The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-06-08
BALTIMORE.
TUESDAY, JUNE s, 1858.

On Friday last, the bill introduced into the Senate
by the Honorable ANTHONY KENNEDY, 10 establish q
Mail Steamship line between New York, Philadel-
phia, Baltimore and Europe, passed its second read
ing, and was referred to the Post Office Committee
What the fate of this important bill will be- in the
hands of the latter it is impossible to say though
we fear from the fact that both Houses of Con-
greSs have agreed to close the session on Thursday
next there will be time left for the proper con-
sideratiOn of Il measure which, so far as Baltimore
is concerned, is of peculiar interest The sue
of this bill involves not merely the introduce
ton of a steamship line to Europe, freighted with
mails and passengers, but would, without doubt,
constitute the initial movement of a direct trade
between Baltimore, and Liverpool or Southampton.
For many years past, we have absurdly, and most
injudiciously, aided in building up the Commerce
of New York, to the manifest injury of our own
commercial marine, and in spite of the deleterious
effects our seeming dependence upon New York,
has produced upon the minds of Country Mer-
chants How we hope 10 impress upon them
the distinction which ought 10 be made between
tI'orttHg HroMgh New York, and purchasing IN
New York? They simply know that large pro-
portion OF our foreign merchandise comes to us by
way of New York, and they do not care to inquire
whether we buy it there import it through that
city. 'If'' say they, ''the merchants of Balti-
more, derive their foreign goods from York,
why, then, New York must be the best market for
the purchase ofsuch commodities " and to New York
they conclude TO go without paving any regard TO
the explanations our merchants may offer, concern
ing the reasons that have actuaed them in selecting
New York, instead of Baltimore as the port of en-
try. 1t seems strange TO men who rarely look
deeper than the surface, to find us thus commercially
tettcred 10 New York. when we have a port of our
own, equally available and through which we can
Obtain our foreign merchandise at less cost and in
less time than by way of that city, if we take into
consideration the charges imposed for broker
age, and the vexatious delays arising from
the over-crowded business of the New York
Custom House. 1t matters not whether the goods
are imported by steam, or by sailing vessels the
result is the, same, and the only real advantage
that New Y ork possesses over Baltimore, is in the
frequent departure and arrival Of vessels engaged
i'll the European trade. IT, however the merchants
OF Baltimore would determine to transfer their inn
port trade from New York to Baltimore this
exceptional difference in favor Of New York would
soon be overcome. There is, moreover Il gradual
change taking place in the character of all kinds
Of sca-going vessels, whether they are used for
Warke purposes, or for the more peaceful pursuits
Of commerce. Steam is, to considerable extent,
superseding the use of sails, and iron is being
largely substituted for wood. As iron becomes
more generally adopted in naval architecture with
steam as the propclling power-and this must be
the case before long, or England will absorb
large proportion of our carrying trade-Baltimore
will acquire manifest commercial superiority over
all the other Atlantic cities, from the perfect ease
with which steamships can obtain their requisite
supplies of fuel Immediately from our wharves.
and without mourning, as in the ports to the East
ward the additional cost of ghterage, or the still
greater expense of n coasting voyage 1t is also
evident that our abundance of Bituminous coal
gives us the same advantages with respect to
manufactures of iron that we should derive from
furnishing the fuel for Ocean steamers and this
combination of interests being in our favor--tbe
iron, the manufacturing ability and the coal so
essential for the development of both-what more
do we require than that our merchants should
make an appropriate use of the resources at
lher command, and by promoting in every
Legitimate way, a direct trade with foreign
ports, assert for city the commercial indie
pendence TO which she is Justly entitled? Now
that our Railways are actively employed in trans
porting coal from the mountains, and aericul-
tural products from the interior, it becomes us.
in seeking market beyond sea, to adopt the best
means OF reaching that market which modern
science has placed at our command But, it NAV |
be said that our foreign trade is not of sufficient
magnitude to justify any very extraordinary exer-
tions, and it may be still further argued, that. as
Philadelphia failed to support line of steam pro-
pellerS, we cannot hope to succeed in a similar
enterprise. 1t is easy to dispose of both these OBJ
Jectons The port of Philadelphia is more difficult
to reach from the sea than the port of Baltimore
by reason of the tortuous channel of the Delaware
ana Is subjected to the further disadvantage of
being eilectually blockaded by ice during severe
winters But, apart from these drawbacks there
was another more cogcnt reason why PHILADELPHIA
could not maintains line of ocean steam propelers
the Exports of Philadelphia between July l.
1896, and June 80, 1857, amounted to but
-, lSf, 1872. Those of Baltimore, during the same
period amounted TO Sl3, 70G 335; or nearl1J doube
fhe EIpcrls from Phuadelpha But the total Of
I"pofS is much more favorable to Philadelphia
than to BALTIMORE for the direct imports of Phila-
dephia were, for The year, Sl7, 855, 249; while
those OF Baltimore were but $40, 5Sl, POS. This
difference arises from the fact that we continue TO
import through New York, while Philadelphia is
rapidly freeing herself from this commercial s,,bor
dlnatlon. With exports amounting annually to
seven millions in excess of those of Philadelphia
and, therefore, double her basis of foreign trade
we have the strongest possible reasons for ceasng to
import through New York, and for thus furnishing.
not only an outward, but also a homeward bound |
cargo, which Philadelphia, from the limited extent
her articles of export as compared with ours, has
not the ability TO do We, therefore contend, that
II we concentrate at home our imports, in addition
TO our seven millions annual excess of produce over
Philadelphia, we could successfully maintain a
line Of Ocean propellers Notwithstanding the
merchants of our sister city have attempted it and
failed
1t gives us great regret to notice the annoupca |