Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-02-13
Correspondence OF the Baltimore SUM-


The ANTWERP STANDARDIZATION OF A Low
Err BELGIUM TARFF.-There seems 10 be disposition
in the naval committee othe Senate to separate the
Antwerp line OF steamers from the bill providing for the
Shanghai line. Ibis is rather mistake. The Ant
werp line is as much needed the line to Shanghai
and promises, from the commencement, to be more re-
maneratve. Next to Liverpool there is no point on the
map OF europe so avoraby situated for the American
trade and in Antwerp we have such formidable on.
position to encounter in Liverpool. Not only is the
Scheldt accessible and navgabe clear up to Ant werp
for first class frgatss with every tide. but the docks
quays basins, &C., are the most magnificent on the
whole continent; Napoleon intended that Antwerp
should rival London, and had he continued power, he
would nave made II The first port OF Europe.
This IS not all. Besides liberal Government nvi-
ting action on our part and ready TO aid any company
that may feel disposed ulder law OF Congress to try
the experiment, we find Belgium on the North Sea the
very centre OF communicate of the whole European
continent Ii Is connected by continuous railroads and
steam navigation with London and Liverpool, with
Brussels, Ghen Lege, Cologne, Mentz, Frankfort on.
the Main, Bale in Switzerland, Strasbourg Mulhouse
Pars, Lyons, Orleans, Bordeaux and MarsejIles as
well as with Berlin, Dresden, Leipsic Prague Vienna,
Trieste, Stettn, St. Pc ersbourg Cracow, Warsaw
Moscow, Pesth, and stantinope, or with between
nine and ten thousand miles of railroad and steam ma
CATION and some two hundred millions of people,
whose commerce, instead of being direct with the Uni
ted States has now to 60 through English merchants
brokers, and bankers, before itcan reach commercial
point OF the United States.
We pay annually $l95OO0 to Great Britain for
mail seryice--at least, paid in that amount last
years ant two-thirds Of this enormous postage Eng
land earns further Continental postage of eight pence
per letter Ii the line of mail steamers from the Uni
ted States directly to Antwerp were established the
continental letters would come from Antwerp directly
to Philadelphia, to be thence distributed through the
U. S., and the u. S. would earn on that line OF steam.
ships a very large ard exclusive postage.
The Belgium Government having already made
postal treaties with France Prussia, Holland Sw liter
land Russia, England, Austria, and being the owner
OF all the principal Belgian railroads. is particularly in
situation to treat with and to grant US the largest
commercial facilities and immunities OF any country in
Europe. She Is too small power to be a rival and
being under all circumstances compelled to be neutral
The very best power trade with in case of war She
could by treaty lower her transit postage to the United
States, and the eighs her railroads. affordne our
merchan the best opportunity Of bringing their mer-
chandZe at the lowest rates to the very doors of Ger
many, Holland, France and Russia.
BELGIUM has no monopolles in shape of tobacco and
would open to trade in that article most extended
market, while the Antwerp cotton market will soon be-
come rival OF that of Liverpool encouraging thereby
new enterprises on econtnent and larger eonsump-
ton OF new staples examined here letter addressed
yesterday by B. LIE Hardy dc Beverly, the Belgian
Agent now in this city, TO A. W. Thompson, Esq the
gentleman who has memoriazed Congress to estab-
llsh that line. propose in future letter to speak of
the emigrant trade which by this route would benefit
the States OF Maryland Virginia and Pennsylvania and
the advantages that may be derived from it for the
prosperity OF those States and those States on which
they border. X