The London Encyclopedia, or Universal Dictionary of Science, Art, Literature and Practical Mechanics, Vol. 2 of 22

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Excerpt from The London Encyclopedia, or Universal Dictionary of Science, Art, Literature and Practical Mechanics, Vol. 2 of 22: Comprising a Popular View of the Present State of Knowledge, Illustrated by Numerous Engravings, a General Atlas, and Appropriate DiagramsIt is obvious that no point yet examined presents so few difficulties in the way of this great object, and the government of Columbia have directed the necessary surveys to be made in reference to it. Of the two remaining routes, that which was suggested from the Gulf of St. George to the ocean is quite impractica ble: the other presents a communication com paratively easy, by a portage over the mountains of only five or six leagues from the river of the Peruvian coast, 1 0° south latitude to the branches of the Amazon, and would carry the rich pro duce of Peru and Chili to the mouth of the Amazon and the coast of Europe in five or six weeks, while a passage of four months, attended with great danger, is necessary in going round Cape Horn. The jealousy of the Brazilian go vernment at present renders the plan impracti cable. The only canal yet executed in the pen insula of North America is the great drain, or derague of Huchuetooa, designed todraw off the waters by which the valley and city of Mexico are frequently inundated. Although it serves no commercial purpose, it claims admira tion as one ofthe most gigantic hydraulic con structions in the world. It was Originally a subterraneous passage through the crest of moun tains which surrounds the valley of 'mex'ico but2 being found inadequate, it was converted at an 1mmense expense into an Open drain, more than twelve'miles in length and nearly 200 feet in depth in some parts, and 200 or 350 feet broad m some parts nearly equal to the Seine at Paris. If hut a small part of it were filled with water, shlps of war might pass through the mountains. It is now much fallen to decay.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis 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.