The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-02-19

a
TO he Editor Of he Nationa Wig;
SR:-By casting your eye over the Gull Of Mexico
and Caribbean sea you win once perceive that the
latter is essentially under English control In fact as
much of nm English sea as the British channel or
Irish sea- Jamaica guards one pass while the British
settlement of the Balizr guards tho other. Should
rail road be constructed the lshmus OF Darien
Il would finally fall into and under British control.
But such could not be the case with the upper route
across Tehuantcpec. The distance from the mouth
Of the Mississippi To- the river Haushahnaco Is not
above thousand miles, md the pactlcabill'y Of
| either railroad or canal across this point has long
| since been fully established BESIDES the Mexican
Government begins to see the absolute necessity OF
establishing friendly relations with the United States
and would no doubt be perfectly willing TO enter into
such an arrangement as would enable an American
company construct rail road canal across that
country Besides It has become settled policy with
the u. S., that more European colonies shall be
established In North American but we cannot inter
fere very well with those already established. And rs
England has strong interest in Honduras II would
be well for this country to avoid any engagements
with persons or companies who constructing or
likely TO construct rail road below Honduras or
along the shores of the Caribbean sea.
II Is always well to examine the value and neces-
sity Of an undertaking before entering into entang-
ling alliances or contracts Therefore In the nyest-
CATION Of the comparative value Of the two points In
controversy the value Of either road, canal way
at either point consists In shortening the distance
between this country, China, India Japan, Oceanin,
POLYNESIA and the Pacific coast and also In diyerting
the trade from Europe to this country and giving
the United States commercial advantages over Eu-
rope. As the commercial advantages now STAND in
point Of time and distance It standsin favor Of Flu
rope by two 1900 miles, and in time twenty days;
to make either Of the two routes advantageous, we
must overcome this time and distance The route
| over Tehuantepec has the advantage over Panama
by being In distance thousand miles and In time
ten days nearer Again, the harbor of Chagrcs is
small the country fiat, swampy md unhealthy and
in consequence of It's geographical position ihese
| circumstances cannot be amended. On the rehuan-
epec route after passing the bar the river Is COM
modious, deep and sluggish stream, and should
vessels at any time be compelled to anchor off the
coast there is no danger Of being wrecked on lee
shore, as the current always sets against the wind
and vessels invariably ride TO wlndward Of their
anchors. Good anchorage in seven athoms water can
always be obtained off the harbor and vessels draw
ing fourteen feet can at all times enter the rivers
The value Of a direct route TO the Pacific and
China amounts to the expectation Of all our exports
and imports 10 those points, These articles Of exports
which would enter the Pacific and China seas are
principally raised in the valley of the Mississippi.
They are pork beef -four, corn, wheat, rye from the
southern states tobacco, cotton, and rice from the
northern states, cottons. In return we will receive
from China teas, silks, frecrnckers and porcelain,
from the Pacific cons minerals, manures and hides.
II is now utterly impossible to send around Cape
Horn the grains of the United Slnes in consequence
of their deterioration by passing through the tropics;
but in the route herein advocated portion Of the
productions of the valley Of the Mississippi cannot