The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-11-23
From ,hs N. \. Express,
from uc ~ y. Express
United states Explorations and Observations
in south America. N#t

Some weeks ago we noted the arrival here OF Lieuten
Herndon. from Para and the river Amazon. on which
having embarked from Ecuador the Pacific side, after
crossing the Andes there he had been sent TO explore
His exploring party he had divided into two pars-ihe
other part not having yet returned but Lieutenant Hern
don not only brought home valuable collections in
natural science, but much geographical information, all
OF which he has Embodied IN report 10 the Secretary OF
the Navy. and which, doubt. al early period will
be laid before Congress We awaiting It's publiea.
lion with some interest.
Lieutenant Giss return from Chill we noted last
week, after residence there OF three and bali years
He, TOO, is TO make report, only upon astronomy
and astronomical observations made in Chiln the OBJ.
sevatory there established BY our couniryOut ne IS 10
report upon the general political. commercial, and geo
graphical condition OF Chill. One OF the oleers win
him in the oh ya,ory-yiz Lieutenant McCrae, OF North
Carolina-nsead OF coming directly home. has crossed
the Andes, The Chilians giving him government guard
as far as Mendoza where he enters the Argentine repub-
lie and from thence taking observations all the way, be
is TO cross the immense pampas. and TO come down 10
Buenos Ayres by the Rio de la Plata. lie is. on crossing
the Andes 10 make observations at every 5000 Feet and
at the distance OF every hundred miles the pampas
ieut Phelps. one OF the corps. came home with Lieut.
Gillis)
These two exploring expeditions of Lieutenant Hern-
don and Lieutenant McCrae, OF the interior OF South
America, will give counirymen when gel hold OF
their maps and their publications. very excellent idea OF
what yet terra ,no0gnitd though Is upon our
own continent, and here at home as il were Or the
Amazon we know little or nothing and not much more
of the La Plata, or OF the interior OF the Argentine
republic. Our trade and commerce have scarcely vel
penetrated these immense regions, which undeniably, i
we can reach them afford the finest fields Tor industry
and enterprise. The Amazon is world OF itselt-capa
BILE in lis valleys Of holding millions OF human beings
but beyond Para II is about unknown to us as the MI
ger The like may almost be said of the La Plata
Such enterprises these, though somewhat costly
yet very crediabe TO government and especially &c
the officers OF navy who get them up. Lieutenant
Maury the head oil the Astronomical Observatory
Washington, has been OF the principal projectors
these enterprises This excellent officer and truly scen
tifc devong all the powers OF his mind and with
great success, 10 the development oil the
trade of the American world and in his charts of winds
and currents he has rendered valuable service nav
cation. Lieutenant Gilliss observatory in Santiago
(Chili) has been of service 10 country there
than all its diplomacy The Chilans became proud d
the observatory, and when he left il they bought and al
lis instruments, and, what is BETTER they keeping
up
/ The North American interest in South America, espe
cally the Pacific part of it, becoming OF Importance, and
when the Panama railroad is completed that interest
will be vastly extended Pacific South America has
been hitherto monopolized BY the British, and il only
of late years that have begun 10 get footing there
all The sver-mine products OF South America yet
nearly all go TO England which deeply TO be lamened
for il is trade ought TO have. correspondent OF
the Express has just noted great Yankee enterprise
in Chilli viz: the railroad from Caidero, Pacific port
10 Copapo-a railroad some fifty miles long, running
from The port the silver mines, and enterprise not
only very profitable il is, but extending itself and
into the silver region Caldero, he says, has be-
come Yankee town We hope TO hear more of such
enterprises and we shall hear OF them the more
government directs its attention 10 this yet
plored world south OF usths terra iatognitd just al
home.