Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1894-07-03
Australia and the American Conti-
nent.

"eAh3 thb AOAAAhS WobSAo VI bnO
Pacific Ocean are three great Eng
hsh speaking communities which
events of a recent date threaten to
bring into marked and important
rivalry. Hitherto San Francisco,
upon the shores of America, and
Sidney, upon the shores of the
Australian continent, have inter-
changed products to large aud
profitable degree, and helped to
maintain, by steamship facilities
and personal intercourse, that
friendliness which always has pre-
vailed and probably always will
prevail between the United States
and the Australian colonies. By
this trade end passenger traffic the
City of the Golden Gate has ben
eftted largely, while the line of
steamers running between that
city and the Australian port, has
possessed a pleasant aud profitable
monopoly. But these relations,
though SO long subsisting, are, of
course, subject to change, and
movements now transpiring in the
northern part of the continent, and
in Australia, seem to indicate
readjustment of present condi-
tions.
1t is announced. that confer
ence is to be held in Canadafor the
purpose of bringing together the
statesmen Of the Antipodes and of
Canada in consultation as to the
best means Of increasing inter
course and travel, promoting trade
and transportion, and developing
cable and steamship facilities. In
1880, when Canada commenced in
earnest the construction of its con-
tinental highway--the Canadian
Pacific Railway Australia was
becoming better known and its
people were regarded as an impor-
tant Commercial community, as
well as the trustees'of vast hidden
wealth in gold and other minerals.
But though the new railway was
expected to prove a most valuable
chain in the link of British inter-
communication and a vital impe-
rial factor in the carriage Of troop
and armament to the east, it was
hardly considered as being more
than a possible aid in a dimly dis
tant future to the development of
trade and commerce with Austria
liza.
The present phase of the cues
tion has developed suddenly The
simultaneous growth of the Do
minion and Australia, the con-
struction of the Canadian Pacific
Railway, and the natural tendency
of that powerful corporation to
reach out further, laid the founda-
tion for something of the kind.
But the result has been hastened
by the incidental effect of the
American tariff policy in shutting
out Canadian products. and there
fore forcing the Dominion to look
abroad for markets and CONNER
cial allies. And then the dense
ignorance concerning Canada has
lately been somewhat corrected.
Formerly British America was
supposed to be a vast inhospita-
BILE region, with great lakes and
rivers, pine forests and snow clad
mountains, where winter reigned
the greater part of the year, and
the people had a hard, though
healthy struggle for existance. Its
public sentiment and policy were
thought to be gradually drawing
it into the arms of the neighbor-
ing Republic. But beginning
some half dozen years ago, events
gradually dispelled erroneous be-
liefs in both countries and opened
the way politically to relations for
which material development on
either side Of the ocean had been
apparently laying basis.
If the expectations based upon
various considerations are realized,
California will be the first part Of
the United States to be affected,
and San Francisco, with all its
wealth and stability Of greatness,
the first center to feel the compe-
tition. 1t is not probable that the
result will be serious, and, at the
worst, it would be felt mostly by
special interests; but just now ev-
cry interest tells upon the general
welfare Of the community. And
the future effect of this rivalry