The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-09-09
From the Nero York Express.


We do not believe a step more important 10 the
commercial interests of the whole civilized world
could be taken at this time, than the establishment
Of steam communication between California and
China by the last arrival from San Francisco, we
are advised that parties had left for the United
staes, for the express purpose Of negotiating for
one or two irstclass steamships, 70 be employed
as an intiatory experiment in the hitherto steam
undisturbed waters of that portion OF the great
ocean which directly divides the Eastern
world from the Continent of North America, We
predict that in few years from now, therefore,
that will be able to go all the way to the city OF
Canton by steam via the Isthmus OF Panama, and
the port oi San Francisco-ln space OF time, not
much more than ordinary packet ship now re-
qures to make the passage To London, or ham
burg, or Antwerp. Once cstnbniIed, such a line
of steamers, II seems to must secure an imme-
diate monopoly Of large and, probably, the most
valuable proportion of the rich freights which now
make "merchant princes" of those in New York,
Boston, Liverpool, and London, IN whose hands the
| bulk of this trade ia to be found.
1t would open a source of pecuniary profit to the
projectors that could hardly fail to, in the end,
yield more magnifcently than the gold mines OF
Ell Dorado. "The wealth of Ormus and OF Ind"
would literally be tempted to our shores, and II
shared by-other lands, these lands must pay trl-
butte TO facilities of communication, and thus
directly contribute to their support. Instead OF
bringing our teas and siks and spices all the way
around Cape Horn or the Cape OF Good Hope, we1
shall receive them in San Francisco, and acknow-l
ledge receipt in New York in less than sixty days
In other respects the benefits which must inevita-
bly, ensue to commerce in all its subordinate rami-
cations are, this time, incalculabe; they are to
be estimated only if Asis and America, the East
and the West, had mutually resolved TO annihilatc
space, and throw open-onc her golden treasures
her steamers, her enterprise, her christianiiy and
civilizations; the other, in return field for the free
exercise OF all these, such the Anglo Americans
perhaps never found before, but which, till now,
has been excluded from the world, by the cannish
exclusiveness Of a semi barbaric but ingenious,
and in other respects most remarkable race.
We think those who perused the mastcrly report
of the Hon. Thomas Butler King, while that gen
temau was chairman of the Committee of Com
merce in the last Congress, upon this very subject
will not have forgotten how easy and practicable
this splendid scheme then demonstrated TO be.
| 1t needs not now that we should add any thing to
that able and truthful, and, We believe, prophetic
document true regards the immense import
ance of the enterprise, and prophetic in what 1t
promises shall be the reward of the nation which
shall successfully carry it through. We are only
glad that countrymen in California with that
wise forecast which has thus far distinguished
their brilliant career have resolved TO enter Held
in which SO much of glory and gain is to be earned
for their new State.