The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-11-09
FYom fhe London Time, Of Octob<r 90


The RivER PLATE.--V Vessels which can cross the
three. fathom bank ia the River Pinto may ascend
the Parana with case and safety to Santa F6, and
even, It s said, to Corrientes, whence the river Pa.
raguay is navfgable for large boats to Assumption
This navigation extends for six hundred or seven
hundred miles for seagoing vessels, and for one
thousand i've hundred miles for boats. There s,
consequently, no difficulty of access and when.
ever II becomes profitable to establish steam nav-
CATION on these enormous rivers, they will carry
their communications with the rest Of the world
freely as the valley Of the Mississippi itself But
what contrast between these inactive, isolated,
and thinly-peopled provinces, and the growing
power which has already raised the central valley
Of North America to boundless prosperity and
power. Paraguay itself which has acquired a sort
of romantic and mysterious fame from the early
Jesuits' missions, from its peculiar natural pro-
ductions, and from the impenctrablc condition of
Its frontier is probably now the least civilized part
OF South America. It's population, more Indian
than Spanish, scarcely exceeds two hundred thou.
sand; and the absolute despotism under which they
have lived. Joined TO the exclusion of oil foreign
trade, and the temptations of a relaxing climate
and prolific soil, have completely enervated the
people. They are described as scarcely wearing
or needing to wear the clothes of civilized races,
using bones of horses for their implements. and
stake hardened in the fire for ploughshare. Their
which 10 not article of foreign consumption;
and though the soil they inhabit is perfectly adapt
ed to the cultivation of tobacco cotton, sugar. sc
there is no country which at present produces less
exchangeable wealth, or has more scanty means Of
increasing it's resources by it's present population.
In 1S45 Colonel Graham, the United States Con-
sui at Buenos Ayres, was instructed TO proceed on
a voyage up the rivers to ascertain what CONNER
cinl prospects the adjacent provinces might offer,
though, indeed from the general similarity of their
produce to that of the Southern States Of North
America, it was not probable that extensive
trade could spring up between them. The opinion
of this gentleman, which IL confirmed by Sir
Woodbine Parish in his recent Interesting volume
the history and condition Of these countries, il
that no direct trade can be carried on with advan.
tagc by foreign vessels with the upper States Of the
Parana; and that for all practical purposes the
produce of the country win be brought down in
native vcsscs, aud the exchange effected at port
on the coast. II would, therefore, be prcmatureto
suppose that the mere removal of the restrictions
which have hitherto checked the progress of these
countries will at once be followed by sudden de
mand for European commodities, or rapid ex.
port of the produce of the country. On the con-
trary, oil that be said of these provinces il,
that they offer great natural advantages both for
immigration and for production; but the industry
and the commerce which may one day awaken
them to civilization and to wealth have yet to be
introduced and created. Hitherto the jealous and
arbitrary policy Of the semi barbarian chicIs has
entirely stopped their natural growth, and they
now seem likely for the first time to establish rela-
tions with the civilized world.