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THE GATE OF THE PACIFIC by Pim, Bedford:
London. 1863.. xiii,[1],432pp. plus colored lithograph frontispiece, eight plates (seven of them colored lithographs) and seven maps (two folding). Original gilt pictorial cloth. Toe of spine a bit chipped. Binding neatly detached from contents at inner hinges. Private bookplate and blindstamp to titlepage. Outer margin of one of the maps lightly chipping and darkened. Overall a good copy. A nicely illustrated work of Pacific interest, concerning the proposed Nicaraguan Canal, written by one of its chief proponents. Pim started early as an explorer, sailing as a young man with Sir Edward Belcher in the Arctic. After a series of expeditions off the coast of China and then commanding the GORGON off the Central American coast, Pim pioneered and surveyed the Nicaraguan Canal route across the Isthmus at Nicaragua. Pim made several trips to Nicaragua to continue his canal plans in the 1860s, but the Nicaraguan Railway Company, Ltd. (the company formed to carry out the plan) was dissolved in 1868 due to lack of capital. This book reflects Commander Bedford's assertive attitude with respect to establishing a strong British presence in the Pacific region. He was deeply impressed with the importance of Central America in a British imperial context. The handsome plates depict various scenes in Panama related to his plans for a Nicaraguan canal, e.g. cutting down trees for the railway, towns, bridges, and plantations. The maps are of Central America, Greytown Harbour, Delta of the River San Juan, Port Realejo, Gorgon Bay, Great Barrier Harbour, and the New Transit Route. An important Pacific related book, not often seen. HILL 1359.
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