, 1859-03-04

Pacific naval station at Victoria on Van
couver Island-a similar scheme of Russian
aggrandisement upon the sea Of Japan-a
project believed eminently practicable for
telegraph and perhaps railway extension
from Moscow to Japan, and telegraph
thence by the Aleutian Islands across the
North Pacific to Sitka in Russian Amer
ica-these, and other events Of no less sig
nifcance have transpired within the half
year Just closed almost within the Con-
gressional recess. Certainly, Senators and
Representatives cannot be insensibe to the
Importance of direct connection between
the leading Atlantic cities and the scenes
Of such imposing events.
Passing from the topics thus enumerated,
aud whose relation to the immediate sub
ject may seem rather remote, we urge upon
the attention of Congress some additional
considerations in favor of semiweekly
mail on the proposed route
lst The southern boundary of Mime
sofa is in latitude 43 degrees and 80 min
utes Extend that parallel to the Pacific,
and the belt of the territory enclosed by
the British boundary on the north, would
be traversed by the mail route under con-
sideration. The river systems revealed by
the maps within these limits afford the best
evidence, that the entire area has q fall of
water, ample for all the purposes of agri-
culture. With this important fact fully
considered, the basins Of the Columbia, the
upper Missouri, the Yellow Stone, the
James, the Sioux, the Sheyenne and other
tributaries of the Red river of the North,
are unquestionably adequate for the organi-
zatiOn of eight first class States. While
the Great Plains between Minnesota aud
the Falls of the Missouri, and also the in
terror valleys of the Columbia, will consti-
tute vast grazing ranges, the Rocky noun
talns themselves are destined to witness
more animated combinations of industry.
The valleys are fertie-the winters are
mild-useful and precious minerals abound
the hills are clothed with valuable woods
water power is abundant, and there,
upon the crest Of the continent, population
may be expected to concentrate more than
upon the Great Plains. Let Government
secure to the emigrant wagon road and
regular mails TO this most beautiful and
salubrious region, and the next ten years
will witness at the Falls of the Missouri the
same transformation, which gu equal
period, just passed, has wrought at the
Falls Of St. Anthony.
I'd. In the more Western valleys of the
Rocky mountains, several Indian tribes,
half civilized by their intercourse with
Catholic Missionaries, own large droYes OF
horses-these animals needing no protection
in winter and finding sufficient sustenance
along the margins of mountain streams.
This is the case, even at Fort Benton, two
degrees north of st. Paul, and situated at
the eastern base Of the Rocky mountains
Contractors could always obtain horses
from the FlaIheads, Nesperces or Kooto.
nais Indians at moderate cost and when.
ever necessary The Crow and Blackfeet
Indians, who inhabit the eastern valleys Of
the Rocky mountains, have n breed Of
horses, noted among trappers as superior
to the animals found among more southern
tribes. The Northern route has a great
advantage, in this respect, oTer the Central
or Southern.
Sd. There is an abundance ef water, for
the use Of man aud beast, a: every point
of the route. We have already referred to
the general aud sufficient fall Of raiH-as a
consequence, springs and rivulets are always
accessible.
4th. The hostile Indian tribes of Wash.
ington Territory have been elTectualy sub.
dued by the late military campaign. Par
ties who have recently passed without mo-
lestation from the navigable waters of the
Columbia, to Fort Benton, on the Missouri,
report that the Indians in the Bitter Root
Valley and elsewhere, are very desrous
that regular communication should be
established by wagon roads and mail car
riers between the head Of navigation on the
Columbia and the Mississippi States.
5th. The distance from St. Paul and the
western end of Lake Superior to the shores
Of Puget Sound, as ascertained by Gov.
Stevens, is in round numbers 1900 miles.
On the southern route, the distance is 2795
miles from St. Louis to San Francisco; and
the average speed is 100 miles a day. We
are justified in fixing the time of the tran
sit from Minnesota to the Pacific at eigh-
teen days.
9th. With our Minnesota experience, we
unhesitatingly assert that northwestern
winter, with its moderate but permanent
snowfall; the frozen streams and marshes
the subsidence Of the wind at seasons OF
extreme cold; and the increase of animal
vgor, is advantageous to an Overland
Mail Service. One fact is most unques-
tionably established, that the winters ore
less rigorous at all parallel points west
ward Of our boundaries, than in Minnesota,
growing sensibly milder with every degree
of west longitude, until, at the sources of
the Missouri, as already stated, horses and
cattle do not require shelter. The mail
route from Dubuque to St. Paul, over the
prairies of Northern Iowa and Southern
Minnesota has been served hitherto during
the winter, very successfully, aud no por-
tion of the route to PuVet Sonnd is moro