, 1858-08-20

ol NNlNmlut4 AluANoeNu " ouA doic uStc'
gate in Congress. Isaac l. STEVENS, to the
Hon. Lewis CAss, Secretary Of State, rep.
reseatiug the importance Of entering spec
diIy into treaty which shah throw open
% commerce and American enterprise the
free navigation Of the river Amoor, and
thus enter into commercial intercourse
with country said TO contain upwards Of
tlirty millions Of people. The Importance
Of such treaty, aud the advantages to be
derived therefrom, in an extension Of the
tralic aud commerce Of the Pacific, can
perhaps ouly be fully conceived by the
bnsiBess men Of our coast, while the im-
portanee Of the subject Of the second com
uunication-the discovery Of gold on our
our northern frontier, and the blockade Of
Frazer river-Will readily suggest itself to
he mind OF every man, more especially the
miner We doubt not but that the cor
reciness Of the views expressed by our dele
gate will have due weight with the Secre-
tary Of that Department, the head thereof
being wen known to be sage having nc
superior in an Interpretation Of internS
tiOual Law, and one who would not for q
moment countenanee a violation or infrac-
don Of such, especially when committed by
Great Britain.
The following are the communications
alluded to:
I'.s HoUsE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Waslilgton, June 3, 1858
Hos. LEEIs CAss. Ss0siayy Of STATE:
n SR-I beg leave to submit few Obser-
sntions in regard to q question vitality af-
iecting our commerce on the Pacific, and
the ultimate control Of that commerce by
The American people. .si -a. r.
II refer to the navigation Of the AmOor
10 Russian Asia, a navigation Of tgo thou
sand six hundred miles by steamers and
having direct and positive relations with
thirty millions Of people. E sa7
The FREQ navigation Of the Amoor 10
American vessels, and the right to trade to
American citizens, would give us com
mercial foothold on the Asian shores Of the
Pacific not inferior 10 that Of any other
power; and its immediate effect viii not
simply be TO develop our own Pacific coast,
and cause to grow up large commercial
cities az San Francisco and on the shores
Of Puget Sound, bnt to quicken the i'm
pulses Of trade throughout the length aud
breadth Of the Republic, and especially to
quicken and develop our own manufacturing,
planting and farming interests
This country ought to furnish all the
machinery, appliances and work In metal
1or The immense Rosilla Of steamers which
win be required on the waters Of the
Amoor, 50 that nothing except the wood
work win be furnished outside our shops
and manufactures. ae o' a's7o
I'VE ought 10 supply the tobacco, ammu-
milton; guns, cutlery, cotton fabrics, and q
great variety Of other articles, Of fancy and
use. for The great population tributary tC
this river 91
81 In exchange Re can, receive hdes, vari
0ns fabrics Of wool, andespeeialy the Sibe-
rian camel--sO well adopted for the trans
pOEtatiOa Of army supplies in the interior
Of our continent 10 i.li 18Ifi3 ea
The Development Of our commerce on
the Amoor viii be the great step to o line
Of ocean steame1s from Oar western coast
20 Asia The vicinity Of exhaustless coal
beds 10 the mouth Of the Amoor and on
the shores Of Puget Sound, point out ons
of the natural routes of ocean steamers
the distance from the Sound to the mouth
Of the Amoor being only about four thou
sand miles $3.50 s.
Already a large trade has sprung up il
lumber and spars between Puget SounC
and the ports Of the Pacific. This busines
already exceeds our domestic business, AMI
IS very rapidly increasing. | shall tax
occasion at an early date to communieat
the statistics Of this extensive business Il
the Department.
The discovery Of rich and extensive golC
helds in the general region of the 49tl
parallel, rich and extensive both in our owl
borders and in those Of the British pos
sessions, the great rush Of miners now 90
ing there, the unquestiOnable fact tina
these mines will remnnerate large and cost
~ operations and great force of labor
must convince one that both on the oceaI
and on the shore there will be contes
for supremacy between English and Amer
lean interests in that quarter Of the world
1 therefore call your attention to sub
ject 50 interesting and important as til,
opening Of the Amoor to the enterprise O
American citizens, because believe it vii
be grand step towards establishing ou
supremacy on the Pacific.
In conclusion, have been greatly inter
ested 10 the report Of our Consul, Mr.. Col
Inns, and it is the suggestions and facts o
bis reports which have caused me to con
sider carefully the matter, and have prompt
ed this communication to the Department
l am, sir, very respectfully, &c,
ISAAC |. STEVENS.
WAsHISorOS CRY. May Is, 1858.
HoE. LEWIS CAss, Secretary of STATE:
Sir-I have the honor to inform YOU
NuNk kk,