Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-04-19

The RUssIAN TEHTY.-Rey. DR.. Horace
Bushnell writes to the Hartford Coroaf,
that he believes the Russian treaty to be
ian cxccllenily good one. The climate Of
/ the region is much milier than Is generally
supposed about the same as that Of Scot
land. The fisheries are valuable. and the
harhor- are very convenient for our com.
mere hut the main recommendation Or.
Bushnell presents as follows
"What is mole important than all. It is likely
60 Ie found hereafter, that the shortest and best
way o. thi-s aud Japan is here The British
posses ous occupy short strip Of coast between
Us AMI abe territory in question. but these will
naturally --ll into oul hands at no distant De-
NOD, and If they 10 Lot cur friendly relations
viii secure us passage, as they have already
through the O4nalas. Starting then from the
western point oi Lake Superior, IN 4 northwes
terry direction, We the strike Saskatch avian coun-
try, which is the richest and best country Of
British Alescl-Aayiug abundance OF bitumi-
nous coal, comparatively soft climate, So little
ImIsied by SHOWS that q Iailrosi can be easily
kept olen the whole year. a surface SO nearly
level that it can he graded without difficulty
--t' no l'tt iH.-ANA4l SUI A1=NtA On llt
continent
Pressing still onward toward the northwest.
and Ending the climate soften. as We near the
coast, WC strike .ue or tSo rivers. certainly one.
that cuts tae Rocky Mountains range down 10
rs t4se, aui opens a gate 10 LEI Us through, and
tlen dei.eliug TO the Southwest We strike the
coast south of the great promonotory Of Alaska;
or % that is impossible. We 20 down the slope Of
the great river kwichpak, uavigable itself fer
thousand miles, and enter one Of the bays south
OF Behring's Straits.
The advantages Of this route, Ehether We
strike the coast north q Point Allska OF south
oi 10, arc CD that we encounter no mountains or
mountain passes % that We have midland
supplies Of coal and timber (3) that We avoid
the immense mountain SHOWS that will make the
Rocky Mountain roads impossible for At least
siT months in the year, and (i) that having a
line which Is very nearly coincilent with the
great circle OF the globe, we get the shortest
passage 10 China or Japan that can he found.
If It should turn cut, as appears TO he quite
probable, that we can reach the coast at the
southernmost point Of the territory in question,
cur line ofroad will be great deal shorter than
any other. and will come to ITS terminus in
about the same latitude as Glasgow
Veteran Observer writes to the Y. Y.
THrs Gs follows.
The accessibility and ease OF ,portation to
the Asatic Continent, by the peninsula Of
Alaska and the Aleutisn Islands, is such that
have no doubt it was on this route that the
Mongoi originally crossed 10 America. Hence
he descended into the great Western valley, and
met the Aztec Of the South on those great battle
fields where We now find the remains Of ancient
Notifications. But, some one will say, what is
there on the opposite side What shall we get
Of trade there, What would you have got in
the Mississippi valley seventy years ago. In
the Sea Of Okhotsk, just opposite. through the
Tartar Channel, empties the great Amoor River,
which is to Northern Asia what the Mississippi
is TO us. It's great tributaries, the Sitka and
the ATgan, rise in the mountains on the north
Of the gIeat Desert Of Cobi, and make great
and fertile district in the general direction OF
the fftieth degree OF latitude. This valley was
explored by our countrymsn, Mr.. Collins. in
whose book much information may be found.
This IS at present one Of the points Of Russian
progress. The Russians are fast pushing their
boundary toward China and are making a fine
naval depot on the Sea Of 0khotsk. They have
no possible use for the American coast, and. no
doubt, one Of their motives in making the trans
fer IS 10 get their possessions here into friendly
hands, out Of Euglsnd's way. When we cOnsi-
der the real position and motives of Russia in
making her Asiatic advances, We shall be no
longer surprised at the readiness with which
she grants her American territCry to the United
States