The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-06-03
No. 3OI.

imports and 3,400 900 of exports Of which latter
5soooOare foreign products; leaving an actual bal
ance against the United States of about 81 900 000
to be paid through England. Though this trade
may be profitable to individuals, il is not to the
nation
Now, if the Atlantic ocean were open by a strait
between North and South America to the Pacific, a
vessel bound from New York to China would take
that route, because the trade winds would carry q
vessel i'll almost direct line from Panama or Te-
huantepec to the Ladrone islands, near China, and
| the distance would be about l3, 3S miles; but the
homeward voyage would always be made, as il now
IL, by the Cape of Good Hope; and though the dis
tance. as performed by Captain Waterman in the
Sea Witch, in seventy five days, is Ia ,255 nea.
still the always favorable trade winds would make
this the shortest voyage home: besides, il is the
homeward voyage that the merchant is most inter-
ested in saving time. His ship goes out to Asia
nearly empty, and waits till November Dcccm-
Der, and then returns laden with avich and valu-
able cargo. IL il, therefore, the homeward voyage
that must sustain the expenses of the ship both out
aud home
Were there railroad or canal across the 18th
mus the saving in distance and time the voyage
out would not compensate for the expenses of
transhipment and transit from ocean to ocean
steamer bound from the sthinus to China, by
ming up the coast to San Francisco, to the Bouu
islands, and via Japan, might lessen the distance
about one thousand miles. That would be the best
route for steamer, but could not lie taken by
sail vessel on account of the trade winds. The
distance for a steamer from the isthmus to China
would be three times that from Liverpool 10 Boson
or from New York 70 China, it would be equal TO
four times across the Atantic and with all the de-
pots possible to be established on the route, the
whole capacity of the steamer would be required for
her necessary fuel, with no room left for freight
II we estimate freight at price corresponding with
what is charged by the steamers common dry
goods from Liverpool or London TO Boston New
fork-say TT per ton measurement--it would
amount, from China to New York, not including
transhipments and transit across the isthmus TO
f2S sterling, or S l40 per measurement, or
$3.50 for one ton weight of young hyson, or = $50
faro haas Sh.
average of 30 cents per pound, 500 for ton
weight of 1000 lbs Is it not therefore, perfectly
clear, that the trade of the United States with
China could not be changed to this route, even if
the isthmus were swept away?
The commerce of all Europe, with all Asia,
amounts TO an annual aggregate, exports and inn
ports, of $250,0O0,000. II is this commerce which
controls the world. The change of its route has
changed the destinies of empires and of states 1t
can have but one more change, and that must be
across this continent. When that change shall have
been effected, commerce and civilization will have
encircled the globe But that great change cannot
be made, as is urged, across the Isthmus. If
mon schoolboy will take globe, (not a flat map)
place the end of string at Canton, bring il up
through the Chinese through the Sunda straits,
into the Indian ocean; thence draw the string tight
over the globe 10 the Cape of Good Hope; thence,
via st. Helena, and inside the Cape dc Verd Islands
up to England, il will be that the string upon
the globe has marked almost exactly the route of a
vessel sailing from Canton TO England, and always
| with fair wind, the distance being 1880 miles.
Take the same string. and place the end at the same
point arrived at in England bring ii to Pan
anna, and thence, the trade winds would force
vessels course south Of the Sandwich Islands, to
the Ladroncs, and il will be that the string
| does not reach near to China the whole distance
from England being l5555 miles, or 2 DDS miles
greater than the voyage by the Cape of Good Hope.
From Singapore and Calcutta the difference against
| the Isthmns route would be still greater Comment
| is here unnecessary.
Could the commerce of Europe with Asia be car
ried in steamers, il will be that the present
route is from 1000 TO $500 miles shorter than via
the Isthmus with far greater facilities for dcpots
for fuel, &c.-for instance, the Cape de Verd Is
| lands, st. Helena, the Cape of Good Hope, NADIA
gascar, Isle of Bourbon, Christmas Island and 9TH
| ers directly on the route; and from the Cape OF
Good Hope To Australia, the island Of st. Paus is
| midway on the direct route.
Neither the history OF colonization nor that of our
western settlements presents parallel TO the posi-
ton of Oregon and California. as they connect
ell with the eastern slope of the United States Old
| nations, with surplus population have planted
colonies the colonists have been restricted TO trade
with the mother country, each being a forced mar
ket for the products of the other The object Of such
a system is to provide for destitute and useless
population, and at the same time make them pro-
ducers of food and staples, To be exchanged for
| manufactured goods. and thereby better the cond-
| ton of those remaining at home.
| But such relation and such result never
obtain between the Atlantic and Pacific slopes of
the United States, because, after little the two
| sides will produce the same articles and, more
| made by the Atlantic, and not by the Pacific side
Although the mines and fisheries may attract and
arc likely for short time to attract labor so as Ia
prevent the production of "A sufficient amount OF
food for the Pacific slope, that deficiency could not
be supplied through or across the lshmus, owing To
| climate and the necessarily heavy expenses Of
transit would force the production Of more than a
| necessary supply in Oregon in short time. u II
not, therefore, evident that the Atlantic and Pacific
slopes must be separate and distinct in all their in
terests that they can have but little intercourse,
and but small amount of exchanges, and that they
must remain in all respects precisely to each other
as the people of the United States in relation To
those Of Russia of any other foreign nationS But
could the route for the commerce and intercourse
Of Europe with Asia be changed Ia across this
tinent, then the Atlantic and Pacific sides would be
made depots for it, also depots for the produc Of
| the Mississippi basin, on the side for the mar
kets OF Europe, aud on the other for the markets Of
Asia. Then, all these parts of the world being the
great parts, almost the whole world, would be bound
| together by ties Of mutual interests.
The surplus population OF Europe would fill up the
great basin of North America, and produce food
| and staples To exchange with those who remain in
Europe. The surplus population Of Asia--oi China
particulary-would be removed 10 the islands in
the Pacific and Indian oceans, and their products
would be exchanged with both Europe and the
United States. This would cuuaize harmonizc,
civize, christianize, aud make comfortable the
scores, even hundreds of millions, in all these
quarters, who are now destitute, miserable, and
| a large portion pershing with want TO ac-
complish all this, the route must be located far
north that the sphere of the globe will sufficiently
shorten the distance and the work must be con
structed from plan of means which will secure
adequate reduction in the cost Of transport The
route must pass through wilderness, with az great
extent possible OF agricultural country, TO be
brought into settlement and produoton; the work,
itself, 10 be the cheap means OF transit from and 10
the great markets OF the world
| A change Of route for commerce can benefit mo
interests particularly, unless the saving of time and
of cost OF transport be sufficient 10 increase the con-
sumption of the articles which constitute that com
merce, and thus augment the amount of exchanges
| or unless II opens 20 settlement and production a
new country which before had been inaccessible
and useless
Now, we will suppose that the commerce which
is carried ON around the Cape Of Good Hope could
be changed by a canal or railroad across by Suez
II would certainly shorten the distance very much
| but what interests would be benefited by IL; OF
would commercial exchanges be increased Though
| time and distance would he lessened still the ex
penses OF transhipmcnt and transit, the dangers o
Navigation, and damage by climate, would be sucl
| that no material reduction in the cost of transi
would be effected, and the condition of the surpu.
population Of both Europe and Asia would remain
| precisely the same, inasmuch as no means would
be created TO enable one 70 consume more of the
| products Of the other