Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-12-04
ON THE AMAZONIAN BASIN.

FROM LONDON /" MINING JOURNAL OF NOVEMBER 13
memorial has recently been presented to Congress
BY Lieut. MAuRY, of the United States Navy, on sub
ect which, in the present days Of enterprsng spirit CO.
lonzation, emigration, and industrial production will
we have doubt excite powerful impression both in
England and America Lieut. Maury has long les many
Of readers probably aware been actively engag
ed in Investigations connected with the winds and
currents, particularly regards their bearing
navigation, trade, and commerce and in this document
he has embodied the whole of the deductions from his
long experience He shows that if drift wood from the
Andes, floating down the tributaries of the Amazon, in
the interior Of South America, and other drift from the
Rocky Mountains in North America be cast upon the
head waters Of the Missouri obeying the force of the
winds and currents they will represent their course and
viii be drifted out upon the broad through the
Pass Of Florida the former first coursing northward
then to the eastward through the Caribbean Sea and the
Gulf of Mexico and northwesterly through the "
Florida the Missouri drift also foow sne latter course
II assumed f-e- the direction Of these currents and
other natural that for the peaceful and practical
purposes of trade, commerce, and navigation, there is
but one highway from the mouth of the Amazon, on
which the Southern Atlantic ports occupy the position of
half way houses-a markstway hitherto overlooked al
though the winds and have placed the key nhe
hands Of the inhabitants Having clearly defined ID,
true ocean route connecting the valley Of the Amazon
with the markets Of the United States he arrives at the
most important consideration Of his project which is the
colonization and cultivation of the Amazonian Basin
and thus bring to the very doors Of Europe and Amerc
produce and merchandise equal or even far superior
to the whole capabilities Of the Eas Indies without hav
ing the tedious and dangerous navigation
inseparably connected with that distant country The
navigation Of and commerce witt the Amazon the great
est and the fertile valley in the world is
most important commercial Question: and must engage,
in fact exciting the greatest interest In the minds
of intelligent capitalists Draining Of country
ten times that of France its waters may be taken to
equal volume twice thee Of the Mississippi and the ST.
Lawrence together with its majestic tributaries, il pre-
inland navigation Of such extent that IL stretch
cd in line it's length would thrice encirce the EARTH
and has been estimated high as 1000 miles; while
the great Amazonian valley covers Of 100000
square miles, considerably than double the
tent oft<hat Of the Mississippi
The whole OF this immense Of land from the At
lanc to the foot of the Andes for 900 miles, with few
exceptions is covered with prmeva forest Of most valu
able woods; wide field viii be open for the exploration
of mineral wealth its tributary streams, fed from the
line Of perpetual snow 10000 feet above the level
never fail while the water power at command may be
safely estimated at many thousand times greater than all
the steam and other power in the world. curious and
startling calculation may be made as to the extent Of
population this extensive valley would support; taking
France again as n Standard il would be equal to
$50 600 900 of people, but from the capabilities Of so
and climate and repetition of crops in each annual cir
ole It's supporting powers are a. least as Sar e. it
400 900 900 more than the present Estimated number OF
human inhabtants the globe This valley once open
ed out by and the industry Of man, subdued to cul
yaon its rivers nayipated, and its begun
be developed the East Indies would in commercial
point Of view, be placed at very doorsteps for all
their productions flourish in IL and jealous and fear
full Of such result the Government Of Porturs in
her days OF East India possession and that by
royal ordinance il unlawful to cultivate in the
Amazonian Basin single spice, drug, or plant Of the
production or growth OF Eastern India In the United
States are found all the produce Of northern ATTITUDES
down to that OF the sugar produce where the Mississippi
expands into the Gulf of Mexico here the Amazon takes
the list OF production where the other eayes and yields
in the greatest profuson and OF the finest quality sugar.
coffee, cocoa, cochncal indigo, cotton tobacco hemp,
caoufchouo, gntta percha wax gums drugs resins and
spices, with cabinet woods and dys sns great beauty
and infinite variety The trader descending the Mssis-
sipp following the course of the the mouth
OF the Amazon, and navigating that magnificent river,
viii have crossed the climates aud the regions Of every
agricultural staple, behed every some new ar
Gle Of produce fresh variety of merchandise offer
ing for commerce, and will have ranged through al the
capabilities of field and forest in the nohern hemisphere
to oil the cntegories OF tropical productions.
Having thus described the vast importance Of the coun
try the memorialst prays for such constitutional and
rightul legislation shall tend to encourage commerce
and navigation with this magnificent territory saBd We
are informed that company not only forming IN the
United States BY some 6f the most infuentia men In
New York ana other cities but that the subject hssbeen
warmly espoused In London, md asmarmoveysert TAX
ing place further calculations Of which We shall, ~
matter or course, refer to on future eccasinns.