, 1858-09-17
A British Road 10 the Pacific.

The construction of a railroad to the Pa
cific has been agitated since the discovery
Of gold in California, but as the road can
not be made without Government sanction
and aid, nothing has yet been done except
to agitate the merits OF several proposed
routes. The people have, session after seS-
sion, besought Congress to pass law set
ting the great enterprise in motion ; but
sectional disputes and angry political con-
troVersy have monopolized the time which
should have been given to the consdora-
ton and consummation of measures Of gene
raj public concern.
Now, however, we are about to realize
the consequences of this trifling with the
wants and interests Of the country. The
recent gold discoveries in British territory
have caused an immense emigration to the
new gold region and the present prospect
is that a pOpulous and enterprising com
munity, organized on British soil and gov
erned by British laws, will soon be compe-
ting with US for the commerce of the Pa
'GGc Ocean. New Caledonia will become a
formidable rival to California, and should
England, as is now almost certain, get the
start Of us in constructing railroad to the
Pacific, we may abandon all our dreams of
commercial supremacy on the Pacific.
The construction of railroad across
British Territory to the Pacific coast has
been earnestly agitated not only in Canada
but in British journals and new that the
vast territories, under the management of
the Hudson Bay Company, are about being
opened to colonization, and the gold dis
covsries ensure their rapid settlement,
English capital and enterprise will find an
inviting object in the construction Of a
road which shall unite the British North
American possessions in a common bond Of
material progress aud Industrial develop
ment.
1t would be worse than mortifying, If
we have waited until our opportunity has
passed 1t is not merely question Of ma
tional pride, but question, perhaps, of
commercial and political supremacy on this
continent, whether the great highway to
the Pacific shall pass over American or
British SOIL The struggle is not now one
of arms, but Of trade and industrial pro-
gress and how can we compete in trade
with Britain, should she become possessor
Of the shortest and quickest route Of com
munication with the Pacific Ocean
Industry will follow the path OF trade,
and labor and enterprise would be attract
ed from our Western and Southwestern
territories to build up great empire in the
North. Certainly, we have no more time
to lose, if we would not be left behind in
the race, or prevent the realization of the
hopes of many British statesmen in the
establishment Of rival power on this CON
tinent.-N Y Sun, Aug. 7h,
BGr Sir Edward BuIwer Lytton men.
toned in late speech in the House Of
Commons that Mr. Cunard had already
made proposals for a line of steam vessels
for letters, goods aud passengers, to cem-
municate between Liverpool and New
Caledonia, via Panama, in thirty-fVe days.
BE also expressed his faith that within the
lifetime of many of his hearers, the Allan
tic and Pacific would be united by line ol
railroad. At the same time, he admitted
that the value Of the gold diggings was yet
question to be settled.