The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-12-01
THE STEAM LINE.

We learn that the opponents OF TINS Dill,
while they admit that there will be plenty OF
exports, say that there will not be '"oof's
enough to keep up the line. Pr'md J0e'e we
.hould suppose that line, whose terminus
communicates with port connected ny ran
road with 1903 000,0 900 of people, the larger poi'
lion Of the communities which they form heing
largely engaged in manufactures-one OF
whose stopping places is Dover, only TWO
hours and half from London, and another ha-
yre. communicating directly with Par's' ana
,b,o,oh Paris with the whole Of France, could
scarcely fail to command large back treighls at
every trip. But, in addition to this, we learn
that at least ten millions of foreign goods are
used in Virginia, alone, every year, and that oil
these only five hundred thousand are import
ed direct from Europe. Nine million and
half are received from New York the state OF
Virginia paying her every yeara heavy pfe''i-
um for importation. Let us suppose 'ia' '"'
projected line only takes one'haf OF 'h'7 '''po''
tatiop, and that the consumption does moi III
srease. either ofwhich suppositons we regard
as reasonable Surely an importation OF four
and half million is amply suthclent toJustiiy
The construction ola steam line.
But the consumption must increase. Iwen'
~ millions in American goods are consumed
annually in Virginia. Is it possible to believe
that some of these would not be displaced by
the goods of Belgium and Germany, five had
direct communication with those countries
The States of Germany are prepared TO buy
cur staples to any amount, PROVIDED they De
enabled to pay for them in their manufactures.
Now, we ask, when we have direct trade with
these countries. furnishing goods ofevery de-
scripiion, as good as England or any portion
of the continent can furnish them to the New
York importers, is it not morally certain that
they must, in the end supplant the New York
importation, upon which we are obliged to pey
so heavy premium?
With regard to immigrants, this is most
important item. The Collins line is the only
line of ocean steamers that has not made money
and it has failed 10 do so, because it had made
no provision for freight Or immigrants. The
Government of Belgium guarantees 500 lmmi-
grant passengers per month, which, at S4O tor
The passage, secures at once the sum OF ~. 000
dollars. This is avery good beginning at any
rate, if it be no more than beginning Now:
the mail service will be worth at least $l5,0 600
mir Thomson's estimate) more. There, then,
We have $4,000 for the trip, the whole expen-
ses of which, judging from the expenses, per
TIP, of the Niagara and Europa, the last, lar
gest and therefore most expensive of the Gu
nard line, will not exceed $50, 900. All over
that sum is clear, and if the ships export or inn
port nothing whatever, but merely sail back
and forth with the mails and immi grants, they
will clear, on each passage, $4,000, that is TO
say, allowing six weeks to voyage, $4,000
per annum. Admitting that each carries out
80 first class passengers, and brings back as
many, at 500 head, we have an addition OF
$4,000 per trip, or $4,000 per annum. Add
this to $4,000, and we have, making no allow
ance for freight, $64,000 per annum for one
ship, or for the three, 1892 600 per annum, the
interest, al per cent, on $3,20O,000, or IL per
cent. interest, within fraction, on the required
sum of 81 ,625 600. 1t is thus impossible that
the State, or the Stockholders can lose dol
lar, even though not one dollars worth of
freight should be shipped in or out.
We have read the bill with some attention,
and really we cannot see how the State can
lose any thing by this operation, though we
can see how she can make money. We can
readily enough, too, see the inestimable bene-
fits that would flow from the direct trade, to
the whole Commonwealth.