Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-11-13
LIEUT.. MAURY ON THE GULF
OF MEXICO.
From DeBow's Review.l

A sea is important Tor commerce, IN
proportion to the length of the rivers that
empty into it, and to the extent and fer
tility of the river basins that are drained
by it. The quantity and value of the
staples that are brought down to market
depend upon these. The Red Sea is in
riverless district. Few are the people,
and small are the towns along its coast.
Its shores are without valleys, not river
emptying into it; for there is no basin
for it to drain. Commercially speaking
what are its staples in comparison to
those of the Mediterranean, which gives
outlets to rivers that drain and fertilize
basins containing not less than one mil
lion and a quarter square miles of fruit
full lands? Commercial cities have never
existed on the shores of the Red Sea; T;
commerce loves the sea but it depends
for life and health upon the land. 1t de.
rives its sustenance from the rivers and
the basins which they drain, and increases
the opulence of nations, in proportion to
the facility of intercourse which these
nations have with the outlets of such ba-
sins.
The river basins drained into the Gulf
and Caribbean Sea greatly exceed in ex-
tent of area and capacity of production
the river basins of the Mediterranean.
The countries in Africa, Asia and Eu.
ropc, which comprise the river basins OF
the Mediterranean, are, IN superhcial ex'
tent, but little more than one-fourth the
size of those which are drained by this
sea in our midst. 1t is the Mediterran-
can of the New World, and nature has
laid it out on scale for commerce far
more grand than its type in the Old that
is. about forty-fve degrees of longitude
in length, by an average of seven de-
crees in latitude in breadth. One is
broader. but not so long; it is therefore,
more compact. Ships can sail to and
fro across it in much less time, and
gather its articles of commerce at much
less cost.
Had it been left to man to plan. the
form of basin for commerce on large
scale-a basin for the waters OF our
rivers and the products OF our lands
he could not have drawn the figure of the
Gulf nor placed it in position half so
admirable. The Mississippi and the
Amazon are the two great commercial
arteries of the continent They are fed
by tributaries with navigable length OF
channel, more than enough to enclrcle
the globe. g., ar
The products of the basin Of the Mis-
sissippi, when they arrive at the Balize,
may, in twenty or thirty days, be landed
on the banks of the Orinoco and Amazon.
Thus, in our favored position here in the
New World, we have, at a distance OF
only few days sail, an extent of fruit.
Gnl basins for commercial intercourse
which they of the Old World have to
compass sea and land, and to sail the
world around to reach.
On this continent nature has been
prodigal Of her bounties. Here, upon
this central sea, she has, with lavished
hand. grouped and arranged in juxtapo
sition all those physical circumstances
which make nature truly great here
she has laid the foundation for com.
merce the most magnificent the world
ever saw. Here she has brought within
the distance of few days the mouths
of her two greatest rivers. Here she has
placed in close proximity the natural
outlets Of her grandest river basins.
With unheard of powers of production,
these valleys range through all the pro
ducing latitudes of the earth. They EN-
brace every agricultural climate under
the sun; they are capable Of all variety
Of productions which all the whole world
besides cannot afford. On their green bo-
SONS rests the throne OF tho vegetable
kingdom. Here commerce, too, in time
TO come, will hold its court
The great outlets Of eommeree-the
Delta of the Mississippi, the mouths oi
the Hudson and Amazon-are all within
two thousand miles-ten days sail oi
Darien. 1t is a barrier that separates
us from the markets Of six hundred mil
lion Of people-three-fourths OF the pop
ulation of the earth Break 1t down,
therefore, aud this country IS placed
midway between Europe and ASIA this
sea becomes the centre of TIE world, and
the focus Of the worlds commerce. This
is highway that will give vent to com
merce, scope TO energy, and range 10
enterprise; which, in a few years hence,
will make gay with steam and canvas
par;s OF the ocean that are now unfre
ouented and almost unknown. OLD
channels Of trade will be broken up, and
new ones opened. We desire 70 see oul
own country the standard-bearer in this
great work.
/ ADVENTURE WITH A PANTHER