New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-05-08
ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC TELEGKApH.


We understand that company is forming, or has
already been formed, having for its object the con-
struction Of an Atlantic and Pacific telegraph, with
San Francisco for Its western terminus, The preli
mary operations have already been decided upon.
company Of about forty persons it is said will go out
with the Government surveying expedition, which,
in pursuance of recent act of Congress, will soon
start across the plains to lay out military road TO
the Pacific. The telegraph party will be as well pro-
vded in every respect as if depending upon It's own
resources but the arrangement of cooperation wlth
the Government expedition will afford mutual advan-
tages and conveniences assure greater EMERGENCY 10
their respective operations and guarantee adaltlonal
security against the dangers OF the undertakhg,
which, in view of the hostile spirit for some time past
manifested by many Of the wandering INDIAN
tribes of the plains, are by no means trlfiing.
The engineering party to be sent out by Government
will consist of about fifty picked men, provided with
camels mules etc. and with everything necessary to
accomplish the object of the expedition. Edward +.
Beale will have charge Of the operations, and his
party will rendezvous in this city about the goth inst
The road is divided into sections, and it is said that
the different parties all organized and have in
structions to commence work upon their respective
sections at the earliest period practicable. 1t is
pected that the military road will be completed
by December next, but the construction Of the
telegraph will hardly be commenced by that period.
We presume it will follow the course Of the road,
which will probably strike up the Platte river from
Omaha City, Nebraska, follow the Oregon route to
South Pass and then strike directly south-westward
to San Francisco via Salt Lake.
This is an extremely arduous undertaking, and its
accomplishment will be another triumph of enter
prise and perseverance worthy to be cassed with that
of the great oceanic telegraph The minuter details
OF the plans to be carried out have not yet been
agreed upon, or at least have not been made public,
and therefore we can only conjecture the main diff
culties that will have to be surmounted. The mere
labor of extending the wire in the ordinary manner,
across numerous rivers, through vast plains where
not stick of timber scarcely shrub appears for
hundreds Of miles, and among the rocky defles of
great mountains, will amount to task OF Herculean
proportions and require an ample capital to carry it
on; and even when the work is finished the expense
and trouble Of keeping in repair line of telegraph
stretching for nearly two thousand miles through
country inhabited only by rowing bands of predatory
and often hostile Indians will exceed anything in
past Geographic experience There is nothing insur
mountable, however, in these obstacles and to the
sangune temperament Of the present day, nothing
even discouraging. We entertain not the slightest
doubt that the line will be built put in operation
turn out to be profitable investment of the outlay
and prove such wonderful and truly valuable con-
venience to the Government and the people that
everybody will wonder how we managed to do SO
long without it.
Telegraphic connection with our Pacific possessions
will become more indispensable, and the want of it
will be more sensiby felt the more they increase in
commercial importance and in population. In case of
war with any great maritime power, the necessity of
such connection would become still more urgent. It's
value to the nation could hardly be calculated and
indeed, in such event, nothing but railroad CON
necion could insure the safety of domains upon
the Pacific.
When the Pacific and the submarine trans Atlantic
lines shall be completed, fifth part of the crcumfer
ence of the globe will be spanned by the electric wire.
London and San Francisco hold familiar converse
and England may obtain intelligence from her field of
operations in the Celestial Empire month earlier
than she now does. How novel the idea how sublime
the conception electric thought flashing through
the sunless depths of the and across the desert
plains of vast continent the ends of the earth ex
changing words in an instant Of time --no, not time
for the steeds of the sun enter not the lists.
Setting aside all the minor benefits which the con-
struction of telegraph to the Pacific would confer it
would have for the American people two results Of
vast Importance would bring our most distant pos
sessions in immediate communication with the seat of
Government, thus guaranteeing their stability and
fidelity to the Unionand it would give us a new and
frmer hold upon the commerce of the Pacific, direct
scrutiny and supervision ofa its operations. The at
tanment of these two objects alone would Justify the
Government in taking the burthen of the enterprise
upon its own shoulders.