§ MR. BRADYsaid, he would beg to ask 1726 the First Lord of the Treasury, are there any political difficulties in the way of the project for the junction of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans by a Ship Canal across the Isthmus of Darien, from Caledonia Bay to the Gulf of San Miguel; and is the Government prepared to co-operate with the Emperor of the French, who has offered to send a Vessel of War and a Staff of Engineers to survey the line, which His Majesty has declared to be perfectly feasible? VISCOUNT PALMERSTON: Sir, there is no political impediment whatever to the creation of a canal across the Isthmus of Darien. On the contrary, there was an agreement entered into between the British and American Governments to protect any canal that might be made at any part of that isthmus, particularly in reference to a notion entertained once of a canal in the neighbourhood of Nicaragua. Before 1852 an active enterprising Irish gentleman, Dr. Cullen, had very meritoriously by his own efforts surveyed that part of the isthmus, and he was of opinion that a canal might be cut there more easily than at any other part of the isthmus. The result was that in 1852 a company was established, and the English, American, and French Governments, being impressed with the conviction that the scheme would be an advantageous one in the interest of the world, a communication was made to the Emperor at Paris, and, at the end of 1853, England, France, and America united to assist in exploring that part of the isthmus in order to ascertain whether it would be practicable to cut a canal. That survey occupied the whole of 1854, and at the end of that time, Mr. Gisborne having gone out as engineer of the company, English and American engineer officers were sent to make a survey, and the result was that they were of opinion that the scheme was impracticable, as the Cordilleras extended like a back-bone along the isthmus, at a height ten times too great to admit of a ship canal being formed through them. However desirable, therefore, such a work might be, and however plausible such a scheme might appear when simply viewed upon the map, an actual examination of the ground resulted in the opinion that it was not a project which could practically be carried into effect. Dr. Cullen applied last autumn for for a renewed expedition, and both Governments were willing to grant the presence of a ship of war upon the coast, so far as was practicable, without interfering with their naval duties. Dr. Cullen then made 1727 an application, not unnatural in his position, for pecuniary assistance towards carrying out the project, but the Government did not feel that they were justified in acceding to that request.