The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent., 1851-01-24

wealth and enterprise; few gears are now
wanted to constfu. "a line ofintercommunication
between the Atlantic and the Pacific. To Amer
ica, the nation Of rs years, will belong the hon.
or and grandeur Of this achievement. Honor
and GRANDEUR because no honor in war, In con-
quest, 81 equal to that gained In opening to the
traffic Of the whole world, freely and ioahout
preference SHIP CANAL, through whose calm
channel the general commerce of nations can
safely pass, guaranteed BY treaties Of protection!
Grandeur, because the work of past centuries,
the ruins OF Greece and Rome, the wall of China,
the existing tembles Of religious worship, can,
in no one respect, so move contemplative mind,
as the anticipated completion of work, which,
defying nature and geographical accidents, will
unite the two great oceans over which Colum-
bus sailed, and Pizarro saw from the Isthmns
Of Darien This, too, at point 5000 miles, or
more, distant from where the Creator joined
them.
The records of the past, point to no physical
work so grandly imposing. II is the joining OF
hemispheres, the separation, by mems hands OF
two.oi the large divisions ofthe earth, the open
ing of ocean with ocean. The future will not
furnish parallel fame, for the earth cannot fur
nish parallel necessity.
To me, whom duty or destiny has called far
away from home and direct home influences,
national prejudices are, to great degree forgot
ten. Looking then at this contemplated work,
listeningto the opinions of thoughtful men around
me, and reading the discussions of able Journal
lists, the conclusion comes, that the world Of
EUROPE watch, with peculiar interests, the
movements of the AMERICAN NICARAGUA CON-
PANY. Results not to be dreamed Of await the
completion of this work. New openings FOR a
traffic already immense, incalculable saving Of
time, expense and danger to ships, comfort,
health and life to passengers, preservation, and
delivery in good order Of perishabe commodities,
quick returns for large shipments, that confidence
in commercial operations arising from COM
parative certainty of transmission and reception,
are few OF the material advantages that will be
realized.
There will be no limit to the actual business
that will pass through this canal. Taking the
great channels of ocean traffic, the number of
ships seeking ports on the Pacific coast, the
China Seas and India, and bearing in mind that
the commerce Of the United States doubles IT,
self every fifteen years, whilst that of England
and France constantly increases. and estimating
what tonage would, probably, be diverted
though this channel, thirty years would give,
in the ordinary course of business, result al
most astounding. We need not be told what
stimulus TO its completion, the acquisition and
settlement Of California and Oregon have given.
| To us then be awarded the credit, the honor and
the profit of this enterprise.
Small, comparatively in universal advantage,
! but great to our country in local and national
| view, will be the Panama Railroad. Ship Ca
mails are not made in months, but by years Of
laborious excavations and by solid works Of
masonry. The Railroad will be the dram cour-
rier, The soon 1--WE trus) completed iron band to
unite the Pacific with the Calf. This undefta-
king is also Of geographical consequence that
attracts the attention of rejecting Europeans.
They see in its construction, another evidence
of the enterprise, energy, wisdom and wealth
Of Americans and they are not slow TO acknowl.
/ edge that. in the worlds progress and the
worlds undertakings, the FGs is taken by our
youthful republic.
The strife now going on in Atlantic steam
navigation is a grave one TO England. Her
flag, for centuries, has been foremost on the
seas. England first availed herself of the in
PRODUCTION of steam for maratime purposes
Fostered by large grants from wise govern.
ment, by contracts and privileges, her wealthy
merchants constructed steam vessels, which
for wears have engrossed the mails first class
passengers and light freight traffic of the grea
highways of ocean. Tardily, but at last, We
have awakened to an active competition for oul
share of Atlantic steam trade. 1t is noble
course to contend upon, and nobly have we en-
tered the lists. In all that belongs to models
and hulls of ships we are, at least, equal to tn,
British; in engines, until very recently, w
have been deficient. Not that we lacked skill
full arIizans TO construct them, 5ut chiefly owing
to The great haste in our go-ahead, unwilling I,
wait, ship owners, coupled with an unwise econ
omy of expenditure in attaining perfect engines
This system oe haste and economy is, for tn
most part, changed. In comfort, in ventilation
cleanliness size of state rooms, and luxury c
adornments and fittings, our steamers now bea
away the prize. The speed oS the Collins
steamers has surprised English and con.inenta
folks. For years the "Cunafders" have, beer
Justly, models OF speed. strength and safety
and the results attained by the Pacific and Al
lantic, their huge size, punctuality and superio
speed, have astonshed the good people this sid
/. of the water, and upset all their former notion
of British superiority. To England, the resu
is notifying 1t absolutely offends the nationa
pride Of that proud "nation Of shop keepers,
to feel that scousin Jonathan" can compete wit
them, in the peaceful supremacy Of the sea:
; No one circumstance, for years, connected wit
our prosperity has pleased Americans abroa
more, than the recent success alluded to, an
many a boast of "Collins' line" has already bee
heard in Northern and Southern Europe.
Nations also see in these superb steamers
these nucleus, the ready made means for fol
midable war feet, and here, where gorernmen
are apt to measure nation grandeur by armie
/. and by nayies, each sudden addition to our sea
(. marine appears an addition TO our aggressive an
) defensive power. The projected. and highly |
be commended line TO Liberia, is but anothe
/ proof of the increasing strength Of that arm
!. future naval defence, and the United State
: Government can, in no aoay. study more prat
tical naval economy, or acquire, at moment
notice, a more powerful fleet, than by judciou
encouragement and subsidies to these varior
lines Il IS far better than "Cherbourg nance
. res,n Experimental Sqnadrons, Baltic Demon
strations, or Coast Evolutons, for II is the ei
couragements of the arts of peace. ofintercours
! civilization and commerce; giving and fosterin
i all these, and at the same time, preparing wit
the naterieL of war. Great Britain numbers ht
steam navy by hundreds OF ships, France 70
lows next, then Russia. whist ours is reckone
\ by score. Il becomes great maritime nato
!. like America, to make herself respected on fh
. ocean, by at least the ability to equal powerfl
: rivals, and no easier, wiser, more economical {
speedy course than this, could be devised. I'll
4 war with Mexico and its successful issue th