The New York herald., 1865-05-29

] those we meet witA even in New York. .Thiz
fact Is suggestive, s.ul indicates . wbolesomc
return to the former condition ofyhings with
| tie "Mother of States" which, forgetting her
once happy maternity, assumed for time the
character of Saturn, wko.wss wont to devour
his own offspring. G-e
Opening OF the suez CsnaI-Its Future
Results.
wc publish to-day fuller account Of the
Opening of the Suez canal ON the 7th of April,
by the delegates from tho Chambers OF Com
merce of all the world, together with a his
tory Of this great enterprise, which ia destined,
when finished, to affect 80 materially toe COM
merciaI interests, not only Of the Old World but
Of the New. The junction Of the Mediterranean
and Red seas will when the canal is completed,
bring Southern Europe to the very door Of
India, and. being entirely French work, 1t will
of course, rebound greatly to the glory and
prosperity of France. The Southern ports of
the French empire, such as Marseilles, as we'll
as those Of the whole Mediterranean coast win
be immensely benefited by it, as they will be-
come the sntrep5ts for the commerce of the in
terror bound for the Indian and Pacific oceans
The advantages to this country in our traflc with
India, China and japan may be easily com
pretended from the fact that the distance from
New York to Bombay will be decreased seven
thousand Eve hundred miles. Hcretoforeiwe
have been compelled to reach our Pacific coast
and the rioh lands Of India and Chine by
sea round Cape Horn; just as England can
only connect by sea with her Indian possessions
by doubling the Cape Of Good Hope. An this
old fogy mode of navigation will be abolished
when the Suex canal becomes navigable for
ships Of large burden. ,s. st,.Ar r,,.nr
1t is a noticeable fact that in the construction
of intermarine communications France has
ALWAYS affected the idea Of canals; while Eng
land, like ourselves, favored railroad connec-
tons. While we were confined to tho Panama
Railroad to cross the isthmus the French con-
ceived the scheme Of the Nicaragua canal, TO
put which plan on foot the celebrated hr. Felix
Belly was sent out there by Napoleon. The
Tehuautepec canal Of our own conception, like
the Nicaragua, never came to anything, and 80
we are still dependent for an overland route
upon the Panama Railroad The distance
across the Isthmus Of Suez is not much more
than that across the Isthmus Of Panama. Geo
graphically considered, the two schemes were
alike. England was in favor Of q railroad to
Suez, and it will be remembered that the Eng
lsh press has from the beginning opposed the
canal scheme of Louis Napoleon. II has been
sneered at as an impossibility, and remon-
sirated against as a danger, at the same time.
II was urged that with such means Of COM
munication at her disposal, France could send
feet from Toulon, and before the news OF its
sailing was known It would be investing the
most prominent ports Of British India. The
same would be true of our fleets IL we had a
navigable canal through the Isthmas of Pan
anna. We too, in case Of war, could start from
Pensacola and be laundering at the gates OF
Bombay and Calcutta in short time.
I The London Times predicts that the Suez
canal can hardly be made available, because it
is constructed upon shifting sands; but it ad-
mits, at the same time, that whether completed
or not, or whether 1eets can pass through 1t,
"the French acquire a'footing there upon tie
most central and commanding point Of the Old
World" and that the Power which occupies
position on the isthmus can at least maintain
force there in the face Of three opposing con-
tinents, and stop the road to India" The
opposition Of the British press to the French
plan can thus be readily understood. The
London Times, however, insinuates that Eng
land would have approved Of the work
only that it had to be constructed by slave
labor, and son that account alone she
could not take part in the work." We
wonder the scrupulous Times did not think
of that idea when It was supporting with all its
influence the cause Of American slavery in our
late rebellion.
The canal, however, is now constructed. The
waters OF the Mediterranean commingle with
those of the Red Sea. Africa is an island.
The southern coasts Of Asia, with all the islands
in the South Pacific, from japan to Australia,
will soon be approachable without long and
dangerous voyages round Cape Horu, and the
Cape Of Good Hope-for At takes only twonty-
fonr hours to 60 from the MediterapeanNto the
port Of Sucz; and, however much England may
squirm at the point which France has gained
in stopping the road to India" oil the rest Of
the civilized world will rejoice at what must be
regarded as great triumph of science and
an agent Of commercial enterprise.
4 l--------------------- .I...
Next Fourth or July DAY OF NATIONAL
THANKsoIvMG.--We have mentioned the fact
that Thursday next is to be observed as day
Of national humiliation and prayer. This being
probably the last chapter Of our nations lamen-
stations on account of the rebellion, we may
now look for some days OF joy and gladness
We therefore expect proclamation from Presi-
dent johnson appointing Tuesday, tho 4tb
Of July next, as day of national Thanksgiving
and praise, in glor6cation for the suppression
Of the rebellion, the restoration Of peace, and
as humble token Of devout thankfulDcss 10
Providence for still preserving us as na-