The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-12-09

other IInIlOfIHnt pOeVlOlS OH IUc NJuIl md
Pacific coasts, the highest praise is DUE
Their vigilance, energy and skill rendered
the most effective service in excluding Inn.
uitions of war and other supplies from The
enemy, while ih9y secured safe entrance
for abundant supplies for Or own army
Our extended commerce was nowhere in.
terrlIpted; and for this immunity from tho
evils of war, the country Is ndebledto the
navy.
High praise is due to the officers Of the sew
ernl executive bureaus, navy yards, and STA.
tons connected with The service, all under
the immediate direction of the Secretary of
the Navy, for The industry, foresight and ell.
erpy with which everything was directed and
furnished TO give efficiency 10 TINT branch of
the service. The sume vigilance existed in
directing the operations of The navy ms oflhe
army, There was concert ofnciIon aud Of
PURPOSE between the heads of the two arms
of The service. BY the orders which were
from time To time issued, our vessels of war
on the Pacific md the Gulf of Mexico We're
stationed in proper time and in proper posi-
lions to coouerale efficiently with The army.
Nv this means their combined power WIS
brought to bear successfully on the enemy.
Tie great results which have been deye\.
oped and brought TO light by this war will DO
| OF unreasonable importance in the future
progress of our country. They viii tend
powerfully to preserve us from foreign COLI
sions. md 10 enable us TO pursue unmter.
rupledly our cherished policy Of spence WIN
all nnIons, entangling alliances with none"
Occupying, us we do,a more commanding
position among nations Than at any former
period, our dulles and our responsibilities TO-
ourselves and to posicrity are corresponding
" increased. This will lac the more obvious
when we consider the vast additions which
have been recently made 10 our territorial
possessions, and their great importance nnd
value.
| Within less than four years the annexation
of Texas 10 the Union has been CONSUMING
ted; all conflicting title 10 the Oregon Terri
tory south ofIhe forty ninth degree OF north
| Iniitude being nil that was insisted on 10y any
! of my PREDECESSORS has been adjusted: aud
New Mexico and Upper California have been
acquired by treaty. The area OF these sever
! al Territories, according TO report careful
/ " prepared by The Commissioners of the
General Lind Office from the most auIhen-
/ tic information in his possession, nnd Which
I is herewith transmitted, contains one million
one hundred and ninety three thousand and
Lsix;y one squire miles. or seven hundred and
/ sixty three million five hundred aud fifty nine
thousand and forty acres; willie the area Of
the remaining twenty nine SiateE, anu me
| territory not yet Organized into States east OF
! the Rocky Mountains, contains two million
Z iny nine thousand five hundred aud thirteen
square miles, or thirteen hundred and clgl-
! teen million one hundred nnd twenty SIX
thousand aud fifty eight acres.
/ These estimates show that the territories
recently acquired, and over which our excln-
siye Jurisdiction aud dominion have been eN-
! tended constitute II country more than halt
us large MS all that which was held by the u
nred States before iheir acquisition. II Or
egon he excluded from the estimate, there
will still renlnn within the limits Of Texas,
! New Mexico, and California, eight hundred
aud fiiiv one thousand five hundred and nine-
| ~ eight squnre miles, or five hundred aud
forIy five uIiIlion twelve ilnusnnd seven hun
tIretI aud twenty acres; heiug an addition c.
ounl 10 more than one third of all the terrific
nv owned hy the United States before ihclr
acquisition; aud, including Oregon, nearly us
great an extent of territory rs the whole OF
Europe, Russia only excepted. The Missis-
! sippi 80 lately the frontier of our county, 49,
ONLY its centre. With the addition OF tile late
accusations, the United Stales IRE now esii-
mated to be nearly ms large as the whole OF
Europe II is estimated by the Euperinen-
dent of the coast survey, in the accompany
ing repurt that the extent of the seaconst OF
Texus ON the Gulf of Mexico, is upwards OF
four hundred miles; of the const of Upper
California, on the Pacific, Of nine hundred
and seventy miles; aud of Oregon, including
the Straits of Fuca, of seacoast of the Pacihc,
one thousand six hundred mud twenty miles,
and the whole extent both on the Pacific md
the Gulf of Mexico, two thousand aud TWEEN
~ miles. Tie length of the coast on The NJ,
lnntic from the northern limits of the United
Stntes. nround the Capes of Florida to tic
Sabine, on the eastern boundary of Texas, IS
estimated 10 be three thousand one hundred
miles: so that the addition of senconsi, inclu-
ding Oregon, is very nearly two thirds rs,
rreat ms all we possessed before; and exclud-
ing Oregon, is an addition of one thousand
three hundred and seventy miles;being nenr-
: " eouul TO one half of the extent of coast
which we possessed before these acquisitions
We have now three great maratimc fronts;oD
the Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico and The Pa
ciic--makipg in the whole an extent Of sen
caast exceeding five thousand miles, This
is the extent Ofthe seacoast OF the Unlteo
: States, not including bays, sounds and small
= jrregularjties of the main shore, and of The
I sea islands. lfthese be included, the length
u Of the shore line of coast, US estimated by tho
o Superintendent of the Coast Survey, in his
c report, would lie thirty three thousand aud
u sixty three miles, '0y. lal- .,j
o II would be difficult TO calculate the valnee
q of these immense additions to our terrl'orla'
u possessions. Texas, lying contiguous 20 .ne
u western boundary of Louisiana, em1r0cMs
u within its limits part of tile naViSap'e l''u-
e utary waters Of the MississpPi,nnd an eA'e .n
g sive seacoast; could not have remained III .lo
j. hands of IL foreign power without enaanse
o ing the pence of our south western fron'icI'
e Her products in the vicinity ofthe trlhu'a-
ries Of the Mississippi must have souen' a
81 market through these streams, running nv ~
q md through our territory; and the danger y,
o irrilulion and collision of interests between
s, Texas MS foreign State and ourselves "ou.''
p have bcen imminent while the einbarrnss-