Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 9.djvu/433

 Speech of Senator J. Semple. 405 Since the United States have grown to such vast commercial importance, ihe views of European nations have changed, in some degree, as to the benefits which might result to them from a ship-canal a.cross the Isthmus. Before there was any commercial power in America, and the fairest por- tion of it were divided into European colonies, the shortening of the distance to China and Japan was of great importance, because that nation which could secure the passage, would of course monopolize the commerce. Now there is a rival in America to all these powers of Europe. That rival is now carrying on the trade to advantage, though situated at a greater distance. The communic ation by the Isthmus would throw the American traders nearer than Europe. This will require some explanation. As the trade is now carried on, the average distance from all the ports of the United States to the mouth of the Columbia river, by sea, is two thousand miles farther than the average distance from all the ports in Europe to the same point. If the canal could be opened, then the average distance from the ports in the United States would be two thousand miles less, making a difference, in favor of the United States, of four thousand miles of sea navigation. To prove this, you have only to cast your eyes on a map of the world, and learn the nature of the winds and currents which set constantly west- ward from the coast of Africa towards the West Indies. In order to avoid these currents and the trade winds, and pass around Cape St. Rogue, on the eastern promontory of South America, every vessel going from the United States must go as far as the Cape Verd Isles, near the coast of Africa, and thence bear south and southwest to Cape Horn. Vessels from Europe make the same islands, and from thence the route is the same. From the United States to the Cape Verd Isles is about four thousand miles. From Europe to the same point Is about two thousand miles. (I speak in round numbers.) The distance from the United States to the Rio Huasicualco, in the Gulf of Mexico, is (say) two thousand miles; while from Europe it is four thousand. Thus it will be seen that the difference in favor of the United States is four thousand miles. By the present route, a ship from the United States, going to China or the northwest coast of America, would have to sail two thousand miles farther than would a ship from Europe. By the Isthmus, one from the United States would have to sail two thousand miles less than one from Europe, going to the same point anywhere in the Pacific. This makes it quite plain, that if we can get a communication through the Isthmus, the whole trade of the Pacific would be thrown into the hands of our enterprising merchants. A com- munication through the interior of this continent, by way of the Columbia and Missouri rivers, would, for some purposes, have the same effect, with only the additional costs of transportation ; while for other purposes it possesses an immense advantage over the route by the Isthmus ; for, by this way, the vast extent of country all along the route would be thus supplied with the articles of Indian manufacture, &c. I have said thus much to show the vast importance which has always been attached to the trade of the Bast Indies. "While the whole world has been, for more than three hundred years, laying plans to secure the ad- vantages of that trade, we are now debating whether we will extend our government and laws, our population, our industry, and our enterprise, to a coast within twenty days' sail, by steamboat, to that very land the trade of which has been the theme of all tongues for so many generations ! Is it possible that the people of the United States, and of the Western country in particular, can be contented with a longer delay In the occupa-