Arkansas intelligencer., 1849-02-17
To The Editor of the Union.
AND THE PACIFIC.


entertained the resolutions Of General Sam Hous-
ton, in relation to great national railroad be.
tween the Mississippi Valley and San Francisco
bay. beg leave to offer The following reason, for
such a location of thai all important work:
No steamer can lay her course direct from Pa
mama TO japan without keeping up steam all the
way and if she does sne will be divided between
coal bunkerS and steam boilers. md must leave her
freight TO follow in the next sailing vessel bound
10 her destined port
The natural route across the Pacific is from
San Francisco via the Sandwich Islands and ia.
pan to China, keeping the trade winds and cur.
rents, going and returning, further north, in the
latitude of variable winds, and within The inhu-
ence of the polar current that sets over from japan
past the AlehGan islands 10 the northwest coast of
America.
lie moa.h of the bay OF San Francisco. on the
coast OF California, is in latitude north abou, 81
deg. 4O min. and. according 10 CO... r Fremont. is
the golden gate Of commerce.. The Sandwich
islands, about 900 miles from our Goa ST. in about
70 deg. north latitude, the dir, CT route to
China and, by means of the northeast trades.
can always be approached half steam. in good
Time, by steamships outward bound. These is
lands, If may use the term, are Americani.ed :;
and If the golden opportunity is not suffered to
pass by uaImproyed by our government. naval
yer, in Honolulu, forever. This spot, so highly
recommended by the officers of The exploring ex-
pedron. possesses ud vantages every other is
land in the Pacific. 1t is occupied by no naval
power at present. 1t has ha rbor sufficient to
contain the naves of the world and of ready in
gress and egress at all tides. 1t is the pos,office
and rendezvous of the wha lenen, the lers. and
the hunters OF binds nests and beche le mer of tIre
Paclhc and Southern oceans. 1t has, what is
dear to the ocean wanderers. an abundance Of
fruits, vegetables, and crystal water; it has its
climate ot surprising mildness. its hills and wales
of Eden beauty, its groves of majestic palms. lis
nliars OF Christian worship, and lis sueet-toned
Sabbath bells.
From San Francisco to this island, at the rate
of ten miles an hour, it will lake nine days. If,
however, the steamers ut the speed required
by our govetnment of the SLoo line, TO vii =
twelve miles per hour, it will lake seven DAYS from
liza rbor 10 ha rbor This forms the first link IN the
chain Of commerce between the golden gate of the
New World and the gate Of ivory of the Old.
Proceeding thence towards the Asiaiic shore,
the next important stopping place would be Nj.
phou, The main island Of Japan, distant about
1000 miles from the Sandwich isa nds, q nd about
5000 miles by this route from San Francisco.--
A nd here, m this home of fifty million of busy,
busiiing. industrious people, where in one port
the port Of Je1do--l 900 vessels can ride al IN
chor al Que tlme-where the Emperors annual
revenue is Sl25 900 600, and the value of the
trade hey ond conception, the adventurous steam
ship, armed for war, with an efficient crew, would
hnd q welcome rest; bearing no cross Of the pro-
pagandis, no crosier Of the established church, no
crescent OF the inlide, and no idol of the Pagan
but throwing to the winds of heaven the stars of
civil and religious freedom, that interfere with no
rite, cover no granny, desire no stronghold, and
exclude no friendly power.
This intercourse once established with Japan,
the teacher of China and the mother of nations, !,
there would BIZ an opening for the 500 whaemen
whose occupation will be gone in the great
hunting grounds of the ocean. Levathan himself
cannot contend with man and nurse his young
even in the wilderness Of waters; and at the pre-.
sent moment, capitalists engaged in the whale
fishery are seeking for new channels for their en-
terprIzing seumen, whose prowess and perseve.
rance have lii up the lamps of world, until Nan.
tucket has become home of merchant princes.
and Marthas Vineyard the garden of Gul.
The trip from Honolulu to Niphou, ut 10 miles
per hour, would require II days; and Ell IL miles
per hour, would require IA days-or but weeks
from San Francisco to japan. ..a
The next and final landing on the route would
be a, the Gate Of lvory-Shangha. the port OF
Nankin, in China-about 6O0 miles from japan.
and abous $500 miles from San Francisco; re-.
turning days more, or in all 25 days 10 complete
the voyage from San Francisco to China, uia the
Sand wich Islands and Japan. ..a.r.
Thus would the great waters be bridged, and
civilization and Paganism would meet in the mar.