Washington telegraph., 1852-05-12
Treaty with Persia.

Treaty with Persia.
In securing a treaty with Persia, (says the ~
Y. Courier) Mr. WEBSTER has exhibited his usual
acumen and foresight. Viewed with reference to
one object only-although the alliance, ike all
conventions of that character, must tend to many
social and political advantages to both Govern
ments-tbe benefits this treaty Will confer upon
our commerce in the East cannot be too highly
estimated As great and growing people, with
capacities maturing that will entltle us to lar
more exalted rank hereafter. we are already strl-
wing with Europe for an equal foothold IN the
markets of the world; and Central and South
Asia. with their accessible ports and increasing
wants. affords for us an inviting future< England
and Russia were the earliest Governments to ap-
preciate the immense field that might be opened
to their products in these regions; and While the
former has pushed her interests in the districts OF
the Indies Russia has met her on the north, and
in the Arabian and Persian Cults. While this
contest has been going on-one achieving success
over the preudices of the natives at the point OF
the bayonet the other by silent diplomacy-we
have permitted almost every avenue to the heart
of the Orient to be closed against us, notwlth-
standing the manifest injury to our commerce We
were self incurring by our indifference VI the
one hundred and fifty millions OF people grouped
into tribes and nations, and scattered over the
richest tracts of Central Asia, contiguous to great
water courses, and approached by caravan routes,
Persia is the only power with which, as yet, we
have concluded treaty alliance of any character
whatever 1t is true, that so long as the East de-
mands cotton fabrics, and other manufactures and
products which we could supply, but do not, so
long viii England and Russia purchase OF our
raw material. But Eng land is cultlvatinS her
own cotton fields in Africa, in the Islands OF the
Pacific and elsewhere, and may some time be able
TO reduce very materially the amount taken from
the United States and to affect prices accordingly
Besides we should build up an independent manu-
featuring system, and thus while securing prolts
which flow into other hands, diminish the neces-
sity for importations that we can produce our
selves 1t is repugnant to our education, our en-
terprise and our genius that we should keep up a
dependence that is as needless in the main as it
injurious to our interests.
Mr. WEBSTER in casting his eyes over tFe hidp
of the East could have selected no other country
with which to conclude commerce. al'iance'
more favorable than that of Persia. 'ur feidllohs
with Turkey are placed upon pe1liaanene pasis
and we have already experlenceGthe Dement'S OF
wise policy, such as has beeDopserVed towards
that Power
Bussorah. on the Eaphrates, is a seaport through
which Persia obtains her heavier nercnandlZe; !;
and Bushire is even more important to her as an
entrepot: but Tebizond in Turkey, on the Black
Sea. IS the great charpel through which her fa-
brics are received. Ihey are sent to Trebizond
by steam, from ConsA sAntinople; and from the lat
fer place are convey Jed by pack mules across the
Pylen mountains through Erzeroum and Kars, to
the marts of Tabdz, Teheran and Ispahan. Inn
mense as this trade is, which England almost ex-
cusively monopoliZes, consisting Principally OF
plain and colored cottons, yarn, and other cot
ton textiles --and immense as is the trade of
the Black Sea-but one American vessel, with
a cargo has ever passed the Stats OF the Bespho-
rusl We do not participate In the commerce OF
this sea- on whose bosom whole fleets float, and
on which merchandise is annually carried valued
at s20,OOO,O0O. With Turkey, we trade princi-
pally through Smyrna, and with Persia we have
no commerce whatever.
But it is not with Persia alone, nor Arabia, nor
Turkey, that this treaty will operate to open or
encourage a market for our products. England
secured treaty with the first of these powers in
1S41, and that convention gave her ten years ad-
vantage of US. In 1S45 British mercantile house
was established in Bushire, for the sale of Euro
pean goods which house had branches at SnireZ,
Ispahan Bagdad Bussorah Babrein, and Muscat.
The experiment has resulted well for the prolec-
tors, A steamer is now constantly engaged on
the Tigris, in carrying their merchandise to and
from Bagdad, and transporting, for ultimate ship
ment to England the products of the districts with
which the house and its branches trade. By the
repeal Of the British navigation act, which took
effect aAyear since, our vessels may traverse the
waters OF the Indus and enter the ports of the
British Empire in the East, on the same terms as
we offer by our own navigation act. Whether,
therefore, we desire to extend our commerce in
Central Asia through the Black Sea- the Persian
Cult, or the Indian Ocean, the advantages of our
alliance with Persia must be obvious. Without
such treaty, the territories of this power would
have cut US off from the only marts that are at
present, or which may ever be, really valuable to
us. AS it is, we not only secure chance for our
merchandise in Persia proper, by the Black Sea
and the Persian Cult, but may trade through the
including Afghanistan, Thibet, Turkestan, Tarta-
ry, Bochara and Beloochistan the commerce of
which Russia and England principally divide be-
tween them. We will not devote more space to
the subject. The facts which we present are con-
elusive, that it was wise forecast of Judgment
in Mr.. Webster, thus promptly to effect an alli-
ance with Persia. And what must be obvious to
the reader now in theory, the future viii confirm