, 1858-10-15

OF Ine Onlteu states are perfectly alive Il
the advantages which their country woulC
derive from the possession of this grea
highway of nations the merchant princes
and rich capitalists Of England appear al
most to have forgotten that in British
North America there exist vast regions ad
mirably adapted for the construction of q
railway, by means of which England could
defy the competition Of the world. The
position Of British North America is pecu-
liarly favorable both as regards physical
geography and means Of water communi.
cation. The distance between the north.
west point Of Lake Superior and the straits
Of Fuca on the Pacific is estimated not to
exceed sixteen hundred or eighteen hun
drsd mles-just double the length of the
great trunk railway of Canada. From the
recent Investigations of Professor Palliser,
it appears that large portions of the terri
tory through which the line would pass
consist of level prairie lands, and that the
most formidable difficulty which the pro-
joctors of such an undertaking would have
to encounter would be the discovery of
SONG pass or gorge in the Rocky noun
taihs permitting the construction of a rail
way.
But no one can hold such an obstacle
to be insuperable, when, on the same con-
tinent, the science Of a Stephenson has
spanned, by a bridge of two miles in length,
the waters Of the mighty St. Lawrence"
The same journal then proceeds to show
that the project Of railroad through the
British possession to the Pacific is not q
new one:
" In 1851 the scheme, Of which we have
given an outline, was submitted to the legis-
lature Of Canada by gentleman named
Allan Mcdonald. The scheme was reject
ed by the committee on the technical ground
that the protector had not obtained the
necessary capital; but the report distinctly
stated that the construction of such a rail-
road was not only desirable, but practi-
cable, and that it ought at some future
time to be undertaken.
"The construction Of such a railway
from Halifax, running to the northwest Of
Lake Superior and onward to the Pacific,
would cost, as has been estimated, about
ten or twelve millions sterling, sum insig-
nifcant, when compared with the profits Of
that stream Of wealth that would flow from
the East through British territory to Brit
ain herself. The abolition OF the Hudson
Bay monopoly, and tho constitution Of Van
couver's island as a British colony, will at
tract hardy and enterprising settlers to the
hitherto neglected regions bordering on the
north Pacific; and, whether or not the for
nation of this great inter-oceanic commu-
nication be speedily undertaken, aeW
liverpool aoiH spring up in that part of the
I0Orld, sffording a centre for British trade
and British industry. With iron, coal, and
timber upon the spot, the railroad then
would become a matter Of comparatively
little difficulty. Commencing at both
ends and advancing with the progress Of
the population, it would eventually meet,
and thus that iron girdle would be placed
around the continent, subjecting territories
which are now lying waste and unproduc-
tive to the benefcent dominion Of OlViliza-
ton and commerce"
The foregoing extracts seem 10 give con-
vincing evidence Of the intention on the
part of Russia to create a trade on the
north Pacific, and Of the intention of Great
Britain to secure to herself the advantages
Of that trade, by means Of railroad with
in her own boundaries on this continent.
Ignorant persons, both in and out Of Con-
gress, may think that by the oft-ropeated
assertion, that it is impossible to con-
struct a northern Pacific railroad on ac-
count of the extreme cold of that region, :"
they are making an unaswerable argument,
and they may succeed in making prejudiced
and ignorant persons believe the truth Of
their assertions; but let any one not blind
ed by sectional prejudice examine the works
Of Blodgstt's American CIimatology,"
Maury's Geography Of the Sea, " and Pro-
fessor Henry's admirable report, and they
will find proof not only that the climate on
the 49th parallel west Of the Rocky noun
tans is much warmer than the Allegheny
range in Pennsylvania, but will be able to
learn the natural cases that produce such
effects.
The British not only know that north Of
our possessions is a region (that the great
mass of the American people have been
led to consider a vast ice feld) which is q
fertile country, well adapted to the pur-
poses Of agriculture and settlement, but
eminently qualified for railroad purposes,
aud they seem determined to build that
road themselves. Men of enlarged and
statesmanlike views should consider that
while each section Of our country demands
q ready means Of communication with the
Pacific, no one section can be possibly en-
titled to exclusive privileges; and it is n
question to be considered whether Congress
will grant facilities for the construction of
a northern road within our borders, or
whether that road shall be built in the
British possessions by British capital. The
remark of the London journal referred to,
of making Vancouver's island the Liver
pool of the Pacific" is full of deep signif-
canoe. The English well know that Fuca
straits is the nearest and best point of ap-
proach from the Asiatic shores, and de-
pot established in those waters will COM
mand the trade Of India from its geo