Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1846-03-21
WHOLE NO. 27l.
ASIATlC COMMERCE..
Written BY Hon. r. H. BESros, in 1919,

Written BY Hon. r. H. BKSros, in 1919,
(coNrlSuED.]
VII. PREFERENCE Dur The NEW ROUTE.
The globe is twenty four thousand miles
in circumference. An American ship sails
nearly thirty thousand in voyage from
the Atlantic States 10 the East lndies.-
One-haif this distance is consumed in sail
ing south, 10 double Capes Horn o. Good
Hope and in returning 10 get into the lat
itude from which il set out: for the UNI
ted States, and that part Of Asia which 10
the chief sea. OF EastIndia commerce, are
in the same parallels, and should commu.
nicate with each other upon east and wee,
lines. From Philadelphia TO Canton cam
not be more than seven or eight shousand
miles on direct line nor more than nine
or ten thousand by The line Of the Colum.
bia. Missouri aud Ohio. The new route
would therefore be shorter by twenty
thousand miles, than the route nov follow.
ed from the United States to the East Ia.
dies:
In safety. The old route is al all ,imes
perilous. from the extreme length Of the
voyage, and the tempestuous seas, which
are encountered in doubling the Capes,
Horn or Good Hope. In time Of war i, 10
almost impossible on account Of the ex-
posure to European privateers, which
swarm upon the Atlantic ocean. The new
route would be free from both these dan.
gers. The Pacific ocean is almost entire-
ly free from the perils Of the sea aud too
far out Of the range of Europe an cruisers
to be in danger Of being captured by them.
The shortness Of the voyage across tho
Pacific would also contribute 10 its safety;
and when arrived nj the mouth of The Co.
lumbia, all danger would be at an end, a
:he remainder of the voyage would lay
through the hear! and centre of our own
dominions.
In cheapness Of transportation.-This
advantage would result. in par. from the
two former. and is too obvious to need en-
forcing. A route which diminishes tho
distance twenty thousand miles. and sub
s.itu,es safety for imminen. peril. must
necessarily be cheapest, although i. may
involve some days of land carriage. An
additional cause of cheapness on the new
route, would be the absence of insurance;
for ii would moi ha naaeasary incur tho
expense OF lnsuIing on route which was
free from the dangers Of tempests and Of
captures.
In substituting an exchange Of commo-
dities, for trade in silver and gold. The
new route would furnish the means Of car,
rying on trade in barter. The region Of
the Rocky Mountains would furnish lurs,
buffalo robes, bear skins. and peltries OF
various sorts; the Columbia river would
furnish inexhaus.ible supplies of salmon
fish; the coas! Of the Pacific. az low down
as "a, would furnish the sea otter; the o.
cean itself would present an.inexhaus,ibls
whale fishery and the coast Of California
would afford traffic in pearls. which Of
course would fall into The hands Of the
American merchants, who would be able
10 monopoIize the commerce of lheynorth
Pacific ocean. These articles would fur
nish the means OF an immense commerce
with India, and are the more valuable for
that purpose, as they are all 10 be picked
up on the road to the market, and almost
in its neighborhood.
'rhe furs taken in the region of the
Rocky Mountains alone should be worth,
in China, some millions of dollars per an-
mum. The sea otter, taken upon the west
coas. of North America, is Of itself !
source Of national wealth. A single ship
of Mr.. Astor's sold its cargo ofihis fur for
a million Of soubles. $780, OO) to the
Russian traders Of Kamschatka, during
the late war. The whale fishery Of the
North Pacific ocean, is undoubtedly the
fines. IN the world, as we'll for the album
dance Of whales, their grea, size. and the
excellence Of the oil which they Yield
A ma A-;.... --:a;aA1a- ..e Beginning to under.
stand the value Of this whal.-c-A.-,--A -
bout sixty American ships are now engsg-
ed in il; and the United States has sent
out frigase the Macedonian TO project
their operations. The traffic in pearls
would be great at present, and no doubt
would largely increase. An American
ship, also belonging 10 Mr.. Astor, going
round TO The north west coast Of America.
abou. the year 1911, stopped and obtained
pearls on the coast Of California. which
were afterwards sold for forty thousand
dollars. Besides the articles Of barrier
which the new route would afford for the
India trade; the wealth Of Mexico would
become tributary TO the same object, in
the hands Of American merchants. The
Mexicans have neither sea ports, ship tim
Der, or ships. and can never be mari.
time people. The Americans would there
fore become their carriers and factors on
the Pacific ocean. as they would on the
Atlantic, If tie leland Of Cuba was annex
ed TO the Republic.
Besides the ose.mentioned articles,