Gigantic Enterprise

A project we lea in is soon to be brought before Congress, which, if carriéd out, will origínate the most stupendons enterprise that has been unriertaken by l'he modern worid. - The propositian is to run a Rnüroad froni tlie Western shore of Lnke Michigan lo the mouth of the Columbia River, a distance of twentyone Imndred miles: and all that the National Government w11 be asked, will be to grant a slip of land BJXty yards wide on which to con slruct the load. This enterpriscs wild as it may appear to somc. is one destincd to be caried into exGcution sooner or later j and, if the ordinary term ofexistence is granted io us, we shall live to beliold the gisrantic achievement. The author of the present project is suid to be a Mr. YVhkney of New York, ü map of solid abilities, practical acquirements, and tnórouVh good .sense. lie eatiiiiates ihat twenty -fivo yearswil'be necessary. to complote bis design. And wben we recolJect that at the expiraiion of that time thé popiijation of this country will be fifty miljions; tliat the now silent prairies of Missouri will then be os thickly populated as Illinois is now; that the savage gorges of the Rocky Mountains will clio wilh thecluttcr of linnber milis; and that ihroughout the wholc course of the Culuinbia river ihriving vilhiges and growing lowns will have sprung tip, we cannot regard the project as nltogether the vagary of a crazy brain. The advantages of such a road are almost incalculable, lt would open a direct door of commuincalion tu Chinó, and sliorten, by onehalf, the route to that teemiiig country. - The navigation of the Pacific is comparacively so secure and rapid, that a voyagR of twentyfive days vill carry one froin Oregon to China; ten more wU suffice to traverse this vast continent; and thus, in aboiu five weeks, merchnndize can be tronsported from the factories of Cantón to the warëhoöses of New York. The shortesl voy age on record, bet ween these two points, consumed eighty-five days. - Thcre is no doubt bnt thut we shoulil cotninand the commerce of the Indies, vvhencver this gigant ie enterprise is carried into execution. And we fcel . asstircd that lefore the lapse of a century, such will bc the case. - Mr. Whitney will fail, but sonie mail of the next gencrntion wili ichieve the work.-.A'aZ's (fazniè. Knowledge is power.