Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-12-22
The Steam Belt Around the World.


Rev. DR.. Todd, in his California book, closes
notice of the Pacific railroad with this fine
portrayal Of the completed steam belt around
the world, and its influence upon civiliza-
ton -
1t was the last link needed to belt the
globe. You leave New York by steam to
Liverpool by steam on land you spin through
France by steam you 20 from France, on
the water, to Alexandria; from Alexandria,
on rail, steam takes you to Suez from Suez
to China Or Japan, on water, by steam; from
China to San Francisco by steam; and now
again the last link is supplied overland by
rail, to New York, about one-sixth of the
whole distance by this new channel. Now
the couriers of civilization can 90 around the
earth in three months. Aud tins earth-born
daughter Of strength wends her way, as we
should expect, among and through the high
est and most civilized nations of the earth
There is England, hive Of industry on a lit
tie earih-spot in the ocean, made brilliant by
a galaxy Of talent, planting her colonies all
over the earth, aggressive, massive, the true
successor Of the Roman power. There. is
France, with her artistic civilization, the Gre
ator and umpire Of taste, the queen Of fashion,
and the wonder in the workmanship of what
is beautiful. There is Egypt, land that has
ever been, and ever will be, puzzle. There
is China, with its immovable, NATURALIZATION,
abiding her time and old India, waiting for
the British people to do for her what she can
not do for herself; and here is the New
World, working out for the human race the
great problem OF human governments, indi.
yidual freedom, the highest civilization, and
the problem Of human responsibilities and
aspirations, and achieyements,--this New
World, having been the last nation to take
the torch of freedom directly from the hand
Of God, and in the best possible position, to
hold it up in the presence Of the earth and
here is the church Of God, sublimated and set
free from the materialisin of past ages, and
leaning on the breast of her Beloved as no
church ever did before
Why, it seems as if around this great
A" highway Of nations" God had gathered the
wealth, the population, the intelligence the
civilization, and the religion of the earth !;
and here are to run the shuttles that shall
weave the garments Of peace and good will,
which all nations shall soon put on. Here,
on this pathway, are to be found the elasticity
Of the temperate zone, the institutions Of
learning which are to be the school-house of
the nations, and also the pure Christianity
which is to be the leayen that is to leaven the
whole hump. Whatever Of education, learn
ing, intelligence, virtue, progressive thought,
human freedom, power to plan and power to
do, which earth possesses, is on this line of
quick communication. And can you see moth
ing but freight and cars, and the smoke Of the
locomotive7 Humanity now reyolyes around
this great axis created by man, and il is to be
the centre for the reconstruction Of humanity.
II will be the highway of commerce and Of
learning of brotherly kindness, Of the mes
sengors of peace, and of the gospel of Christ
II Is not an evidence of decay, but Of new
ife,-this mingling Of blood and when see
this great link supplied, letting in our east,
and bringing the old east-Ohina and the like
to be their west, eau see future for the
Atlantic slope, for the Inland mighty valley,
and for the Pacific slope, such as never saw
before.