The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1880-01-28
WASHINGTON LETTER.

[FI0m OIL llegaIar Cortespondent.
wAshISeroS, Jan. "a, 1880.

WASHINGTON, Jan. "a, 1880. ).
Our foreign relations are at last re-
established, and we may now con.
graduate ourselves that we have re,
newed our diplomatic rapport with
the old worlds The poet ambassador,
who has baen representing rs at the
bull fghtsan naptial ceremonies in
Madrid, will be transferred to the
long vacant post in that country.
from which we derive our language,
Literature, and laws. Mr.. Foster
leaps from Mexico to Russia, and Mr.
Morgan Of Louisiana, who has been
practicing law in Egypt, will be as
signed to the post vacated By Mr..
Foster, True, the embassies at Par.
is, Vienna, and Gonstantinople are
vacant, but the ministers appointed
to represent nssat these capitals have
not resigned they are making the
very bet use ,of their; time m seeing
|, Europe saia Tor visiting their
friends mithis country The de-
lay in filing these vacancies has
brought out the fact that an Admin
istration which is at all DESTROYS of
filing diplomatic positions carefully,
finds increasing difficulty in doing So
The use made Of many Of these
offices Of late years has made them
much less of a distinction than they
used To- be, and Americans of the
: right kind feel more keenly than
they usedto feel the dullness of life
in foreign capital, without knowl-
T edge Of the language, Or more than
official access to its best society, and
without a recognition by the diplo-
maticcorps rs professional brethren.
In fact, considering the changes
; the telegraph has wrought in the
mode of conducting negotiations
with foreign powers, and the impos-
sibiTity of making diplomacy regu.
lar calling, it is IL question whether
the work Of all the existing missions
would not be best done by u single
Minister, having his headquarters in
Paris, free to travel about, and with
consns-g general under him in the va
' rious capitals. Cable Geographic
connection with aR the world is.
every year becoming more complete.
Rates from Europe to America will
this year be reduced 50per cent
The average time Of passage between
Europe and America is being rapidly
reduced. Since the aebreviation Of
time by steam and electricity we are
closer, te England, to France, and to
Ealf other countries with which we
Ehaveimportant commercial relations
than.was Baltimore to New York, or
Boston to Philadelphia, forty years
'Eago.
Apropos of this subject, intelli-
fgence has just been received from
Panama. that work has been formally
commenced on the Isthmus Canal,
the little seven year old daughter OF
M. D. Lesseps having touched off the
fuse that blew a few hundred tons Of
g. rock from the top Of the greatest OBJ
stacle in the route of the canal on
the Ccrra Calebra range. N. D. les
seps is expected to arrive in New
York next week. It, perhaps, makes
little difference whether Ne or Ad.
miral Ammea selects the route Of the
canal, whenever we want It we can
take it. There is already afoot
plan for a 1000 mile railroad for
establishing closer commercial rcla-
tions between the United States and
South America. This road will tap,
the canal at some point and enable
US to throw hundred thousandmen
upon Mr.. Lesseps water route, if its
management shall be in any way
unfhvorable to our interests, before
the combined European powers can
embark half that number from their
ports. OF course this railroad is
Hypothetical, but so is the canal, in
spite of the big explosion, and Les
seps' boast that he can get twice the
amount required for its construction
in Franc alone. 1t is just possible
that the canal will intersect the
railroad in its attempt to intersect
the Isthmus, and prudent gamblers
will not stake much money on the
question which will first reach the
interesting point. C. AS.