The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-11-18
A New Enterprise.

Another commercial revolution in favor of this coun.
try accidentally came to our knowledge yesterday in
conversation with some friends relative to the gratifying
progress which our city is making in commerce. trade
ship building, NC. The revolution to which we aude,
the arrival at this port of copper from the west coast of
South America. Five hundred tons of this valuable
from Valparaiso for Messrs, ~ L. & G. Griswold, and
TWO hundred tons in another vessel They are worth
about $500 900, not TO speak of other valuable comodi
ties brought by both vessels to the house. These
are only the receipts OF single day. How much more
has arrived, is the way this port we have not
ascerained. The trade, however is only commencing
Hitherto the copper of Chill has been conveyed to Eng
land there mixed with spelte and then shipped TO this
market, either in bars manufactured and sold here at
profitable advance. Now, mark the change! our own
merchants are importing the pure metal from the mines
worth about four cents pound more than that we have
been buy ing In England.
Copper is one OF the most profitable commodities OBJ.
tanned on the west coast OF South America II has Weld
ed immense revenues 10 Eng sh merchants and is now
made tributary to our own country bv the com nercial
enterprise of Messrs Grswold, and Rowland and As
plnwall and few Others OF this city, whose rapid &C.
emulation of wealth affords gratifying evidence of what
our young merchants may accomplish in the new com
mercla era which steamships and territorial acquisitions
are opening to the American people. Already have
lined the coasts of this continent with our steam ships
from Maine to the Isthmus of Panama on the Atlantic
side, and from the same slhmus to the Columbia river
on the Pacihc ocean, embracing the whole of Mexico,
which, with It's "copper" silver, and gold mines,
by right of conquest, and would still have been ours,
had government consulted the interests of the country
more, and the promptngs OF false expectancy less.
Mexico abounds with copper mines. So abundant is
this metal that horse nails bedsieads, ratings, banns-
tes and sairways common nails, spikes, and cannon
balls are made of it. Six Mexican cannon taken in the
late war; recently landed in this city they are made
of the best copper, each weighing about six thousand
pounds. We ourselves have seen in Mexico, in a nge
day. four hundred such cannon and equestrian statue
weighing fifty tons, all made of pure copper Such is
the abundance of copper in Mexico. Throw open her
mines to Americans, and who doubt the result
Look at California lately unexplored wilderness in
the hands OF Mexicans, rising 10 the important
ton OF populous State, and throwing treasures of
quicksilver copper, and COAL land may probably add
gold,) all of which have been discovered within few
months, since the arrival of American settlers.
Had Mexico remained American possession, as we
suggested return from that country and the
st-informed Mexcans desired, should be e.
ceivng loads OF the precious metals by every steamer
from Vera Cruz British steamers and vessels of
convey between two and three millions of dollars per
month from Mexico. With Mexico in our possession,
we should now have had American steamers on the east
and western coasts OF that country, conveying at
least double that quantity to New Orleans and Charles
ton, and New York Such influx of the precious
metas-n the present slate of the money market, and
the depressed condition of many branches of industry
would have given commanding position in the
camille world. That we shall yet occupy that position,
and that Mexico will yet unite her fortunes to ours
events becoming more and more probable every day-B.