New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-05-12

the initial point on the Rio Gande At - degrees . n1S
north latitude
Mr. pext discusses. proposed alteration OF the hne
by Mr. Gray T. 5. Surveyor lie Mr. Cray desired th-
the line should he measured from Fl Ptsso ana ROY 'eO
established Astronomical point wbereupon Ar - re nANs
And Why this remarkable alteration proposed "a ne pN
aeis merdans. equator and poles For no other reason
than that We nay place the miserable te Hu1 9uit o"n
ii PasO IN The right place and secure strip OF territory
the broad domain Of the United States the value Of which
IS not worth what the cost has been survey t Al etl
ts value At the time the initial point agreed upoe vas
not equal 70 these expenses But hi. j. not all 4 the
parallels and dans be altered IS proposed ey
cry place the esrths sursce vii be Just half degree
OF is true position s gle fact Is sufficient show
the correctness Of the parallels on the Treaty nap Iae
sd parallel which passes near Ell PSs0 nersects Ss
vanDSh and the latitude Of that being determined this
parallel must be correct the Rio GrAnde well at
that place.
Having shown thst the ni, point fixed at % deg %
min was in accordance with the map and treaty Mr. Bart
lett proceeded to show, that is where Mr. Secretary Bu
chansn and the American Commissioner Dir. Trst in
tended that il should be, quoting various documents,
&c from the General Government These details are ua
important to the general reader Mr.: H. concluded with
remarks upon the geography OF the country conuu
Gus the boundary and Of rs adaptation for the purposes
of railroad
has been asserted that the present line Of boundary
at % deg min running west three degrees OF Longitude
deprives the United States of the most practicable route
for railroad to the Pacific and the upon which rail
road be constructed al the ste1Pense such Sas
show is not the case
The 9th article of the TreAty of Guadalupe HiddgO
says
which made should
snd advantageous construct road esua
railway which should whole 10 part Epon the River or
the tbs Governments Of both Republics
serve equally Tor Of both cOunte7
by examining the treaty map appears that tue west
ern boundary Of New Mexico ntersecs the most eastern
branch of the River ella near its very from which
point believed that the river would be the boundary
between the two Republics its entire enth. Had theirs
been practicable route therefore, along the valley or
near the bed of the river within marine league Of either
bank no more would have been required But an extul'
nation Of this river shows that for onehaf OF It's course
is closely hemmed in by lofty and impossible mountains
and that it is only after proceeding of the mouth of
the San Pedro River the mountainous region passed and
broad and uninterrupted plain opens 10 the view -
There peculiarly in the geographical features Oh TINS
region which here deserves to be noticed
The great range known the Rocky Mountains which
passes from north south through the entire length OF BON
the American continents and which attans its greatest ee
walton north of Santa Fe in New Mexico DIVORCES west
ward and preserves almost unbrOken chain west OF the
Rio Grande At the copper mines between that stream and
the Ga these mountains attain hight OF more than sOOO
feet above the level Of the They rise up in elevated
peaks separated by and intricate valleys and sud
denly sink high plain from 200 to 5000 feet above
the level Of the Here the great C0rtera cham dsap
pears about twenty miles porh Of the boundary line OF
New Mexico and elevated plateau or table stretching as
far the eye reach is found IN its place ms pssau
extends uthwsr through the greater portion Of Mexico
In its east anu west atnervenng distances OF from
- 10 g miles nersectsd by ranges OF mountains htv
ing elevation of from 600 to 5000 feet above the plain
also by short isolated ridges and low detached hills These
mountains not in continued chains but in short ridges
from five to fifteen miles in eDgh overlapping each other,
and appearing at "A distance a continuous ridge What
therefore, 70 be nsurmounabe barrier may be
passed in many places through denies with so little ascent
thst Is scarcely percepbe until the traveller hnds himself
descending gradually the western side This IS the char
scter of all the lesser ranges Of mountains which extend
the continent from the region where the elevated
plateau of Texas begins north of San Antonio to the great
cOast range of mountains bordering the Pachc Ocean
The general coure Of these ranges sieras they
are called in Mexico from the north west to the south east
In about the latitude of 81 deg Is min north the great
COrdea range again begins to appear called the Sierra
Madre and Is twere the concentration OF many lesser
ridges into vast range elevated compact aud mpasa
bile extending through the entire length OF Mexico 10 the
Cordilera Of the Andes in South America
The "Guadaloupe pass through which the old Spanish
road from the City Of Mexico 10 Sonora which has
been ravesed for more than century and through which
Colonel Cooke passed with his brigade TO Caoras max
ing practicable for wagons is over spur of the Sierra
Madre where begins from the great plateau at
the North From this point to within some 10 or 10 miles
Of the ella i, plain from 30 - 90 miles in width Between
the mountains bordering the ella River therefore aud
the Sierra Madre the country entirely open and tins
character prevails from the Rio Grande TO the mountains
nery ching between the San Pedro and the Mexican tc0n
tier post of Tucson which mountains are IN many places
passabe From Tucson is desert plain 90 miles across 10
the ella the Pine villages South Of the GAa vast
desert extending 20 the Gulf Of California without grass or
trees and neTseoted by similar isolated or short mountain
ranges those described in the region before alluded to
With reference, therefore, to railroad there Prac
cabe and very direct route from the Rio Grande between
point about ten miles north Of FL P,sO and pout about
the distance north of the line Of 80 deg % min west
ward mountain ridge the PEDRO cd
Thence 20 the CHA level and open plain Along the
valley of the ella the plateau near it, the country
open level and not ObstTucted by mountains for distance
al from 10 miles when the Colorado is reached.
Crossing this stream which may be easily done by bridge
you come 20 a desert about ITO miles in width which ek
tends for great distance norhward along the Colorado,
and southwark TO Lower California Its fG ext snt is un
known The whole district Of country named remarkably
level and would require but little any grading or EN-
bsnkment except where the defes between the
mountains are ,raversed This route though direct
il a r.ilr
In the opinion here expressed am supported by Lieut.
Whppe who bad charge Of Of the surveying parties.
In this report that officer says
THAT would hardly be practicable % construct road canal or
railway wholly apsn ths Ola The Of the Pna
re Bs~ssn sSs Pine .ettisSsSs
Junction tho Ola with the Colorado nature nteosss
.Sei = he Gsvens public may den.aS But from s village
del EOrte ou Of practicable route for road
b. entering ne State Sonora, to avoid the PinA Llono
moaBtsins.7
Bgpopossi means therefore could line Of b0undqryhdye
been 0Jtainei that xOud giUs route 10 The Pacific eUez
for rogoH road uikt0ul entering the STATE Of SoH9rd
The treaty map gave district only to the first branch OF
boundary OF New Mexico two degrees along that river the
United States gained tract Of territory wholly unantci
psted by the trainers Of the treaty Of peace
has been stated that If the initial point had been fixed
below the 32d parallel II would give Us more practicable
route Such not tie If liked below the 32d ptral
el and the line extended deg west would fall II
miles further east than now does as the Rio Grande
has here south eastery course But it cannot be sup
posed that Mexico yielded point below the 51d rael
She would also yield to the prolonged line deg west;
Would our insisting upon this be using "concilatory
spirit toward Mexcol Would this be taking advan
tage Of her which Mr. Secretary Buchanan strongly
and hOnOrably dwels upon in his instructions TO the
first Commissioner, Col Weller That gentleman am
sure has too high sense OF honor aud justice to have
claimed the entire advantage of the two gross and
know lodged errors had be been n my place BY fixing
the initial point therefore below the sd Of parallel and
extending the line west the longitude Of the south west
ern angle Of New Mexico, according to the Treaty map
thence north according TO the Treaty this western line