The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-23
The writer Of the report remarks--

The writer Of the report remarks-
The foregoing statements show that, while the
cities Of Baltimore and Philadelphis have made o
rapid advance in population, their foseign COM
merce has remained nearly sta&aonaxy for q long
large foreign ccmmerce can only Be maintained by
city that 10 able TO make berse the depot Of the
domestic products Of the country.
This supremacy Of New York, however, it is
added, has been derived mainly BY means Of
the Erie Canal /; and railroads are now proving
themselves superior c0nveyances. Other States
and ports therefore, from which railroads have
been constructed, or are In progress, may
shortly be expected to compete With New York
for the Western trade; and she Is herself
actively preparing for such competition.
whichever State may be the victor Ia such
struggle, the world ut large ard especially the
Western States Of the American Union, can
scarcely be the losers and we may anticipate,
as its sure result, further developement Of the
resources Of that great country.
The efforts Of the Southern States to attract
towards their ports the produce collected in
Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and On
tario, with the magnificent rivers which empty
themselves into the Gulf of Mexico, have rival
led those made by the Atlantic States; and their
success has been little, if at ALL less signal The
district through which the Mississippi and its
tributaries run, bearing upon their waters the
material wealth of an almost illimitable extent
of soil fitted for cultivation, is thus referred to
by Mr.. Calhoun, in his report to the Memphis
Convention, appointed to devise measures for
improving the navigation Of the Western wa
ters:-
Looking beyond to not very distant future,
when this immense valley-containing within its
limits 100000 square miles, lying in its whole ex
tent in the temperate zone, and occupying position
midway between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans,
uDequaled in the fertility ard diversity of its pro-
ductons intersected by the mighty stream, includ.
ing it's tributaries, by which it drained and which
supply a COL inuous navigation Of upwards Of ten
Thousand miles, with coast, including both banks,
Of twice that length-sball be crowded with popu-
lation, and its resources fully developed imagina-
ti0n itself is taxed in the attempt realise the mag
nitude OF its commerce.
The route by which the produce of the West
reaches New Orleans, les chief port of shipment,
is thus described by the same writer -
The order in which the several collection districts
on the lakes and rivers Of the interior are shown
commences on Lake Champlain, from which II ex-
tends up the st. Lawrence river and Lake Ontario
to the Niagara river; thence up Lake Erie, the De-
troit river, and Lake Huron to Hichilimacknac;
thence up Lake Michigan to Chicago; thence across
the Mississippi river, and down that stream to New
Orleans, thus extending on natural line Of inte-
rior navigation. which has but two slight inter
ruptions, from the waters Of the Gulf OF st. Law
renee to those Of the Gulf Of Mexico, distance Of
not less than 1850 miles, upon which is employed,
for purposes of trade and travel steam tonnage Of
69,166 TONS The Ohio basin forms Of itself cross
section Of 100 miles in length. embracing simply
the districts on that river, and its tributaries.
Thus, in point Of fact, the largest and most
densely populated portion Of the American terri
tory, with only two interruptions-the first oc-
curing ct Lewiston, where the route IL by land
for short distance to Buffalo, in order to avoid
the Niagara falls, and the second at Chicago,
where the Illinois and Michigan Canal is adopt
ed-may be fairly said to be insular its shores
being throughout capable Of being approached
by steamers ranging from 400 to / 100 tons. In
proof Of the Importance of this natural feature
Of the Northern Continent in promoting nauti-
cal enterprise, we may state that, from recent
inquiries, it appears that {" the entire strength
Of the steam marine of the lakes and rivers of
the interior consists of 765 vessels, measuring
204,725 tons, and employing 1867 persons
as officers, crews, &C." This IL in addition to
sailing craft, slooRs, barges, DC, employed in
the lake traffic. The tonnage of the lakes, of
all descriptions, so far as it can be accurately
ascertained, was in 1920, $500 tonE; in 1880,
10000 tons; in 1S40, $4,000 tons: and in 1850,
it had reached 215,7 tons
1t will scarcely appear surprising that, with
such facilities of communication and transport
for their commerce provided In every di-
rection, the progress in population and wealth
of the States situated in the great valley
WessHoiu VI tuc AiAcBnuuy mOuut6luS 10 Tue
lakes, and upon the Gulf Of Mexico. has been
greater within the past few years than the pro-
gress Of those occupying the Atlantic slope.
Commencing with the city Of New Orleans-the
chief port for the outlet Of their commerce-we
find that its population was, in 1900, about
5000 in lslO, II ,242 in 1920, q, l76 in 1880,
46,3l0. We have now arrived at the period
when steam navigation on the western lakes
and rivers had begun. to produce their effect.
In ls4O, the population was 1913, and in
in 1850, 125,00O, including its suburbs. The
following table exhibits the value of property
received from the interior at New Orleans,
during the last eleven years, of which we have
complete datas =
I n-42. ...................... .$45, 7160 l5
AZ 43. Observation-Disclosures. 53,72S054
1S43- A. Observation-Disclosures. 60094,7l6
ls4445. Observation-Disclosures. 57,199,122
ls45-46. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 7,l93464
ls46-47. 9O,033, 1855
1s47-4S. ...................... 79,779,l5l
1s4s-49. .............. 81 $50 ,692
ls49-50. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 96,S97 s73
ls50-51. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. LOG 1924 ,0s3
lS5l-52 05,05l ,70s
The exports from New Orleans of domestic