B.
Mr. M. Fernandez to minister of public works
Commission for the Exploration of the Isthmus of
Tehuantepec:
As I had the honor to state at the time to your ministry, I awaited the
return of Mr. Fuertes, the chief engineer of the American commission to
Chivela, to begin our surveying operations, in accordance with the
instructions given me at my departure from the city of Mexico.
On the arrival of Mr. Fuertes, I learned from him that the river Ostuta
is not available as a canal-feeder, and that it was necessary to make a
survey of the Coatzacoalco River, as the only stream remaining for that
purpose.
After surmounting various obstacles which had prevented Mr. Fuertes from
making that journey, on account of the lack of co-operation on the part
of the authorities and inhabitants of the village called Santa Maria
Chimalupa, the members of the Mexican commission, along with the
American engineers, set out from Chivela for that village. Other
difficulties delayed our departure from that place until the 19th of
February, when we again started, and with great difficulty reached, on
horseback, the river Blanco, a tributary of the river Coatzacoalco, and
from this point we followed up the left bank on foot, since the nature
of the ground does not admit of any other mode of traveling.
In some portions of its upper course the Coatzacoalco runs between high
banks, forming rapid and powerful currents; but as we ascended we could
see that its bed became gradually wider and the falls of less height,
but without any great diminution of the volume of water, as we found no
other important tributary above the river Blanco, and it would seem that
the river continues thus, with little variation, throughout most of its
upper course.
Two measurements of the volume of water, made at 8 and 12 kilometers
above the confluence of the river Blanco, exhibited 30 cubic meters per
second, a quantity which has been estimated sufficient to feed the
canal.
We were then on the left bank of the river, about 34 kilometers to the
east of Santa Maria, and the barometer showed that the water level was
nearly the same as that of Chivela, when the Indians of Santa Maria
Chimalupa refused to go any further, and returned to their village,
obliging us to go back from lack of provisions. We had obtained,
however, one important result, namely, to have ascertained that the
river Coatzacoalcos can supply enough water, and at a sufficient height
to feed the canal,
[Page 631]
since it is
confidently believed that a little farther up the river a level higher
than the plain of Tarifa will be reached without any considerable
diminution of the volume of water.
In order to ascertain the exact figures and the means of conducting the
water in the most economical and convenient manner, Mr. Fuertes has
started again for the river, with a part of the American commission, to
perform the necessary operations. Meanwhile I shall proceed with the
commission under my charge to explore the rivers Chicapa and Ostuto,
which we have not yet surveyed, and we shall then return to the
Coatzacoalcos.
I have also the honor to inform you that the exploration of the southern
lagoons has been commenced by the officers of the American war steamer
sent for that purpose.
Independence and liberty.
Tehuantepec, March 13, 1871.
M. FERNANDEZ.