506 HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



influence exercised by them in the protection of com- 

 merce, have become settled principles in military 

 defence ; and England shows her appreciation of their 

 truth, and the wisdom of her own policy, in establish- 

 ing stations and points like St. Helena, Cape of Good 

 Hope, Gibraltar, Malta, Corfu, and Bermuda. 



Again, the growing commerce of California and 

 Oregon, and the political importance of our posses- 

 sions on the Pacific, render it necessary that we should 

 have some means of rapid communication between 

 them and the seat of government at Washington. 

 This communication must be effected by the isthmus 

 of Panama or of Tehuantepec. In either case steam- 

 ers bound to Upper California and the Columbia River 

 must have one or more intermediate depots of fuel; 

 and in time of war it is important that these depots 

 be established in our own rather than in a hostile ter- 

 ritory. A glance at the map will show that La Paz 

 is nearly equidistant from the extremities of this line ; 

 and that Tehuantepec, La Paz, and San Francisco 

 divide into four equal parts the whole distance from 

 Panama to Oregon. Moreover, as this ocean is pecu- 

 liarly suited to steam navigation, a large part of the 

 commerce of the Pacific must eventually be carried on 

 in steam vessels ; and in all probability not many 

 years will elapse before a portion of our naval force in 

 these waters is of the same character. Under this 

 supposition, the importance of our possessing some 

 naval depot and harbor of refuge and repair south of 

 Upper California is too manifest to require argument 

 or illustration. 



But whatever may be thought of the value of this 

 peninsula or of the gulf as a natural boundary between 

 us and Mexico, instead of an imaginary line drawn 



