, 1859-04-22
Atlantic and PACING Railrond.

The following well-digested and clever
article on the subject of the Northern Pa
cife Railway, was extracted from the litera-
ry columns Of Forneys Press, some months
since, 1t has occasionally been turning by
in our copy-drawer, biding its time, until
now, when we think it not inorHortune to
run it through the columns Of the Pioneer.
1t will repay a perusal /: f.. ....., .....
a Repeated Efforts to discover Northwest Passage
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, bave been made with
the desire to reach Asia, from Europe through the
Arctic Ocean without going round the Cape Of. Good
Hope at the foot Of Africa Cape Horn at the low.
est extremity o. South America These efforts priD.
cpally made by England during the last forty years,
has cost much, without producing any practical or
useful results. 10 is so doubtful whether such pas.
sage exists, that the fate Of FRANKLIN may be said
to have ended the inquiry. Nor, II such a passage
could be found, through the hyperborean waters Of
the Arctic Ocean, is there the slightest prospect of
its being useful at any time for ordinary navigation
" Instead Of prosecuting the hypothetic search, in
the frigid zone the British Government contemplate
the formation of northwest land route from the At
lanc to the Pacific, in the temperate zone. The en-.
tire Of the American Continent north from the 49th
parallel Of lasitude, with the exception OF Greenland
on the extreme northeast, and Russian America, on
the extreme northwest belongs to England. The
Canhdas, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, adjoining
the United States lie in the southeast Of British North
America, Vancouver's Island, and what is marked
on the maps as New Caledonia, but lately renamed
Drtt tp1 l.. NIa D-.N.
America, also next United States territory. 1t is
matter Of public notoriety that in these lastnamed
provinces abundance OF gold has Lately been discover
ed and that Frazers River is said TO be az aurerous
as California or Australia. The climate Of British
Columbia is as temperate 10 those parts Of the Uni
ted States which it adjoins. On many accounts there
fore, it is highly eligible for colonization which 1t is
the unconoeaed purpose of the British Government
to foster as much as possible. ..,. ...
zone half the shores of Lake Superior belongs to
the United States, the remaining moety being within
Canada. The mineral treasures which abound every
where within the vicinity of this Lake have drawn
large population on the Canadian side. 1t is certain
that, ere long, a railway will thence extend to the
river St. Lawrence and to Halifax the great port of
Nova Scotia passing through New Brunswick. On
the other hand the distance westward, from Lake
Superior to Frazer River, in British Columbia (where
it falls into the Gulf Of Georgia., is only about 600
miles across The British Government seriously con-
template making line Of railway from Frazer River
to Lake Superior the continuation to halifax being
constructed by private enterprise. In plain terns,
there is to be railroad right across North America,
from Halifax to Frazer Rivera gigantic undertake
ing worthy of the wealth. the energy, and the policy
OF great commercial power.
For if this great line be made vast tide OF emil
grafton may be expected to pass over it, not only
from Europe to the shores OF the Pacific, but from
the United States also Along the route ITSELF in IA
vorabe localities, towns may be anticipated to arise,
and population to extend. These would strengthen
the southern boundary Of British North Americas.
AS matter of mere policy, England would act wisely
in securing the chance of this. 40
Let such line OF railroad be made, and the
Canadian or American could cross from the Atlantic
to the Pacific in week WHILE thanks to steam navi-
CATION the European emigrant could make the jour
ney 10 little more than fortnight. As it is, the
journey Of the latter has to be made round Cape Horn
or across the Isthmus of Panama--wastng several
weeks in Journey of 5000 or 10000 miles to reach
Frazer River. So, also, the American dering to 20
from the Atlantic seaboard to his own California
What the United States should have done-viz: mike
railroad from to ocean acros, its own terrific
ry-Grcat Britain will probably do within its own
limits Of territorial possession.