American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-10-17
Correspondence OF the American Telegraph
PORTSMOUTH. Oct. Is. 1851

| TO The Editors Of the American Telegraph
GENTLEMEN; The splendid ocean steanl-pa packet
q Roanoke" Captain Parrish, arrived here this
morning on her return trip from the city Of
Richmond, and proceeded to land the freight
intended for Norfolk and Portsmouth. This
accomplished, she left our harbor about half
past ten o'clock, with large number Of pas
sengers bound to New York This boat usually
makes Norfolk from New York in twenty three
and q half hours, sooner by several hours than
the time made by the "City of Richmond" one
of competing line, owned and projected in the
same city. | understand the Company owning
the Roanoke intends putting ON the line, as
soon as practicable, another boat of the same
class and speed, which will increase very ma
terially the facilities already afforded our mer-
chants and the travelling public, in reaching
| the great business mart of the country These
boats-and the line of propellers established
some months ago, and now plying between this
and Philadelphia via Richmond city-are des-
tined to affect materially the business of the
Baltimore Steam-packet Company, who have
enjoyed for series Of years the exclusive travel
| through, via Baltimore, to the more northern
cities, and at prices to suit themselves.
One arrangement of the Roanoke's, which is
particularly embarrassing to the merchants here,
needs remedying, and can be done without the
least detriment to the interests of the Company;
it is this The Roanoke arrives here as per
arrangement on Sunday evenings. She lands
her passengers and proceeds at once to Rich
! mond, with the entire freight Of Norfolk and
Portsmouth on board and does not return again
until the Wednesday or Thursday following,
when she lands what of right should have been
done on her first arrival in our waters. This
is exceedingly annoying and embarrassing to
the business men here, and should be remedied
by altering the day of departure from the city
of New York, remaining in Norfolk sufficient
time to land the freight, and then leaving for the
city of Richmond. This arrangement would
meet the wishes of those interested, without in
the aggregate creating any loss of time to the
boat.
We have also, as remarked above, two fine
propellers first class boats) plying between
Philadelphia Norfolk, and Richmond, which
are doing fine business, both in freight and
passengers These enterprises, | am sorry to
say, are entirely Northern in their origin and
prosccution-no interest being held or felt i'll
them further than the facilities they afford
either here or in Norfolk. This, you will say,
speaks badly for the enterprise of our people ;
admit it, but cannot promise any reformation
Whilst we sleep, others profit by the peculiar
advantages that nature has so lavishly bestowed
upon us.
The ladies of ST. Johns Church contemplate
opening u fair in Oxford Hall, on Tuesday
evening next, the proceeds of which are to be
applied to the liquidation Of the debt now rest
ing on that church This beautiful little edi-
hce, situated on Court street, was projected by
a few individuals under peculiarly embarrassing
circumstances; but through perseverance, and
being enlisted in good cause, they have near
ly surmounted their greatest difficulties, and
are now in prosperous condition. Their min
lister, the Rev. Mr. Chisholm, is the pride of
his flock, which is rapidly increasing. May
success attend this audable effort of the ladies,
as it did on similar occasion, and for the same
object. Yours, &C., NADEL.