New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-02-12
A NEW TELEGRAPH.
Magnetic Telegraph to California

In the Senate of the United States, on Friday,
Jan. 81, 1881, Mr. RusK made the following Report;
The Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, to
whom was referred tie petition of Josiah Snow and
Bangs and their associates praying the right OF way and
subscription the stock Of The Atlantic and Pacific Tee
graph Company" have had tho under consideration
ard respectfully Report
The petitioners propose 70 connect the valley
of the Mississippi with San Francisco, in Cali
fornia by Telegraphic wires, and ask the aid Of
the Government in behalf of the undertaking.
offering in return the use of the wire for all Gov
eminent purposes for the term often years from the
time OF the completion of the work Ofthe ad
vantages to be derived from the connexionin ques-
tiOn no doubt can be entertained. Whether the
project be regarded in q military, commercial or
social point of view, the Importance Of such line
of communication must at once strike the mind
and command the approval Of every intelligent
person. When viewed in smiliEary light, the adj
vantages TO accrue from the proposed connection
must be evident 70 every one. Situated at an i'm.
mense distance from those portions Of the Union
which border on the Atlantic ocean, California is
entitled 10 more than ordinary share of the care
of the nation.
Beyond the reach of ordinary means of inter-
course with the seat of the Federal Government
the transmission Of military stores and means of
defence must always be q work Of much time and
labor, whilst her vast extent Of unprotected sea-
board and incalculabe mineral wealth render her
peculiarly liable 10 the attacks Of foreign ambition
or cupidity. To be enabled to give timely aid in
case Of need, the Government should have at its
command the speediest means of being made &C.
quainted with impending danger Situated as she
is, this youngest State Of the cOniederacy might
fall prey to predatory violence from without
before intelligence OF the presence Of foe could
reach those from whom protection is TO be expect
ed, and, consequently, although the evil might be
remedied in the course OF time, Judgment once
having been made, it might require the expendi-
ture OF much blood and treasure to effect the OBJ.
ject To meet the danger at the onset, the Federal
Government must be advised offs approach and
the sooner the existence OF peril is known, the
more readily can it be checked or avoided With
the proposed line of wires the presence Of danger
might be known in & few Misunderstanding az
present it would require weeks il not months to
communicate the ormaton-and sRccorcould be
furnished in the time now necessary 20 convey the
tdDgs OF its being wanted IL Is true, local deen.
ces must be relied on to great extent is resisting
the impression of foreign assault but the sooner
the means necessary 10 maintain this resistance
for any considerable length Of time are furnished,
the sooner will the difficulty be met and overcome.
Ia a commercial point Of view, the line in Ques-
ton assumes gigantic Importance, and presents
ITSELF not only in the attitude OF a means Of com.
municaton between the opposite extremes Of
single country, however great, but as a channel
for impErting knowledge between distant parts Of
the earth With the existing facilities il requires
months to convey information from the sunny
cmes OF the East 70 the less favored, ia point OF
climate, but not less important regions Of the
West, teeming, IS they DO, with the product Of
art and enterprise. Let this line of wires be es-
tabliGhed, and the Pacific and Atlantic oceans
become one, and Intelligence will be conveyed
from London 20 India in shorter time than was
required Cen years aimee % transmit letter from