Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-04-06
For tie ENQUIRER,
For Tie En9n''eT.
LETTERS,
oHTHR IMPROVEMENTS, RES0URCESAND con-
MERGE OFlpIRGINIA.

LETTERS,
ON the IMPROVEMENTS, RES0URCESAND CON-.
MERGE oFlplRGLNIA.
No. I.
THE CHrsAPEAKE sAY-iTs sUsLIhITY AND GRAN.
pEUR-Irs GEOGRAPHICAL lup COMMERCIAL Po-
sITIoN.
The most practical business man tue closest calcu.
lator-even the worshipper Of dollars and cent?
must feel glow of satisfaction when he considers the
magnitude Of the prospects which are here present
sd-the chances to make money. Speculation. how
ever runs wild, and the spirits OF adventure and Of
enterprise are dszzled and COMPOUNDED by the immens
~ of the desigr which Nature has here displayed,
by developing and concentrating the mighty and in
exbaustible resources of almost half the continent.
Man either shrinks back, aweG srd insignificant,
from the task or RISES Titan liz to the inmozta when
he attempts to combine those magnificent works OF
Nature with the GLORIOUS monuments Of lis art the
accomplishment of which enables him to grasp the
attributes OF Divinity, and subject the very elements
to servitu6e The achievements of modern science
puts to shame the isbc wonders of the gods, and ole
Yates our race high above tie position assigned ID
the mmortsls by the darker agos--&ocye the widest
yts Of fancy, tho most exaggerated iinns1ostlons
II may be- however, a wise dispenHation Of fro7
dence that this gradest and greatest OF American
terprises has been left for day when our strength il
equal to the task, and when the developments of ouI
internal resources are equal Ia the demands ana
the means otherwise great design for building ur
the emporium Of the Bay and inviting the com
mercs of the world to greater metropolis than ha'
ever vet been dreamt of. might have resulted in q
faurs a. ruinous az it's contamination will be splen
did.
We can scarcely speculate or reason calmly on THU
momentous aud soul. absorbing subject, whether We
gaze in admiration on the mother of waters" as chs
moves in majestic beauty towards the solemn ocean
whose deep.toned welcome rises in harmonious dispa
son with the melody Of the ever qnivering spheres
or wonder at the psrvading presence Of Nature
most useful, if not most gloricrs work.
Whittier we calculate its vast extent, and follow
up it's numerous sources ponder on the mighty in
Auence it's destiny may exert OIL the welfare Of the
South and the commerce Ct na.ons, we are lost in
sstouishment and figures and fances alike fail to ex
press our conceptions. However ncjls aui extensive
those sheets ofwster msy be upon which the Quaker
city riaes in uniform beauty, upon which the me-
tropolis of the New World yet sserta Der golden
sway, how insignificant they become when compared
with our incompatible Chesapeake Yet very few
perhaps are aware of the numerous advantages which
are here presented for conoentra ton of the greatest
"ceutre Of trade" that the Bay before us holds the
kew 10 the comlsec of the world. But 10 convince
those who ara sceptics t. their own injury, we have
only to point ont few facts wiich cannot fall to be
conclusive.
New York owes her greatness and wealth, Il the
FIRST place. to the enterprise and industry of her pee
pie, but che 10 sustained aud grows by the access
those means gave her to the trade OF hs INTERIOR and
by concentrating that trade and turning its profile
into capital she il enabled thus to nonopolize, not
only the commerce Of the Union, but TO exact tribute
or usury, from both West and South; or, simply by
developing her own resources. and drawing the trade
Of the interior from the lakes and the far West She
grows and proepsrs-this is plain. nov, what are
the availabtes of the Bay Can Virginia accom-
plish as much, or more by its rneansl With mssn
breadth Of ~ miles, and 1875 miles in length, the
Chesapeake Bay and it's dependencies -Albemare
Sound with its rivers and oonnsetions-the james,
The Potomac and the Susquehanns. with their tributs
rIss-drain naturally nearly lOD,0 600 square miles Of
territory while the available waters of New York Bay
,oaroey drain on s.teuth that area.
The tides that lave the foundations Of the Mont
mental CITY, and waste their wealth Of waters far up
The "brigbt river of the KeySto State also wash
The shores of che majestic Potomac, to the city OF
and ebbu and flows in rich pusations
beneath the gorgeous hills Of naughty, but noble
Richmond. From Cape Henry 10 Alexandria ex
tends ssuccession of magnificent rivers, rpon whose
bosoms lie hnrbors of unrvalled magnitude, and IN.
paralleed serenity; whilst their tides extend far up
into country, where every acre of ground can be
and whose rich aud marty soils never
be exhausted.
Baltimore arises at the head Of the Bay 10 impo.
ling grandeur aud Importance. The energy. enter.
prise and wealth of her ci,izeus, will compare ia.
vorably with any city in the Union; and even now,
With all their influence and means aud prestige, the
power of Baltimore to emulate, Is keenIy felt by both
Philadelphia and New York.
The 8usquehanns, passing through Pennsylvania, |
and penetrating the very heart Of New York, opens
,ut natural avenue for their treasures to pour int
wheat sea Of the vaies the tim
,ers Of the forest aud the coat sod iron OF the noun
ains Geek the waters Of the Bay, slS all the efforts
# Pennsylvania, with rail roads and steam, and
ealou. restrictions, cannot prevent it. Both the iays
If nature and of trade in favor; and, until
he everlasting bills acs eveed. and the waters Of |
be Susquehsnns reversed, 80 it will ever be.
Alexandria, our young city Of the Potomac, enjoys
sits squsly as favorable as Baltimore. and 10 re.
alton to the trade Of the Lakes, their position is
zen more desirable than the localities of Philadelphia
'r New York. They are both much nearer to Clevs
and-the most availsbls pat of Lake Erie-,han
hsr Of the last named eitiss is to any por. on the
lake. Baltimore can avail herself of the labor of
in reaching the Lakes or The West; and
n like manner, Alexandra can 20 to the I..k-s or
be West, over the avenues constructed by the CANT
al of Maryland. cheaper than she csu 60 herself.
Indeed, the Posomso and the ,Youhossny offers the