The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-10-20
resent to the exclusive examination Of the eastern

present to the exclusive examination Of the eastern
regions.
These countries present general features, common
to all Of them, both on the favorable and on the
unfavorable side. On the ono hand, the immense
afluesse Of the population Of course produces very
extent Of the territory which they have and which
is favors BILE to this production, can supply the
cessites Of the whole civilized world, even should
they be notably increased On the other hand, they
have to contend with many and serious difficulties.
In the fIst place, the very great distance between
them and the grand focus Of ption must ine-
vtably render the expenses of freight and transport
tatiOn very great, the moro as the comparative
inactivity Of the traffic and the want Of competition
in the freghts greatly tend to increase the expense
created in the first place by distance In the next
place, that element of life and movement is wanting
which new er exists in country where European in.
uence is not strongly felt. And thirdly and lastly,
may be mentioned the fondness for old routine and
the consequent aversion of all modern improve
ment, which is indeed but consequence of the Sc
cond reason we have given. The scarcity Of capital,
moreover. il such that even though they desired to
do so, they could with difficulty make serious i'm
proyements.
From this rough sketch general idea Of the
whole subject may be formed. We shall now pro-
coed to the minor details-unfortunately very
concentrating to each of the countries Of the
far East. We would, however, before proceeding
any far her. make one reflection, which, however un-
pleasant it may be to u.s. is not that account, to
be passed in silence, for il is ever best
which the Eastern countries possess are nalienabe,
being opened there by their very nature and es.
sence, if we may be allowed the expression, while
the disadvantages under which they have been and
are still lsboripg are daily tending to disappear.
Even the Inconvenience of geographical distance,
which appears ut first sight to be unoonquerable,
and not even to be modified, is in reality fast d.
minishing, as well from the daily progress made in
the means of communication, as from the activity
which the aurifer0us discoveries in California and
Australia cannot but impress upon the traffic Of the
Pacific Ocean.
But to return to the details of which we have al-
ready spoken And here we must renew our excuse
for the scarcity Of the information which we pos
sess as 1t is impossible to atone for their insult
fciency, save by having recourse to hazardous hy-
p0theses and fantastic statistics. to which we are
but little given, Such our Information is, how
ever we shall lay before our readers without any
more delay.
Foremost among the secondary groups with
which we would subdiyde these Eastern districts,
noted for the production of sugar, we would men
ti0n the Philippine Islands.
However painful it may DO TO confess such fact,
when speaking of one Of our own provinces, it is
nevertheless true that We have no positive data rs
TO its actual production, and the progress which it
has made during the last few years The press OF
the peninsula. which ought to and might have sup.
Piled this want Of information on SO Important
Subject has thus far wholly neglected it, thanks to
the devoted and absorbing attention which it has
been in the habit of bestowing on barren political
discussions. What information we have been able
to gather, however, all tends to show the same re'
suit, namely, that the sugar production of the
Philippine Islands is in very prosperous way, and
we have already, last year, given some data which
we had gathered, confirming this idea The pre-
sence OF the productions Of these islands In dite-
rent markets. moreover, is q sufficiently strong
proof in itself Thus we see them almost monopo.
lie the California market for length of tiine
while on the otner hand, they export in consdera'
BILE quantities to the markets of Europe; and in Bos-
ton, constantly compete with the productions OF cur
own soil. The refners of that port, which is ut tho
head of commerce between the East and the United
States consume very great quantities OF MANILA rs
may be without difficulty ascertaiEed, from an in.
spection of the articles imported into that market
And here we must mention the British possessions,
as well those of India proper as those of the penn-
sula Of Maacca, in the neighborbood OF Singapore,
which provinces are known under the name Of
Strait Settlements. Here too. we must plead guilty
TO not having any authentic details-We on tho
watch for hem, however, and will. without doubt,
getthem befo long from the English papers The
increase OF importations from these countries into
the markets OF Engls and, to which we referred on
former occasion, are, however, sufficient exponent
OF the tendency and general results.
And now to touch upOn very important point inti-
Tnately connected with this matter. The East India
Company, the government, aud the English capital.
st have at length determined to lend serious atten-
ton to the construction Of railroads in that vast
territory The connection between this project and
the subject on which are writing will readily be
perceived. Had it not been for the introduction
railroads in Cuba, that project which has bestowo
so much honor on those who originated and execut-
ed it, twenty years back, the British Antilles
would perhaps, rather would certainly have but
very little to fear from competition. And it Is
because we firmly impressed with this idea, tha
we bestow so much attention on the possession,
absence, or probable acquisition Of such industrial
facilities in countries that rivals We are not
ignorant of the disadvantages WHICH attend the
growth of the in the central part of ludia-dis
advantages proceeding from the soil and climates
but in the immense extension Of territory between
Gara and In hnn Of fha InIr
and Brahmapoutra, or say from the eighth degree Of
Forth latitude, up to n higher latitude than the
tropc, and almost parallel with that of Louisiana,
IL appears to us that there cannot but be some dis
trict specially favored and peculiarly adapted TO the
production OF sugar cane. The revolution which
age has witnessed, with regard to the production
of indigo, should be borne in mind by every one.
A third, and last arrival, no less formidable per-
baps than any Of the Others s the colonial empire
Of Holland, in the islands Of that archipelago.
But, as on this point, fortune has favored Us with
"details somewhat more extensive, we shall reserve
them for future ,sioD, and resume this impor-
tant SUBJECT in q very short time.
The Fishery Dispute with England.
[from the Disro de la Marina Sept "a, 1882
Now that the difficulties whi IN appeared tnicken-
ing between the United States and England relative
to the fishery question: have been satisfactorily dis.
posed of it may perhaps not be amiss for US to ex
plain the which, from the very outset, ron
dered us incredulous as to the contingency of any
arising between the two countries out OF this
matter. This explanation may serve not only &c
show the foundation Of our opinion WITH regard TO
this question alone. but may also be useful in the
case OF future contingencies
The chief element which we had in view in form
ing our judgment was the general situation OF the
civilized world and the ideas which at present appear
most prevalent-though do not view war with
that exaggerated horror professed for it by the ZACH
rym7se and philanthropic societies of the day, it
must nevertheless be acknowledged that war is
rious evil only warranted by the most potent reasons,
and in the most extreme cases. TIE opinion OF the
age, too, is opposed to it. may be clearly sferred
from the serious difficulties and grave crisis which
the world has gene through of late, without pre-
ducipg outbreak which formerly would have re-
quired much less provocation. For this progress.
the world is chiefly indebted to the spirit animating
the European powers and to these bases of new in