The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-09-28
The Washington correspondent of the Philadel-

The Washington correspondent of the Philadel-
pha Press says
Some suggestions have been presented to the con-
sideratiOn of this Government relative to ship ca
nal from Giuckstadt, on the Elbe, to keil, on the
Baltic the Isthmus of Ilolstein. The under
taking is one in which the United States are COM
mercially deeply concerned, and should not be as
tonshed if the Administration were to giveit the aid
OF its hearty encouragement. Capitalists OF the city
of New Eork, mostly men who have largely been en-
gagged in the steamship business, actuated by the
spirit of the age now apparent in every quarter OF
the world, which seeks the shortest, most expedl-
tious and cheapest routes of communication between
distant sections of the globe have dubbed their
means for the accomplishment of this grand design.
The lsthmus of llOlstein is the narrow tract OF
land separating the North Sea from the Baltic, be-
tween the mouth of the Elbe on the one, and tho
Bay of kel on the other pursuing the route OF the
river Rhyn. The distance between these points is
only fifty miles, and the distance by this route from
the United States to St. Petersburg IS about one
thousand miles less than by the present dangerous
track of vessels, by the coast Of Jutland Skager-
age, Cattegat, the Sound, and the islands of Den
mark. The route passes through level country,
from rock and hard pan, and considerable
portion Of the canal could be formed by deepening
the channel of the Rhyn. Few locks would be re-
quired. Labor, too, it must be borne in mind, is
much cheaper there than in the United States.
1t is proposed to make the canal l30 feet wide at
the top water-mark llO feet at the bottom, and 20
feet deep. The estimated cost is SG,0O0,O00.
Russia, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Hanover,
will be benefited bv the construction of the pro-
posed canal, but neither of them to greater de-
gree than will the United States. provided seize
in time the advantages it will place within our
reach.
Let us look for moment at the trade of Russia
and Of the Baltic. Russia, with 10000 GOO Of souls,
is rapidly increasing in civilization manufactures,
and in imports and exports. Her custom duties are
low. The imports and exports of st. Petersburg
alone, in 1852, were
Imports. Poal7dS Frports. Tons
Cotton. .6No o5S $50 43 S23
Twist........... 4lS4G64 Tallow...........62 81 555
CoItc............ Sl23,7OG, Potash. h........4 40 694
Sugar. 60, ,532 300 Wool .........I 10 1863
Bristes..............14,0 ,0C0
There were imported in 1852 by
DenmdFE SlUedPn
Tobacco. 92 0&+ pds. Tobacco. 2S7 pds
Cotton........ 1922 Cotton.......7 $50 ,42S =
Rice SS6 O43 Rice. e....... 2SGS tcs
Cotton twist. ,66S, ,5j7 Cotton twist / O67 72S pds
The imports and exports of Hamburg, in 1855,
were .G02, III tons of merchandise The value Of
the exports and imports of Russia, in 1852, was
SlS5, IG2, ,420 of which SsOOO0 900 belonged to the
Baltic ports In 1902 it was only s. 463 .9S5 ex-.
hibiting by comparison of the two periods the
rapid increase Other commerce. These statements
show the greatness of the Russian and Baltic trade,
and furnish data upon which to estimate the value
and Importance of the proposed ship canal