The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-02-06
Steam Comma nication between England
and the Southern states of this Union.

-
Steam Communication between England
and the Southern states of this Union.
From the London Economist Dec. u
In taking general view of the condition Of the United
States Of America and OF this country far regards
commercial Citations. Is impossible not TO make
division Of the Union OF the former. the pursuits OF
the people similar TO those OF this country and
ate CT the home population that every year must
make them more and more our rivals than our custo
mers. While. on the other hand, In the southern and
IN States the capital and labor OF the coun
try are almost exclusively employed in raising those
productions which either DO not raise at all or which
raise in insufficient quantities for our consumption,
but which all essential the existence Of popu
aiion and our manufacturing industry la the northern
half CT the Union manufacturing industry has already
far advanced that they have large surplus to dis
pose OIL while their population has increased 50 much
ina, .hei growth OF produce Is barely
ern and western States. the case Is reversed Their
commerce Is in grain cotton rice and tobacco, which
hid fair to occupy their labor and their capital proha-
bly, for many 10 come that manufacturing OF any
kind /, not likely to be adopted to any extent.
II Is not difficult then, to understand the striking dis
tnction which has been Of late obvious in the views
and tendencies Of the Southern and the Northern States
their external The Northern States have felt
twoiod interest maintaining the principles Of pro
lection As long as Great Britain excluded the produce
OF the South and West and long America equally
excluded the produce Of Great Britain by high duties
the manufacturers of New England had twofold ad
vantage in such mutual restrictions They limited the
market for American produce kept the price artifcisly
lower and enabled the manufacturing States TO be sup
Piled with food lower, in comparison with their
rivals in England, than natural circumstances would
worraHt while such restrictions, the other hand
gave them o more exclusive command over the home
marke aud enabled them to enforce higher prices from
the Soulhe and Western States than they could have
done under fair competition. But those twofold I'D
vaDtages to the Northern States have operated two
fold disadvantage to the southern States The latter by
the operation OF these restrictions on each side Of the
for their produce in the home market much below it's
real value, under free trade in England while, at the
same time, they have been compelled to pay much
higher price for gil they require to purchase than they
would do under free tede in America The restrictive
thus clear twoiod advantage to the northern half Of
the Union, while they have equally been twofold loss
to the Southern and South Western States II s then
matter Of surprise that the abest and cearest headed
men In America have long that this system Of re-
sctions commerce to be persevered in the diver
sy interests between the North and the South must
before very long time, lead to separation Of tho
Union. The policy of England. in the adoption Of free
trade hes remov ed half of tho obstacle 10 preser
vaton Of the Union. Let the Sou hern states OF Ame
ca see that the policy of the Union removes the other
But whatever policy England and America may pur-
in the future and taking for granted that the force
Of events will compel both countries to persevere in the
free trade course which have nearly perfected and
which America has already begun ii 10 obvious that the
intercourse between Great Britain and the Southern
IL is the Southern States that must raise cotton our
rice, and tobacco II is the southern and Western
.ions is that division Of the Union that must from tho
entire absence OF homo manufacturer become the great
American market for our goods. The highway to this
great market tho Mississippi and its numerous contri
buting The capital OF this great natural div
sion OF the Sates-he lap into which the productions Of
these States with which intercourse rapidly
and to such unlimited extent, increase under free
trade must be poured through the Mississippi and is
hume Gus stresms-is the port of New Orleans. That
city must become the great entrepot for British manu-
features destined for consumption IL that part OF Amer
and the chief place Of shipment Of all those products
which England will take in return. II becomes then,
with reference to the future matter Of the FIRST conse
quence that every possible facility shond be afforded in
our intercourse with that important centre Of European
trade
The city Of Now Orleans is situated on the Mississippi
the entrance Of this noble stream there is bar called
Ito Bsze so shallow a. materially TO have inerersd
hitherto with the navigation Of ships heavily laden nth
cargoes Of gram -four provisions Even for the
ton trade particular construction Of ship has been
found needu, with hatter bottom than usual. to pass
easily over this bar which the rapidly OF the stream
would render it Irui,less effort TO remove. This cir
cumstanoe and tho fact that there 10 harbor ut the
mouth of the Mississippi has hitherto prevented the pos
sby of any direct inte recourse by and much
curaiied that by sailing ships with New Orleans The
want OF more perfect and direct intercourse has been
long felt TO be serious grievance by those more imme
ds,ey connected with this trade, and especially with
respect to the transmission Of letters which Is tedious
time the letters frsm New Orleans come by the
Boston steamer, and only requires to look at the dis
route 10 understand the cause Of The frequent delays and
d,sappoptments to which parties are exposed The dis.
from New Orleans to Boston 10 7o3 miles, and the
mail Is COW eyed in the following manner
From New Orleans to Mosile, by steamer ...... 100
from ock,on to Monty emery by staging. 800. Ia
| From Montgomery to West Point, by railway 6U
From Wea Point to Atslsn,a, by staging ...... iso
from Atasnta to Augusta, by railway. ....... Ia
From Augusta to Charleston do ............ lS6
There 10 = branch railroad that goes TO Savannah,
VIZ: the Macon ana Western railroad, l0l miles
to Macon and the Central railroad, 100 miles TO
Savannah.
From Charleston 10 Wilmington, by steamer. leo
| From Wilmington to Walden. by railway. 1911
From Waioon to Richmond, do. los
From Richmond to Washington do. and steamer. oO
! From Washington to Baltimore, by railway. -
From Baltimore TO Philadelphia, do and steamer. III
| From Philadelphia 10 New York, do. do. ....... ~
From New York to Boston, do. do. ......... $50
1893
In looking TO this extraordinary distance and the nu.
merous changes Of conveyance, from steamboats, to rail
and from railway to stsgecoaches, and consider
ing that tie sailing s IN many cases upon open lake:
exposed 10 all the vicstudss OF weather. axis much
Tor American energy that tho as perfect
as IL is
American government of magnificent harbor, between
Cat leland and Iso Apre within Lake Borgne and only
promises to get rid Of the difficulty hitherto experienced
IN the direct Intercourse with New Orleans, not only on
account ofhe bar Of Bazs but also on account Of
great cost oftowng ships New Orleans, distance Of
ITO miles This harbor, With essy access from the
at all times contains water yns from thirty ofy
feet ard is protected eli rides by land beauty uiy
oeded so that vessels may ride With the greatest safely
IN all stdtes Of the Ueafher From the harDor to Bayou
on the mainland distance Of twelve miles, and from
Bayou to New Orleans 10 distance of fortys six miles
making in ALL distance Of only fifty eight miles from
Cat Island harbor to New Orleans instead Of one hun
drod and ten miles by the present Objectionable and d
cult route up the Mississippi Already has railway
been commenced from New Orleans to Bayou and, with
tho exception Of twenty miles, is either now, or will
very shortly be- in operation and arrangements will be
made to between the railway at Bayou and
Cat Island harbor with small eamers that in reality
the city OF New Orleans brought into exon
with hne safe harbor, open at ali times to the sea- by
railway and steam navigation covering a distance OF
only fifty miles, and occupying not more than three
| hours.
The advantages Of this discovery, and is ultimate
importance 10 tho trade of this couDry in opening
more direct communication with New Orleans, and the
interior OF the country too obvious to be dwe upon
reference to the map will at show these advsnts
ges in q striking light.
Iii in tho fest place proposed that the West India
steamers, which at present pass within four hundred
miles Of Cat island harbor shall call there for passengers
and letters, on their way outward and homeward The
proposal too, we believe has been submitted to the
Lords Of the Admiralty and, as we understand has 50