Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-12-09
LAM AND ORNAMENTAL, PRINTING.


1t is announced that two hundred Royal En-
gineers, under Capt. Parsons, have arrived al
Victoria, Vancouver's Island, and were prepar-
inc to survey line of Rail Road from the Pa
eific coast, in British Columbia, at the mouth
of Frazer's River, to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The
party did not arrive at Victoria until near the
end of October, too late to start on the survey
ing expedition before Spring. In the mean
time they will be employed in constructing bar,
racks at Victoria. Another surveying party,
which commenced operations last Spring, will
winter on the South Fork of the Saskatchewan,
and will cooperate with the large par under
Capt Parsons This grand inter-oceanic rail-
way scheme is said TO have originated with a
company of British capitalists, with view OF
directing the trade between Europe and the
East over British territory, and the fact that
the survey has been determined upon shows
the interest which is felt upon the subject in
England The English government eOntem-
plate grand national work, or the Royal En-
gineers would not have been sent out to mark
pathway for the iron horse from ocean to
ocean The Toronto Leader remarks:
But if the question of an Atlantic and Pacific
Railway, through Nova Scotia, New Brunswick,
Canada, the Indian Territories, and British Co
lumbia, was a thing Of Importance year ago, 1t
is ten fold more important to-day. The recent
tresties Of Tien-sin and Jeddo, concluded by
Lord Elgin with China and Japan, will develop
the trade between Europe and Eastern Asia to
an extent of which few have at present any
conception. The recent operations of the com
bined French and Spanish forces In the Bay of
TOurane, by which the inhabitants of Cochin
China, numbering eighteen millions of souls,
have been brought to their senses, will increase
the current Of trade that will set In from Europe
to the East. The contemplated Atlantic and
Pacific Railroad would place Canton within the
shortest possible distance of the British Isles
1t is remarkable how near to an air line the
whole distance between these two points can be
reduced by that means. Taking time and dis
tance into the account, Canton would be reduc-
ed to about half the distance from Liverpool
that it is at present, when Cape Horn has to be
doubled in the route. This shortening OF the
distance must be of immense importance where
400, 100000 customers are to be reached.
1t is further stated that China and its depend
encies, now open to British commerce, could,
by the proposed route, be placed within forty
days of Liverpool The entire distance between
England and Canton would be about II ,l7O
miles, distributed thus From Liverpool 10
Halifax, 2,49O miles; from Halifax, by route
north of, Lakes Huron and Superior to the mouth
of Frazer's River on the Pacific, 3,025 miles !;
from this point to Canton, 6,670 miles; alto
gether II, ,I7O miles From Canton to Jeddo,
1875 miles In reaching Japan, Australia,
New Guinea, Borneo and SumItra, as well as In
dia, great saving would be effected in point of
distance, and still greater in point of time, as
compared with the route around the Cape of
Go1d Hope; the only one now used for the
conveyance of merchandise, soldiers and war
.ts ss 5TTae Leader thus gOwingly antci
The projected line would make .,
world, the great highway between Europe and
Eastern and Southern Asia. 1t would bring US
population from China, as well as fran Europe
1t would place US in direct communication with
a large portion of the human family from whom
we are now practically cut off; for continent
must be crossed-which is at present impracti-
be-Or sailed round, in order to get at them
It would fill with hustle and activity vast re-
gion, along the line, now abandoned to few
miserable Indians, fur-bearing animals and the
Hudson's Bay Company. 1t would, by open
ing up a vast extent of country to industry and
civilization, do more than any thing else to raise
up great northern empire, in which the bles-
sings of freedom would not be lessened or en-
dangered by the blighting presence of slavery
an empire in which the future predominant lam
guage of the continent would be spoken, and
which would be Peopled by race kindred in
origin, in sympathies and in tongne, to that
which has achieved such stupendous results in
the neighboring Republic.