The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1851-02-01
Another Pacific RnifronI.


we stated that party had been sent out By the
British Government to reconoi,re the ground, and
report on the practicablty Of constructing rail.
road from some poirt on the Atlantic, to Puglt's
in the British possessions. by the late Wash
ngton papers, We perceive that the party have
completed their Investigations and have made u
full and elaborate report upon the subject, in
which they prove plainly that there is a more IA
vorable route on and near the line Of 40 north
latitude than can be found any where on this
continent.
We make the following extract from the re-
port, which will give some insight into the mag.
nifcence ef the project;
I've will now proceed to open the intention
Of the work, already more than suggested by the
title viz: to show the feasibility Of line of rail.
way across the Cauadas, joining the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans; the necessity of this, to retain
the most important Of our colonies, and to keep
pace with the vast designs of the United States;
the possibility of perfect Incorporation of Can
ada with Great Britain. under the same laws,
government, privileges, and with fair amount Of
representation, as an important part of this king
dom thus to preserve her, rs with less cramp
ed and fatal policy. we might still have preserved
the fealty and affections Of the United States
the numerous benefits to be derived from the EN-
ployment Of convict labor, the immense indiyid-
ual advantages to emigrants. the ABSORPTION Of
pauperism, and its alchymcal translation to com.
fort prosperity, and wealth and relief here, the
blessing there; and finally the opening of recip-
rocal commerce with north east China, and with
Japan, by speedy and direct means, and by the
unlimited sway of the Chinese seas thus to ex.
tend the broad belt Of England in the temperate
zone, round the world All this is to be done,
for we have the means before u the time has
now arrived; the necessity is urgent" "China is
our centre Of attraction; it is to Russia it is
so to America; but we alone have yet the game
Of the world in our hands" Our gsandest
schemes lat home,) are dsfunct and still born
railways from anywhere to nowhere" No tr
fling measure will do there" lin Canada.) lose
her and you will lose the world. BY generous
and extended policy you can alone retain her"
People of England G,rdke You possess every.
thing. You act as if you had nothing" Again
We say, people Of England d'rakc! Preserve
the Canadas rs the means Of salvation"
Look at the map, and see if we are not stu.
pidly obtuse in not securing the inculculable ben.
efts which the opportunity now offers to Great
Britain; and Judge it it were not suicidal Grimm.
atty, should we hesitate any longer to profit by
this California mania, and 20 assume the imme.
date lead and direction Of the South Sea move.
ment, thereby to attract those congregating in.
terests to British centre Nature presents us
with the means, in the happy position OF Voncou.
var's land the Canadian lakes open a halfway
access to this promising point through the heart
Of our own possessions, were we only to bridge
the intermediate space between Lake Superior
and our northwest Harbor"
1t s estimated that five millions Of people,
mostly psupers, can be spared from the British
Islands, to be employed and settled along the
line of the road. The estimates for the cost of
the road are an average Of 1000 per mile being
Ga, 100000 or SO, 900, 000) fof the whole work
and less than the present annual cost of pauper.
ism at home, the whole, or chief part Of which
burden it is expected the execution Of this plan
will remove Besides This, it would give Eng.
land the command over the commerce of the
world Itis remarkable fact that the distance
between England aud China, by this contempla.
ted rail road through Canada is fifteen hundred
miles shorter than the nearest route across the
United States 1t remains to be seen whether
Great Britain or the United States will be the
first in the field, and which will win this great
prize five hesitate, our advantage will be lost
There is not moment for delay. And well
may we call on the people to arouse, and our
Congress to awake, to n full sense Of the oppor
,unity which remains to us, but which in another
year may be gone forever