Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-12-13

+ Straits oil Fuca, s0f SIX nundfed and fift
. miles; making the whole extent Of SO
: coast on The Pacific, one thousand 81
hundred and twenty miles, and the Who'll
extent of both the Pacifc and the Gulf o
Mexico, two thousand and twenty miles
The length of the coast on the Atlantic
i from. the northern limits Of the Unite,
States, around The Gapasof Florida 10th,
Sabine. nfthe Eassefn boundary Of Tex
as, is estimated to be- 1hree Thousand on,
hundred miles, soss addition of sea
coast including sp1is yeg near4y sttwil
thirds as great as live possessed before
and excluding Oregon is an addition o
one thousand three hundred and 70 miles
being nearly equal 10 one half Of the ex
tent oi coasl which we possessed before
these acquisitions. We have now three
great maratIme fronts; on the Atlantic,
! the Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific, ma.
king IN the whole, an extent Of sea-coasl
exceeding i've thousand miles. This is the
extent ofthe sea-coast ofthe United States,
not including bays. sounds, and small irreg-
ularties Of the main shore, and Of The
islands. If these be included. the length OF
the sea shore line Of coast, as estimated by
the Superintendent Of the Coast Survey,
in his Report. would be thirty-three thou
send and sixty-three miles.
1t would be difficult 10 calculate the val
ue of these immense additions to our
territorial possessions. Texas lying con-
,iguous 10 the western boundary Of
Louisiana, embracing within its limits a
part oil the novigable tributary waters Of
the Mississippi, and an extensive sea coast
could not long have remained in the hands
of foreign power without endangering
the peace Ct our Southwestern frontier.
Her products in the vicinity Of the tribu-
taries Of the Mississippi, must have sought
market through these streams, running
into md through our territory: and The
danger of irritation and collision of the
interests between Texas as foreign Stale
and ourselves. would have been imineni,
while the embarrassments in the CONNER
cIal intercourse between them must have
been constant and unavoidable. Had Tex
os fallen into the hands, or under the in
1uence and control Of a strong maratime
or military foreign power. as she might
have done, these dangers would have been
avoided by her voluntary and peaceful an
nexulion 10 the United States.
Texas, from her position, was a natural
and almost indispensable part of our terri
tories. Fortunately, she has been restored
to our country. and now constitutes one Of
the states Of our confederacy, supon an
equal footing with the original States"
The salubrity Of climate, the fertility
Of soil, peculiarly adapted 10 the produc-
ton Of some OF our most valuable staple
commodities, her commercial advantages
must soon make her one Of our most pop
ulous states.
New Mexico, though situated in the in
terror and without sea coast. is known
TO contain much fertile land, TO abound in
rich mines of the precious metals, and TO
be capable of sustaining large popula-
tion. From its position, it is the interme-
diate and connecting territory between our
settlements and our possessions in Texas
and those on The Pacific coast.
Upper California, irrespective of the
vast mineral wealth recently developed
there, holds. at this day in point Of value
and Importance to the rest of the Union,
the same relation that Louisiana did, when
that fine territory was acquired from
France forty years ago. Extending near
ly ten degrees of latitude along the Pacif-
ic, und embracing The only safe and COM
modious harbors on thai coast for many
hundred miles, with a temperate climate,
and an extensive interior of fertile lands,
it is scarcel y possible to estimate its wealth
until 1t shall be brought under the govern
ment of our laws, and its resources fully
developed.
From its position. lis must command the
rich commerce of China. Of Asia, OF the
islands of The Pacific, Of western Mexico,
Of Central America and South American
states. and of,he Russian Possessions bor-
derlng on that Ocean A great empurium
will doubtless speedily arise on tine Calilor-
MIA coast. which may ba destined 10 rivalln
importance New Orleans itself. The depo.
: OF the vast commerce which must exist on
the Pacific will probably be a, some point on
the bay of San Francisco. and will occu-
py the same relation to the whole western
coa.t. as New Orleans does to the valley Of
'tie "ic>iSSippi ubu We Soit Ot( PieAiCos
To this depot our numerous whale ships
will resort with their cargoes to trade, re-
fit and obtain supplies. This Of itself will
largely contribute 10 Guild up city which
will soon become the centre Of great and
rapidly increasing commerce. Situated
on a safe harbor. sufficiently capacious for
a1I the navies as we'll as the marine of the
world. and convenient to excellent timber
for ship building, owned by the United
States. it must become our great western
naval depot.
1t was known that mines OF the precious
metals existed 10 a considerable extent in
California at the time of its acquisition.
Recent discoveries render 1t probable
that these mines are more extensive and
valuable than was anticipated. The facts
of the abundance of g"ld in that territory
are of such an extraordinary character as
would scarcely command belief were they
not cor roboraied by authentic reports o.
officers in the public service. who have Wis
tied the district. and derived the facts which
thuy detailed from personal observation
Reluctant 10 credit The reports in genera
circulation. as to the quantity Of gold. th'
officer commanding our forces in Califor
mia, visited The mineral district in July last
for the purpose Of obtaining accurate in
formation on the subject. His report t
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