the result of a survey for a railroad to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, made by the scientific commission under the direction of Major (now Major General) J. G. Barnard, U. S. Engineers.

In conclusion we may say of the vignette on the title page, that it illustrates the twentysecond article of the grant, the determination of the Mexican Government, the wishes of the Company, and the hopes of Commerce.

SIMON STEVENS,

PRESIDENT

Tehuantepec Railroad Company.

174 CHAMBERS STREET, NEW YORK.

June 17th, 1869.

TEHUANTEPEC CONCESION DE LA SERE.

MEXICO, Lunes, 4 de Enero de 1869.

Ministerio de Fomento, Colonizacion, Industria y Comercio.

El C. presidente de la república se ha servido dirigirme el decreto que sigue:

"BENITO JUAREZ, Presidente constitucional de los Estados Unidos mexicanos, á todos sus habitantes, sabed;

"Que el Congreso de la Union ha decretado lo siguiente:

"El congreso de la Union decreta:

"ART. 1.-El decreto expedido por el Ejecutivo en 6 de Octubre de 1867, autorizando á D. Emilio LaSere, ó á la compañía que él formara para abrir la comunicacion interoceánica por el Istmo de Tehuantepec, queda modificado en los términos siguientes:

"ART. 2.-Se autoriza á la compañía que forme D. Emilio La-Sere, para la apertura de la comunicacion interoceánica por el Istmo de Tehuantepec, con las condiciones expresadas en este decreto.

"ART. 3.--La compañía que forme La-Serc, podrá hacer la comunicacion por agua, en la parte navegable del rio Goatzacoalcos; y en donde ella concluya principiarán los caminos á que se refiere el artículo siguiente; pero si no juzga conveniente hacer uso del rio, comenzarán los caminos desde el punto de su desembocadura.

TEHUANTEPEC LA SÈRE GRANT.

MEXICO, Monday, 4th January, 1869.

Department of Improvement, Colonization,
Industry, and Commerce.

The Citizen President of the Republic has been pleased to address me the following decree:

BENITO JUAREZ, Constitutional President of the Mexican United States, to all its inhabitants:

Be it known that the Congress of the Union has decreed the following:

The Congress of the Union decrees:

be modified.

ARTICLE 1ST.-The decree issued by the Executive Decree of 1867 to on the 6th October, 1867, authorizing Don Emilio La Sère, or the company that he may form, to open the inter-oceanic communication across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, is modified in the following terms:

communication

ARTICLE 2D.-Authorization is granted to the com- Authority to open pany, that Don Emilio La Sère may form, to open across Isthmus. the inter-oceanic communication across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, with the conditions expressed in this de

cree.

water and roads.

ARTICLE 3D.-The company to be formed by La By roads or by Sère may establish communication by water in the navigable portion of the Goatzacoalcos River, and, where that ends, the roads will commence as referred to in the following articles; but if it should not be deemed expedient to use the river, the roads will commence at the mouth of the same.

'ART. 4.-La compañía La-Sère deberá construir un ferrocarril de la mejor clase, que partiendo del punto en que termine la navegacion del rio Goatzacoalcos ó de su desembocadura, segun lo expresa el artículo anterior, llegue hasta el puerto de la Ventosa, ó cualquiera otro del Pacífico que se creyere mas conveniente que este. Entretanto se concluye el camino de fierro, La-Sère establecerá la comunicacion por medio de un camino carretero, que conservará en buen estado de servicio, y con los puentes necesarios para el tránsito de carruages que conduzcan pasageros y mercancías de poco peso.

"ART. 5.-Hechos los reconocimientos necesarios. para el ferrocarril y para el camino carretero, y levantados los planos correspondientes por los ingenieros, se someterán á la aprobacion del Gobierno general, sin lo cual no podrán ponerse en ejecucion.

"ART. 6.-La compañía La-Sère avisará oportunamente al Gobierno cuándo debe empezar el reconocimiento del terreno por donde han de pasar los caminos, para que aquel nombre el comisionado ó comisionados que lo representen en las operaciones que hayan de practicarse, pagándose por la compañía los honorarios de aquellos. Para el deslinde de los terrenos baldíos 'que deban cederse á la compañía, intervendrán los peritos que nombre el Gobierno, pagándose tambien sus honorarios por ella.

"ART. 7.-En el término de diez y ocho meses, contados desde la fecha de esta concesion, deberán estar hechas las exploraciones del terreno, levantados y presentados los planos que marquen la direccion de los caminos, y sometidos á la aprobacion del Gobierno, al que se dará aviso dentro de los primeros seis meses, de que va á procederse á los trabajos, á fin de que el comisionado ó comisionados de que habla la primera parte del artículo anterior, se hallen presentes para inspeccionar las obras que se ejecuten.

cific. Carriage

ARTICLE 4TH.-The La Sère Company is bound Railroad to Pato construct a first-class railroad, starting from the road meanwhile, point where navigation on the Goatzacoalcos River terminates, or from its mouth in conformity with the preceding article, and continue said road to the port of Ventosa, or to any other port on the Pacific that may be deemed more suitable. While the railroad is being finished, La Sère will establish the communication by means of a carriage road, which he will keep in a good serviceable condition, and with bridges necessary for the passage of vehicles carrying passengers and merchandise of light burden.

maps to be ap

proved by Gov

ernment.

ARTICLE 5TH.-The necessary surveys being made Surveys and for the railroad and for the carriage road, and the corresponding maps or plans being made by the engineers, these will be submitted for the approbation of the General Government, without which they will not be allowed to be carried into execution.

Government to

sioners.

ARTICLE 6TH.-The La Sère Company shall notify Before survey, the Government opportunely of the time when the appoint commis survey of the lands through which the roads are to pass, is to begin, so that the Government may appoint the commissioner or commissioners who are to represent it in the operations which will follow, their fees to be paid by the company. For the demarcation of the unclaimed lands to be ceded to the company, the experts. that the Government may name will intervene; these also will be paid by the company.

mitted within

ARTICLE 7TH.-Within the term of eighteen months, Surveys, &c., subcounting from the date of this grant, the surveys of

eighteen months. mencement with

Notice of com

in six months

the ground are to be made, the plans showing the
lines of the roads are to be made, and submitted thereafter.
for the approbation of the Government, and notice will
be given within the first six months that the works
are going to be commenced, in order that the commis-
sioner or commissioners referred to in the first part of
the preceding article, may be present to inspect the
works that may be executed.