The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-18

tain large military establishment, or to wage az
gressive war.
IT, then, in the future as in the past, the policy cf
our government Is to be that Of peace, sod tue ct
Zens OF the country to be relied on for its deten,e
whenever war shall occur, IT IL not perceived how
she past or prospective growth OF our country can
req owe the necessity or propriety OF the proposed
0eences. The Paixhan gun, and other improve
neDts in tee mplen ehts OF war and the application
OF steam 10 the propulsion OF vessels Of war W
ne r5thsr 10 baVe increased To ~ diminished the
value OF fornatinns Tue rapid progress of q steam
feet, by diminishing the opportunity for prepare
ton, after the poiat OF attlck il determined in
Grasses the necessity of ortiiyDg the p,ain
OF apprt sch. The Piixaau gun adds to the eficen
cy, ano consequently to the value Of FORTH cati3us;
for the fire a large shells Is more formidable to the
hmbels aud rigging OF a ship. th N % TIE soary
81 fort; aud steam vessel fnnsr expose larger
surface subject TO injury thao sail vessel d taesame
class
The report Of the Sscretay OF War in answer 8,
the resolution OF the House OF Repre- OF cha
Sd OF March, ls5l containing the vie Of the chief
engineer OF The army, and ojher officers OF that corD,
and Of the navy. presents the wnoe subject under
consideration fully that it is dee ned necess ,ry
to ode more on this occasion.
The action Of Congress a. its last session IL con
sicered an indication Of the intention to continue
this system OF defence, and gives reason t. hope
that the appropriations asked at this session for
the further prosecution Of these works will not be
withheld.
The exposed and defencelsSs condition Of tie Pa
clfic coast claimed and received the early attention
OF the department, aud prompt measures taken
Tor the application of the appropriations made ut
the last fession of Congress- for the defence of the
hsrbor Of San Francisco. But the minute examiaa-
totsrequiste before the commencement Of the works
ebd the Inquiries tO be ace to the places of SUP
ply, and the means OF procuring mateyi ais have
hunted operations to tie preliminary preparation
for construction such erecting the necessary &C
commt dayion for workmen, leyeIlinR sites and ma
king the detailed surveys for tie Qualifications.
Az the last session OF Congress appropriation of
$50 600 made to ascertain the most practicable
and economical route for railroad from the Misss-
sppi river to the Pacific ocean, and the act required
tn the several reports relative to the explorations
should be laid before Congress on or before the first
Monday OF February, 1854. The time allowed and
the money appropriated, it is feared, will prove in
siic cit for the complete solution OF this important
problem. vast extent OF country WAS to be acou-
raNly surveyed, and numerous lines, thousands of
miles in extent to be examined; an IL is hardly,
therefore, to be hoped that such data be collect
ed as will satisfactorily answer the question proposed.
But it is confidently believed that much information
will be added to the stock previously possessed-per-
hsps enough to determine the practicabity Of the
proposed enterprise.
The following general sketch Of the country to be
explored will give some idea OF the magnitude Of the
examination fequiled:-
The western portion of the continent of North
America, irrespective Of tce mountains, is trAversed
from orth to south, by broad, elevated swell, or
plateau lana, WINCH occupies greater LOrt1On
OF the whole space between the Mississippi river aud
the Pacific ocean. The crest OF this plateau the
watersbtd Of the country is nearly midway between
the Pacific coast and che Mississippi. 1t may be
represented on the map by an undlladng line
trace bet the head waters of the streams which
flow eastward and those which flow west 1ari. It
divides the whole area between the Mississippi aud
the Pacific into two nearly equal portions, that on
the east being somewhat the larger. This crest Of the
watershed has its greatest elevation in Mexico, and
thence declines to its lowest point about he latitude
OF 81, where it has height OF about 800 feet be-
tween the waters of the Rio Grande and those Of
the San Pe0ro, tributary Of the ella. From this
parallel GIT increases in altitude n0rshward and
reaches its maximum to the thirty paral-
lei, where it Is about 5000 feet high. Thence it
declines as we pass northward, and ia latitude AZ "a
has an elevation Of say 1000 feet, and in the lati
tude OF about Al deg 1t is reported to be at least
1000 feet lower. The heights here ven are those
OF the lowest psssesbver the crest, watershed of
the great plateau OF the country, at not those OF
the mountain peaks and ridges which lave their
upon 1t. and rhe, in some cases, to the height Of
II 600 feet, into the region of perpetual snow.
Tire slope Of the plateau the east and SOUTH to-
words the Missi 'sippi and the Gulf Of Mexi;o, is
comparatively gentle, and in Texas is by several
sttps, Of which the highest is that snown by the
name OF Llsno Estracado," or Stake1 Plain. II is
traverse by the Missouri, the Platte, the Arkansas
ala other large rivers, which rise among the noun
'siiia near the CREST and flow eastward and south
ward, id channels sunk beneath the general surface
level + The plains.
IN latitude AZ ceg pear the source of the Platte it
has An elevation II about 600 feet above tide and
iett Towards tie sources OF the Arkansas, IN lati-
zee 36 ceg it has height Of 900 feet and in the
ssne latitude on the Mississippi 275 feet These
elevations give average decllnation eastward to
The whole PLAIN, Of about Al feet per mile, and south
ward of about u iest.
The coast OF lie plateau, and nearly the whole Of
its western portion 10 the Pacific, is occupied 10y
great mountain system, the continuation Of tue
Andes OF SGuth America. IL has n varia HE hr,4adth
narrrweet within our possessions neBr the G,a III
latitude 81 degrees, where it has width OF about
900 niles and Htins IFS greatest expansion in the
parallel of 43 degrees, where it occupies space of
about 500 miles On this mountain base, as has
been sGio before, are situated series of elevated
ltaks, ridges, and ranges. Those on the eastern
eide are nearly continuous for about 900 miles, and
known by the name OF the Rocky Mountains; those
On the western side are, perhaps, lees continuous,
although equally elevated above the base, and desig-
mated as the Sierra Nevada Coast Range, Cascade
Mountains, &c. The whole space between tnese ex-
frene ranges is occupied BY high peaks, and in
iious directions by series Of ridges, including
elevated valleys end forming great basins, having
outlet to the sea. The most important Of these is
Salt Lake Basin, having an elevation o. 400 feet.
This mountain region Is not, as is frequently sup
posed single chsin, but system, extending from
little east Of the crest Of the watershed to the
shores of the Pacific and occupying about one-half
OF all the space oetssep the Mississippi ard the Pa
cific ocean. Tie position OF this bet Of mountain
eion. stle'chne from north 10 sCUt1, gives slse
peculiarly Of climate and soil, Fertility depends
principally upoH the degree OF tenn ana Ghe
amount moisture, both Of which are much affected
by increase OF elevation and the latter also depends
on the direction of the wind. The upper or retain
current OF the trade wind Sowing backwards towards
TIE northeast, gives prevalence OF westerly wiad-
i'll the north temperate zone, which tends to spread
the moisture from the Pacific over the western por
ton of cur continent.
These wiids, no yever, ascending the weste slope
Of the mountain Iide es, deprived OF tbr niois
tuIe by the diminished temperature If the ii teascd
elevation and hence it is that the plains aud valleys
on the eastern sides of the ridges are general
psrched aud barren, and that TIE unsain system
the highest chain Of which is known us the Rocky
S,ountals, BY presenting, it were, against
the m0js nie with which the Winds OF the west come
IsdeI-bas fer its eastern margin sterile belt
which probably e. tends along the whoe ran ye, With
an average wic'h OF about $50 miles.
These general views, derived as they have been
from imp leci Oats, may yet serve to give some idea
OF tie immense magnitude OF the work necessary TO
construct railway from TIE Atlantic to the Pacific
No work Tor artificial communication has ever ex.
seed,d u in extent az physical difficulty. Its exc