Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-12-29
THE RICHMOND ENQUIRER.

1 ana augmented revenues ITOul onI { 6'ilC CodS'i
| this object can best be accomplish ~ many
additional steamships upon that ocea, :. well as
upon the Atlantic and the Gulf Bta" ial as
this system has proved upon the Allan nd The
Cult in ausmenling our commerce ant venue,
our tonnage and navigation, ii is still better adap.
Ted 10 The Pacific ana the long voyages along its
shores and 10 Asia. This tranquil ocean, as IN
dict,d By its name more subject 10 Gains, is better
adapted to steam han The more bosIefous a Ian
tic. aud with less danger Of injury 10 the machine
n.y..
the sailing vessel, make shorter and safer the
voyage of the steamship: whilst at other peri.
oos The trade-wnds, blowing tor months contnu-
ously in one direction, not affecting The course OF
the steamer, but forcing sailing vessels so many
thousands of miles out OF their way, render steam
necessary 10 The profitable navigation OF That
ocean. From all these causes the Pacific must
became The principal theatre OF The peaceful ri-
umphs OF The great expansive power OF steam;
and we must extend its use there under our own
| flag il We would desire TO contend successfully
| with other nations Tor The trade and specie or
| Asia and Western America. Our imports from
Asia, such as teas, silks and chiefly costly arli-
| cies, are still better adapted Tor The steamships
than heavy products. The lime required in
crossing twice The lropic. and The equator from
our Atlantic ports 10 Asia, in The long voyage of
the ling vessels, is felt severely, not only in
The loss OF interest and in the less rapid ciGcula-
lion OF capital and realization Of profits, but in
the sill greater loss in arriving al home too late
with The cargo, and thereby losing the market, "
al least better price; and this loss oil Time, and
interest of price and markets, are as great in the
return as 10 the outward passage. Inc voyage
by steam from our Atlantic ports to Asia, by The
md
to be constructed by private enterprise across the
sthmus would soon be accomplished in month,
instead Of three or four months, and the gain OF
lime in our c0astWise trade between both oceans
would be still greater. In ancient and IN modern
lines the cities and nations that secured the trade
of asia were greatly enrched; this has occurred
successfully with Tyre, Sidon, Carthage, Alex
andra Venice, Genoa, Lisbon, Amsterdam aud
London, whist This rich traffic built up large CT.
ties even in the mids, oil deserts, ~ Inc caravan
rour Of The track through which II passed.
With our front upon both oceans and The Gull,
a ided by steamships, by low duties, and by short
ening The voyage by the slhmus route, as present.
ed in my annual report ol December, 1916, and
December. lS47, we may secure This Commerce
and with it, in time, the command OF the trade OF
the world. We may also extend our commerce
with all The countries bordering upon the coast oil
Western America, richer than all others in The
precious metals, and Astounding in articles which
we desire but do not produce, whilst new and
vast markets will be opened there Tor our pro-
ducts and manufactures and The number and
profits OF our whale ships greatly increased. Dis
iant now az ar" our possessions upon The Pa
cifr, il we would desire 10 extend 10 them the
beneils and blessings of The American Union,
and unite them with US in The bonds OF an ever
auementing commerce an intercourse, there Is
al present nothing but steamships thai can per-
TOM these important duties, in connection with
railroad across The l>thmus OF Panama. Such
rnad would always be useful for our trade from
The Atlantic and The Cult with the ives ern COAST
OF America, aud al least Tor heavy producis with
Asia, and especially with That portion OF II neil
10 or south OF The equator, with the islands in
he Indian Ocean. and with Australia, even II al
some distant period railroad should unite the
Atlantic, the GnIi, and the Mississippi wi h our
barbors upon the Pacific. That such a road
will be made al some futore period, upon the
most practicable roule, is not doubled, although,
from the time and capital required, It's compile
ton unfortunately may be remote; bur the rail-
road which private enterprise could build within
wear or two across The sthmus would answer
all our present purposes. and would al once
bring New York within ten days OF the Pacific,
and within thirty days of China and New Or
leans sill nearer MAINTAINING also the mpor-
lant communication he ween our own harbors en-
lhr Atlantic, b. Cult and The Pacific.
The estimates required By law from this De
parlment for the revenue likely TO accrue from
foreg commerce with all our ports, including
those upon the Pacific, must depend upon future
events. Ii private enterprise should soon con-
struct the railroad across the islhmus, if an
adequate number of steamships, IN continuation
of the beneficial system already commenced
~ 40 h.ftu G a ar DIfr
Pacific ports, bringing them within 20 days of
China. with the best steamers, in sufficient num-
her. starting at regu ar periods from the Atlantic
and the Gulf TO Chagres, and from Oregon and
California 10 Panama, to Asia, and TO the whole
Western coast of America, the commerce OF all
our ports would be intellectually increased, and
the revenue collected on the Pacific rise in n few
wears To several millions OF dollars per annum.
Nor is it only with those nations OF Asia,
with whom we already have treaties, that the
steamships would increase our commerce. but
il would introduce it, together with diplomatic
relations, into vast regions OF the East win
whom we have formed no treaties, csti. ated TO
contain one hundred and thirty-fiye mi ions OF
people Many of these are lar,e and % pulous
pres Astounding in specie and in many artl-
Giles which we need, but do not produce, ana
desiring also our products and manufactures in
exchange Among those empires with whom
we have no treaties, and little or no trade, are
Persia, Corea Cochin China, Burmah and ia
pan, with whom nothing but the steamship can
successfully introduce our commerce. Among
these is Japan, highly advanced in civilization,
containing Fifty millions of people, separated but
two weeks by steam from our Western coast.
lis foreign trade is now nearly confined to two
Dutch vessels, although it is separated from
Holland by eighteen thousand miles and from
our Pacific coast only by four thousand hive
hundred miles. It's commerce can be secured 10
us BY perscyering and peaceful efforts. Our
steamships would pass, on thelEsway TO emma,
through the narrow channel separating the two
greet Islands composing the empire OF Japan,
monthly or weekly, in sight oil both their coas 5,
and By thus famiarizing them with our mcr-
camille marine, extending their knowledge
overcoming their prejudice, and opening 10 them
new views of their own true Interests, would
.oon unsca their ports TO our commerce.
The acquisition ot our Immense coast upon
The Pacific, and he introduction mere I'll our
steamships especially when private enterprise
| shall unite The oceans 10y an lsthmus rontr,
uonld as remarked in my annual report oi De
c.mher 1916 'rer0lutiOniZc IN our fdp'r tas CON-
marc OF The ,onLd and more rapidly adua'ee on'
greatness. aosalh and poicer than any erent Da'ca
has occurred snce tie adoption Of The Constitution
The same great subject was again referred 10 IN
nv annual report of December, lo47, as "a nea'
sommcrcial era" requiring 'oeean steamers IN a.
diti0n 10 SAILING uesseL,' as connecting us "r,h
Ca,aa containing nearly one third The population
., The sloge." Our ports upon the Gull: with
nose upon both oceans, fronting upon Europe
rom The East and Asia from The West, occupy
ing the central position between an Inc continents
80 he olnhe nearer 10 them all by convenient
routes than any other nation, inclnding an easy
| access 10 me whole interior 81 our own country,
we want only ne ocean steamships, OF adequate
Strength speed and numbers, to give US The Cum
,,,ae, that in carving our trade among The
GREAT and populous nations OF Asia, and facilat-
ins in;erco use with that vast region. passing
l,nm coast 10 coas, in The short period oil MY
DAYS wi h monthly or weekly sea mshirs, the
light oil Christianity, following The path oil COM
m.rce would return with all lis blessings 10 The
Eo., from which il rose. In those regions COM