With her strong naval force on the Pacific, and her military force in Australasia, Great Britain could more readily and more easily take possession of the country in dispute than could the United States.

We had no way of reaching Oregon except by doubling Cape Horn, and making a dangerous sea-voyage of many thousand miles.

We could communicate across the continent only by the emigrant trail over rugged mountains and almost trackless plains.

Our railway system was in its infancy in 1846.

New-York City did not have a continuous road to Buffalo.