The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1857-12-04
The James River Canai-A Voice
from the West.

a gentle man of Norfolk. entitled & An
Appeal for the speedy completion of the
water line of Virginia" 1t is stated on
the cover of this pamphlet that the line
would be the great central water line of
the Union, which will reach from the
wharves of Norfolk far into Kansas, and
eventually to the very bases of the Rocky
Mountains, passing through the heart of
the Union, the great centres of Western
and interior trade, and affording to the
commerce of the vast country drained by
the upper Western rivers an outlet and
inlet far superior to any that now exists,
Or can ever be established"
This pamphlet had attracted the atten-
ton of the able editor of the st. Louis
Leader, who devotes a column of his
journal to this interesting subiect.-After
giving a summary Of the principal facts
and views set forth in the pamphlet, land
referring to the cost of the work, as it is
set forth in the highest estimate which
has ever been made, the Leader declares
that IF Virginia could complete such
canal at fourtold this cost, she ought to
go to work at it at once. She should
Immediately stop all her railroads and
other works of internal improvement, and
concentrate all her means and energies
upon the completion of this. Such
canal would at once create an entire revo-
luton in the interior commerce of our
country The great bulk of the products
of the Mississippi valley would seek a
market by this route. The channel of
trade thus passing through Virginia would
have its usual effects. Villages, towns
and cities would spring up along it's
course, and the cities now languishing or
going to decay, would become seats of
an enormous foreign commerce, and great
centres Of trade.-Then Norfolk might
have dozen lines of ocean steamers, and
Great Easterns would resort of their own
accord to her wharves. But until this
canal is completed, it is vain to imagine
that any of the schemes, which her peo-
pie have so fondly cherished will ever be
realized. Railroads alone can never
build up commercial city of the first
class, for they cannot transport those
bulky articles which Constitute the sta
pies of commerce, cheap enough to COM
pete with water transportation. Hence
it is that with the numerous lines of rail-
roads, connecting the West with the
Atlantic coast, the great bulk of our
products reach the ocean by the Mississippi
pi river and the Erie canal. A water
central route being more direct would
have an immense advantage over either
eff Virginia can construct it, she will
speedily regain that position in the Union
which she has lost Then the Northern
States will cease to upbraid her with her
decrepitude and decline Her material
development will no longer lag in the rear
even of the Southern States. The brilliant
picture so glowingly portrayed by this
author will then be realized, and Norfolk
may become the first seaport on the con-
tinent.
eve assert all this on the supposition
that the facts stated in the pamphlet can
be relied on. We are not sure that they
can be, but if they can, then nothing else
but the blindest infatuation will prevent
the statesman and people of Virginia from
pushing on this great work. The entire
West is interested in it, more particularly
the two large cities of St. Louis and Gin
cinnati, which are almost Immediately on
this line, and which would find this the
most direct line to the Atlantic ocean for
their immense trade. By such canal,
barges and boats loaded at our levees
might discharge their cargoes, without
transhipment at the wharves of Nor
folk"
The Leader then proceeds to mention
another aspect in which this central line
might be favorably regarded, viz Its
tendency to preserve the Union, passing,
as it does, through the heart of the con-
tinent, and uniting in the closest bounds
of interest the most powerful States.
Such are the views which leading
organ of public opinion in the enterpris-
ing and go-ahead West takes of the James
river canal. Will not our contemporary
be astonished to learn that the it is the
fashion in Virginia to denounce the canal
as behind the age, and to speak ofas the
"ditch, " the favorite term of reproach
which the old adversaries of the New
York and Erie Canal bestowed upon
work which has made New Yord an en-
pire?-Rich. Dis.