The southern press., 1851-09-24
Direct Trade Between Europe and the South

virginia. ana Tie call lot flanter convention
at Macon, Georgia, have revived the discussion
concerning direct trade between Southern and
European ports.
We shall devote some time and space occa-
sionally to this subject for although it has been
much discussed for the last twenty years, we
know Of no topic which is less understood. Re-
cent events have given much greater Importance
to it, than it ever possessed before.
Within few years, and since the tariff of
1876 was adopted, the total foreign trade of this
country has increased fifty per cent, Our i'm
ports and exports, which amounted before that
act to about one hundred and twenty millions
each, have risen to nearly two hundred millions.
And this change has been, to some degree, at the
expense of our domestic trade. In 1916, the
consumption of raw cotton in the United States
was Az, 567 bales. In the present year, it is as
certained to be about AGA 900, and in this year
much larger portion must have been used by
Southern factories and consumed at home, than
before. Whilst, therefore, the foreign trade has
increased so much, and is advancing more ra-
pidly than the domestic, it becomes important
for the South to see that she gets her share.
We are not advocates of a commercial or
manufacturing policye We do not desire to in
crease the proportion of merchants and artizans
in the South. We don't believe that the wealth,
power, knowledge, morality, comfort, or indie
pendence of the South, would be promoted by
such change. We hold that the question of a
direct trade with Europe is simply one of profit
and loss determinabe by a comparison of it
with the indirect trade hitherto pursued through
our Northern ports.
What, then, is the reason that the principal
part of all the commodities we obtain from
abroad, is received at the single port of New
York-and that SO very large part of our ex-
ports are shipped at the same place One rea-
son is, that it is probably the nearest harbor to
Europe that We have which is open at all seasons
of the year. Another is, that through New
York the valleys Of the ST. Lawrence and Mis-
sissippi are most accessible to the commodities
and emigrants of Europe. These circumstances
give to New York an advantage, as seaport and
commercial town, over any other in the Union.
And with this advantage, New York becomes
the mart where there is usually greater amount
of goods to be bought and sold, than any other
place on this continent The simple fact that
she has greater assortment, secures her almost
a monopoly. For men will overcome distance
and incur expense, to arrive at the greatest va
;at I'D alunlanoa oea rti,Iay 60 .pJb
she obtains the greatest number of buyers, as
well as sellers. To such place capital will re-
sort, because there also are the opportunities of
investment greater. ..
These considerations are sufficient to account
for the commercial superiority of New York
over not only all Southern, but all other North
ern ports. But there is another, which goes to
account for the inferior size Of Southern cities.
10 the South there has always been greater ag.
ricutural attractions for capital and labor, than
in the North. TIE soil and climate are better
generally, and more congenisl TO slave labor
Hence, in the South, when merchants become
rich, they retire to plantations, whilst in the
North the reverse occurs-wealthy farmers seek
the cities and become traders. OF course, agri.
culture largely preponderates in one section
in the other commerce and manufactures ulti.
mately prevail. And because the cities and com.
merce and manufactures Of the Sonth have not
become so great as those Of the North, superb.
cisl observers have inferred that the South is
less enterprising and thrifty.
They were holding last week jubilee in Bos.
ton, because Massachusetts, had completed about
thousand miles Of railroads. Yet Virginia,
with less white population than Massachusetts,,
has already completed n thousand miles Of rail.
roads and canals, and is rapidly progressing with
six or seven hundred miles more. And in Vir.
ginia, the svarsge density Of population is about
one-tenth only of that of Massachusetts,, and
an agricultural people, like those Of yirgiria
do not require to travel half as much rs a com.
rnercial and manufacturing population like Mas.
sachusetts.
Virginia, however, has large surplus produc.
ton for exportf Europe, the West Tndies'and
South Ameri9 nd the question is, has the
time arrived ,e amount Of her exports
and imports fs>s-se enough to make direct
trade proftable-large enough 70 concentrate
the requisite capital for the purpose!
10 determining this question we must consider
some important changes on the other side Of
the Atlantic. The city Of Liverpool occupies
the same position az TO the other cities Of Eu.
rope in reference TO our trade, that New York
does I. 10 the other cities of this county,
Liverpool is nearest TO US, and concentrates not
only the articles Of British but Of continental pro.
duction we want. But Of late years, nanufsc.
lures have increased rapidly on the continent
in France, Holland and Switzerland. And the
question now is, whether a Southern port shall
send large part Of her exports via New York and
Liverpool TO Havre, Amsterdam and Antwerp
and receive her returns by the same circuit, or
60 and return direct. II must be obvious tina
the extra expense Of two transhipments on sucI
q route 4, very preat and the loss of time CON