The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-08-02
From the NeD York Tribune.
The Gulf Of FOnseCa.

Letter 10 the Secretary of the Nary Of the
United States.
New York, July, 1850.
To the Secretary of the Navy
SIR: Our present and prospective interests in the
Pacific and on the Pacific coast of the continent,
demand that every proper measure shall be taken
by our Government to promote the commerce OF
our country and secure the rights OF citizens in
| that quarter. The rise Of an active commercial
State in California, and the settlement of Oregon,
will open new channels of trade that hitherto
essentially non. commercial coast With their
growth will spring up traffic with the tropical re
publlcs IN sugar, rice, coffee cocoa, &c, &c, pro
portionate to that which exists upon the Atlantic
coast with the West Indies This commerce, it lie
easy TO foresee, will be carried in American
vessels. But this is not all; the establishment of
new routes OF communication between the two
oceans, across the central isthmus, by railroad
canal, or both, will open a new but a large and
profitable trade between the eastern United States
and the States of Central America, New Grenada
Peru and Chill as also with the rich Pacific slope
of Mexico. This trade, too, If proper precautions
taken, will fall into American hands. And
with these facilities, the creation of which is no
longer speculative, dreamy thing, but practical
and immediate, who cannot foresee the revolution
which must take place in all existing commercial
relations with the great centres of Asiatic trade
and comprehend the new and improved position
which the United States will assume in respect to
themS
These matters the importance Of which j. OBJ
vious 20 every rejecting mind. What, then, with
this field Of enterprise opening before is the
immediate duty of our Government Unquestion-
ably 10 establish such relations and enter into such
arrangements with the pacific republics and States
shall place commerce with them and the lights
OF our citizens the best possible basis adopting,
far possible the principle Of reciprocity. This
has been comprehended by our Government, and
was made the subject Of remark by General lay
or in his message 10 Congress. And practically
something has been done in carrying out these lib
eral views. Our treaties with New Grenada, Mic
SalVannr &c ~ fr1ffi fhtF lunn nor
ant special provisions in respect TO inter oceanic
communication, concedc all the rights pertaining
TO native citizens, in respect 10 trade, transit, &c,
10 our people and their property, and make all the
ports OF these States free 10 commerce; and we
assured that our diplomatic agents have signi-
fed 20 the Cabinet at Washington that arrange
ments may be made, IL such IL the disposition Of
our Government, for the exchange of such COM
modities staples are the exclusive products Of
the respective countries free Of duties. Thus the
-four and cotton, woollen and iron fabrics Of the
United States may enter those States free provided
their coffee, cocoa, indigo and cOchincal, Brazil
wood, &c, shall enjoy the same privilege in the
United States. That this reciprocal system should
be extended 90 far az il can be without interfering
with the encouragement due TO home production,
is, II seems, too evident proposition 10 need the
support Of argument.
But the duty Of the government extends still fur
Their. IL has always been deemed important 70
maintain a considerable squadron on the Pacific.
Our large whaling feet in these seas, our relations
with the often threatened Sandwich Islands, and
various other obvious causes, have rendered neccs
sary naval force adequate 20 any emergency.
This necessity is much augmented by the present
and prospective condition Of affairs in that quarter
single year has qdadruplcd our interests there,
and II IL impossible to calculate the ratio Of their
increase. And recent events have shown that our
progress has not been witnessed without jealousy,
If not alarm, by rival nations. These events have
also shown that right and justice stand in danger
OF being sacrihccu by those nations in their zeal 10
check our rapid advance. The outrage on the
"a httsigh lie igTL a.aIf -
not less Unauthorized assault upon Honduras by
Or at Britain, need only 10 be referred TO in Illus
tration Of our remark All these things demand
not only an augmentation Of our naval force in the
Pacific, but ALEC the establishment there Of
venient and easily accessible naval station, with
which the government can promptly communicate
in case OF need. And this station should be AT
some point whence operations in any direction may
be Iapidly conducted. II should also, II possible,
combine the requisites of security, good climate,
and abundance OF supplies, including materials FOR
repairs.
And here il may be observed that il has always
been the complaint Of our commanders in the Pa
chic, That they dependent for their latest iniOr
nation upon the British squadron. Even the news
oi The - aration OF war against Mexico reached
our heet through the British Admiral, after ID had
been retained several days, in order To enable him
10 make such disposition of his forces AZ he thought
necessary IN consequence. And what ~ true Of
the American squadron IL true Of the American d.
plomatlc agents on that side Of the continent
With Less interests at stake the foreign govern
mcnts are twice as vigilant our own; their COM
muncatlons, by mcsns Of paid agents, arc prompt
and rapid, and, az a consequence, their movements
proportonately active This state Of things should
be rcmcded.
San Francisco lie no doubt an eligible position for
a naval depot, and VIC shall unquostiOnaby always
have greater or less naval force at that point
But whatever foreign naval service may be re-
qured must, from necessity, be TO the sOuthward
along the of the continent, 60 the westward
at the islands or on the Asistic shore. Ia either
case, end for a long time TO come, until coinmuni-
cation with California Is more directly established
all orders for the fleet must pass across the sthInus
of Panama or Nicaragua, aud thence in fifteen or
twenty days 10 San FranciscO. An equal number
of days must be lost in the downward trip of the
vessels, II destined for any southern service.
Again, we have now a naval station At Valparaiso.
In order 20 transmit orders there, about the same
time Ne lost as in sending them 20 San Francisco.
Both points are eminently inoonvonient. We want