The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-06-03
7 Fl K R 4 p u B Ill G /.
Mr.. Whitney's Letter TO the London Times.
III WAsHINeToH CITY, Jan. 10, 1850
To The Edif0rs of The IoofIon Times.


WAsHINeToN CRY, Jan. 10, 1850
TO The Editors Of the London Times:
GENTLEmEN: ] am not a little surprised at the
frequent remarks in the london journals on the
subject of a communication between the Atlantic
and Pacific oceans at Panama, Nicaragua and Te
huantepec. These spcculations seem TO have led
the world astray, well in Europe as in America.
But your merchants, who are acquainted with the
commerce Of the world-your men of science, your
geographers, and your navigaors, must see, they
will take globe, measure it, and examine the SUBJ
iect that should the Pacific burst its bounds
and mingle with its sister Atlantic opening a strait
from Panama TO Tehuantepec, the commercial
world would not be particularly benefited by it,
In the first place, ii will be by a reference To
a map or globe, that the range Of mountains in
South America which divides 1t, and forms the At
lantic and Pacific slopes, run close 10 the Paci
fc ocean that there is but small spnce for popu
lation from Cape Horn TO Upper California.
secondly, the continent, running north and
south from Cape Horn to the Arctic ocean gives to
both slopes the same climates and soils; the pro-
ducts OF which must always be similar; and there
fore exchanges on large scale cannot take place
Thirdly, the commerce Of the Pacific SLOPE hith
erto confined almost exclusively to South America
and Mexico, is small, and cannot be increased in
these quarters, because it is uncertain and not
founded upon regular exchanges the most of which
is more properly an Atlantic trade, being formed
by smuggling merchandise over the mountains
from the Pacific to the Atlantic side, and which
must decrease so soon as steam is used the many
rivers running into the Atlantic. The settlem ,nt
of the Pacific slope, north and south, must in a
short time, not only diminuton in the pres
ent amount of commerce with Europe, and the At
lantic slope of the United States, but diminish in
tercourse also; for when the north Pacific slope be-
comes settled, it will be, the different par
alles from Cape Horn to the Arctic ocean will ex-
change with each other and supply each other
wants. The entire coast will exchange with the
Pacific islands, with Japan, China, and all Asia;
and Its commerce and principal intercourse will be
with those parts and its own different sections.
IL being fixed law that the avails Of labor must
always return TO the region of its own products
and be there consumed to the extent of and in such
articles as the wants of the producer require; and
as the wants Of the people who may inhabt the Pa
cific slope can generally be better supplied by
tual exchanges, and from the Pacific islands, ia
pan, China, &C., than from either the Atlantic slope
of the United States or Europe, excepting only
small amount OF manufactured goods, (with which
also they will, after time, supply themselvcs) it
is therefore clear to my mind that settlements on
the Pacific slope, with capital and enterprise, will
establish for themselves commerce and in.
tercourse directly with the Pacific islands, and
with Asia, which will be natural more con-
venicnt, and more profitable than intercourse and
trade with the eastern slope of the United States
and Europe.
From the most recent official tables, il will be
seen that the British commerce with Chill was, per
annum, for 1872
81 vessels, or IA i 3S tons