Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-05-21

-
its power in nothing greater in material point OF view,
than its public roads Augustus erected the MLaaru'"
Aurenn, gilt marble pillar in the forum, to mark the
central point from which the great roads dyerged from
the seat Of empire Public works Of this class in charge
OF the censors and consus in the days Of the Republic
and Of an inspector under the Empire, con-
by the Roman engineers at expense
and with such soidity that OF them yet unde
stroyed having stood the travel Of twenty centuries
These great improvements connected the cities Of ancient
Italy, nearly twelve hundred in number crossed the Alps
and penetrated the forests of the distant provinces
nected also the hundreds Of cities in Gau SpaD and the
African and Aslatc cities Of the Empire binding them all
together from the centre to the distant frontiers far
up as the wall of Antoninus Scotland in the fifty sixth
degree Of north latitude From that point great national
road taking southeaserly direction to the imperial cap
tal and to Jerusalem, formed grand public highway
equal In It's whole length to four thousand and eighty Ro
man. or three thousand hundred and forty statute
miles
These not merely military roads for the transit of
the Roman egons to points distant from the capital but
were used as aording facilities of intercourse for the
OF the governmental ORDERS and in fact
erected INTO regular postal routes with stations and all
the requisites to insure speed and regularity OF transit
have described the great Roman thorough
fare which pierced mountains passed rivers doubled
nearly IN length the main stem of the Pacific railways al
though including the contemplated branches it did not
equal by more than oneourth the proposed great Amer
can highway.
Turning eye from the distant past to the opening
OF the present century, struck with astonishmen
at the extraordinary genius and energy of the great I'M
peria Chief OF France who after having dissolved the
German Empire defeated the combined Prussian
sian armies having fought the terrible battles of Eyau
and Frledland concluded peace at Tst rushed, as the
storm OF war lued for season. to the French capital
and there, in the midst of the tumultuous agitation of
the times, projected great works Of internal improve
ment He gave orders to Cretet his Minister Of Inter
Or for the construction of canals from Dion to Paris
from the Rhine to the Saone and from the Rhine the
Sched directed the sale Of Others and the proceeds to
be applied to works admonished his minister Of the
evils Of delaythat and inefficient will come
and the work will remain incomplete; that he had made
the glory OF his reign to consist in changing the face OF
the territory in the whole empre that these works were
necessary to the interest and prosperity Of the people
that we must not pass through this world without leaving
traces which may commend memory to posterity re-
curing his minister in single month to prepare a the
details, forbddng him to ask for further time, and
handing him to summon to his aid the most skilful
gineers and talent Of France that at the
ment of the fine season France might "present the
spectacle OF country without single beggar and where
all the population may be in action to cultivate and
der productive that g immense territory"
What might not have been expected from such in
teect had he lived in the of the application of steam
as locomotive power land and what would have been
his rumphs in this nober sphere of adding to tire
OF human happiness had he quenchng the flames of
indicated and established popular sovereignty and deyo
ed his mighty energies to quickening all the elements of
trade and commerce. dusng the light of learning and
the blessings of civilization everywhere throughout the
land Them indeed he would have realized to France
the boast of Augustus in regard to his capital that he
had found it of brick and left it of MARBLE and at his
name posterty would have up and called him bless
But we witness in the day of European Govern
ments the progress of gigantic undertakings in internal
improvements which destined to throw the history OF
the past into the shade In Russia iron railway chain
Of communication sixteen hundred miles long is pro-
posed from Saint Petersburg the capital Of the empire
situated the Gulf of Finland, to ODESSA gulf of
the Black Sea- connecting the Baltic and Black Seas and
uniting, by way of Moscow all the intervening cities,
whilst England alive to her commercial interests, is pro-
ectng schemes for shortening connexon with her
great Anglo Indian empire.
Enr oallcn o,1of
intercourse between Europe and the distant ports of In
dian and Southern Asia had been carried on by fifteen
thousand mile voyages. around the Cape of Good Hope
but the advance of British army from India by way of
the Red Sea the plains of Cairo in Egypt there eectng
junction with troops from England against the French
Egyptian expedition, established the pracdcabiy of o
connected route in that direction OF less than thou
sand miles. And find England with no less than
three great communicating with India and China
one from Southampton through the English Channel,
crossing the Bay Of Biscay through the Mediterranean
to Alexandria in Egypt thence by overland to Suez,
down the Red Sea, through the Straits of Babemande
with branch to Bombay and direct by Ceyon to
Calcutta and from Ceyon through the Straits Of Maacca
to Singapore and thence China Sea to Hong Kong
There is also regular monthly mail from London to
Falkstone Paris and Marseilles the Mediterranean,
thence to Malta and Alexandria taking the direction al
ready indicated to the residue Of the distance; and
then by the German overland from London to 0send
through Belgium and Austria Trieste, the Adriatc
and passing Of the Greek Islands Athens by the
Ionian Islands TO Corfu and Alexandria.
Instead of one hundred and fifty days, India by these
routes is brought within months postal distance of Lon
DON But not content with all these trumphs space
and time, project is now engaging public attention. by
which new and more direct overland route by railroad
is projected which shall proceed from Calais by Ostend
to Cologne, through the plains of Augsburg Lombardy
to Trieste the Adratc thence in the valleys of Turkey
in Europe along the Euphrates Bassorah the Per-
sian Gulf through Persia along theshores of the Gulf to
BeoochstaD, crossing the Indus and thence to Calcutta
thus bringing the remote parts of the Empire within from
week to ten days of each other and opening up Bril-
fish trade markets in Persia and Central Asia.
Such are the mighty projects of great maritime
rival for supremacy in the markets of the world And
shall this Government at this day pause and hesitate in
prosecuting work necessary to the interests of
the American people? Look back upon our history
and what doesi tell us The first Of the Continental
Congress, in 1776, ordinance for establishing
post requiring that "a line of post be appointed under
the direction of the Postmaster General from Falmouth
in New England to Savannah in Georgia, with many
posts he shall think fit" That system continued until
1882 under the Confederation when reorganization took
place, and it declared that "a continued communi
cation Of posts throughout the United States shall be
abshed and maintained" Then the Constitution of the
United States succeeded speaking in language too
plic to be misunderstood devolyng the duty upon Con-
gess Of taking charge of such great works of ntrcom
munication that under consideration
That distinguished statesman Mr.. Jefferson, from the
infancy Of the republic the necessity of exploring
overland route to the Pacific and in his message of
the 18th January 1903 brought the subject to the aten
ton of Congress with view TO set on foot expora
ton for line accommodation to the Pacific Western
ocean, and the result the celebrated expedition Of
Lewis and Clarke The project of eventually establish
ing this route, then in the shadowy distance in the
dawnng of national existence Is before q
reality Pablo meetings in different portions of the
country, and of the most distinguished statesmen