Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-04-07
GBt aallp Sqp,
WEDNESDAY, APRIL I. 1858.

A PACIFIC RAILRoAD.-While the United
States government is hating and hesitating over
ths establishment of a railroad to connect the
Atlantic seaboard with the Pacific coast, the
British government, with that isr-seeing saRacity
that charscterizes most of its enterprises for the
promotion Of the interests of its commerce and
the sale 'of its manufactures, is actually making
its arrangements for throwing railroad across
the continent Of America, between the Atlantic
and the Pacific, through its Canadian possessions.
We gather some interesting particulars of the ex'
petition which is shortly to start from London to
explore the route. from an article in the Partisan
journal lie Pays.
While 1t is pretended that thel object of this
expedition is purely of a scientific character, and
il is ostensiby announced that it is mission en-
trusted Nth the business of exploring the regions
under sway OF the Huudson's Bay Company
with reference to commercial matters, it isJudged
from the nature and extent of the preparations
that it's real object is to enable John Bull to steal
a march upon Brother Jonathan, by grasping the
commerce Of the East, and checking the West
ward march OF empire through the territories OF
the United States.
1t is knoWn that the regions under the sway Of
this company comprise immense territories, which
are altogether unknown az the present day, and
which are, the greater part Of them, still in the
same Wild and savage state, as when they were
first created by the power of the Creator Of the
world they are countries where the feet Of men
have never yet trodden, where the echo OF the
sound OF the human voice has never yet been
heard. The expedition is to be commanded by
Colonel Elliott Of the Royal Engineers it con.
sists of company of sixty engineers. and will be
accompanied by troop of forty men under the
command Of Captain Haig of the Royal ARTILLERY.
Or arriving at Vancouver it will be reinforced by
hundred men, as pioneers, selected from the
most experienced and hardy servants of the Hud-
son Bay Company, and will then push on and go
ahead. as the mercy Of Providence may please to
favor it.
Inc expedition. it is said, will land at Chagresi
from thence il will cross the Ishmus Of Panama;
It will then penetrate into California, and then,
ssing through unknown aud unheard Of de6les,
over terrible and crazy mountains, it will pierce
into territories yet unexDlored, which lie on the
borders Of the Pacific Ocean, and then proceed
through vast deserts and virgin mountains to
some port Of Canada on the Pacific. -Four years
have been fixed upon the calculation of the
time which will be required to accomplish the
purposes of the expedition.
There can be no doubt but that the English
expedition to which we have referred has no other
object IN view but that of preparing for the
strdction Of great transit road, to pass directly
through the English possessions in America, by
-. Dc r,;l
be, as it we're united together.
Neither can there be any doubt that the
empire Of the world in commercial point Of
view, will henceforth belong to that one OF the
two powers OF England and America, which shall
be the first to find means to establish direct
road across the continent, whereby to communi
cate most rapidly with the great East on the Pa
eiHc side, and with Europe on the Atlantic side
for it will be the great highway by which the pro
ducts of the Old World will have to be carried to
the Eastern world. Such road is wanted in or
der to transport with certainty and celebrity both
the multitude Of emigrsnts and the abundance Of
the products demanded by civilization.
Hence it is that the victory which is to give the
smpire Of the. world will be gained by that power
which shall be the first to establish the first line
Of railroad across regions and countries which as
yet are unknown and UNEMPLOYED. The struggle
for the attainment OF this great victory is we'll
worth the trouble and expense which it will cost
for the empire of the seas and the commercial
d ,miniOn over the whole world are the great
stakes which are being played for.
Should these extensive preparations really be
made, with reference to such an enterprise as is
supposed, aud the United States be distanced in
such a noble strife by its great commercial rival,
It will only afford another illustration of the par
alysing influences of slavery upon the progress Of
the nation, for every one is aware that the oppo
sition Of the South has thus far prevented the
commencement of the Pacific Railroad across any
Of the practicable routes that have been explored
or proposed.