The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-05
English Commerce and Influence In south
America.

English Commerce and Influence In south
America.
NEw IoEK, Dec. ., 1853.
10 THE EDITOR or the HERALD.
Upon looking over map Of South America fev
days since vas t,rsibly struck by the some What
startling fact starting TO an American merchant
that Almost 81 the foreign trade OF thai country as
welt as that Of the passenger and mail service, is car
RED cD by, and under the control Of, English COM
panies and English capital.
Let US begin at the lsthnus, (AtlaDtic side,) aud
cruise around udtil We resch Panama, Opposite the
point Of departure and see what facts we shall meet
with.
First then, we frd the British Royal West Iuda
Company in full possession OF the entire northern
coast and adjacent islands. Second, we come to tho
magnificent rivers Magdalena and Oripoco, the two
great high ways Of oil that part of South America
north & the Amazon, regi,n-except that of the
Valley Of the Amazon the richest in the world on
beth of which English companies have the exclusive
monopoly Of navigation by steam. Next we reach
the eastern coast having direct communication with
Liverpool, (not with the United States,) by means of
sn English lire OF steamers and also with MarseiIes
by French line, just established. Farther on we
arrive at the La Plata and its mighty tributaries
draining vast extent Of territory Of almost fabulous
wealth, again monopolized by English companies,
there being no existing rivalry. Doubling the Cape,
we find still another English line Of steamers in an
disputed possession of the entire vest coast, dis
lance Of some four thousand miles.
IL fife, English caoits, propelled by steam. has
completely surrounded South America, and has,
moreover, padded its way, at various points, far
tito the interior, net only monoooiizinS commerce,
but sowing the seeds Of an inaaence at variance
With the spirit AID doctrine oil our institutions and
preiudcia 10 our future mercantile interests. IL is
well known fact that The natives Of th ,se countries
are extremely ayerse to change their habits adopt
anything new; and hence, once they become accus-
toned TO The styles and Qualities Of English fairies
WREN Yankee enterprise shall have begun to occupy
tie sane erouDd-AmeIican manufactures will be
found AT q discount. In view of tho oove state Of
things, i, behoCyes our government H. AWAKE to a
sense OF its DUTY ard prove to the peoplewbat has
appeared Of late very doubtru-that it regards our
national commerce as OF more importance than The
appointments cf deputy surveyor tor the Dismal
Swamp. 1t Is the plain duty o. our government 70
iostr and give 'aid ana comfort 10 American en-
'eiprse, and 10 open. if possible, new chances Of
trade, and conelIen. wealth--channcls greatly
needed, now that California has become fairly COM
mercs ridden, AID Australia an Improbable mart.
There is stu, however, hed for American eatc--
prise 10 re. rs usual, the pi0nesra field hitherto
unculhvated revealing in the wild luxuiiance Of TN.
bounded ard iLexkaustible wealth from "miue field
and forest "a fed destined ere many years t. be.
cone the Goconoa OF the worlds commerce. That
utlu - hlN SiDliouS ever UpOIliUE VtLey OF INe
Amazcn--a region unequaIed on earth for IFS pre-
cious metals and minerals, it, drugs aud dyewo IDS,
Tvs cabinet woods, ship timber ana agricultural! pro
ducts, but DEAD to the world merely because it
suits the within Of Brozil to will il 40 to be- in EFF
ance lot onlv Of national and civil law but OF com.
mon sense and mutual right the fright Of way to
those rations inviting our commerce.
No one denies the perfect right of Brazil to forbid
foreign traffic on those shores Of the Amazon within
her territories; but to exclude from the whole world
those countries within whose borders the very ANA
zon itself has ts sources aud part of its course is an
absurd ard unwarraDtable stretch Of power, aud IN
worthy Of professedly civilized nation. As well
might England deny to the world the privilege Of
trace up the Mediterranean, because, forsooth she
commands its entrance at Gibraltar.
II Is disgrace TO our administrations, past and
present. that such intoerable seishness should have
been so long submitted to. From the tone of Pres
dent Pierces inaugural, our merchants had reason
TO expect nobler and liberal course Of action
on the part Of orr government.
Let us indulge the hope that The forthcoming mes,
sage will not be, as has been tho inaugural, "mere
empty words, signiiyng nothing, aud that ere long
there - be heard echoing among the golden val
lies OF the Andes, the shril whistle of Yankee
steamer 30 mote II be. YANKEE.