The New York herald., 1850-08-27
Very Interesting Information from Oregon
The Navigation of the South Channel OF
rhe Columbia River.

the Columbia River.
We publish, in another part of this days paper,
rome very important and interesting information
which we have procured from Washington, relative
ro the operations Of the United States Survey
of the newly discovered channel in the Columbia
river aud the commerce Of Oregon. This infor-
nation viii be very acceptable to our commercial
men, as well as to underwriters. II is contained
an a correspondence between Professor Bache, OF
the United States Coast Survey, in Washington,
and Mr.. Thursior, the delegate from Oregon, and
others. We invite for II careful perusal by the
mercantile part Of our community
We learn by these letters, that the commerce of
Oregon is increasing at Unprecedented rate; that
Che arrivals and departures from that territory
amounted to ninety.ive between April the Ist,
1919. and June 26th, 1850, composed Of vessels
rying from one hundred and fifty to seven hundred
tons burthen, and that the newly discovered chan
mel in the Columbia river is perfectly safe, and af-
fords good and easy navigation for vessels OF all
classes, whether inward or outward bound. Since
the discovery Of the channel, on the nineteenth Of
April last, vessels OF large tonnage have daily
passed over the bar at pleasure, with and without
pilots, and without an hours delay. The channel
has not yet been thoroughly surveyed; but from
what has already been done, we learn that the least
was sixteen feet, and at two miles inside Of the
breakers it decpenod to five fathoms, and from
seven TO nine fathoms at a distance Of two miles
inside the bar So safe and easy Is the navigatioa
that il occupies a vessel but twenty or thirty mi
nutes 10 reach the wide ocean from the time she
leaves the anchorage at sand Island; and, what is
of equal importance, we are informed that IL is not
necessary for vessels to tack on the bar with any
wipd The discovery OF this channel will he
Of inealcul bic importance 10 Oregon, and TO the
sonmercia interests Of the United States. The
entrance int1 the Columbia river, from the Pacific
Ocean, has been the dread Of mariners ever siace
ne discovery and many vessels have been lost
among the breakers there, and numerous lives lost
These darrers have all been dissipated, as IL were,
In al instant by the discovery Of the new channeb
and new and bright destiny awaits Oregon in
consequence.
IL il not little curious that, previous to the dis
sovery OF the new channel, 1t was looked upon as
being scaled against the entrance of any vessel from
the sea and mariners never approached the mouth
of the Columbia without offering a prayer that
thsy mig { not be forced into the southern chan
pei Father De Smet, the celebrated Catholic
niseionvry, informs us Of the imaginary dangers
which he and all on board Of the vessel which he
ooh passage in, incurred on entering the Columbia.
IL happened cn the ihir,y-hrst Of July, lSii, the
feast OF the great Loyola. This auspicous circum.
stance, he says, gave him hopes; and full
Of confidence in the protection Of the founder
Of the order to which he belonged, he and his
associates prostrated themselves on the deck,
and f,rvently impored 81. lgnatius Loyola
not TO abandon them in their need As they ap-
preached the river, they redou5led their prayers.
As they came near, the captain took soundings,
sd found seven fathoms Of water, then sir, then
five, and then three. II was then expected that
the vessel would be dashed To pieces. Soundings
were again taken, and depth of four iathoms OBJ
sAiped; but coon IL was reiuced 20 three. Con-
sisrnation again seized upon all hands. The lieu
tenant EXCLAIMED that the route was mistaken; but
the captain kept on, and the vessel crossed the bar
safely. "Heaytn," says Father DE Sweet, "was
Cor US Otherwise neither the skill Of the captain,
nor ths sailors activity, could have rescued us from
inevitable Death" In the fulness Of his gratitude,
the reverend father exclaimed -" Glory to God.
and also TO ST. lguatius, who 90 vsibly protected
his chidIen on that day" He also Says, that this
was the first vessel, and probably il would be the
East, that woUld pass through that channel Twas
very fortunate thing for the people on board Of
that vessel, that the captsin was entirely unac-
saainied with the rocks and breakers al the mouth
Of the Columbia, ard was, likewise, not provided
with charts, which, the missionary informs us, was
h. case, fer ID he not been compelled to take the
so~thsrn ohannel the probability is that the vessel