Year: 1859

its promises of lucrative reward. AT the presep


time hfty vessels are regularly licensed to engag,


in the duty of rescuing vessels in distress. aut


thelf supervision forms an important part Of the


Admiralty jurisdiction attached to the United


states District Court for the district in question.
IL such are the commercial advantages of the
proposed ship canal, when simple reference Is had


to the trade between the Atlantic and Southwest


ern States, it is hardly necessary 20 add that, il


considered in connexon with the projected rail


road across the Isthmus Of Tehauntepec, il would


Is like manner tend great, to lessen the dis


tance and facilitate the communication between


10th these classes of States and those lying on the


Pacific coast. The Isthmus Of Tehuantepec


wonld thus be made the shortest and most direct


asti Is the most natural route Of transit for the


transportation of passengers and commodities


from one seaboard Of the Union to tho other Not


only would great saving Of time and distance he


effected, but all the annoyauces of the Panama


route, whether arising from the anarchy Of its reg.
ident population or from the unheathfulncss of its
it's climate, would be turned by the shorter march
OF our commerce and left no longer to hang on the
skirts of its interoceanc movements. If we re,
joieed in the completion of the Panama railroad,
much more may wo rejoice in the actual construc.
tion ct railroad across the Isthmus Of Tehuante.
pee, which latter becomes only more valuable
auxiliary TO the commerce Of the country when
considered as q connexion and pendant of the ship
canal to be cat through the northern neck of Flor
ida. single glance at the map will suffice to
show the great commercial importance of such q
combination.


Acd the strategic considerations 10 favor Of such
q ship canal are no less suggestive and momentous
in respect Of national policy than of commercial
development If once completed it would remove
all those grounds of apprehension which, whether
with or without reason, are founded on the posi-.
ton held by the Island of Cuba as the "key" Of
the Gulf of Mexico. To our ears this designation
has at present more the sound of catch word
than the expression of fact, but even if it were
admitted that Cuba occupied post so important to
the military defence and maritime preponderance
of the Confederacy, it requires sagacity to see
that these objects would be much moro effectively
promoted and secured by the proposed ship canal
than by the acquisition ard occupation of that is
land. By such q stroke OF policy the Island Of
Cuba would, TO oil intents an6 purposes be drited
as our correspondent says, entirely outside the
path of our national progress, and would no long
er stand as "a rock Of offence" in the eyesigh
of aur politicians constraining them, in tho abun
dance of their patriotic ZEAL espouse extravagan
schemes for the purchase of this dependency from
Spain. For if it shall appear that the said ship
canal will better subserre the ends proposed by
.hese statesmen, and cost much less we are sure
hey will be ready. in common with prudent men
IT all parties, to forego the acquisition of Cuba at
cas-, until the feasibility of this great work has
'een moro maturely considered. With these intro
luctory remarks We commend the subject to the
attention Of our readers.n hopo the suggestions of
'ur Mississippi corresr may lead to the fur
her discussion of project which in all it's rela.
ions is so full of promise to the true aggrandize
nent and safe developemens Of the country.