engineering

Exploration of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, with 20 maps and charts
18. SHUFELDT, Robert Wilson. Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the practicability of a ship-canal between the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans, by the way of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
Washington, Government printing office, 1872. 4º. With 19 large folding and 1 full-page maps and charts (including 6 profiles, 11 river and
coastal maps, 1 geological map (hand-coloured), and 2 meteorological charts) and 11 tinted lithographed views. Light brown goatskin. € 395
Report of a United States’ exploration of the
Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Mexico. Since
the discovery of America plans were made
to connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
by a canal. Robert W. Shufeldt (1822–1895)
headed the surveying mission in 1870–1871
and presented his report to the second
session of the Forty-Second Congress of
the United States. The expedition studied
the terrain beginning at the mouth of the
Coatzacoalcos river on the Mexican Gulf
and ending at the harbour of Salina Cruz
on the Pacific Ocean, a distance of ca. 225
km in a straight line. The report contains
sections on the hydrography, meteorology,
geology, zoology, botany, ethnography,
etc. of this region. The canal would make
partial use of the Coatzacoalcos river and
the largest part would be dug out, containing
locks and even tunnels, the longest
projected tunnel would measure 1265 m.
With some library stamps. Lower corner
title-page cut off, some small tears along
folding lines of some maps, tear in map 11,
otherwise in good condition. Binding also
good, only slightly rubbed.
Palau 312172; Sabin 80759; DAB XVII, pp. 139–140.