The southern press., 1851-09-17

miller, and specuator, to hold on to their pro-
duce with the opening of navigation in the
spring, ani they are no.longer obliged, as for
/ mtrly, to hurry off their shipments during the
winter by the way of New Orleans, in order TO
!. realize funds b. drafts on their shipments. The
bar king facilities at the East are doing as much
to draw trade from us as the canals and railways
which Eastern capital is constructing.
. "All the lead from the uppsr Mississippi, now
goes East 10y the way of Milwaukee But the
most recent and astonishing change in the
course OF The Northwestern trade is. to behold,
As Il frel tells us, the number Of steamers that
now descend the upper Mississippi, loaded to
the guards with produce, as f'r rs the mouth OF
Illinois river, and then turn up that stream with
their cargoes, to be shipped to New York via
Chicago.
"The Illinois canal has rot only swept the
whole produce along the line ofthe Illinois river
to the East. but il is drawing the products from
the Upper Mississippi through the same channel:
thus depriving not only New Orleans, but ST.
Louis, of a rich portion of their former trade"
To this we may add the fact that cargoes OF
corn have been recently shipped from Iowa,
down the Mississippi, along the Illinois canal,
by way of the lakes, to the city ofNew York.
! The cause Of this astonishing result may be
thus explained.
Artificial lines afford not only the most speedy
means oftransportation, but the unity and system
i of their administration gives them great advan.
tage over the efforts of individual enterprise
They have a basis of travel and mail monopoly
which enables them to discriminate in favor of
any specific article of commerce, the factorage
and financial results Of which may be sufficient
to generally indemnify them for the abatement Of
freight whilst the revenue of the improvement
Is sustained by an increased charge upon bus
ness not subject to connection, or by the large
amount Of trade which they command. These
exclusive resources, rapidly, certainty and safe
ty of transportation, with the power Of discrimi
nation that has enabled these great lines to
wrest from the Mississippi so much of its pro-
duce.
To establish the capacity of artificial to com
pete with natural lines, we publish the follow
tween New York and New Orleans for the trade
of the Mississippi.
NEW YORK AND NEW ORLEANS IN WESTERN
TRADE.
NeD York Population, Canal Trade.
J840 2,42972l &c 303,S92
1850 3093,Sl3 l56,397,929
An increase of % pr cent, in population,
and $50 per cent. in trade, by canals, in ten
years. ..... .s'
Produce of Ws.t received by New York Canals.
1912 $22 ,0l3
1850 55474,937
An increase Of l45 per cent
Produce of West receired al New Orleans.
1912 ..... S43,7l6045
1850 96S97873
/ I'm of n
parative increase by N w York of 25 per cent.
over New O.leans in Western produce in 5
wears In the three years, l848, l849 and
! 1850, the receipts at New Orleans BY river were
| 2,3l2,l2l bbls four at New York. 8.6362O7
! bbls. Pork: New Orleans. 536 Sl7; New
| York, 2ll0l8 bhls. Beef: 900 9Gl bbls New
Orleans. New York, 264,072 bbls. Wheat.
/ New Orleans, S52,497 bushels; New York, s.
1913 759 Corn New Orleans, 9,75S,75 bush
els; New York, l.l7s, ,228 bushels. Bacon;
| New Orleans, 1875 millions pounds; New York
| 26 millions, Lard: New Orleans, 293 million
pounds; New York 81 millions. Butter: New
Orleans, 8 million pounds New York, 81
millions, &c. g.. :.
| We have adver'ed to these well established
| Cac s, and explained the rationale of their opera.
| lions, to show tiat the trade of Northern cities
is derived by artificial ways from the great pro-
ducing Valley Of the West--lfthis be the case
If productions prefer the lakes, railways and
the canals ofthc North TO the river and gulf ont.
! rt-.whv should not the produce of Western Vir-
gina, which almost circumnavigate their own
State, which pursue a distant indirect and unsafe
line of transit, repete with every danger Of river
cape and coast, prefer the direct commune tons
through Virginia. and the more congenial des-
iny of encouraging our own ports? There il
no reason. Their anxiety to complete these
artificial outlets proves its praciicability.-
! the vast aggregate of trade, now existing ia
| Western Virginia, destined 70. Atlantic cxpor.
tatiOn, may be safely added TO that which we
have already demonstrated rs sui oct 10 be EN-.
poyed in this great enterprise. We may safe
ly say, that If all the existing commerce of Vir-
gina, for exI ortation, could be collected in her
own Atlantic ports, it would not fall short OF
twenty millions of dollars, nor would her con.
sumption of merchandise be lcss. Besides this
the very organization Of commercial facilities
would guarantee an immense accession of min.
eral and agricultural productions
| In this connect n, we must press upon nll in
terested the indispensable importance of provid-
| ing for the Improvement Of the James river, the
common outlet Of so much Of the Chesapeake
trade Its distractions affect the trad, Of Nor
folk, Richmond, Lynchburg, and Kauawha and
each of them are alike interested in securing the
4 perfect navigation of this noble stream. Your
committee have not chosen 10 awaken contro
versy by designating any particular mode by
which this shall be done; they are aware that if
the interests now appealed to, shall be convinced
Of lis paramount Importance, the means will be
readily devised for its accomplishment. The
able and comprehensive report Of Lieut.. Stans.
bury, which we have embodied in an appendix
will prove the entire pFncticnbty Of this work
and the moderate means 10 be employed in its
completion.
We may properly add 10 these resources,
which are di ectly derived from Virginia alone,
the products of the States connected with her,
by the lines of improvement now under con.
| strnction. Tennessee and Kcnlncky and North