Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-06-11

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itself chiefly to the construction of troad and its
cessity to our internal communicable rHB
a.
1-NoRTH AMERIcAf ROAD TO INDIA.
Extracts from Essays, lsrsnd published al 81 LOUIS IN
oRraos nArIo COMMERCE..
/ 7 oomn,,e, mir fsia-spices aromatics, precious
stones porceains ttons silks, and teas are the arti
ces Of Asiatc commerce Silver and geld are the art-
ces with which they purchased from the earnest
ages the world the precious metals have Moved into
Asia and this drain whch has been incessant for
th0dsand years, has become still more enormous in
later times.
The American navigator sails to the east traverses
1000 miles of sea- doubles stormy and tempestuous
cape 10 order arrive in what is called the East Indies
In the mean time what the EAST Indies to the
clients the WEST Indies to the Americans for they lie
TO the west Of u.s. and but few days sail from
coast. The western shore of North America and the
eastern saore of Asia front each othethe mild andan
quill waves Of the Pacific alone nteryep-in the
broadcast part narrow the Atlantic and in the
rowest at Behring's Straits only thirty miles apart In
stead Of going to the east Americans should therefore 20
to the west to arrive in Asia and taking that ROUTE they
would Immediately be able to carry furs and bread into
the markets Of Asia, the first Of which is now paged
from them by Engshmen and Russians the latter would
have to be raised from the fertile banks Of the Column
bia river.
H. Sought after By all Notwithstanding thirty centuries
the nations of the earth focked Asia in search Of
its rich commerce Sacred and profane history exhibit
the same picture of merchants loaded with gold and sill
ver rayersng the deserts cames the rackless
IN ships IN search OF the rich productions OF the East
From the time Of the PhGnicans to the English of the
present day. the countries Of eastern Asia have been the
chief theatres of commercial enterprises and the naton
which shared this in the highest degree has
qured in all ages the first rank in the arts the sciences,
in national power and individual wealth And such will
probably be the the end Of the world Nature has
de but one ASIA but country Astounding with the
rich productions which found in the East Indies and
while mankind continue to love spices and aromatcs
precious stones, porceains fine cottons Silks and teas
the trade with Asia must continue be sought after as
the brightest jewel in the dadem of commerce.
ILL., Ancien channels Of this commeree-These may be
traced by the ruins of the great cities which grew up with
the possession Of this trade and persisted with its loss
Tyre, the queen Of Cities its first emporium The
commerce of the East centered there before the captivity
OF the Jews in Babylon, upwards of six hundred years
before the coming of Christ RoH She traded to Ara
bia Persia and India Her by the Mediterra-
to the coast of Egypt land the Red sea
by the sthmus of Suez down the Red sea- and thence
east by coasng voyages to the countries about the Gulf
OF Persia and mouths of the Indus The possession
of this made Tyre the richest and the proudest
city in the universe gave her the command of the
made her rackers The honorables Of the EARTH (Isaiah)
and enabled her merchants to dispute with kings in the
spendor of their living and the yastnes Of their expenses
Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon, conquered Tyre and
RACED it to its foundations; but he did not found rival
city, and the connuanceof the Indian trade Immediately
restored the Queen Of Cities to all her former degree
of power and preeminence. Alexander conquered her
again, founded rival city the coast of Egypt and
Tyre became place for fishermen to dry their nets"
Ezekiel.
The Jews in the time of David and Solomon, succeed
ed to the India trade Their route the which
the Phenicisns followed from Tyre and their country
became the theatre of wealth. and their kings the arbi
tiers of surrounding nations.
In the reign of Darius Hystaspes, King of Persia a
route opened with India Ii lay from the bor-
ders of Persia through the Caspian Sea- up the river
0xus to the mountains which divide it from the river In
dus those mountains with the aid of the Bacran
camel and thence down the river Indus to the countries
about its mouth then the chief seat of the India trade
and the limit of the ancents in their trade to the East
This covered distance of three thousand miles
six hundred the Caspian Sea, nine hundred the
Oxus two three hundred overland crossing the
tans and about twelve hundred on the river Indus.
The foundation of Alexandria created empo-
rum, and opened route for the of the
East chosen with much judgment that continued to
be followed from the time Of Alexander the Great up-
wards of three hundred years before Christ till dis
covery Of the Cape Of Good Hope in the fifteenth
ry This channel along the canal of Alexandria TO
the Ne up the Nile Coptus thence the desert
with camels to the Red Sea- and thence coastng yoy
ago to the mouths of the Indus. The Romans in the
fourishing times Of the republic and Of the empire de-
rived their supplies OF India goods through this channel
In the same age another channel was opened with In
da 1t lay overland, the desert from the bottom
Of the Mediterranean Sea to the river Euphrates down
that river to the Gulf Of Persia and thence by the usual
coasting voyage to the mouths of the Indus The dis
lance between the and the Euphraes two hundred
miles) required station between them. II found
in grove of palm trees fertile spot well watered in
the must OF sahus, ABOUT midway between the sea and
the river Itsnhabtants entered with ardor in the trade
OF conveying commodities from the river to the sea- AS
the most valuable productions of India, brought up the
Euphrates from the Persian Gulf, of such small
bulk to bear the expense of long land carriage this
trade became considerable that the opuence and
power of Palmyra increased rapidly (Pobetson. Its
Government was best suited to the genius Of
cial city-REPuBLIoAN (Plny he Elder.) This spot
then began to exhibit the wonders Of which is
capable. From trading station it became opulent
city, the capital Of great empire, the seat Of science
and the arts, the rival of Rome. Rome would bear
rival One Of the most powerful Of the Emperors Au-
rean) carried the Of the empire against the Cy
Of Commerce." Palmyra was subdued; its trade divert
ed to other channels and the ruins Of temples
the admiration Of the traveller the spot which
once the seat of so much power and magnifcence.
(Voiney.)
After the conquest Of Egypt by the Mahomedans the
people OF the Roman empire shut out from the port
Of Alexandria This gave rise to the opening Of
channel for the India trade Consantnope became its
emporium This route lay through the Black Sea to the
mouth Of the river Phass up that river and by land
carriage of five days to the river Cyrus down ii to the
Caspian Sea this three hundred miles, to the
mouth Of the river 0xus up that river nine hundred
miles to the city Of Marcanda, (once Alexandria, now
Samarcand; thence the mountains to the coun-
tries upon the river Indus eastward by journey OF
eighty a hundred days with the Bactran camel,
through desert countries and wandering nations which
considered the merchant their prey to the western
provinces of the Chinese empire. Pi1y the Elder This
route though long and peous made Constantnople the
emporium Of the India trade for all Christian nations for
several centuries after the conquest Of Egypt by the Ma
homedans and made il the of wealth and power for
many ages after the downfall Of TIE Roman empire.
" Modern chdnnels -Constantpople continued TO be
the emporium Of the India trade till the fifteenth century.
The yeneans end Genoese engaged in it. They established
trading houses in Constantnope and TO power and
eminence from the profits Of this trade Their fleets