American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-08-02
m. Harbors or California.

onr thanks are due to Comm ander CADwALA-
DER RINaaoLD, of the U, 5. Navy, for a series
Of charts with sailing directions, embracing
surveys of the Farallones entrance to the
bay of San Francisco, bays of San Francisco
and San Pablo, straits of Carquines and Sui
sun bay, confluence and deltic branches of
the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, and
the Sacramento river with the middle fork)
to the American river, including the cities
of Sacramento and Boston, State Of Califor-
MIA The surveys were made by Com. Ring
gold in the years 1849 and 1850, assisted by
Edwin Cullberg, Lieutenant of the Hydrotechnic
corps of the Swedish Navy; I. A. Emmett,
civil engineer; Sam. r. Knox, Lieut.. U. 8. ~;
William P. Humphrey and J. H. Rowe, civil
engineers; and Simon F. Blunt, Lieut.. U. s. N;
and the charts were prepared from them by
Mr.. Frederick d. Stuart, skilful photographer
Of this city, and late Of the U. 8. Exploring
Expedition, assisted by A. Campbell, civil en-
gineer; and ] ohm Tyssowsh and Chas. Everett,
draughtsmen. The photographic printing is very
beautifully executed by G. B. Graham, Of Wash
ington; the letter-press by ]. I. Towers.
is These charts are universally acknowledged,
& by competent judges, to be decidedly the best
that have ever been made of those important
coasts and harbors. The accompanying sailing
directions and tidal observations enhance their
value, and their author may justly be proud Of
having contributed SO greatly to increase the
facilities for that commerce which is destined to
work great change in the condition of the
world. The fact that this work was undertaken
at the pressing request of q large number Of
the most prominent merchants Of San Francisco,
others for it's faithful execution, shows the value
Of the charts for commercial purposes.
In our examination Of them, and the accom-
panying explanations, we were much struck
with the wonderful natural advantages which
California possesses. The entrance to the harbor
of San Francisco is narrow, 80 that it may be
easily commanded by forts on both sides; it
then widens suddenly into a capacious bay,
large enough to contain the whole British navy.
On the inner part of the bay, to the right Of the
entrance, lies the city of San Francisco. The
bay of San Francisco is connected, on its north
side, with the bay Of San Pablo, on whose east
ern margin lies the city lin futuro) of Vallejo,
pronounced Vallaho,) the capital Of California.
The Straits of Carqnines connect this bay with
that of Vallejo; this joins the bay of Suisun,
into which flow the rivers Sacramento and San
Joaquin, the former from the north, the latter
from the south. At the head Of the Sacramento
river lie Boston and Sacramento City. On the
San Joaquin and its tributaries, are Stockton,
San joaquin, and Stanislaus City. Thus, from
the interior of the country to the bay Of San
Francisco, there is long chain of rivers and
bays, by which the produce of the State can be
readily transported to the Pacific. Viewing all
this in connection with the vast mineral wealth
of California, and its advantageous situation on
the ocean, we can assign no limit to its CONNER
cial prosperity