The Sun.
London, England, 1841-05-22 00:00:00

EVENING EDITION

UPPER CALIFORNIA AND THE
OREGON TERRITORY.
(From the New York Journal of Commerce.)
We have already mentioned that a numerous expe-
diti(n is about leaving Missouri for the purpose of set-
tling In Upper California, whieh adjoins the Oregon ter-
ritoi yon the south. Both these countries are compara-
tively unknown to the civilised world ; or so imperfectly
kncwn, that additional information is eagerly sought for,
:spccially by American citizens.
W e have recently had interviews with J. F. Warner,
formerly of Hadlyme, Conn., but who, for many years
past, has resided in Upper California, occasionally
making excursions into Oregon. It had been our inten-
tion to embody some of his statements and suggestions
in an article of our own ; but just before leaving this
port, on his return to California, he handed us a manu-
script of five closely-written foolscap sheets, which we
prefer to make use of rather than trust to our recol-
!ection
From Boston to the mouth of the Columbia River,
by an air-line, is not far from 2,450 miles. From Boston
to the frontier towns of Missouri—viz., Lexington and
Independence, is by the same line 1,280 miles ; from In-
dependence to the mouth of Columbia River, about
4375 miles. From Boston to the Pacific Ocean at the
mouth of Columbia River by St. Louis we have 2,650
miles.

" The most recent exploration of the country, from
Missouri to the Pacific, dses not admit of a doubt of the
practicability of locafing a railroad through the rocky
mountain ride. A settlement has been commenced by
American citizens, and others, on the navigable waters
of the Columbia, and whether protected by the Govern-
ment of the United States, or forced to protect themselves,
they must succeed ; for when has the enterprise of Ame-
ricans in settling or colonising been unsuccessful ?
" Steam-boats now annually ascend the Missouri River
until they arrive at within less than 1,000 miles of the
mouth of the Columbia. The climate of the west coast
of America is not only more evenly tempered, but far
more salubrious than that of the east. The Columbia
River is a magnificent stream, watering an extensive
country, navigable for 100 miles for ships of the first
class, and constituting the outlet of a fertile region.
" Let us look forward- to the commencement of the
next century, we have to anticipate only sixty years, and
whore will be the limits of the population of the fertile
regions of the Mississippi and its tributaries ? Will it
not arrive at the base of the Rocky Mountains ? Will
not the Oregon territory be the centre of a valuable com-
merce on the Pacific ? It cannot be doubted. The cur-
rent of emigration is setting west, with a force that no
human power can arrest. And who can doubt that, ere
the close of the present century, we shall receive the teas,
silks, and spices of India and China, from the Oregon
territory ? From the port of Canton to the mouth of
the Columbia River is about 7,500 miles ; from Canton
to Panama, about 11,200 miles ; from Panama to Bos-
ton, about 2,700 miles ; and in one of the most dangerous
seas of the ocean. From the mouth of the Columbia
River to Boston is about 2,450 miles, while from Boston
to Canton, via Cape of Good Hope, is more than 13,000
miles ; making a difference of more than 5,000 miles in
favour of the route by the Columbia River over that by
Cape of Good Hope, and about 4,000 over that of Panama.
" Let us suppose a railroad in operation from the Co-
lumbia River to Boston. The distance, allowing for
sinuosities, cannot exceed 3,600 miles. Allowing the
rate of travel to be fifteen miles per hour, it will require
ten days to travel from Boston to Columbia River ; and
allowing sixty days (or twenty-nine by steam) for pas-
sage from Canton to Columbia River, we have seventy
days from Boston to Canton, and we can have not merely
the news, but a cargo from the port of Canton to
Boston in less than 80 days, which is sooner than the
ship could arrive at Panama from Canton, allowing the
same rate of sailing which I allowed the ship to arrive at
the Columbia in 60 days. Can there be a doubt but
that this will be the route of communication in less than
60 years ?
" Admitting a Alp canal to be made across the
Isthmus of Panama, can it compete with the Columbia
route, when a large proportion of the products of China,
which arrive at Boston, find a market of consumption
west of Boston, and that this market is daily increasing ?
" It will be seen, by reference to the maps and charts
of that coast, that from the Isthmus of Darien to the
head of the Gulf of California, a distance of 2,300 miles,
there are but about six harbours where ships may re-
main with safety during the stormy season, and that five
of these are to be found in the vicinity of Central Ame-
rica, confined within the limits of 700 miles of coast,
and the sixth is to be found at the head of the Gulf of
California, surrounded by an uninhabitable and waste
country. Of these harbours there is not one that pos-
sesses those natural resources absolutely necessary to its
becoming a place of importance.
" From the extremity of the peninsula of Lower Cali-
fornia to Gray's Harbour, in lat. 47 N., a distance of
nearly 2,000 miles, we find but five harbours and the
River Columbia, three of which are Santa Margarita, in
hit. 24 tin., San Francisco, in 30 N., and the bay of Todos
Santos, in lat. 31 N. These harbours are all to be found
on the rocky and mountainous coast of the peninsula,
which affords no resources whatever, not even a
supply of good water. We then arrive at San
Diego in lat. 22 deg. 20 min. N., situated in Upper
Califo;nia. This is a safe but small harbour. Here
we find a country capable of affording some of the neces-
varies of commerce, bread stuffs, provisions, oil, wine,
and fruits. From this to San Francisco, in hit. 38, a dis-
tsu'ice of about 500 miles, the coast, although affording
-numerous roadsteads suitable for anch6rage during }he
summer months, has no safe harbour. North of San
Francisco there is no good harbour until you pass the
Columbia laver ; for this river, although navigable for a
coasiderable distance, cannot be described as a good or
ado harbour. Like most navigable rivers, it must be se-
cure from storms and gales when once the ship is safely
within its mouth ; but ;he obstruction to easy or safe ac-
cess by a dangerous sh&.l and bar must ever render it a
hazardous point of ingress, and more especially in heavy
or dark weather.
The mouth of the Columbia River, from the extremity
of Cape Disappointment to that of Point Adorez, is seven
and a half miles wide. From Cape Disappointment to
the outer line of the shoal is five and a half miles ; from
the outer line of the shoal to either point is six miles •
and from either point the minimum breadth of the shoal
is two miles and a half. The shoal continues within the
two points or capes, and occupies six miles of the whole
breadth of the river. There are two channels through
this shoal ; the one on the south side at Point
Adams is narrow, obstructed by a bar, and the depth of
water not given. The north channel, passing along by Cape
Disappointment, is about one mile wide, and has about
six fathoms of water. At the distance of two and three-
fourths miles from the point commences a bar having
about four fathoms water, and extending out about two
miles nearly to the outer line of the shoal. The length
of the bar from shoal to shoal is about two miles.
Another feature of this shoal is, that, from its pro-
jection out and beyond the points of the capes, the
channel is subject to frequent alterations ; so
much so, that, at the close of a storm, the channel
is seldom to be found at the same place at which it
was previous to the storm ; thus rendering the access to
the river difficult and dangerous. And so wide and open
is the ocean, that there is always a heavy swell, and when
the wind is aboiea gentle breeze there is a breaker
quite across the bar, and there is no passing it except
when the wind and tide are both very favourable. With-
out the bar there is no anchorage, and there have been
instances in the winter season of ships laying off and on
30 days, waiting for an opportunity to pass ; and a good
pilot is always needed. Perhaps there. have been more
lives lost here in proportion to the number of those who
have entered the river, than in entering almost any other
harbour in the world. The number of vessels that enter
this river is very limited, yet, in 1811, the Tonquin, from
New York, lost eight men in crossing the bar ; in 1827
the ship William and Anne was cast away a little within
the capes and lest. In .1833 a Japanese junk was cast
array, and 14 out of 17 men were. lost. About 30 miles
south of Point Adams, not far from the shore, is the
wreck of an unknown ship ; it is not known by whom
she was owned, or where from ; making five disasters
at the mouth of this river, and the total loss of four of
the ships. Of late the calarnaties have been less frequent
than formerly, and when business shall require or be suf-
ficient to authoriseateam-boats for the purpose of towing
ships over the bar, the delays and dangers would be
greatly diminished.'
" The country bordering on the river for some distance
from the month is mountainous, and possesses but few of
these qualities necessary to render it a desirable location,
until the interior or upper country shall become po-
pulated aryl affore the means for an active commerce.
Ascending the aiver to Fort Vancouver and the
month of the Nultenoma, we find a country suitable
agricultuen.l 'purposes. The winters are mild, the
StllnneerS agreeable, and the soil productive. Even the
mountains will become of value for their abundant supply
of tirabct and eaval stores, there being a ready market
for these articles in the more southern ports of the Pacific.
:e:ven now a haw° quantity of lumber is shipped to the
ieland of Palm, together with salmon, flour, butter, aid
cheese.
" A largo portion of this territory is well,calculated for
grazing ;Jhe winters being mild and rest firing but little
forage. The forests are magnificent, and the timber of
various qualities suitable farnaval or civil architecture.
The enuntry is well "74terd with abundant streams. The
Nultenoma from, its source runs for more than 130 miles, ,
and joins tl'_e Columbia about 85 miles from the sea. The
Kalil e -
giver from ,its source- runs north more than 1, J
Mll •
-es, and empties into the Columbia, about 85 miles
above the Nultenoma. The Umga and M,Leed's rivers
have their sources on the west of the Nultenoma, and
run west to the ocean. There are numerous other
branches of the Columbia, besides a number of smaller
rivers emptying into the ocean south of M‘Leed's River.
The Sacramento River has its source in the Oregon
territory, and, after running south and south-west
for more than , 450 miles, empties into the bay of San
Francisco, in Upper California. This river is navigable
fur about 150 miles, running through a most delightful
valley, in many places stretching out its wide plains, and
covered with Iflxuriant grass. The climate is most
evenly..temperate and healthy.' This river has nume-
tributiiiiei, wMeh take their rise in. and flow -from the
mountains, affording facilities for all the valuable pur-
poses -:to which water power may be applied; Large
quantities of live oak are to be found in various sections
of the "'alley while the mountains afihrd pine, cedar,
spruce.; and fir, of most magnificent size. From the
source of the Nultenoma, south to the navigable waters
of the Sacramento, is only 175 miles, and from the source '
of Hells River to the same point on the Sacramento is
but 150 miles. From the source of Falls River to that
of that Sacramento is about 90 miles, and from the source
of theiSacramento to Lewis or Great Snake River is but
about 140 miles, while to some of the branches of Snake
River is but about 73 miles. Thus presenting a country
abounding in streams, and affording means of commum-
catiop of no minor importance.
" The situation
of the Oregon territory and its re-
souttes, to conetitute it pre-eminently a commercial
BiaC would seem to require some -harbour on the coast
other than the Columbia River one easy of access as