Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-09-15
THE DAILY TIMES.
Virginia Commercial Convention.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEES
Appointed by The Mercantile Contention
prepare an Address

Ire Committee appointed to repo rt to the
Convention the most efficient means of achieving
| its important objects, have performed that dute
| so far az the materials existed for proper sta
tistical exposition of the value of the trade Of
| Virginia, as we'll the facilities completed. or
In progress for its transportation to the exporting
cities of the state.
The commercial prosperity of Virginiais based
upon the employment of the Chesapeake ports;
and no project for acquiring the materials or the
means OF exportatlon can be successful, which
does not contemplate their employment.
The country tributary to the Chesapeake, pos
sesses advantages not surpassed by any other on
the Atlantic Nature has been so bounteous.
that the difficulty has been not SO much to dis
covera good site for a city but to discriminate be-
| tween the numerous excellent locations presen-
ted. Norfolk, Richmond, Petersburg, Freder-
icksburg and Alexandria, have all been established
to receive and conduct the trade of Virginia
From the individuality of these local interests
it has been heretofore impossible to adopt any sys-
tenn of improvement calculated to promote the ex-
elusive advantage of any one of the cities refer
red to. Apprehensive that the limited trade lie.
gitimate to each might be diverted to some RE
val impedim rents have been thrown in the way
of great lines of communication with the interior
of our own and other States, calculated, perhaps,
to vary the local direction of some partcu trade
but destined in the end, to compensate each Of
these cities by its dividend ola trade far surprising
in magnitude and value, any particular loss. II
evils of rivalry, will however be no longer felt
each of these cities having received line of in
ternal communication, many of which are now.
coverging to common point of union; interests
heretofore supposed antagonistic, now har-
monised in the completion ola plan common to
them all; weapons frightened by the conflict of
generous rivalry, are now welded in the achieve
ment of a common triumph. 1t is thus that the
construction of the Souteside railroad and of the
| James river Canal, make the prosecution of the
| Virginia and Tennessee Railroad alike importan
! to Lynchburg-to whose public spirit is so Target
| ly due the conception and execution of that
great project--to Richmond and to Petersburg
The extension of the great Central Railroad to the
Ohio, no longer subject of exclusive interest to
Richmond, appeals to the support of Alexandria.
The completion of the Dock Connections will
connect Norfolk with the James River and Kan
awha Canal, and interest that city in its extern
sion to the Ohio The Richmond and Danville
Railroad is upon the same principle, n work from
which Petersburg and Richmond may derive
common benefits.
Convinced therefore, that their interest and
duty alike, demand cordial alliance, the cities of
Virginia will hereafter bestow upon the extension
of the great lines of improvement here indicated,
their earnest and combined cooperation.
Since, however, the partial completion of these
great improvements have already bestowed upon
the cities of Virginia a large accumulation OF
trade, it becomes necessary to encourage the
tablishment of Commercial Marine, of sail ships
and steamers to convey abroad our own trade, and
exchange for it the productions of other nations.
The export and import trade OF Virginia is now
taxed with transport coastwise for expectation from
Northern cities; it is burthened with the charges
of Northern merchants; whilst the whole COM
NJ NIL in
as well as from the importation and supply Of the
goods received on exchange, result exclusively to
Northern capital and to Northern enterprise.
We state this fact in no spirit of sectional pre-
udice, but as consequence OF our own suplne-
ness We think it time that a trade so circuous
and a tribute so unworthy, should cease. We
should now export from, and import into the
Chesapeake cities of Virginia, by vessels owned
and manned by Southern men. No State can ex-
pect to preserve its prosperity, which does not pro-
vide for its citizens the varied pursuits in which
industry and enterprise shall receive an adequate
reward.
In estimating the present value Of the Chesa-
peake trade, so far as materials are at hand for
correct estimate, will find that the James river
and Kanawha canal, its principal tributary, contrl-
buted during the last year, S6,l23,o65 49, the
products of the interior, whilst carried into the
interior, merchandise and other articles valued at
ST 1927, 224 29.4
The business of the Central Railroad has dou-
bled within the past year, its downward tonnage
amounting to 25 900 IONS, and its upward trans
nortaton is perhaps one-haf that amount. The
Richmond and Danyille, the Richmond and Pc
tersburg and Richmond and Fredericksburg Rail-
roads, contribute considerable additions to the ag-
gregate of trade upon the James river
Amongst other important items of an export
trade, we may mention that the total inspections
of Virginia tobacco amount to $4,000 hogsheads,
of which the larger portion is shipped to Europe;
whilst the remainder, with large amount not
inspected is manufactured in the interior for con
sumption at home and abroad.
The Touring mills in Richmond, manufactured
last year 1,l73,100 bushels of wheat. and are
expected this year to manufacture ,587 100 bush
els. This -four is shipped to Rio, through North
ern houses in vessels whose return cargoes con
sist chiefly of coffee This coffee Is IN turn sent
back, in Northern vessels, to Virginia, for con-
sumption-the freights, commissions, and com
mercial profits of both the export and import trade
being direct loss to the State of Virginia, to
which this trade rightully belonged.
During the present year, however, some of the
most enterprising merchants of Richmond have
shipped nine cargoes Of flour directly to Rio, the
vessels to return to this port with hides, coffee,
and other products of South America. We
moreover informed that larger amount Of goods
will be imported this year to Richmond than has
been imported in any one year for series of
years and that the direct import would have
been far larger but for the want of ships in this
trade, which compelled our merchants to ship
through Northern ports.
During the year ending July lst, 1881, the
foreign trade of James river gave employment to
a number Of foreign and American vessels. From
a statement furnished from the Custom House in
Richmond, it will be seen that the tonnage en-
ployed in the direct foreign trade between Eu-
rope and the waters of the James river amounts
to nearly 900 TONS This amount is Itself am"
| ply sufficient to give employment TO two steam-
| ers of 1900 tons burden.
| If it were in our power to present the CONNER