The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-06-23

To the Editor of the Union .

To The Editor Of the Union:
SIN: In your paper Of the 27h April last,
have read with great interest Mr. Whitneys letter to the
! LU1d9G %s On the great problem
future time, the extension OF the domain OF the United
States from the Atlantic to the Pacific The supen-
augmentng and gaining Fl rec, not only. on North
America but far every ice, beyond its limits, must
supernduce works commons, rats with their importance.
Now is the morning OF development Vast as have
been the great changes operated human affairs since
the first Anglo. Saxon colony formed the Atlantic
border OF North America it is hardly risk to predict
that the most eveniu period has opened and that The
terminating half OF the present century will have placed
its records Of those changes and improvements
which, though the sequences oil what Is now In progress,
will be too vast TO admit the grasp OF the present
There are no accidents ia the affairs OF mankind.
Every event have pre- existing adequate TO
Its production. America itself was, contrary 10 common
opinion, discovered in the OF discovery and II that
discovery the most important, il was, however, only
part OF the great regions then to be revealed the civil
lied nations OF Europe Hitherto, since those Dissolve
ries made. the effects human destiny have been,
in great part TO enlarge the sphere rather than 10 change
the modes OF commercial and social intercourse but
North America, IN Particular the rise OF great nation
the temperate climates OF the continent. and
united under government thus gaining sovereignty
zone IRON ocean TO ocean, twenty-five degrees Of
latitude in breadth, produced corresponding revolution,
not only in the course, but also IN the modes OF inter-
communication.
Il is only recently and that comparatively very recently
that the combined power OF the wheel and steam have
provements made on the new OF motion. and the
immense extension OF the United States domain, may
well inspire reflections OF the deepest interest These
reflections will be rendered the intense when we
come 10 the discussion Of problems--where TO be
found the best routes, and what the best and
modes OF INSTRUMENTATION from to ocean, and
over the oceans when reached
Here we have before us the prospect OF changes
which must modify all coming history and am bold TO
say, in advance. that the most important elements
TO discuss, as far as human motion or navigation
is concerned, are the prevailing winds the great
Of the EARTH and the shortest available routes
Mr. Whitney has taken ground, and ground which
must be rendered and enable his plans are
made subjects OF discussion. Whatever may be the
result of such discussion the design by which il
was prompted 1 must produce valuable effects in bring
ing into view much neglected, but most important field
OF inquiry. Sufficient Is, however, known, and can be
safely applied the present OCCASION usratng the
subject In the Philadelphia edition OF Brewsters Ency-
cop2dia, (s31 in the article United Staies writ
ten by myself, there tables OF the wndsthe element
drawn from numerous and authentic sources-whch de-
monsrate that in the northern temperate zone Of the
earth the wind westerly, utterly irrespective Of land
or wafer. go
The laws OF winds over the eahs surface 30 gener-
ally regarded caprcious, nevertheless, when viewed
the great scale Of the earhs surface, found TO move
with AZ little deviation from natural do rivers
IL, In imagination, are removed 10 the equator,
may regard ourselves in the middle OF immense aerial
current sweeping from East to West entirely round the
earth The phenomena OF the ntertropcal current have
been particularly observed the great oceans
than on the continents but analogy will support the con-
clusion that the requirements and practice OF navigation
have led 70 these results, - we may illustrate BY the ef