vantages likely to accrue from the emancipation of
South America, a writer in the _Edinburgh Review_ of January, 1809, laid
great stress upon a passage across the isthmus. It was the most
important to the peaceful intercourse of nations of anything that
presented itself to the enterprise of man. So far from being a romantic
and chimerical project, it was not only practicable, but easy. The river
Chagre, about eighteen leagues westward of Porto Bello, was navigable as
far as Cruzes, within five leagues of Panama. But there was even a
better route; at about five leagues from its mouth the Chagre received
the river Trinidad, which was navigable to Embarcadero, from which
Panama was only distant thirty miles through a level country. The ground
had been surveyed, and not the practicability only, but the facility of
the work _completely ascertained_. Further north was the grand lake of
Nicaragua, which by itself almost extended the navigation from sea to
sea. The Governor of St. John's Castle (Fort San Juan) had been
instructed by the king of Spain to refuse permission to any British
subject desirous of passing up or down this lake, "for if ever the
English came to a knowledge of its importance and value they would soon
make themselves masters of this part of the country."

But not only had the best places for a canal been selected at this early
time, but the many advantages to be derived from its construction had
been well considered. The same writer went on to say that from this
splendid and not difficult enterprise, not merely the commerce of the
western shores of America would be brought, as it were, to their doors,
but that of the South Sea whalers, who would be saved the tedious and
dangerous voyage round Cape Horn. Then the whole of the vast interests
of Asia would increase in value to a degree that was then difficult to
conceive, by having a direct route across the Pacific. It would be as
if, by some great revolution of the globe, they were brought nearer.
Immense would be the traffic which immediately would begin to cover the
ocean--all the riches of India and China moving towards America. Then
also the commodities of Europe and America would be carried towards
Asia. As a result of this, vast depots would be formed at the two
extremities of the canal, to soon develop into great commercial cities.
Never before had such an opportunity been offered to a nation as Great
Britain had then before her, owing to a wonderful co