Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-08-08
Direct Trade with Eur0uc,


upon the Virginia and Tenneese line. called
Bristol, for the purpose Of considering a
mong other questions, thatofa dlrcetSouth-
crn trade with huropo, through means Of
gigantic steamers TO ply bet8eess JiIiold
Haven in England and some port upon
Chesapeake Bay. At tins meeting, WM
BALLARD PRESTON was appointed agent to
represent TO the owners of the Great Eas-
tern the advantages of running that ship 10
Norfolk in Virginia in preference 10 any
other American port Shortly after their
adjournment, however, it was discovered
that the owners Of that vessel had entered
into contract ly Which she was to he run
to Portland, Maine, in connection with the
British North American RalwaY. This
fact was communicated 10 our public bF
Mr.. y, d. Mann iii letter in whirh he
gave up all prospect of securing her upon
This new line. II would seo,n, Therefore,
that so far as this vessel is concerned, 7l4
Preston's agency has already proved a fiat
failure. Still. however, the newspapers
continue, from time to time, to mention the
fact that he is engaged in making prepars-
tons for visit to Europe in connection
with the subject Of a direct trade 10 Vir-
ginia Indeed, we observe FROM the New
York Herald, that he has actually rome -
How he is to effect such result by such a
visit We are left TO conjecture. Probably
some other large steamship is being built
whose owners Mr.. Preston's persuasive clo-
quenee may induce to send to Virginia. -
OF this, however, We are aet advised We
are inclined to die opinion that however
magnificent the failure to ret the Great Eas-
tern upon the Southern steam ferry line the
visit OF Mr.. l.. or any other agent 10 Eu-
rope, as the means Of establishing rerma-
ncnt line of steamers of gigantic proportions
between the waters Of Virginia aud any
ether European port. is destined, for the
present, to prove more so. How can such
= visit effect such result The very fact
chat II is necessary 10 scnd agea an agent
out 10 persuade the ship owners 10 sead n
vessel to Norfolk proves thai tie subjects Of
commerce DO net exist there in sufficient
quantities to justify the undertaking For,
Il freights were to be had at Norfolk, no
sane person will doubt but that the vessels
would be there also TO carry them off That
The fseights are not there and cannot he
sent there, If they exist ia the country tnib-
utary TO Norfolk, by ear present Bail Road
facilities, is obyioua-ia confirmation of
which our readers will gecolleet the fact that
the agent of French line some time last win
tcraddrcsaed letter to Gov. Wise, proposing
on behalf of the Company he Represented,
10 run steamships to Virginia regularly from
Havre or any other French port which
might be designated but at the same time
said that it would be necessary, in order to
justify his Company in doing so, that the
State Of Virginia should pay to them annu-
ally the sum Of $3.50, 600 This, we pre-
sumo, was in the neighborhood Of the loss
which he supposed they would incur by run,
ming to a Virginia port, to which by the or
binary course of trade and in ihe present
unfinished condition of our public improve
ments, they would never have thought OF
doing, We hardly think ii will be conro-
verted ,shen we say that there is not now at
Norfolk sufficient freight, nor can it be sent
there in sufficient quantities with dive rcgu-
larity at all seasons TO reimburse such an
expenditure as is necessary to send great
steam line to that port. Nor is there any
such concentration of business and capital
at that point as to give them the reasonable
prospect of having frcights out from Europe.
We humhly conceive, therefore, that the
Rail Road companies recently in council at
Bristol, and their efficient agent Mr.. Pres
ton, have gone to work in the wrong dircc-
ton. To car apprehension the true means
of establishing direct trade with Eunope is
to get up nc home, in the first place. tie
trading cQpitat-we mean the articles which
enter into commerce, and then such I'M
proycments as will enable us to lay them on
the seaboard at all seasons and in suitable
quantities.
This may be done by completing our va
rious rail roads, turnpikes, canals, &C., and
concentrating the leading lines upon some
such city as Norfolk. The extension west,
Of our Rail Roads, will stimulate agricultu-
raj production, manufacturing enterprise.
and all the industrial interests of the State,
which viii give an increased supply of the
whcrewltilal that enters into a foreign trade
They will also tap the rich valley of the
Ohio and place within our control many of
its streams of wealth. With such an inn
retus given to our people, and such increas-
ed facilities Of getting to market, we will
soon be able to put at Norfolk freightage
enough TO excite the competition Of all the
carrying lines in the country. When this
shall have been done vessels will come to
lis from every quarter, not only Of our coun-
try but of the commercial world, anxious to
lake o,r prO1uctions wherever we may do