Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1853-08-26

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can be run continually for passengers and hall
that for freight But no halfconstructed, light
ironed road can do this.
2. Directness of line-or, in other words, the
shortest distance to the seaboard from the inte
rior, is next, and perhaps the most important Of
all elements. Assuming the point of shipment
in an ocean vessel as the point on the seaboare,
and Cincinnati, central to the Ohio Valley, as
the point of departure, We shall find the fol-
lowing as the most direct attainable distances,
to the several ports viz.
New York to Cincinnati
via Philadelphia or Baltimore. .....750 miles.
via Erie Railroad. d.....................SOO
Philad'a. to Cincinnati via Wheehng.655
Bait. to Cincinnia via Parkcrsburg.. "
Charleston to Cincinnati via Blue
Ridge Railroad. d....................."6J0 So
Pensacola to Cincinnati via McMinn-
.......................-..150
New Orleans to Cincinnati via NASH
vllle.. ....-..oOV
These may not prove exact, but they repre-
sent the proportionate distances between those
places. In the order of directness, or shortness
of distance, then they stand thus:
Baltimore ..........................570 miles.
CnarleSIon..... .......'''...........'.'.'. r.
Philadelphia. .......................6o3
IenSacola.. '''''''''''''''
New Ork.. ................s........l0U
New Orleans. .........."..........o6O
The distance to Philadelphia and Charleston
may be counted the same, and those between
New York and Pensacola the same.
But some may claim, and that too, with great
plausibility, that we should measure to the coast,
the ocean. In that case, we must go for Phil
adelphia to Cape Henlopen, and for Baltimore
to Cape Henry. Measured in this way, the dis
tances stand thus:
Charleston. miles.
Baltimore
Philadelphia ......:... ...................74o
New ............"...............10U
Pensacola. ............... ...................75O
New UrleanS.. ............................9O
Measured in this way, Charleston, New York,
and Pensacola gain; while Philadelphia, Balti-
more, and New Orleans lose Unquestionably
Charleston, by being good port on the Allan
tic, may gain largely by the railroad system
But there must be more aptitude to take advan-
tage of it than there has been, before it can
be made available.
B. The next element to be considered is
grades. A high grade may be considered as
equivalent to q greater distance, and so enhan-
cling the cost of transportation. This element
must, therefore, be carefully looked into" We
do not know the grades on the Charleston, Pen
sacoa, and New Orleans routes ord she'll con
Inc Inc ourselves to the more Northern lines. The
grades on the New York, Philadelphia, and
Baltimore routes may be expressed thus:
New York, maximum. um......................50 feet.
Philadelphia, .....................50
Baltimore, ...................-l05
1t is manifest, by this statement that the Bal
timore grades destroy the advantage ofits short
er distance. These elements combined will
stand thus:
Distance. Grade.
New York. k............750 miles .......... so feet.
Philadelphia. ........... so
Baltimore ............570 ...........105
The mountain grades on the Baltimore route
may be considered as enhancing the cost of
transportation in degree equal to the greater
distance of the Philadelphia route So, also,
the fact of New York being on the coast, and
north of either of the ports, gives it an advan-
tage fully equal to that of shorter distances on
the others. Thus viewed in light there is no
great advantage on the part of either port
will work with superior capital; Philadel pha
has more intimate relations with the Ohio Val
ley, and Baltimore has closer alliance with the
South. The competition for the central trade
of the West, between these cities, is a fair one
open to a vigorous contest and no very certain
victory to either.
In looking further south, we find Charleston
with good harbor, and, counting from the
coast, the nearest to the Ohio Valley. IF Charlie
ston can pass the mountains with favorable
grade, and can exert commercial energy
worthy of her position, there is bright desti-
ny before her. This depends upon herself
Still further south, Pensacola has the best har-
Dor in the Southwest, and may yet aspire to the
trade of the great Gulf The line from Pensa-
cola to Cincinnati will be very direct
The distance to New Orleans by railroad
will be hardly more than half that by the Mis-
olSSlppl, anu tHuSd new highway aIt. Il new
world will be opened up to her enterprise.
We have omitted one of the best harbors on
the coast, and one of the nearest to the Ohio
Valley, because we have seen no efficient means
taken to promote the connection. We mean
the port Of Norfolk. Ultimately, there may be
a line in that direction.
The great States of their interior will have
their seaports. Which of them NAV become
the Londons and Babylon of America will be
by their own energy in entering
and securing the new field, and methodist of
Already New York, Philadelphia,
Boston, and Baltimore have poured forth mil
ions upon millions, to construct the iron high
ways of the West. Nor is it expended in vain.
The West open new granaries with each year,
for the supply Of hungry populations; and opens
her storehouses, in return, to receive the fabrics
Of foreign art. These are the utilities of COM
merce, producing all the harmonies of peace,
and developing the Industry of nations Rail
road Record.
ROGER A. PRYOR, Esq, whose famous arti-
Gle in the Washington Union on the subject OF
Russia was the cause of so much feeling, has