THE GATES OF THE PACIFIC.

Southland Times, Issue 615, 7 January 1867, Page 3

THE GATES OF THE PACIFIC.

Position, aided by facilities of com- J muiilcatiou, are the keys to political ; greatness. WiUiout them, English 1 genius for colonization might have been j barren of results, and our history more j than a blank since the time of Columbus , and Kaleigh. Whatever power possesses the Gates of the Pacific, for ex.iuiule, can threaten our possessions on the North i "Western Continent of America, in Australasia, in China, and even in India, and endanger a trade of priceless value to the j industry aud capital of this country. I Then, what and where are the Grates ! which command the nearest roube to j those most thriving portions of our empire ? There ere two. One is in the possession an; 1 under control of our friendly rivals, "' c United States. This | is the railway across the isthmus winch ! I separates the Pacific from the Atlantic, . running from Colon on the Atlantic to j j Panama on thePaeific side. The other Gate, j I which at presetit exists only in design, is pra-jt-' 1 "" ■'• the possession and under the comrol of Kngland. It opens a route across the State of Nicaragua from Pirn's Bay on the Atlantic side side to Kealejo on "the Pacific side. Of the two Gates, British presents the greatest physical, as well as the greatest political advantages ; and we are glad to observe that the influential meeting, held the other day in the City of London, determined upon measures preliminary to a speedy execution of the design. Admitting without reserve, the signal benefits that have accrued from the Panama route, it must be conceded that the Isthmns, which "seems provided by a beneficent Nature to afford the means of passing from one ocean to the other, has not yet been fully utilised. It is true that the Panama Eailway is short ; but it is excessively dear — so dear as to be practically closed to many most valuable departments of trade. It is unhealthy — so unhealthy that none but those who are not effectually acclimatised dare remain longer in the region than the four or five hours required to make the transit. The coast on each side is inconvenient and perilous to shipping. But those drawbacks, which would be fatal to any other railroad, are encountered by hundreds of passengers, and used for thousands of goods, almost every day, in preference to the stormy passage round Cape Horn. The result is, an annual return of profit to the fortunate shareholders, of which j there is nojexample hi any other railway \ in the world j for being the road that

J " "" " ." ■■" commands the speediest access to the most distant places on the globe, alike from there the cuarters, Europe, Asia, and America, there is no alternative left to the enterprise of the day but to use it. We do not grudge the shareholders the snlendid returns they are receiving upon their investment?. They are entitled to them, for they bore the heat and the burden, some of them literally, of the days before, and during, the construction of the line. Bnt w.« contend that the Isthmus is not utilised to the extent that the necessities of the world on each side absolutely require. Nature never intended it as a barrier, but as a bond; and as one route is manifestly inadequate, it is eqnally inauifi-sfc th'nt the time has ar- j river! for oHier portions of the Isthmus to be utilised for t7i.it great and beneficial , purpose. AVh-.t; power is better entitled to the honors :",v\ re\v:>r!s of such an enterprise thnn Orev-.i Bi'ikan ? The opening i«P °m other Grate, then, is the works to w'tv.-h the co-O;>eration of ibe capita iats of En'»l- n iis earnestly invited. We li;ive briefly described the physical afiv;!nhv>es of the Nicaraguan ' route in nfuir .•:••. -osne of the incon- i : wniencips of the Riicimii route; and it will be found from the. proceedings of the meeting referred to that it proffers commercial advunt":~p. i ? in the concession from tli3 G-ovornnient tar superior to those eujovrid by i-iie rivai route. There are free j grants of land, minerals, and timber, immunity in certain cases from fiscal obligations, and in fact nil the privileges in the power of a liberal and progressive Government to concede for the full and rapid development of the resources of the | country. Tlio question, ih »n, presents ! itself in two aspects. These are, the inestimable benefits to the capitalists, who become the owners of this second Gate, from its use in opening the two seas to each other ; and the not less direct advantages proceeding from the liberality of the Nicaraguan G-overn-ment out of Niearaguan resources proper. Now, as to the natural endowments of the country, they are second to none of the Central American republics. It abounds in all the varied and luxuriant staples of the tropics; all the precious and useful minerals are found there ; and within the boundaries of the enormous I space of more than thirteen hundred ! thousand acres, the land and all below it ' Avill belong to the owners of the second Grate. — BuUionist, 27th October.