322
THE WEST SHORE.
In Downing the forfeiture of the laud graut for the
Cascade division of the Northern Pacific railroad, both
of the Oregon senators spoke of the strong competition
which this, and our other Pacific railroads, are likely to
Lave from the Canadian Pacific. Iu lioilW of thuir
speeches, nor in othor references to the subject, does
tliere npiear to be any exaggeration of the important
part which the Canadian Pacifio is to play in the traffic
across this continont, and the development of business
in the Northwest
This road may bo said practically to have the British
government behind it, notwithstanding the fact that
many of its securities are owned by Americans. It was
built to extend the civilization and power of England in
accordance with the policy announced by Brougham
alxut thirty years ago," to presorve the connection of
the different component parts of a great and settled
empire and connect the whole mass," the same policy
as that by which the lloman empire was consolidated,
by making all roads lead to tho imperial city. All the
ocean paths now lead to England. The route to the
East was shortened by the Suez canal, and England con.
tends that a shorter and a choapor route is now open
through the Canadian dominion, and there is no doubt
it will be used. Tho advertised time between London
aud Iloug Kong via Gibraltar and Suez, is forty-two
days, aud to Yohohama, fifty-two days. By way of
Montreal and Port Moody the run from Liverpool to
Yokohama can be made in thirty-soven days. Ou the
Eastern routo vessels must take coal at Aden or Ceylon,
which has to be carried from the mines in England or
Australia, while the local supply on the Canadian route
is abundant Taking all things into account, the extra
cost for coal, the tolls upon the Sues canal, and the dif
ference iu olimato, the Canadian route would sooin to be
the most favorable for English trafllo with Japan and
Northern China.
Although the road has been open to trafllo but four
months, five tea ships from Japan have arrivod at Port
Moody, and others are chartered. Those cargoes, how-
ever, are not for England, but for consumption in the
United Statos and Canada. The Northorn Pacific has
boon open for trafllo three years without receiving as
many cargooe of tea. The disUuce from Pugot sound
to Yokohama is five hundred miles less than from San
Franaisoo a difference of two days in favor of the sound
With a line of steamers plying regularly between the
wosUtrn turminus of the Canadian road and China, with
mail patronage in addition to all the othor favors of the
British government, it is plaiuly to be seen that the road
will have an immense advantage ovor our Pacific roads
' iu foreign commerce, which has been regarded from the
first as one of the main sources of revenue for these
road. Asa Whitney, who began forty years ago to urge
the importance of building the Northorn Pacifio railroad,
said it was M the only route which would shorten the dis
tance between Europe and Asia so as to force a changi
to it" But the Canadians have built another road a lit
tle ahortar, and, what is of more consequence, the pa
trons of tho now rival have business to give it Our
government, which has been assiduously striving to
avoid having foreign commerce, has succeeded so well
that now it has very little trade with the boat, ungusn
ships Uke our raw cotton to England, where it ia mnnu
. .. T-i , i
faoturod into cloth; then ingusn amps carry w vuiud,
Japan aud the Philippines, and return with cargoes of
tea, coffee and spices. The aggregate amount of cottons
sold by England in the East in one year is some six hun
dred million yards.
But the foreign commerce that may pasB over the
Canadian Pacifio railway will not be its only, nor its
main, support This road will doubtless play about the
same part in the transcontinental business of this coun
try that tho Grand Trunk has so long played between
Boston and Chicago. Although the Grand Trunk was
the longest road, it has successfully competed with other
linos at every possible point, until now it is one of the
most prosperous, as well as most powerful, roads in
America. The Canadian Paoifio will pursue the same
policy. It has already secured a large share of the East
ern trafllo on the sound, and is drawing business from
San Francisco. It has established direct connections
with' Minneapolis, St Paul and Chicago, and it will send
its branches down into every fertile section of our north- .
em border. It will come wherever there is business
to Seattle, to Portland, to Spokane Falls and to Helena
and its coming will also stimulate business at every fa
vored competitive point With the development of its
oriental trafllo othor roads will have to go to ita western
terminus to get a share for distribution in the United
States.
Yandorbilt need to say, when the Grand Trunk was
pressing him so hard, that it was diffioult to compote
with a road which was not oompelled to pay dividends.
The London stockholders of the road were not seeking to
make instantaneous fortunes, but to build for the future,
to extend the commercial relations of England, and so
they wore willing to have their dividends deferred. The
political importance of the Canadian Pacifio is so great
that it will be sustained, even if ita business in the early
stages of development should not be remunerative. All
these considerations give it prestige to start with, and if
the policy by which it has been opened, is continued, it
will be a mighty factor in the development of business
at various points in the Northwest It may also teach
American statesmen that foreign commerce is one of the
elements of national grandeur and wealth, that even as
great a country as this can not afford to despise.
Tub West Suorb for 1887 will be much enlarged
and improved in every respect In both ita illustrations
and contributed article it will take a wider range of
subjects, and ita contents will be more diversified than
formerly. Those who subscribe now for 1887, will re
ceive the October and November numbers, and the hol
iday issue of this year, including the handsome colored
engraving of Mount Hood.