Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1853-08-05
Nnccnl,

eSSelS .................-............ 3OI
These vessels carried 900 tons, or nearly
500 tons each. Since then, the number and
tonnage have greatly increased.
In the year 1882, the value of British imports
and exports to the East Indies was $50,OOO,000
fifty millions, and that to China twelve mill
ions of dollars. Since then, twenty years. the
great impulse given to commerce must have in
creased this fully fifty per cent; so that in the
year 1858, the exports and imports of Great
Britain to China, the East Indies, and the Pa
cifc Islands, can be estimated at scarcely less
than one hundred millions cf dollars in value.
The trade of Holland (which is large J, France,
Spain, and other European countries with Chi
ma, the East Indies, and the Pacific Islands,
may be estimated, in gross, at half that of Great
Britain. In the aggregate, then, We have the
value of the trade of Europe and America with
the Pacific, at the present time, one hundred
and eighty millions Of dollars. This trade en-
ploys the tonnage Of full tlcO thousand ships, or
about one million of tons.
But with five hundred millions of people there
who can suppose that this is more than the be-
ginning of commerce between the Orient and
the Occldent, when steam through America,
and steam on the Pacific, directed by CONNER
cial genius, and freighted with the products of
modern art, shall be the motor Of commerce?
In few years we have seen the United States
pass from an importer to an exporter of cotton
to the Pacific. But recently our cottOns were
driven from our own markets, and now we ex-
port four millions in value to China and India!
This is but the beginning of the new movement
in commerce between the East and the West.
The nations of Asia must soon undergo
great moral aud industrial change, or they will
perish, like the American Indians. The late
case is not suherabe. They are too civilized
not to adapt themselves to circumstances. The
result must soon be, that they will introduce the
Europeon arts, navigation, and commerce.
The consequence will be, as We see it now be-
tween Europe and America, an immense in
crease in the exchange of accommodates, and the
tonnage ofnavigation. The vast power Of steam
ramifed through all the channels of business
will be introduced throughout China, India, and
Japan; and new enegy impaired to all branch
es of arts and industry. Millions of people may
by the revolution in commerce, be compelled to
change their occupation; but that change is al
ready provided for, in the immense uncultivated
regions which extend beyond China ana have
heretofore been only occupied by monadic
tribes. The displaced laborers must seek, like
the immigrants In our own country, for new
lands, that great safety valve of an unemployed
population. A very large portion of the surface
of Asia and Africa is vet almost uninhabited;
and although it is certainly not the most fertile
yet it is as susceptible of culture large part
of the vine clad hills which look and produce so
well in Europe The human race may be
quadrupled, and not want for lands. The pro
cess of breaking up the old social strata of
Asatic society Will not be 10 diminish people, or
render their modes of life harder On the con-
trary, it will make Asia more populous, more
wealthy, and more happy; and make its COM
merce with America an hundred fold greater
II Cincinnati Railroad Record.