, 1858-10-15
From the Washington Union.
The Prospect for The Future Trade In The
North Pacific.

North Pacific.
In communication which appeared il
the Union on the 23d of January, | briefly
alluded TO the evident intention of Russia
to cultivate friendly commercial relations
with our citizens on the North Pacific, and
called the attention Of the government to
the fact that there is at present no treaty
between the United States and Russia by
which such trade could be regulated.
This movement on the part Of Russia,
and the recommendation of the President
in his message to Congress relative to q
Pacific railroad, have awakened the inte-
rest Of the English, who seem to think that
Russia is meditating some stroke against
China, either for the purpose Of annexation
or else in cooperation with some one Of
the great poWers-meaning, evidently, the
United States-to get possession of all the
trade of Asia. The St. Petersburgh lei
tung, in reply to an article in the London
Times about the inevitable antagonism of
England and Russia in Asia, says: "While
we willingly and readily recognise Eng
lands rightful claim to work out her histo-
AlSNA AuloolOl III bOuNuNlu Aolu, VIC
tain equally FIRMLY that northern Asia has
been made over to RuSsia's hands. Rus
sia has, however, in northern Asia, an in
cOmparably more difficult task to accom-
plish than England in southern Asia. ST.
IBERIA is giant that lies, muscle bound, in
a trance-whose pulse scarcely beats
whose breath is hardly drawn, but whose
enormous vital powers are awaiting only
the moment of waking. The time has now
come for US to proceed energetically to
work, and call into existence the life that
everything is yearning for. On the whole
frontier of South Siberia, from the Oral to
the Pacific ocean, we must have good safe
roads Of communication, that shall open up
intercourse with southern Asia" The
Boston Post, referring to the above, says:
" This vision Of prosperity and civilization
to be conferred on Siberia is justified, to q
very considerable extent, by the progress
already made" At the close of 1856
postal stations had been erected all along
the whole line Of the Amoor river from
StrelOtschnaia to Nicholaif, the military
station at the mouth of the Amoor. Du-
ring the menth of November of that year,
an American ship, the Europa, arrived at
Nicholaiff, having on board two iron
steamers intended for the navigation of the
AmoOr. These steamers, named the Amoor
and Lena, were put together during the
winter. The former has 66-horse power,
the latter 35, and draws only 81 feet of
water, so that she can ascend the Amoer
as far as Ust-Srelotschnaia. Some idea
Of the vastness Of the extent Of country
which the AmoOr traverses may be inferred
from the fact that on the first trip Of the
Lena up the stream in July last she was
thirty days reaching the point Of conau
ence Of the two rivers that subsequently
bear the name Of Amoor, although she
met with no accident or detention. In
Nicholaiff there had arrived, up to the 18th
of last July, two vessels from Boston, two
from Hong Kong, and two from San Fran
cisco, with goods to the amout of 382, 900
silver roubles. Some Japanese vessels
were also expected.
A letter from Irkutsh, August 9th,
states that two new towns in that district
Werchnolensk and Balagansh-h been
inaugurated the past year. Irkutsh itself
was expanding rapidly, and gaining in life
and wealth from the constant passage
through of large numbers Of military TO
join the army'in the Transbaikal territory
and the Amoor Inns and cafes, with
strongly-deVeloped western comforts, were
described as having been thus brought into
existence.
The mooth Of the Amoor river is at the
head Of the Gulf of Tartary, and lies in
about latitude $50 north and longitude
l400 west. The nearest point in the Amer
ican possessions to this river is tho entrance
to the straits Of Fuca, in Washington Ter
ritory, which is in latitude 48o 80 north
and longitude l240 80 west-a difference
in latitude of only 27O miles, and distant
1000 miles.
1t is to Fuca's straits and Vancouver's
island that the English are now turning
their attention, with the hope to secure this
great trade to themselves. The London
Post Of December 25th says:
The message Of the President Of the
United States, recently communicated to
Congress, recommends the construction Of
a railroad across the continent for the pur-
poses Of military defence. 1t must be OBJ
vious to the most superficial understanding
that the opening of any inter-oceanic line
through the territory Of the United States
l0olld effect as great a revolution in the trade
of the l0orld as that tohich t0as brought about
By the discovery of The Cape of Good Hope
route to India and TO the other countries Of
tie East. The trade of China, Japan, and
Of regions comparatively unknown, would
be impsled to the Pacific terminus Of the
railroad, whence it would be carried to the
great Atlantic ports, to be afterwards dis
tributed over America and Europe Hong
Kong, Shanghai, Canton, and the other
marts Of China 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. LfG
facility of this kind eristed, the most lpcra-
tire trade in the 10orM tooHId fall into the
D