Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-01-22
From the London Morning Post, Dec. rs.

The Pacific Railroad.
The energy and enterprise of the Anglo-Saxon raco
nave, however been brought to bear upon that great
and important sthmus which is oceunied bv the Renh
lcan States of Central America The Panama Rail
road has for years united the two oceans and
farther to the north wealthy Anglo American companv
IS engaged In the construction of nteroceanic raway
between ,Porto CabelloS and the Bay of Fonseca Tb
Importance OF these communications In reference tn tb
trade OF California Australia and the islands of the
Pacific it is impossible to estimate too highly; and
when the disputes which have arisen between England
and the United States On the subject of Central Amer
ca shall have received just and honorable settlement
we have confident belief that European and North
American capital and enterprise will be largely applied
to promote the internal improvement of every portion
of these most interesting and valuable regions
The message recently communicated to CONGRESS- Inv
the President of the United States recommends the con-
sruction OF a railroad across the continent for the mr.
poses OF military defence. The line suggested bv Mr.
Buchanan will pass through of the newly ACQUIRED
territories of the United States to the seaboard of the
Pacific Mr.. Buchanan adds that he difficulties con-
neced with undertaking of this description have been
greatly exaggerated and that by wise expenditure
OF public money assisted by private enterprise and free
grants OF land, this lne-of so much Importance mill
tary as well commercial ground might some distant
day be completed. Here may mention that some
years ago an American citizen proposed the consruc
ton of another line stretching from Lake Michigan be-
tween which lake and New York there is already steam
communication, and proceeding thence through the For
West to California. The protector of this scheme asked
for grant of public money, but merely that thirty
miles of the waste lands on either side CT the nronosed
road should be conceded to the company to enable them
| to accomplish this gigantic work Mr. WMtnevs
scheme although it received the sanction of many sena
rate States, still remains in that category of useful pro-
ects which from their magnitude and eXpensivecharactcr
avoraby considered whilst they rarely if ever
carried into execution. We do not intend to institute
any comparison between the two routes which have been
suggested by Mr.. Buchanan and by Mr.. Whitney. But
it must be obvious to the most superficial understanding
that the opening OF any inerOceanlc line through the
territory of the United States would effect great re-
vOlutiOn in the trade of the world that which was
brought about by the discovery of the Cape of Good
Hope route India and to the other countries of the
East The trade of China, Japan, and of regions COM
paratively unknown would be impeled to the Pacific
terminus of the railroad whence it would be carried to
the great Atlantic ports to be afterwards distributed
over America and Europe. Hong Kong, Shanghai
Canton and the other marts in Chinese trade would be
brought by steam within few days distance of the
great American emporium which would spring up on
the coast of the Pacific. If facility of this kind exist
ed the most important and lucrative trade III the world
would fall into the hands of the people of the United
States and the long voyages round the Cape round
the Horn would rarely be undertaken for any purpose of
commercial gain. Whilst the citizens and the Govern
ment Of the United States perfectly alive to the adj
vantages which their country would derive from the
possession Ct this great highway of nations" the mer
chant princes and rich capitalists of England appear al
most to have forgotten that in British North America
there exist various regions admirably adapted for the
construction of a railway, by means of which England
could at present. defy the competition of the world
The position of British North America is peculiarly ia
vorabe both regards physical geography and means
} Of water communication. The distance between the
northwest point of Lake Superior and the Straits of
Fuca on the Pacific is extimated not to exceed sixteen
eighteen hundred miles just double the length of the
great Trunk Railway of Canada. From the recent in
vesgations of Professor Paser it appears that large
portions of the territory through which the line would
pass consist of level prairie lands and that the most for
mdabe difficulty which the projectors of such an under
taking would have to encounter would be the discovery
of some pass gorge in the Rocky Mountains permit
ting the construction of railway. But hold
such obstacle to be nsuperable when the same
continent the science of Stephenson has spanned by
bridge of two miles in length the waters of the mighty
Il ST. Lawrence In 1851 the scheme of which we have
given an outline was submitted to the Legislature Of
Canada, by gentleman of the of Allen Macdon-
aid. The scheme was rejected by committee on the
technical ground that the protector had not obtained
the necessary capital but the report distinctly stated
that the construction of such railroad was not only
desirable but practicable and that it ought some flu
ture time to be undertaken If the Grand Trunk Rail
way continued to Halifax, the route up to the
lakes would be completed from British port accessi-
BILE throughout the year. The construction of railway
running to the northwest of Lake Superior and EDWARDS
to the Pacific would terminate the line The expenses
OF this undertaking have been estimated at ten or twelve
mllons-a sum insignificant when compared with the
profits OF that stream of wealth which would flow from
the east through British territory to Britain herself
The abolition of the Hudsons Bay monopoly and the
constitution Of Vancouvers Island as British colony
will attract hardy and enerprisng settlers to the hther
to neglected regions bordering upon the North Pacific
and whether not the formation of this great inter
oceanic communication be speedily undertaken, new
Liverpool will spring up in that part of the world, afford
ing centre for British trade and British industry
With iron, COAL and timber on the spot the railway then
would become matter of comparatively little difficulty.
Commencing at both ends, and advancing with the pro-
gress of population it would eventually meet and thus
that iron girde would be placed around the continent
subecng territories which lying waste and un-
productive to the benefcent dominion of civilization and
commerce. and maintaining in British hands that superb
GRITTY which would seem to be the heritage of the Anglo
5 Saxon race.