The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-02 00:00:00

11A4,'11) 111/1

LONDON, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1845.

The last intelligence received from America confirms,
to sfozne extant, the anticipations we have more than
once,cotnmunicated to our readers, " that if we did not
take prompt measures to secure a permanent establish-
ment in California the United States would." It is no
ziuw discovery that California contains the largest, the
Attest, and the very best harbour which any naval power
could possess on the western shores of the new world.
From California you can command, as from a common
,centre, the entire commerce of the noble and wealthy
regions whose shores are washed by the Pacific Ocean.
You may, with ease, realise the desire of the poet—
" Survey mankind from China to Peru ;"

and conduct a lucrative commerce, too, with the nations
tembraced in the vast area over which your supervision
',mold thus extend. But if the great naval value of
establishments in California be no new discovery, as we
have said—that value is, from the recent extension of
oar rela':mas with tile south-eastern countries of Asia,
newly enhanced. It seems that from experience of the
;inferior character of the soil on the one hand, and the
loss of large parties of emigrants on the other, on their
rush and dreary pilgrimage, the Oregon attraction was
very fast declining with the Americans.
We are told that when the Ashburton left New York,
" the acquisition of California was in contemplation.
'Tile Americans had turned their attention from eini-
rcition to Oregon to California. The soil of the former
Place had not given satisfaction, so that many who had
emigrated there had gone to California, the land flow-
ing- with milk and honey.' " The New York He aid
with its usual latitude of principle, thus speculates on.
the existing state of things That paradise will goon
be more inhabited by Americans than any other section
•on the Continent out of the twenty-six United States,
and must, of course, be shot tly an ',ea *1 The impetuodty
of the people of the Great West for the acquisition of
all the territory to the Pacific is irresistable. Indeed,
Calitipnia may be the test question at the Presidential
.election of 1848, as Texas was in 1844." The gasco-
ding of the New York Herald could be of little impor-
tance, if there were no other circumstances to be
taken into account, which would seem to give
.significancy and corroboration to them. Now, unfortu-
nately, these elements are not wanting in the present
tease, It is not in the simple fact that here is about to
take place a signal development of that aggressive policy
as to territorial extension, which we hive so often
tienotinced, in tnis particular case of California, that
We lee just reason for dwelling on this local intelligence
trim America. But it is, chiefly, because of the incalcu-
lable preponderance which the acquisition of California
must give to ihe United States on the prosecution of the
present or any future hostilities between that ambitious
Republic and Itexiou, that we lament it. It is also be-
cause of the illustration which such an act of American
rapacity must furnish of our own Government's supine-
ness, and want of foresight, that we would present the
matter to our readers as one which is well entitled to
the gravest consideration.

Of course, we assume the truth of the rumour as to
dlae intended seizure by the United States ; and after
IitYKIC late occurrences in that line, it will scarcely be
illeetteol for us to enter into any argument with a view to
aleinonstrate the probabilities of this rumour. We have
;nothing. at present, to remark upon the New Yolt
appetite—so eager, it seems, that the necessity
,of satisfying it is "irresistible "—for the acquisition of
-" all the territory to the Pacific"—except that so far
as areat Britain is concerned there seems at present no
Niale,ilty in the way of its gratifying these cravings.
Even' lean who is anxious for the maintenance of a
general peace, and for the integrity of national rights,
must feel solicitous that neither by the fortune of war,
nor by any other means, should the United States ac-
u; re the dominion over, and, therefore, " annex" Mexico
'
to their already overgrown ttrritory. Every European
matian la-e'ely engaged ia the pursuits of foreign com-
merce has a direct interest in preventing the species of
.maritime monopoly which the United States would in.
astantly establish against all the world if she possessed
the two coasts of the Mexican Republic. But let the former