The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-10-14

FOCUS TIE trade currents OF the entire world are
last flowing. In proof Of this the San Francisco
trade Is but small Item towards the support
OF the Panama Railroad Tho whole west
coast OF Spanish America is its present life.
This Spanish American trade our government
has heretofore blindly refused to foster, while
It has almost been ignored by our commercial
men. 1t might easily be developed to on extent
sufficient to support two or three transits like
the Panama road. When will our government
open Its eyes to this TRUTH This Spanish
American trade will have an immense growth;
but as 1t grows so we must be prepared to turn
It towards tho United States, where, for geo.
graphical and Typographical reasons, it may
easily be made to flow.
But the trade grasp Is greater ihan North
and South America II means Asia on the
right Of US, and Europe on tho left.
Their whole commerce, counting annual
ly hundreds of millions Of dollars,
must pass the narrow isthmus that connects
the two halves of the Western continent From
New York to Calcutta we save, via Panama,
four thousand one hundred miles over the
Cape Of Good Hope route. In the same
manner eight thousand nine hundred miles are
saved in the passage to Canton and nine thou
sand six hundred to Shanghae. Considering
the Cape Horn route for oil this trade, there is
a still greater distance saved via Panama.
Official data carefully compiled, gave, in
1857, the value Of our trade with the countries
bordering the Pacific at 500, ,6s7, while
tho va1ua IF kha fonno0n rarn or,nlnyiu,
in that trade was $92,S74,25O. If, now, we
consider the risks attending the Cape Horn
and Cape OF Good Hope transits the time con-
sumed, the loss on merchandise, extra in
surance and interest on values, we might
save enough every year from the United States
trade alone to build an interoceanic railroad or
cut a canal Letus add to the trade OF the United
States the English and French trade that would
pass the isthmus ii commercial lines we're
opened by railroad and canal. This English
trade is computed at S139 1884, 1884 annually
the value of the ships. s5l ,464,75O. The
French commerce that would seek this route
is SCI, 21O,609; the value of the French ships,
S8,136,75O The total value, therefore, Of the
commerce Of the world that demands an
opening to pass the isthmus Is S467, 1881 ,130.
The total yearly saving to the worlds COM
merce would be, according to q very reliable
estimate, $40, ,203. This estimate relates to
the normal time when our commerce was -four
ishing. The increase now on the part Of
Europe balances the decrease on the part Of
the United States; and, as regards the whole
world, the estimate is reliable for to-day.
One fact is evident-it is that we must break
down tho barriers that stand in the way Of
the development of the worlds commerce.
American energy must do it If Americans
would reap the great advantages that are
certain to accrue. No petty, jealous ideas
any one enterprise should hamper
the progress of another. The Panama, the
Honduras, tho Nicaragua, the Costa RIGA, tho
and the great route which should
run from Vera Cruz across Mexico, will all be
loaded to their fullest capacity as fast as they
can be completed. New lines will bring new
trade to the existing ones and q broad view
of commercial wants will show that to conflne
our ideas TO single line, Is to give but . petty
limit to our brains. Not only the railroads,
but the canals should now receive forward
impulse, for 1t is water transit betwee2-the
two oceans which in great part promises tho
royal yield to CONNER shich we have esi-
mated. Where can our government find
better field for its legislation Where can our
men of enterprise find better nold for their
energies!