A Gigantic Undertaking.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 148, 10 September 1872, Page 7

A Gigantic Undertaking.

The Honduras Minister lias, says (he Eutvjmni Mail , just invited subscriptions for a financial operation which stands unrivalled for magnitude and novelty. It is proposed, on what is said to be very good engineering authority, to convert the railway now in course of construction from Honduras from the Atlantic to the Pacific, into a ship railway of capacity sufficient to accomplish the easy transit of ships and their cargoes across the Continent without unloading. This, of course, is a consummation devoutly to be wished, and when wo remember the compar - tively recent triumphs of engineering skill, we are not in a position to say that it cannot accomplish what “it has set its mind on.” The engineers contend that, by the means of Clark's hydraulic Hit, as used - for floating graving ducks, vessels of 1200 tons can bo lifted out of the Atlantic at Puerto Caballes, and whirled by railway to the Bay of Fonseca on the Pacific, thus giving Cape Horn the dounle, and avoiding the risks and dangers of that stormy passage. It is calculated that the railway should be able to bear a weight of 2000 tons ; and in order equitably t > distribute this immense weight, it is proposed to construct a carriage with 24') wheels, f o run on no loss than six lines. In tins way there would he forty wheels on each rail, and the o irr'age would be 200 feet long. The question as t> curves, which would seem to b ■ o] pose I to the success of this gigantic sch m e, has been satisfactorily disposed of, u d the cmnmerc'al public Imre seem favourably disposed towaius the undertaking. One advantage of tie scl erne is, that the shiprailway wi n n noway nterlere with the ordinary traffic, of tl c raiiviay as now constructed.