Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-02-20
EXTRACT

Of Letter from the Han. .yohn y. Mason.
-1mericua Minister at Paris, on the Pro-
ject Of Direct 9Iiesse ktreen France and
fhe SOUTH
Dear old Virginia. every days absence
increases my affection and in the midst Of
the mighty changes which railroads and ca
mails are efFecting in the old world, con>
stantly think of the harvest which awaits
her grand Improvement Lying broadside
on the Atlantic, with her lines Of artificial
transportation stretching from the sea back
IL tie greatest producing valley in the worli.
! have always felt that her syten was incom-
pletc unless those lines were virtually extend
ed to Europe, the great purchaser and consul
nier of our products, and whose trade in
turn supplies all our wants | therefore
hailed with the liveliest pleasure and en-
thusiasm, the arrival of Mr Preston here,
IN the execution Of the honorable n,issiou
with which he is charged. have, with i.
will, lent him every aid in my power Bus
l must say in eandor, that with bis thorough
knowledge of the subject, and the signal
ability and address which he has brought ~
his negotiations. but little aid was required.
He did right, in my judgement, to leave
England, where the existing lines and man
agement of business left him but lit.le h,sn..
of snccessfnl result except at nrirs
wlliclr-yc could not pay. He came to France,
at an ausplclons moinent, for the govern
ment was about to establish three trans.lt-
lantic lines of steamers with LARGE and lib
eral subscriptions.
BY one Of those accidents, which soma
times exerts such potent inhncne. on h,-
man affairs as to justify the belief in She
cial Providence, Mr.. Preston Was placed in
communication with the Orleans Railroad
Company. Mr.. Preston and visited Nan
ties and San Nazaire, at the month Of ts
Loire. At the latter point the French gos-
eminent is constructing the ,slast magniti-
cent artificial harhor in the world ODeni.s
to the ocean, a ship sailing between that
point agd Chesa pcakc Bay, avoids ,l,,. chan
mel and viii find her route shorter by q con-
siderable time, than between Havre ans, ,h.
same point. sin ear return to Nantes. Mr.
Preston was called OH by the Chief Enpin-
eer and Director Of the Orleans COMPANY.
and explanations were SO satisfactorily made.
that a negotiation gas commenced. which
.1lnh, IL apout 10 PLsi 'tf q 0liplcc sue
cess, if his constituents approve the basis
Of agreement wll leave him to make
known the terms Of the proposition. con-
tent myself with saying that he has done
nc the honor to confer wili me ut ov.rg
stage Of the negotiation that he has con-
ductets it with most honorable canor an,s
with consumrnate ability.
I viii add, that the Orleans Company has
large capital, is the best managed Com
pany i'll France, and owns network Of rail-
roads which cover oae-;hirl Of the Empire.
connecting Paris attn the ocean. and con-
Meeting with other lines 70 Switxrrana, TIA
~ and Germany. | think our friends viii
be gratiiied, that this arrangement will, If.
adopsea sccure, at triaing cost, now AMI
for the future, such inc Unable advantages
for us and our lines of Improvements cons
graduate myself that no occasion has arisen
for an application to the Isgerial Govern
ment.
Mr.. prestons success, under the arpul-
ing disadvantages which base been rlact"t
i'll his way NV the condition Of mo,iicd IS
fairs, is most honorable to linl-ana it m:fy
turn out that the commercial disasters. whiei,
have done 70 mach to break up the old chan
nels Of trade with the United States. are
positively advantageous to this new enter