Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-08-12
CETY AFFAIRS q.
STEAM LINE TO EUROPE.

get up "a line OF propeller steamers between that
city and Liverpool; the required capital, amount
ing to 100000, to be raised by subscription in
shares OF y 200 each, payable in 8, 6, and IL
months the vessels to be of the register of about
1900 to 1900 tons, and to have extended accom-
modations for first and second class passengers
as well as capacity for large cargoes 1t is pro-
posed to put two vessels OH the line at once and
1t is estimated that eight trips could be easily made
during the year between the two ports, at clear
profit to the owners of 1850 0O-leaving fifty
three days for each steamer TO lay up for REPAIRS
&c. The class of ships Loper propeers) pro-
posed to be put on this line, are destined in the
| opinion OF enlightened shp.owners, to monopo-
| lie, IN lew years, the bulk of the carrying
trade between this country and Europe, whilstit
! Is expected they will offer such inducements to
| second class passengers as to secure the larger
| portion ofthe immense tide of emigration which
annually flows from the Old to the New World
1t is believed that all vessels of this class now
running to and from the United States are not on
ly doing well, but making money. This results
| from the cheapness of construction, and immense
saving in the working expense ola Lopez propel-
| Ter as compared with steamers belonging to the
Cunard and Collins lines. They cost only about
one fourth as much as these latter steamers, con-
| sumo much less coal, are as certain and regular
| in their movements, though not as swift perhaps
whilst their capacity for freight and passengers is
larger, owing to the great saving in space occu-
| pied by engines and Goals.
| So manifest are the advantages of vessels con-
structed on the propeller principle, over those be-
longing to the Cunard and Collins nes that
"The Ocean Steamship Company of New Eng
land" have recently entered into engagements
with Mr.. Lopez to furnish four ocean propellers
to ply between Boston and Liverpool. Each
vessel is TO be of1S50 tons burthen, to be con-
structed at a cost of $3.50, 00O,-or the whole
four at precisely the cost of one of the Cunard
steamers, $780, 00-and the whole to be finished
in the most elegant and substantial manner, for
the accommodation OF one hundred and fifty cabin
passengers, and four hundred and fifty emgrants
each. These vessels are to bear the names of
four of the most prominent merchants of Boston
and it is confidently anticipated by the company,
that they will make ths voyage to Liverpool as
rapidly as any vessels ahoat. The most impor-
tant fact, however, in connection with this enter
prise, is the material one, that the company have
| not asked, and do not intend to ask, the aid of
government in their behalf, albeit they will have to
| compete with four European lines of Steamers
one British and three American-all receiving
aid from their respective governments Can any
thing more than this fact be needed to demon-
strate the immense superiority of the propelers ?
We shou Id think not.
Since, then, experience attests the superiority
of the Lopez propellers, cannot the people ofRich-
mond get up line of two vessels between James
River and Europe twill require, say, at the
outside, capital of 100000. "The Ocean
Steamship Company of New England" have not
projected their line solely for the purpose of doing
their own business {: No, this is not the object:
they expect to render the States South of the Po-
tomac tributary to it. They expect to be able to
transport the agricultural products of the South
to Europe in their vessels, and to supply the
South with fabrics of European production in re-
turn. Will not the people of Richmond at least
make an effort to disappoint the calculations Of
these "cute" Bostonans Will the merchants
OF Virginia continue longer to be "hewsrs of
wood and drawers of water" to Northern ship
owners and Northern brokers' Ifthey desire to
attain that true independence, about which South
ern Rights Associations prate so voubly, let
them establish line of propelers between the
waters of James River and Europe Richmond
Is at least 1900 miles nearer Liverpool than New
Orleans, and we have the authority of an enlight-
ened and experienced navigator for saying-in-
deed the fact is notorious-that the voyage hither
is much less difficult, less dangerous and less
expensive. Surely, then, if line from New Or
leans ,vU pay, from Richmond would yield
handsome profit. But there are other reasons ia
vouring the establishment ofaeline of steamers to
Europe. Virginia is the most central portion of
the United States, and presents superior induce
ments for the arrival of emigrants at all seasons
of the year. In the winter, the emigrant will not
| incur the hazard of being detainedin our waters
by ice, nor will he in summer run the risk oflosng
his life by those malignant fevers which scourge
some portions of the Southern Atlantic coast.
| The vast emigration from Europe to this coun.
try alone would warrant the establishment Of a
line OF steamers, throwing out of the estimate the
heavy direct trade which already exists as we'll
as that which must inevitably follow upon the
completion of "the various and important lines of
Improvement which are fast converging upon us.'
| There is not now single steamship running
| to Europe from any port in the United States
South of Philadelphia. New York, Boston and
Philadelphia, are reaping the whole advantagere
sulting from the establishment of steam lines to
Europe, and to show the solid results flowing
from this new source of wealth. we need only
point to the rapid strides each of these cities has
made during the past ten years, in population and
wealth. The people Of Charleston, however
under the impulse of Commercial and political in \
dependence have recently contracted for the con-
sructon of two steamshipst to convey the products