present, we are wholly dependent on the Ame- ricans for the power of availing ourselves of these immense advan- tages. Nor are they blind to the fact. They have long declared -their intention of getting the whole Pacific trade into their own

hands ; and in an official report to Congress, dated January, 1849, this object is ostentatiously avowed. In that report, the Committee on naval affairs pointed out that the Panama line would throw into the American warehouses and shipping the entire commerce of the Pacific, "because if European ships were to sail with full cargoes, direct to the railroad, they would run the risk of being compelled to return without freight, or come to the 'United States for it." And this is so because Panama is a barren tract, utterly without resources or commerce of its own. The Panama line has another great disadvantage,—that at both ends there is nothing but an open and dangerous roadstead, the passengers and goods being at Aspinall transhipped into boats at a distance of several miles from the shore.

Captain Bedford Pim having for a long time been stationed as -senior officer on the Atlantic side of the isthmus, and having been employed in surveying duties on the other, turned his attention to -this important question of our communications with the Pacific, and collected all the information which he thought would be of use. He has, accordingly, hunted up the history of all the canal and railway projects which have at various times been put forward in reference to the isthmus, and has inquired most carefully into their relative merits—the configuration of Central America gene- rally, its populations, governments, harbours, rivers, productions, and climates. This valuable information is put before the public in a lively and readable shape, and we shall be surprised if the book does not lead to important results.

After a careful examination of all the circumstances, Captain

Pim has come to the conclusion that what we ought to do is to construct a railway of 230 miles through Nicaragua. The line would involve no engineering difficulties, as it would run through a great valley, which at this point breaks the Cordillera range, and -extends from the Gulf of Fonseca to the Caribbean Sea. The line would terminate in two harbours, surpassing all others in this part of the world for safety and capacity,—a most important feature in a transit route. Of the port on the l'acific side he claims to be the discoverer, and calls it " Gorgon" Bay, after his ship. The port -on the other side would be Realejo, a calling-place between Panama and Francisco, possessing facilities of every kind of repair, timber, good water, and provisions of every kind. He says " the trains would ran from alongside the wharf in the one port to a position close to the ocean steamer in the other, thus embarking and dis- -embarking passengers and freight with an ease and rapidity far .superior to the accommodation afforded either at Suez or Panama." He calculates the expense of the line at under a million, and the -time for its construction at less than five years, adding that a -temporary route might be opened, rid the Lake of Nicaragua, as soon as the first eighty miks between the lake and the Atlantic were completed.

• The Gate of the Pacific. By Cnnm•n'er Bedford Pim, 11.N., A,soc. Inst. C.E. London: Loren, Rem, nod Co. 1811 Published by him at the "SPECTATOlt" Odic°, No. 1 Wellington street, Strand,

The great value of this route is that it opens out a country whicn appears to be almost unequalled among tropical countries for its climate and resources, so that a local trade of the greatest value would spring up directly the line was constructed, more particu- larly if an emigration scheme were combined with that of the rail- way. Captain Pim declares the country to be healthy, and choice of temperature being afforded by the diversity of surface ; low cotton lands, undulating savannas, mountains 3,000 high, clothed with grass to the summit, and the lofty range of the Cordilleras.

The line would be cut through forests of mahogany ; on the borders of the great lake are thousands of acres of the finest pas- ture; on the Mosquito shore, the best description of cotton ;. and towards the Pacific side, sugar-cane and indigo of the finest sorts, tobacco, rice, cocoa and coffee, besides sarsaparilla, vanilla, ginger, and caoutchouc. The mineral resources appear to be equally rich, gold, silver, lead, copper, iron, and sulphur. The area is about that of Portugal, but all this wealth lies utterly useless, and the land valueless, for want of sufficient population.

The Carib population, accustomed to work as mahogany-cutters, would be available for the construction of the line, and are described as skilful road-makers, besides being singularly industrious, orderly, and faithful. Lastly, the authorities of Nicaragua, and of their dependency, Mosquito, appear to be quite alive to the advantages they would derive from the great highway, and anxious to give every requisite concession.

The particular route proposed by Captain Pim is new, but a transit route across Nicaragua by river and lake steamers was organized so long ago as 1851 by an American company.

It being nearer than Panama to the northern ports on either side by several hundred miles, and much cheaper, in consequence of the enormous charges made on the other route, the Nicaragua line was most successful. But it was ultimately broken up by the scandalous conduct of its projectors. As the story is a strik- ing illustration of the aggressive and insolent spirit in which American adventurers are too ready to deal with the rights of weak neighbours, and of the readiness with which such conduct has been too often supported by their Government, the story of the Nicaragua transit is worth reading. We can only afford room for a very brief summary.

The first act of the company was to refuse payment of the port dues at Greytown. Then a captain of one of their steamers shoots a native who is insolent, and the company refuse

to give up the murderer. Soon after the Greytown people refuse to give up an employe of the company who had robbed them.

Thereupon a man-of-war is sent to demand an indemnity of 25,000 dollars, and on its refusal, without further notice, Greytown is bombarded and bmaaed to the ground. Shortly after, the company refuse to pay to Nicaragua the per tentage on the traffic which formed one of the conditions of the concession by which they were allowed to establish their transit. Colonel Walker, the " Fili- buster," who had been called in by the Nicaraguans to assist them in a little civil war, and was then a member of the local Government, seizes the company's boats for non-payment of the aforesaid dues, and makes over their privileges to a new company. Both com- panies then go to war, sink steamers, and drive piles in the river, which ends in the formation of sand-banks and the destruction of the harbour and river channels. The ruin of Greytown harbour induced Captain Pim to look for some other roadstead, which resulted in his discovery of the far more valuable harbour which he

calls Gorgon Bay, and which he has purchased, we suppose, to secure its possession for any British company which may undertake

to work out his scheme.

We cannot conclude this account of Nicaragua without quoting a remarkable extract from a pamphlet written in England in 1847 by the present Emperor of the French :—

"There exists in the New World a state as admirably situated as Constantinople, and we must say up to the present time as uselessly occupied ; we allude to the state of Nicaragua. The state of Nicaragua can become, better than Gestantinople, the necessary route for the great commerce of the world ; for it is for the United States the shortest road to China and the East Indies, and for England and the rest of Europe to New Holland, Polynesia, and the whole of the western coasts of America. France, England, Holland, Russia, and the United States, have a great commercial interest in the establishment of a communica- tion between the two oceans; but England has, more thau the other powers, a political interest in the execution of this project. England will see with pleasure Central America become a flourishing and powerful state, which will establish a balance of power by creating in Spanish America a new centre of active enterprise, powerful enough to give rise to a great feeling of nationality, and to prevent, by backing Mexico, any further encroachment from the North."