THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. (From the Times, June 8.)

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 368, 24 October 1849, Page 3

THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. (From the Times, June 8.)

The new by the lait Weic India steamer indicated the extent to which the junction of the Atlantic with, the Pacific by the Nicaragua route has become an object of interest, and aho the keenness with which the fact is appreciated that if England be not diiposed to take any step, the time is come for affording every encouragement to such other parties as may be more active. When four months back attention was first called to the subject, there was an universal aitent not only to its importance, but also its attractiveness ; and, not* withstanding the blow which the spirit of adventwe has received in this country, there seemed almost a chance that the proposed achievement might yet be in reserve for us. One thing, however, was certain, that without some security that the fruits of whatever might ba accomplished shou'd be protected, no ono would ever for the future embark either his means or hopes in any part of Spanish America. The cooperation of our own Government, therefore, either alone or in combination with others, was essential, and to obtain such cooperation in the midst of the present distractions of Europe would probably have been impossible. Be this as it may, nothing was done. The Minuter from Nicaragua w«s here at the time, and, it is said, was prepared to concede whatever might be required. Since then New Turk entcrprizs has promptly taken the matter up, and the petty state of Nicaragua, finding, or fancying she holds the key of the most important transit in the world, has been attempting to inciease the app/eciaiion of it by encouraging alt sorts of rival negotiations, and also by insisting on ill-founded encroachments. A Dr. Brown from New York, has offered not only to construct a road upon receiving the concesiion merely of rights of toll for forty years, but at the same time to promote au intervention on the part of hit country between. England and Nicaragua, on the question as to the boundary of the territory of the King of Mosquito, adding also, what would be of more consequence, a proposal to furnish 10,000 dollari for the expenses of a Nicaraguan envoy to Washington. And no sooner had Dr. Brown opened his plans than he was competed with by a Mr. While, who volunteer* to pay off the national debt of the Republic. To the schemes of neither of these genilenit n do we attach much importance. It Dr. Biown !»*) been prepared with his 10,00 > dolors he might onssioly have settled the business— but this, liks ihe intervention of his Government, w.is double s Merely s •' pio« mise ;" and, as to his rival, although the oftvr in that case w«« a larger on*, it wss not calculated to product? much effect, since, unfortunately for some capitalists here, the public debt of Nicaragua has never given ths inhabitants of that country any conccn. The true point for notce, and one which contrasts with our supinenesi, is that to which we referred about three weeks back— namely, the lauding of 115 Americans at Grey Town, forming what is called " Gordon's A»&ociation," with a steam-boat in pieces ready to be put together for the navigation of tha rirer San Juan and of Nicaragua Lake, which steamer is announced ai the first of three that are to commence plying within the next six months. Mr. Gordon, however, unlike Dr. Brown, instead of attempting to evade the claims of the King of Moiquito to ths right bank of tho rwer,

entered at once into negotiations with the British authorities to obtain their sanction to his undertaking. Mfanwhile the conduct of the Nicoraguans leems likely to defeat their own object, and the claims set up by them have probably already been the caui>e of preventing stups that misjht otherwise have been taken, A reference to the most authentic maps of Central Art.rrica will show that the seaboard of the Mosquito country comes diwn to the mouth of the river San Juan, and that this river for about sixty miles of its course to the inteiior forms the boundary of the Republic of Costa Rica, an'l hence, in fact, Nicaragua has nothing to do with the San Juan except at the upper part, where the Mosquito boundary terminates and her own territory begins, nnd where she ronsequTinly pos-eesrs for th? remainder of its course to the lake a rip-ht to its navigation jointly wilh Costa Rica. JnhcrowT mans however, when the subject a c.innl has be«n agitated, she lias thought fit to drw n line te'i.iinutin* the pcsiessions of the Kiug of Mog. qutto <t a p< ' 't considerably above the Son Juan, and this Brpard,t' <- "or the snle object nf getting a claim to one ert".re >. 'i of that river ; for the line, palpably, is not tl"> 1 a'l i 1 boundary of Mosquito, and the counti\ it "hi ' .v»>. probably, never visited by a Nicarapuan »';rv yor, .<r perhaps even by a Nicarnguan citizen. p lje King of Mosquito, moreover, who<.p country *r b"=en under our profrtion for more than two conn- es, holds possession. Grey Town has been establHwi' at the hrrbour, and the question is poetically fc' tr.cd. Under these circumstances, rothin? nx»re wr Ibr heard of it, were it not foi the visit* of Americ > .dventurers. such as Dr. Brown, who aware of the vp eof the rout! 1 , seek to urge the Nicaraguan people to * intention by the promise that Congress will "f jgni*e eir cause, ani' enter into a brawl on account 'U, Oi'TS «f monpy'^fire added, and in this way the ■»o.ry or i'i|id)ty of the parties in power ii wo>ked „ )'i for >', eir Illusion, Hence it appears that they I- 3 juri i-tlu ijto recpive Mr. Christie, the British •' i . -u l , -nd a,-ent of the King of Mosquito, in his of- <* »< The r-pult of their folly, should they ■ 7 (re in it, will be that Nicaragua will still remain . <'enie«s, while her neighbour States will gain >i she IoHeH, America will certainly not bark her ■ n'i"-is, and England will do nothing to promote advancement. But the attention which has been " .'Pi' towards Central Amorira cannot now die away. The Ut.i 1 d States will again direct themse'Tei to Pa« nsma or Tp^unntepec, and for English capitalists Costa licM will pr< S3nt all the advantages that sre common 10 Nicardf;u,!, with the addition of a comparatively •tab'e G >vernme>it and an improving commerce. Indeed, as far ys regards ihe construction of a simple and inexpm»ive passenger route to the Pacific, this little republic possesses facilities perhaps more readily available tha> those in any other quarter.