New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-09-07
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

The regular monthly meeting of the Chamber OF
Commerce was held Thursday, the 9TH inst, at the
rooms Of the Chamber, corner Of William and Cedar
street, PELATfAH PERT, President Of the CHAMBER
occupying the chair.
The following gentlemen, proposed at the previous
meeting were elected Samuel Churchill, G. Godfrey
Gunther, Henry W. johnson.
Mr.. Samuel d. Babcock was elected a member of
the Committee Arbitration, in place Of Jonathan
Sturges, whose time had expired.
The President announced that Judge william
Marvin OF the United States District Court of Florida
who had been appointed 10 represent the Chamber at
the approaching meeting in Glasgow of the Society
for the Promotion of Social Science had accepted
the appointment and had taken his departure on the
25th ult for London and Glasgo =, via Liverpool.
Gen. PROSPER VI. WETMoRE called the attention of
the Chamber 10 the subject Of the establishment Of
mail facilities between the Pacific of the United
States and Asia, and which he deemed Of great in
portance TO the interests of American commerce. Dur
ing the past few years three OF the largest empires oil
the East had been opened to US, and American CON-
merce was extending itself largely. Oar trade with
Siam, owing ~ reduction OF tunnage duties by that
Government had been benefited last year a half mil
lion of dollars. Through the agent OF our Govern
ment, treaty had been effected with China b. usasA
able measures and not by the operations Of war. aud
it was ns'wal therefore, 10 suppose that while
other nations were at war with ner we might
secore profitable trade. The intercourse with
Japan, too, was developing itself, and was
rapidly extending. He had heard that one housa in
this city had received the bills of lsdng of 10 900
chests of tea from that country YET with our impor
taot interests there, American merchants could only
communicate with their correspondents through the
mails OF other countries, passing through Europe aud
through the lshmus OF Suez. Was that in accordance
with the spirit OF the age-a spirit which ought 10
actuate an enterplisDg nation ; This country
was entitled TO take the first rank among COM
mercisl nations, and yet che had no means
OF communicating without the use OF for
egn mails. The war between China and England
had existed two months before it was known in this
country, while il had been known in England within
forty-hve days Again: ths country WAS 70 become
the financial and oommercia center of the world. On
either side of the Pacific, where existed gold mines
which exceeded all other contributions Of the soil in
the precious metals kno 10 u.s. the side was be-
longing to England and the other to this country. 1t
an inevitable necessity that the foreign trade reach
England over this ointment, 80 that IN our COM
meTce with the East instead of merchants going
b London and buying the bills of the Barring Brothers,
with which 10 buy teas, the English merchants must
come here TO buy our bills, founded upon mining
wealth, with which 10 make their purchases in CHINA.
Should we wait supnely until San Francisco est ib-
Gshed the mail COMMUNICATIONS IL would be done by
that city OF ten years growth unless anticipated
them.
American commerce. Mr. Wetmore nreed. could
not be properly protected unless by communication
regularly established, and no commercial mau would
venture 10 send ship abroad unless he could re ach
his correspondents with Instructions and this we could
not do unless through foreign mail bag; and u
known that recently an entire mal-bag from this
por. was stopped in London, because hadozen let
ers in it were not prepaid.
Again, II had been announced that railroad commu
nicsIion bad been commenced 10 connect San Fran
cisco with the Washoe Silver Mines and which would
be completed in two years. The silver produced by
those mines would reach San Francisco, and il would
thence 60 10 China, or il would be used TO furnish the
capital upon which commercial bills would be dra gn
for use III China. These the general considera-
tons which would doubtless be presented more effect
lively by the Committee, the appointment Of which he
proposed by the following resolution:
Resosd That In the judgment Of this Chamber uIgen,
necessity exists for the establishment early day OF meal
facilities be,w, the Cities Of Ban Francisco CaodiA and
Shanghai In China with connections at III por.s
y The intrests Of commerce may indicate