The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-12-10
.rHK DAMN DISPATCH


-.--okSJ1S-1~.x>v...4 - 49,.
~ TAr Nnmnosh steamer.
We uuders.aud that in Portland. they are tAs'hs
mes.urrs 70 .pcure visit from the colossal ITO"
.,eamer. how building IN Great Britain, and WHICH,
n apcxaee. dra~r go much water, that mere are
,niv a. hsrbors In the United States which snecan
srFss pcrt,aud and Norfolk We suggest 10 our
Noefok friends, and indeed, Il 10 matter worsny
a.. .t,s.don Of the Government # the state "
TAXA SEINE steps for bringing the great sfeamerto
norfolk II the legislature were In session. We
shoud say that liberal appropriation TOR prov'd
Inc her with suitable whArves and all necessary
accommodations. sosld be about ~ profitable an
,nxs.tnent IN the end a. was ever made oy
State. but Ia the sbsepce of leRislstive aid, the
merchants Of all the virginia cities would DO well
to unite add raise the necessary means for this de-
sirable object Cannot the Southern Commercial
Convention suggest some plan for bringing this I'M
mense ateamer to Norfolk Every one must see
a, q glance the immense influence upon the CON-
marciai future Of Virginia and the South winch
will follow the bare fact that this immense vessel
oAn enter the harbor of Norfolk with perfect ease
whilst there IL only one other harbor on the whole
North American continent which she can enter,
and that so cncompassed by icebergs and SHOWS, -
no practical value.
The advantages of Norfolk over Portland are
obvious 1t has not only deep water. and
roadstead which can accommodate the navies OF
the world bu. Is situated in the geographical cen
tire of the confederaey. and is the natural CONNER
cal gateway to all the great marts of trade in the
Un,ed States. It has q mild and delicious eli
mate itisthe nearest shipping port to those great
Southern staples on which the manufacturing and
commercial prosperity of England a. well a. the
United States depends; the ocean route from
Norfolk to Great Britain is secure from the perhs
of icebergs. The visit Of the Great Eastern to
Norfolk would bring on. all these facts and demon
straie them to the world. At present, nothing is
known in England of the capacities of Norfolk
or any other Southern port. John Bull is not
famous for the accuracy of his acquaintance with
American towns and harbors. He has rs yet
been only able to condescend to the fact that New
York is In America, but whether in the Northern
or Southern States, whether the capital Of Massa
chusetts South Carolina, or the Federal Republic,
he neither knows nor cares. Let us prove to John
that there 10 such q harbor As Norfolk, to which
the harbor of New York isn't circumstance; let
us fix the attention of his commercial men upon
this greatest seaport take it all in all, which Anne
RIGA possesses. As matters stand now, however,
what with our indifference, and the wide awake
enterprise and liberality Of the New Englanders,
it Is more than likely that the big ship will visit
Portland, never see Norfolk, and 60 back with
the convictions that Portland Is the only harbor in
the United States which can, by any possibility,
accommodate vessels of the huge proportions which
will hereafter be built the model of the Great
Eastern.