Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-01-10
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.



| If be mark Of prudence, and it has long been
regarded such, to :. count the cost" of building
house before we commence laying its foundation
surely is no less necessary for nation to count
the cost" Of war before it engages in it.
The present inquiry will be limited to one branch
of the probable cost of wharf.-the effect which il
would have upon our present fourishing commerce
on the northern frontier by means of the Lakes.
This commerce has within few years mounted up
to height and consequence which comparatively
few among us are aware of. Our information re-
speeding it is neither recent full we de-
sire, but probably the following facts compiled from
authentic Sources may to turn attention to the
subject, to stimulate inquiry, and lead to the pro-
ducton of additional proof that liza war with Great
Britain would cost no more than mere derange-
ment Of this source of national wealth, happiness,
and power, the cost would be more than any proba-
BILE compensation which could be received for it.
The people of the Western States are said to be
the most inexorably bent upon such course of po-
licy as many believe would nfallibly lead to war.
Have they counted the probable to themselves of
such an issue? They are peculiarly vulnerable, in
their commercial position, to the brunt of the first
onset. We do not now speak of the invasion of a
hostile army, or the destruction Of towns and cities
by the bombardment of hostile fleet. We know
that the men of the West men of nerve, Of cool
determined bravery, and of heroic self-devoton to
their country and its interests and we have no fear
for them in any conflict in which these qualities
be put in requisition. But we also know that our
Western brethren are men of sound sense, of cool
reflection, and of calculating habits and we invite
them to sit down with us and cooly 'count the
COST or at least the probable amount of one item
Of the cost of the war in which the measures that
they are said to be urging would almost certainly
eventuate.
The Northwestern States have two outlets for
their trade to the one by the Mississippi to
the Gulf of Mexico, the other by the Lakes and the
navigable communications through the State of New
York to the Atlantic. Whether be attributable to
similarity Of origin of institutions, and habits or to
ties of consequently or superior salubrity of eli
mate the people of the Northwestern States evident
" prefer the market on the Atlantic, and they have
made prodigious efforts to reach it. Three great
canals of an aggregate length of about one thousand
miles, connect the Ohio with Lake Erie; another
deep and capacious channel, excavated for nearly
thirty miles through solid rock, unites Lake Mi
chgan with the navgable waters of the Illinois !;
they are also constructing 1898 lines of railroads
not less than fifteen hundred miles in extent, in
order to reach the lakes with more ease and speed.
I The cost of the works undertaken will exceed
/. forty-eight millions Of dollars. These public
( works are arranged on harmonious plan, bring
ing the industry of the whole people into prompt
4 and profitable action, the whole system comprising
an aggregate length of more than twenty five
hundred miles, with Lake Erie as its common
{ CENTRE"
It was estimated that in 1888 the annual value OF
agricultural products which then descended the Mis-
sissippi and its tributaries was seventy millions of
dollars. What is its present amount, and the sta
tistics of the trade of the Northwestern States
through this outlet, will be the subject of future
consideration. There is very good authority for
the assertion, that, when the population of the States
in question shall reach six millions, the exports
and imports which will be- conveyed by the lakes
will be at least two hundred millions of dollars
in value. Taking the ratio at which the popula-
ton has hitherto increased in these States a
guide, their aggregate population at this time
may be calculated at four and half millions, and
the amount of lake commerce at one hundred
and fifty millions Of dollars. The calculation does
not vary much from the result as exhibited by the
following statements, which give somewhat in de-
tail the particulars of this truly important branch of
our commerce. We can give at present, it is true,
+" but dim shadowing forth" of its value but,
imperfect as it is it deserves the serious attention of
our readers, and Of every one who desires to weigh
the consequences of yielding to the blind impetu-
osity of those reckless spirits who ruthlessy would
"cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war;"
Statistics of Lake Commerce, as deduced from Of
fetal and other returns of the commerce Of the
following places, schere the trade Of the Lakes Is
principally concentrated
CHlcAeo, LAKE MICHIGAN, ILL.-The exports
from this place in 1910 amounted to 1928 1885, the
imports to $562,lO6. In 1914 the exports were
sl,00S,207, the imports 81 ,433,ss6. The tonnage
of the steamboats, that frequented Chicago in lS43
amounted to l17,000 tons. There were exported
from Chicago in 1874, wheat S9l 1874 bushels, and
flour $4,000 barrels; equal together to 91s,494
bushels of wheat The population in 1910 was
4,470, in ls45 nearly $4,000.
MICHIGAN Cry, INDIANA-In 1888 the exports
from this place estimated at $4,000, in lS41
they were 1902, 6s7; the imports during the same
period had increased from 100000 to 1898, 1852.
DETROIT AND MIcHILMAcKINAc, MIcH.-The
tonnage of vessels belonging to the former was in
1874, l4,90l tons; that of the latter 49S tons.
SANDUsKY, Omo.-The tonnage in 1874 was
2,407 tons the exports amounted to $613,S30 the
the value of the wheat exported in lS43 was
$3.50, O23, that Of the -four $l55,l77.
MILAN AND HURON, OHIo.-The tonnage in 1914
was 2,37l tons, the exports amounted to $S25,098,
the imports to $634,7l1. The wheat exported in
1874 was 645 1876 bushels, the flour 1851 barrels.
CLEVELAND, OHIo.-The tonnage in 1874 was
H. 96 tons; the amount of exports in 1643 was
$5 500, o. that of imports 5,99l $751; The wheat
and flour received at Cleveland by the Ohio canal
in 1874 equalled 3,447 O46 bushels. The Lake CON-
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