Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-09-30
RAILROAD TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
Letters from the Hon. n. ". Thomson, No. T.

session, construct by the Federal Government central
railroad from the Mississippi Valley the Pacific Ocean
What has been written this subject is form SO mac
cessibe 10 the general reader that propose make
suggestions in relation to it, addressed especially the people
OF the West is hoped that the Presidential election will
not wholly absorb the public attention. but that portion
OF will be bestowed upon matter Of much general i'm
potance certainly rises very high above The mere strug-
giles Of party, as work which may be carried on with
ou constitutional objection, under any administration.
For many centuries the commercial world has been engag
ed n searching after expeditions route TO the East Indies
trade Of that fertile country has always attracted attention.
ndahough has been enjoyed by both ancient and modern
naious s yet unexhaused Mr. Senator BEsToS has said
OF Nature has made but Asia, but one country
abounlng with the rich productions which are found in the
East Ines4 and while mankind continue to love spices and
aromac precious stones, porcelahs, fine coons silks and
teas the trade with Asia must continue be sought after
the brightest jewel in the diadem of commerce.
The Phenicians and Jews reached India BY passing from
Tyre through the Mediterranean the coast of Egypt
over land the Red Sea- by the sthmus of Suez down to
the Red Sea- and thence east costing voyages to the
countries about the Gulf of Persia and mouths Of the river
Indus.
The Persans passed from the borders Of Persia through the
Caspian Sea, up the Oxus, to the mountains which d.
vide it from the river Indus, across those mountains upon
amels, and thence down the Indus to its mouth
After the destruction OF Tyre and the foundation Of the city
Of Alexandria opened It followed the canal
Of Alexandra the Nile, up the Nile to Copus, thence
the desert with cames to the Red Sea- and thence fol-
loving the coast the mouths Of the Indus In the age
another route discovered land the desert from
the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, to the Euphraes down
that the Gulf of Persia, and thence by the the
mouths Of the Indus.
After the Romans shut out from the port of Aexan
dra by the Mahomedans still another discovered
This route lay through the Black Sea- the mouth Of the
river Phasa up that river and by land carriage the
Cyrus down that river to the Caspian Sea- this Sea
the mouth Of the river Oxus up this river to the present
city of Samarcsnd thence the mountains the
tries upon the Indus eastward, through desert
tries, to the western provinces Of the Chinese Empire
BY the establishment Of this latter route, Constantnople
became the great emporium the India trade for many years
The Veneans and Genoese who enjoyed this trade became
the weahest people the globe, they also became the
first successful navgatos OF the Their attracted
attention of Northern Europe, and route to India
established. 1t passed from Antwerp and Burgess TO
Genoa and Venice thence to Consannople; the
Black Sea- the Caspian Sea up the river Oxus to
Samarcand and from thence, overland, through almost in
tsrmnabe deserts to the western provinces OF China This
tedious and peous route, yet threw immense
wealth into the lap of Northern Europe.
Just before the close OF the fifteenth century the Portuguese
doubled the Cape Of Good Hope and thus opened entirely
new route into India This made Portugal of the
powerful nations and Lisbon the Of the wealth
and Of Europe. The successful trade OF the Po
ugese occasoned the Dutch become their rivals and the
superior energy and intelligence of the latter enabled
them drive former almost entirely from the field Of
petition. In proportion they increased their intercourse
with India, Holland in wealth and power and Amster
dam became the first commercial city Of Europe
Coming down to time, every general reader
OF history will recoec the long continued struggle which
took place between the Dutch and English for the mastery Of
the seas England by her celebrated navigation act finally
succeeded in wrestling the carrying trade OF the world from
the Hoander and thus secured TO herself almost entire
NJ
Benton, who says
The English followed the Dutch and have surpassed all
their the successful prosecution Of the India
trade company their merchants have erected empire
India maintained fleets and armies subjected empires
ethroued powerful monarch disposed Of kingdoms and prn-
eipaes other merchants dispose OF bales OF
and with the riches thus derived England "a spot larger
than Sates has been able contend hand
ed against the combined Powers OF Europe, to triumph
them and impress her pol, more or less upon every
quarter OF the globe
The English have never been satisfied with their route TO
India they have made repeated efforts to discover north
western passage They ha supposed hatby passing above
Hudson Bay they may succeed getting round the Amer
can continent They have attempted this passage by Behrng
Straits and hrosgh Hudsons Bay and Daviss Straits bot
hitherto without success They have also sought inland
passage across our continent With view this, McKen-
ze penetrated north Of the heads Of the Mississippi and
Missouri rivers and succeeded in pointing out water
municaon, with few portages, from Hudsons Bay, north
latitude $50, the Pacific Ocean, in north latitude 46o.
practical use but its importance England is in the fact
tina, the British Fur Company transport by all the furs which
they procure in their immense northwestern trade To Eng
land therefore, and to all the countries Of Europe is Of the
utmost importance that better and expeditions
than any heretofore known should be discovered II
questionaby that the only for such route is d.
recily across the American continent and such
be Obtained will be impossible to estimate its value Thai
i NAV be obtained placed beyond all question. Re
cent explorations although necessarily partial have removed
all doubt from this subject and the only questions to be
dered are the time for its and It's eastern and
western examinations.
Men Of genius and fa-reaching sagaciy long ago anc
pa,ed the discovery Of this continent Co
umbus was the first originate the idea Of passing westward
to India and while in pursuit Of this idea that ne dis
covered the continent Of America. La Sale believed that
inland pass might be obtained by Of the great chain
northern lakes and the rivers flowing from them to the Pacific
ocean In l776 the Baron de Csrondelet, GovemorGene
ra OF Louisiana. planned expedition to the Pacific from
the Of the Missouri He offered reward, un
der the patronage Of the King Of SPAIN TO the who
should first see the Pacific Il undertaken by
citizen Of ST. Louis, but was aepded with practical
result
After Louisiana became the property Of the United States
Mr. jefferson turned his attention towards this great work
and with view ascertain its Practicabiy ne caused to %
fitted the celebrated expedition under Lewis and Clark
which resulted in demonstrating the Of water
municaon almost the entire distance from the valley OF the
Mississippi TO the Pacific.
In 1919 Robert Mills ESQ., then Of South Carolina, but
now Of Washington proposed route from the head OF ma
ygson Of the Missouri ver by the yellow Stone branch,
over through Of the passes Of the Rocky Mountains 70
tie head Of navigation Of the Columbia river.
In 1874 another proposed by Capt. Wilkes, Of the
United States Navy by the Missouri river to the Columbia
In ls45 another was proposed by Asa Whitney, Esq., from
nv