The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-01-25
The Foreign News.

1t il interesting To watch the changes going ON
in the politics of the various countries Of Europe
and America. Mexico is quietly resuming her
former republican status THE United States
slowly but efectualiy recognizing her lately re-
bellious sections; England is convulsed with alarm
at the threats of the Fenians Italy wants Rome,
but dares not touch it France is evidently arming
and placing herself in an attitude TO fight if COM
PEELED to do So In every country change, ngita-
ton, and connection are witnessed, and such
would seem to be the lot of an peoples, whether
their governments are monarclical or republican.
In Mexico, the republican form of government,
under the same leader, Juarez, who presided ut
the time of the French and Austrian invasion,
has been re-established, apparently on u firmer
basis. Gen. Juarez has surrendered TO the people
the extraordinary powers assumed by him during
the reign of Macmillan, and in turn has been
reelected President of tie Republic. \ new
Congress has been chosen, which is now in ses-
sion, and has adopted the new constitution, which
reflects the sentiments and ideas Of the President
and leading men of the country. The prospects
of Mexico never appeared better than to-day, If
the reports received arc to be relied on.
The New York Herald urges Congress to
promptly pass the appropriations for the purchase
Of Russiana and st. Thomas, and says TINT I. to
be niggardly in expenditures for commercial
greatness is to exhibit very narrow minded states
manship, especially when 1T is patent that nature
has made US the geographical trade center of the
world" 1t then panders to the vanity of the
nation in this style:
We hope that the purchase Of ST. Thomas is but
the first step IN n commercial policy which will be
sufficiently broad TO meet our wants. Ii is beyond
question that nature intended to make us u great
commercial people, and We must obey the mandate.
There is but one road to success, and that is to follow
in the footsteps Of England and establish throughout
the world a regular outpost system. We must have
ut every important point that lies upon any of the
great trade channels a possession which we may call
our own, and at which our commerce may seek shell
ter in time of need, and our navy find aid and sup
plies in time of war. We never can have u solid
commercial greatness until this is done.
The next great point to be obtained is the Sandwich
Islands These, by natural cause.-the trade winds,
which force vessels to pass them, their enormou
whale fishery business, their overlooking and domi-
mating of the whole vast commerce of the Pacific, and
their constantly increasing impcrtance-are of meal
culable value to us. In time of war the great nation
holding them would be possessed of the key to the
Pacific. From the ports existing there a fleet might
dash out and sweep East Indian trade iron, the
Pacific Ocean. They are a natural outpost for the
United States, and to our Pacific trade are far more
important than st. Thomas IS to the trade of the
Atlantic. To allow them to fall into the hands of
another great Power would be for us a blow in the
direction Of commercial suicide, for such an occupa-
ton would be n constant threat against our ocean
development. Much Of our internal greatness de-
ponds upon our greatness on the sen. No statesman
viii ignore this, and the quicker our Congress turns
its eyes and brains in this direction the sooner We
shall be on the road TO national fortune.
The Herald undoubtedly reflects the opinion of
a large portion of the American people, and
whether it be wise or not to agitate it, the subject
Ii - II
attention of statesmen in America. BY reference
to our telegraphic news, it will he seen that n
rumor Is afloat that Cuba is offered to the United
States, and also that other West India Islands,
now held by European Powers, will be offered.
There Is one view of this West India Islands an
nexation subject which has not been referred to-,
winch may make IL one of greater cxpediency-
the acquisition Of them as n home for the colored
race of the South. Time may yet demonstrate that
the white and black races of the South will not
get along pcaceably together, and that it will be
necessary To apportion a separate territory some
where to the latter.
The progress of that great national work, the
overland railroad is attracting general attention,
and the extraordinary c~xertions made TO complete
it, and the success attending these exertions,
may well draw to it public admiration, for no
work of the kind has ever progressed - rapidly.
The rad, it Will be remembered, is being con-
structcd from Sacramento eastward, and from
westward, by separate companies the
one which reaches Salt Lake city first is to be
entitled to the charter for the whole line. This
Is the secret of the extraordinary Efforts to push
the work on. Both lines have reached the sum
mits Of the mountain ranges they are to pass, and
to-day the cars run from the summit of the Rocky
Mountains to New York city, on one side, and
from the summit of the Sierras to Sacramento on
the other. The San Francisco Times has the
following on this subject:
The Omaha or main line Of the Union Pacific
Railroad Is already completed n distance Of five hun
drei and twenty-five miles from Omaha, and il IS
announced by the contractors that they will have
thirty miles more completed md in operation on the
first Of January; this viii take the locomotive TO
Evans Pass, which is over eight thousand feet above
the sea, and the highest point on the route across the
Rocky Mountains. Thus, the highest point of the
two great ranges Of mountains on the route are over
come almost simultaneously, though they are n thou
sand miles apart. From the Pacific the iron horse
trayerses the summit of the Sierra Neyadas, going
east, at n height Of seven thousand and ~forty-t%o feet
within the distance Of one hundred and 1--WE miles
from Sacramento, in December; and in January we
will cross the crest Of the Rocky Mountains coming
from the Missouri. west. What n triumph for Amer
lean engineering , The two great mountain chains
Of the continent are first trayersed by the locomotive
in winter, ut a height Of a mile and n half above the
sea, and nearly within the region Of perpetual snow!
This SHOULD silence the croakers who fear that the
rigOrs II winter will seriously interfere with the use
fulncss Of this great continental thoroughfIre. The
announcement that the summit of the Rocky Mount