CALIFORNIAN EXTRACTS. THE DESTINY OF SAN FRANCISCO, AND THE DUTY OF OUR RULERS. [From the "San Francisco Herald."]

New Zealander, Volume 6, Issue 466, 2 October 1850, Page 3

CALIFORNIAN EXTRACTS. THE DESTINY OF SAN FRANCISCO, AND THE DUTY OF OUR RULERS. [From the "San Francisco Herald."]

It requires no prophet to predict, that this city is destined at no remote period to become the centre and emporium of an amount of trade and commerce that ages of growth have not yet given to the other great parts of the world. Favoured with a harbour unequal, led in its physical advantages— situated in a position equally favorable for the norib and the south — Oregon with its boundless resources on the one hand, with Mexico and the republics of Central and South America on the other— China, Japan, the East Indies and Australia stretching towards it from the far east— the commerce of Europe and the United States com* peting from the f*r west for its market and mineral wealth,— it is not within the oompreheniion of man to conceive the future extent of our commercial greatness and prosperity. To those who take the standards of the old world in forming their judgments, this may appear visionary and deceptive ; but to those who have lived a short time in this city — who have witnessed the progress it has made in the short space of two years, since the goldsen and first glittered on Suttir's mill-dam then a village with a couple of hundred semicirilzied Indians, now a large city, with all the appliances of modern civilization to thoss who have witnessed the three ternfic conflagrations, each of which laid a portion of this city in ashes, and the energetic movements which built up a new and more substantial city on its ruins-^there will appear in such a statement no exaggeration whatever. The past appears more like the dreamings of fancy than the realities of facts ; but the five bundled ships of all sizes that now crowd our harbor, the number of steamers plying daily up and down the bay, and from Oregon, Panama, and ihe ports of Mexico— the splendid stieets of houses springing; up in every direction, from North Beach to Happy Valley — the busy, bustling energy of the thousands of our podulation—all bear evidence of ihe stern reality of the past, and the still more startling developemcnts of the future. Under these circumstances, the question naturally arises, what duty should devolve upon us wi'h reference to such a future ? Instead facilitating this pros perity which is most certainly in stoic for us, and paving the way for its advance, are we to stand at the golden gates and command it not to enter? It is a notorious fact, that in many cases the horbor expensei, and the numerous other restrictions and impositions, are inch at would shame the authorities of a part in China or Japan. They not only eat up all the profits of the shipment, eveu when remunerative prices have been obtained, but actually bring the ship into debt. Is this not true ? The acounts current sent during the last month or two to the States will bear a truthful and melencholy confirmation. This system, then, must be changed, if the ruin of this port is to be averted. It will not do to suffer these exorbitant extortions to continue any longer. In addition to this, our wharves and quays must be looked after— the abuses of the past inquired into and removed, and the fu'ure movements of interested speculators watched and guarded against. Buoys require to be constructed to mark the course of channels and suit, able locations for vessels ; and the entire harbour placed under a system of regulations which will be free from extortion on the one hand, and afford the requisite supervision and acommodation on the other.