Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-07-07
THE GREAT EASTERN.

The communication of Mr. A. Dudley Mann.
Washington, June 25, addressed to the citizens
of the South, completely settles the interesting
question OF the Great Eastern's port in this
country. 1t is Portland and that is a fixed
fact. In October, 1855, Mr. Mann called upon
Mr. Brunei, architect and originator of the
Great Eastern, in order to ascertain what the
chances were of ind icing him to make the
Chesapeake her destination. Mr.. Brunei
promptly replied that he could not hold out the
slightest encouragement to such an idea, mas
much as she was expressly intended for the
Australian trade, and that in her design she
had been arranged accordingly. After this in
teryiew, however, the constructor of the vessel
became unable to comply with his engagements,
an entire suspension in the construction oc-
CURED, the company became dispirited and
several OF the stockholders were inclined to
abandon the enterprise in despair, when, at
this critical juncturs, capitalists, having large
interests in the Grand Canada Trunk Railroad
proposed to provide the amount required for
her completion, upon the condition that she
would run temporarily to Portland, instead of
Australia. This proposition was assented to,
not from choice, Mr. Mann cOniectures, but
from necessity, and the Great Eastern will
therefore, as Mr. Mann is assured on reliable
authority, unquestionably proceed to Portland
as soon as she is prepared for service, which, ii
is believed. will be in October; and from thence
she may steam around to New York, (making
| the run in ten or twelve hOurs,) and remain
there two or three days for profitable exhibit
| ton. As soon as she is removed from the stocks
| the company will commence the construction of
n companion for her in the Australian line and
| the two will constitute regular packets be-
| tween Milford Haven and Port Philip. Hence
| it is thought by Mr. Mann that there is little
! likelihood that she will engage permanently in
| the trans Atlantic trade.
There would appear to be no difficulty. how
| ever, in her obtaining return cargo from
| Portland. Portland and Chicago the great
| grain market of the world. are united by con-
! tinuous and splendid railways. The railroad
| from Portland to Montreal is one of the finest
on this continent, and from Montreal there is
| water navigation to Chicago and all the vast
! depOsitiOns of grain the Western lakes
There is already direct trade between Chicago
and Liverpool, and it Is proposed to run lines
OF ocean steamers, Of eight hundred tons bur-
den, between those points. There is but one
public work in the country which can compete
with the mode by which Great Britain is carry
ing cut her vast commercial projects with the
Northwestern States. 1t is the much abused
and despiscd James River Canal. Take the
map, and look at the circultous course and
enormous distance by which the heavy products
Of the West traverse all the vast inland lakes
from Chicago to the sea, and then observe the
short, central and direct James river route,
commanding all the great Western rivers and
their tributaries, and resist, if you can, the
conviction that the completion of continuous
water line from the Atlantic to the Ohio, and
that alone, will bring Great Edstcrns to our
ports, and make Nirg ginia an Empire State
Richmond Dispatch.