Year: 1868

always be peacefully disposed towards
China, and that its friendship is most
desirable. Our geographical position on the
globe, lying in the centre between Asia and
Europe, our vast republican empire, our insti-
tutlons, our enterprise, our peaceful policy as
regards other nations, our grand future and our
comparative proximity to China, all of which
the statesmen of that country understand well,
have had great influence in developing the
present policy of the Chinese government and
in making the United States the pivot OF its
action. And in connection with this view OF
our relations to and with China we may men
ton the significant fact that by the first article
of the treaty negotiated with that country by
Mr.. Reed, China claims the good Offices of the
United States in any future case of collision
with other Powers.


When we look at this vast empire larger
than the area of the United States and cover
ing nearly tenth of the habitable globe, with
nearly four hundred millions of population,
which is fully third of the human family, we
may form some idea of the future commerce
that must follow the removal of those barriers
to intercourse that existed heretofore. The
Chinese have peculiar civilization of their
own, and they were comparatively civilized
and great people when the nations of Europe
were barbarians. Their civilization, power and
national unity date back thousands of years
before the Christian era. China was great
empire before that of Rome, Greece, Babylon
or Assyria, and perhaps before the early
Egyptian dynasties. The Chinese invented
the compass, gunpowder, paper, printing and
other things before they were known in Europe.
They have system of government based upon
education-a sort of bureaucracy of the learned
or educated dclasses-though nominally under an
Emperor, who is reverenced almost as sacred
person. We see that it has proved both a
strong and fraternal government from the
mense population that covers its territory. The
trade with foreign nations has wonderfully in
creased during the last few years and since
some of the ports were opened. But under a
more enlarged intercourse this will continue to
increase. A concession has already been
made to an American company-the East
India Telegraph Company-to lay telegraph
cables and wires to connect all the great COM
mercial cities along the coast, and there is
reason to believe it will not be many years
before network of telegraphs will cover that
extensive empire. Steamers are already navi-
eating the great rivers, and by and by the loco
motive will fly over the plains in every direc-
ton. There is great future opening for
China and for the nations trading with her; ;
and in this future we shall have, for many
reasons, the best opportunities to enlarge our
commerce and to develop the most friendly
intercourse with the Chinese. We shall learn
soon what specific objects the Embassy has in
view; but we know now, to use the language
of Mr.. Burlingame, that it means progress.


The telegraph has informed us of the COM
pletion of the Union Pacific Railway to point
six hundred miles from Omaha, its eastern
terminus on the Missouri, and sixty miles of
track now run over the Rocky Mountains,
where only two months ago not rail was laid.
The summit of the mountains, not far from eight
thousand feet above the sea level, has been
crossed and left sixty miles in the rear of the
outposts of the working party. Ten thousand
laborers are said to be employed on the road,
and the contractors expect to complete three
hundred and fifty miles more of track before
the end of the year. The six hundred miles
already accomplished is about one-third of the
whole distance from Omaha to Sacramento;
and as the Central Pacific Company is pushing
| rapidly forward from the California side, it is
calculated that at the beginning of 1869 the
| space between the two lines will not exceed
six hundred miles, so that the passage from
the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific may be
made in ten days. The rapidity with which
this work has progressed is marvel when we
| consider the difficulties encountered, and
that nearly all the supplies necessary
to its prosecution have had to be trans
ported over long distances beyond the starting
point, and constantly carried forward with the
extension of the line itself. Some idea may
be formed of the speed of construction wher
we say that at the same rate a road might bt
built from this city to New Haven in month.


The presence of the Chinese Embassy in our


midst is in this connection suggestive of thu


trade with the Orient which railway spanning


the Continent from east to west will open up tc


us. Much of the more valuable part of tht


traffic between Europe and China and Japan


and the adjacent islands will doubtless be di


verted from the beaten track and find its way


via San Francisco and New York, to the Oh


World, while California and our Pacific Terri


tories will be literally joined to the Atlantic


States by bands Of iron. The progress Of tn


two railways which are being hurried forward
from ocean to ocean to meet each other ant


accomplish the great end in view has, therefore