The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-05-18

the lumber will also be purchased there This will help our
| people. YouIs truly, JOHN GAYLE.
c. G. LANGDoN, Esq, Mobile.
! THE BURNT STEAMERS AT ST. LoUrs.-In the
Republican, of the 1lth it is stated that on the pre-
ceding day the hull and machinery of the steamers
Missouri Mail, Mail and Lghtfoot, were sold at
| public auction. The boilers in the Missouri Mail
sold for $3.50 each, the engine for 1926, and the
hull for $l35. The boilers in the Mail sold for 1910
each, the engines at SO each, and the hull for
| $50.
ARRIVAL FROM MoNRov1A.-The brig Coxes
arrived at New York on the Sth inst, from Monro-
via, which place she left on the 22d March. She
has been absent two years without losing man.
The American vessels Jamestown and Porpoise,
were in port. Officers and crews hearty
-e>~-
Florida-Ship Canal
1t is not many months since, that the people and
government of the United States were discussing
the propriety of cutting ship canal across the
lsthmus of Tehuantepec. The newspaper press
teemed with articles upon the sub ject; Congress
sional orators became eloquent on the magnitude of
the enterprise, and the wonders of wealth and
power which it would add to our republic the
Vice President furnished the country with long
and learned essay upon the expediency, propriety,
and consttutionality of the project and the Pres-
the principal stipuations in the projected treaty
with the government of Mexico. But it has been
ascertaned that the scheme is utterly impractical
ble-a sufficient supply of water never be OBJ
tanned at the summit level, and the geological for
nation Of the district is such that the water could not
be retained in canal, if supplied, but would inev
taby disappear on its passage through the fifty miles
of slate strata into which the work would have to be
cut The Tehuantepec fever, therefore, has sub
sided But the popular taste, always inclining us
to the magnificent, has recently taken new direc-
ton Lieut.. Maury has informed the world of what
its learned men might have informed themselves by
the of terrestrial globe and bit of string, that
the route to China by the isthmus of Darien, of Nj
caragua, or of Tehuantepec, was little shorter
than that by Cape Horn, but that it was a very
roundabout way of getting there after all, and that
the shortest way to Canton, even from Chagres, is
by way of New Orleans, across the continent to
Monterey, on the Pacific This fact established,
preparations are making to set the whole world
crazy about railroad from Memphis or some other
point on the lower Mississippi to Monterey. Mr..
Thomas Butler King has made report on the sub
ject to Congress; the Southern Quarterly has dis
cussed it in article of some ability, and the edi
of the daily papers will probably enter the field
with all their force of wit and wisdom, soon
they can find time to turn the mighty energies of
their minds in that direction. But while all these
great undertakings find favor in the eyes of the peo
pie, it is strange that sharp-sghed race should
have been blind to most important work in our
own country-we mean ship canal across the
Peninsula of Florida. The distance across Florida
from San Augustine to the Cedar Keys or the mouth
OF the WlthIachoochee, is about ninety miles.
The country is level and admirably adapted for the
purposes of canal. There are no rocks to pene-
trate mountains to cross, no scarcity of water on
the route, even were we deprived of the Atlantic
Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico for feeders. The
cost of such work-for the cost is the first cons-
deration with those who find objections to pro-
ject-would not be greater than the digging of a
canal of the length in the most favored situa-
ton, and would not, we have to believe, ex
coed twelve millions of doars-even taking into
consideration the expenditure necessary to make
the constructions required for the ports at its ter
mini,-an it would not be near as much, if there
be any good foundation for the estimate of Mr.. Dali
las, that the Tehuantepec canal could be built for
twenty mions-the cost of the Florida would not
be quarter as much as that of the Mexican work
But supposing that it should cost full twelve mil
lions, this would be three millions less than we offer
to pay the Mexicans for the privilege of abandoning
our conquests, and though no statesmen ourselves
nor qualified to give instructions to statesmen, we
imagine that it would be the better investment of
the two. Our for this belief are
l. The Canal would give to the United States
entire military control over the Gulf of Mexico en-
abng it to decide the destiny of its islands and its
shores, and afford it the means of perfectly protect
ing its vast southern coast from Cape Sable to the
Rio Grande against the attacks of the maratime
powers of the world. This consideration alone
ought in the present unsettled state of affairs and
in view of the momentous questions which will
arise in relation to Cuba, Mexico and Central
America, to give to the subject the character of
great national importance.
2 The Canal would shorten the distance from
Pensacola, Mobile, New Orleans, Galveston, and
Corpus Christi, to the American Atlantic or the
European ports between seven and eight hundred
miles, of navigation as difficult and dangerous as
can any where be found in the world.
g. 1t would shorten from seven to ten DAYS the
time occupied in transit of commodities to and from
the ports the Gulf. of the annual value of over
exceed two hundred millions
l. DS9ia0S INC saving Vi TclSut, lilSuTdnce ana
loss by wreck in thus shortening, and rendering
more safe the passage, it would tend to bring more
Immediately under control the commerce of
Mexico and Cuba; would lead to the more rapid
development of all the internal resources of the
Southwest; and would generally increase the
wealth and add to the power of the country.
D. The Canal would be a most profitable invest
ment of capital, and if Government should not nm
dertake 1t as great public work from which it
might reap the political advantages and the pecu-
mary income, it could well be begun and carried
through by a joint stock company, and would prove
permanent and profitable investment.
we put forth these. general views at this time
With the hope of drawing attention to this great
work. Hereafter we shall take occasion to enlarge
upon the reasons which we have advanced in favor
of it, and hope by statistics and sound logic to show
. The Florida Ship Canal is not only thing