The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-01-22

ire n, hickory and gutta percha canes, gold and
silver goblets and other souvenirs of that Feeee
scene in the Senate chamber of last May
But enough. With the arrival of the Presi-
dent elect at Washington the practical work of
packing up, preparatory to backing of, will be-
gin with Pierce and his Cabinet; and the practi-
cal work, too, with Mr.. Buchanan, Of observa-
tons and soundings in regard to the shoals and
quicksands upon which poor Pierce has founder
ed. We await the great denouen'em of the fourth
of March with patience and confidence. We
have strong faith in the practical common
sense and sagacity Of Mr. Buchanan, in connec-
ton with the course marked out for him in such
bold and conspicuous relief by the American
people in the late elections. 1t is the Constitu-
ton and the Union. Guided by these and under
ADLER hands and wiser counsels, we trust that the
ADMINISTRATION of Mr. Buchanan will be as fruit
full of good results to the country aud our foreign
relations as that of poor Pierce has been Of de-
engagements, disorders, imbecities, cruelties, cor
ruptiOrs, mischief and confusion.
Geographical Explorations-A New Ophir.
We publish elsewhere some interesting parti-
culars of several exploring and scientific expedi-
tons in various parts of the world. The most
important of these is the one recently fitted out
by the Viceroy of Egypt, to discover the source
of the White Nile. In connection with the re-
cent discoveries of DR.. Livingston it may result
in the developement OF the whole river and lake
system of the African continent The other ex-
petitions are those proposed in Brazil to explore
the interior of South America and in Austria to
survey the islands in the North Pacific Let us
hope that when the results of these expeditions
are published, correct, reliable maps will be
given to the public.
No country in the world has been doing more
in the way Of exploration than our own. None
can gain more by it, for we have a vast territory
beyond the Mississippi washed by the waters of
the Pacific, tianked by magnificent mountains,
and irrigated by noble rivers containing basins
and pateaus Of measureless fertility, and blessed
with healthful and invigorating climates. Of all
these. however, we have yet much more to learn,
for the maps We have, even those for the Topo-
graphical Department of the government, are ex-
ceedingly incorrect. Our mountain system is as
yet almost unknown, although in massiveness it
exceeds that Of Europe and Asia combined. Let
us endeavor to convey some idea of how our
maps must be corrected, in order to give cor
rect idea of the interior of our continent.
Beginning at the isthmus Of Tehuantepec we
have the great range of the Sierra Madre or
Rocky Mountains, a continuation of the Cordil-
leras, reaching north to the Arctic Ocean, the
entire range facing the Eastern plains and hav-
ing high elevation. Next, we have the Sierra |
Nevada or Audes, beginning at the same point
facing the Pacific and extending to Behring's
Straits, distance Of $500 miles. These ranges
are the two Cordilleras of the North. Be-
tween these we have subordinate and inter-
mediate mountains connecting them by cross
ranges. For example, We have lowest down the
mountains Of Queretaro, running northeast by
north connecting the two great ranges; next
north of these the mountains of the Rio Florida,
with Grange enclosing the Balson de Maxi
mil next, the Sierra Mmbres the foggy noun
aims $500 miles in length, and running north
wardly; next, three large spurs in the Colorado
country, yet unexplorcd with any accuracy the
owest of these found at the pass OF the Rio del
Norte; next, the Sierra Wasatch range-a chain
running transversely and connecting the Sierra
NIadre and the Sierra Nevada, which are partly
explored. Next above we have the Snake River
Mountains, uniting with the Sierra Madre at an
angle of As degrees. AT the point Of union is
found the pass of the Gros Ventre Beyond
these, again, are the Blue Mountains. still con-
Meeting the same two great ranges The next TO
the northwest are the Olympian Mountains, which,
with those of the Snake River, enclose the basin
Of the Columbia river. The river del Norte
gorges the Sierra Madre to the Atlantic: the Co
dorado gorgcs the Andes to the Gulf Of Califor-
MA: the Snake river aud Columbia, to which the
former is a tributary, pierce; the Andes to the
North Pacific, at about the 45th degree Of north
Latitude
In all the maps now existing The topogra-
ply Of these mountains is given in The
| most incorrect manner: indeed, many Of them
| have no place on them at all In the map which
emanated from the Typographical Department Of
| the government in 1850, and is considered one
of the best authority, the Sierra Madrc is quite
lhm.
These facts are rather startling and show
| what small and limited capital our grandilJ-
quent lecturers and statesmen are doing businc,
| 1t would almost seem as if our government too
no further interest in proper Development 9.
the geography of the interior, and that the spec
lators who are running down Congress with
schemes for Pacific railroads do not care whore
any road is to be made If they can only pock.t
the preliminary plumber. 1t would be, in fact,
1 "a ,,,;1I,onS ~ IoIlars bv tho countrv if
Congress now legislated on the imperfect know
ledge they have of the subject But, indepeu
dcntly of Ibis, we require further Information as
to the metalliierous character Of these mountains
| We kno,r eomethinp OF the climate. fertility and