East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1863-05-12
EAST SAGINAW, MICHIGAN, MAY H. 1863
Distances In America and Europe.

The lgnoruace displayed by foreign.
ers regarding the distance between
well known places in the United States
is absolutely surprising. A lady was
recently asked in England, or receiving
q letter from friend in Central Ameri.
ca, If she visited her often; and was
quite astonished ON learning that it was
months journey from New York
New Orleans is frequently thought to
be- days ride from New York. Liv.
ing in kingdoms Of limited areas, and
accustomed from strong national preju.
dices, to consider their special land the
favored and most important of all, they
are wont, in the absence of an inteli.
gent understanding of physical geogra
ply, to measure foreign countries by
their own. Even with all the descrip-
tive detail Of Information which this war
has brought forth, there is still an AS
tonishing ignorance of some Of the sim.
plest facts, connected with the country
in which the war is taking place. Eng.
lishmen and Europeans have no concep.
tion of the vast extent of the United
States, of the immense area that two
centuries Of civilization have transform
ed from virgin forest and savage wild
erness into land Of plenty and comfort
and refinement
Let us examine some Of the distances
and areas of country in the two cont.
nents. England is about as largo a.
the State Of Maine. Great Britain and
Ireland are as large as New York and
Pennsylvania Texas is as large a.
England ard France together. From
London across the channel, across the
whole of France, and the whole ofSpain
to Gibraltar, is just about the distance
along our Atlantic coast from Maine to
Florida, or about the distance of the
United States north and south. From
London through France, Germany, and
all of Turkeyto Constan,inoplc. and
from Berlin through Germany, France
and Spain to Gibraltar, the distance il,
in each direction about that from Maine
to Texas. From Paris straight across
the whole Of Europe to ST. Petersburg
in Russia, is about IA far ~ from north.
ern Maine to northwestern Texas
From Boston to San Francisco il as far
as from London to the Volga river in
Russia, only 800 miles this side of Tar.
tary. making distance across the
whole of Europe 500 miles beyond st.
Petersburg. 1900 miles beyond Vienna,
and a. far "a Jerusalem
All these distances are made from
line measurements Thus it will be
seen that the United States have an
area nf territory equal TO all England,
Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, Ans
tria, Prussia. Germany, Italy and Tur.
key combined
When the English lady asked about
visiting Central America, it was about
the same as if she had been asked if she
often visited Tartary. 1t is as far from
New Orleans to st Louis as from Paris
to Vienna. A Journey from New York
To Nsw Orleans would be about the
same as from London to Matlrid.
Foreigners would better understand
the character Of the struggle existing
here We're they more familiar with tho
character of the country in which it
takes place, anh the immense distance
over which troops and transports have
to pass. The coast which is now block
AIDED by U. > vessels il as extensive as
the whole sea coast of Europe from
Havre to Gibralter Not until some of
these facts are thoroughly understood
10y foreigners, will they really compre.
hend the wonderful results this Govern.
ment has accomplished in two years.