lthy, and is inhabited by a robust and hospitable
population, which, although thinly spread over a large tract of
country, as in almost all the countries of Central and South America,
together with that of the neighbouring countries, may amply supply the
labourers necessary for the work, in case of its execution. Chagres is
the only point where the climate has any degree of unhealthiness,
owing to pure local circumstances; but this point will be avoided by
the line contemplated by M. Garella. Then in the unhealthiness of the
climate there is nothing to be dreaded for such artizans as masons and
carpenters, whom it would be necessary to send out from Europe.

"On the other hand the soil is of wonderful fertility. The cattle, far
from being scarce in that part are, on the contrary, abundant,
especially in the Canton of Chiriqui, on the Pacific Ocean, a little
to the west of Panama. There will, therefore, be easily found within
the country the means of provisioning a large number of workmen.

"The exact estimate of the expense attending the formation of a Canal
at Panama cannot be known until the report of M. Garella shall be
completed. But the foregoing explanations are of sufficient weight, as
a decided result of his surveys, to enable us to see that, against the
undeniable utility of a Canal that should be of sufficient dimensions
to allow the passage of the largest merchants' ships, we can hardly
place in the balance the consideration of any expenses whatsoever, nor
question the long series and increasing importance of the advantages
which must arise from it."

* * * * *

By way of summary: the opinion of this engineer on the possibility of
the formation of the Canal in question, is contained in the following
lines of a letter addressed by him to the Governor of Panama, dated
the 7th July, 1844, and a few days before his departure from that
country, translated from the "_Cartilla Popular_," a public paper
published at Panama, and written in Spanish.

* * * * *

"I am nevertheless partly able to satisfy your just and natural
impatience, in announcing to you that a Canal across the Isthmus
between the river Chagres, and a point of the coast of the Pacific
Ocean, in the environs of Panama, is a work of very possible
execution, and even easier than that of many Canals which have been
formed in Europe."

_M. Morel._

The author has been furnished with