The Arkansas banner., 1850-05-07

200 000 which she will have before the close of the present year. she will require neat half million of barrels of -four rom some quarter, and no country can supply it as good and cheap as the old States Oi the Union. Including freight and insurance, this may be set down as an ilem of about S5, 900 OO0.- The article of clothing sllesng 1O to each person, would be $4,O01,O00.
 There is no pGetenson to accuracy in these items, and they may be estimated too bigh, but il is quite as probable they gre too tow. We have no data on which to found ealcus ton what the value of the trade between the States east of the Rocky Mountains and California will be during the current year wiIi venture the opin- ion however that 1t wi hot fall short ol 435, ,0O0, 900 It may go far beyond that sam. Al present
 can perceive no cause which will retaFd or dimin- | ish imigIation
 If the movement shall continue five years, our commerce with thai Tenitor9 may reach Sl0O, ,OOO- | 900 per Anhum. This is doubtls-sa startling sum, but 1t must be borne in mind that we have to build cities and towns. supply machinery for mining, coal foT domestic ufposes snd stesm navgation, sDd all the mutifarious articles used in providing the com forts and iuxuries of life. tesalf million Of peo- pie, who will have transferred themselves Co . coun- try which IS to produce, comparatively, nothing ex- cent minerals and the precious metals, and whose pursuits will enable them to purchase at any cost, | whatever may be necessary for their purposes. It is difficult to imagine or calculate the rff.ct which will be produced on all the indusiIial p0t- suits of the people of the old States of the Uncn, by this wthdrawa al from them Of . haH milIoa Oi producers, who in their new homes and new pur- suts will giUs existence to commefce almost equal in value to foreign trade. Let no one, there lore, suppose he IS not interested n the welfare ni California. As we'll may he believe his interests would not be influenced by closing our ports and cutting off intercourse with all the world. The distance round Cape Horn is great that breadsuhs and many other articles of food deterio rate, and many others are so perishable in their 1 nature that they would decay on the passage. Tins would be the case particularly with all kinds of vegetables and uDdIed fruits. Until some more speedy mode Of communication shali be esablishrd by which produce can be transferred, the farmers and planters of the old States will not realize the | full value of this new market on the Pacific Many other important interests will be kept back, especially the consumption of coal. The American steamers now on the ocean, those their way there and shortly to be sent out will consume not lar from one hundred thousand tons of eoal per snnun. The scarcity of wood n California will bling coal into general use as fuel as It ,an be Ootsined at reasonable prices. Suppose there may be three years hence forty thousand houses, which shall con- sume five tons each per annuT. This, with the steamers, would be a consumption of three hundred thousand tons. Ii delivered al go per ton it would compete successfully with the coal from Vancou- vers' Islad and New Holland and amount to $6, 100000.
 
 of Panama would secure the maIxet for these artIc- les against all competition.
 Some idea may be formed of he demand for them from the prices paid in San Fralcisco last autumn. Coal was sold at S60 to $l00 per ton; potatoes $l6 per bushe, turmps and onlons for 9 to 62la els. each; eggs from Sl0 to SIP per tozen. The distance from Chagres b New York has | recently been run in seven days. The same speed would carry steamboat from Pnama to San Fran cisco in ten days. Allow thrse days to convey freight across the Isthmus, oh aTaiIway, and both passengers and ireighis will be conveyed from New York To San Francisco m twehiy days. This celeIiiy of movement would secure for American produce the entire market of California. Sailing vessels may be successfully employed be- tween our Atlantic and Gull ports and the terminus the railway this side )i the Ishnus; and pro- peLierS from Panama to San Francisco. These lat- ter vessels will be found peculiarly suited to that | trade; they use their heam through the cams of the Bay of Panama, and gainst head winds and currents going norh and heir sails wilh favorable winds and currents conlnt south.
 These modes of conveyince, in connexion with the railroad the Ishnus, would be sufficiently exprditions.and econoncd to turn the tide Of com merc-, between the Atianic and Pacific States ot the Union, into that cbannl. The tendency oi our commerce on the Pacific to promote the employ men' of ocean steamers isot much importance as | connected with the detensve ot our extensive line of coast from latude 32o .o 49o, the protection of the whale fishery, and ohef branches oi trade on that ocean The establishment of line of heavy steamers to China would promote all these ohjecls | increase our intercourse with the country, and probably be the means topeDing communication with Jspan. Money wisey employed in promoting these objects il Is believe. would add more the power and prosperity oi tR country than its exp-n- dliure on any gensTal sysem of fort6cstion at the present prices Ol labor andIRaienas. There IS one point, however, oi such vast importance that no time should be lost in takhg the necessary steps to render t perfectly impregble-that is the enti l to the haIbor ot San FIandsco. On the strength Of the works which may be Teeted 10 deiend that pas
 sage will depend the saiey of California in time oi war with maratime powr. Permit hostile fleet to cast anchor in the hafhr of San Francisco, and the country would be virtually conquered. | The coast has not beensurveyed, nor has its out line been correctly asceiaiued. There are many rocks above and below he water line, and small
 islands not mention or indicated any chaIt which render navigation near tir land, especially at tngh extremely dangerous.
 | An accurate survey of he coast. to commence at l the most important points the construction of hght houses, and the placing obuoys in proper positions, | are otJects of much importance, and. II IS not doubted, will attract the 'ary attention of Govern 1 meni.
 To De toatinued.l