Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-09-11
Qrom the Norfolk Afsuso
The Next Move for Norfolk to Make on
the Commercial Choos-board.

Inc Next Aovo Tor Norfokk 70 MAKE on
the Commercial Chess-board.
We now have . continuous line Of railway from
our port 10 Memphis. tapping the richest regions
Of our country. Our Norfolk and Petersburg
Railroad and lie connections are the natural trib
utaries Of trade for two and half millions Of In
habitants. The value Of imports and exports for
this population 10 at the lowest calculation. $40
100000. This trade which is great and growing
was originally carried on by wagons across our
mountains; then by our canal to Lynchburg, and
from that point 10 Knoxville by wagons. Recently
the railways from Charleston running West have
absorbed the trade and the imports and exports of
this region, naturally belonging to our seaport,
pass through Charleston.
To divert this trade to its nvtural channel is an
easy matter. The South Is not engaged in direct
trade and the importation and expectation for our
section il done through the great commercial CEN
TIRE of the continent, New York. For some years
at least whatever exertions we may make. the
greater portion Of the trade will still follow this
beaten track. II is duty then to look at things
a. they are, and seize upon every means to effect
commercial supremacy in Norfolk. We must con-
nect ourselves Intimately with New York, Char
lesion has DONE and while New York imports and
exports for the South from and to Europe, we must
endeavor 10 import and export for the South from
and to New York.
If $4,000 900 ofimports and exports pass through
our city, IL matters not at present whether II is
secured will build our city up and lead to an indie
pendent direct trade with Europe
How is this to be done! We commence our ri
yalry with Charleston at Chattanooga and from
that point must so arrange the Mr1fs az 10
transport produce dttte sdme rate from Chattanooga
ria Norfolk 10 Ner York. is nor charged from
that point to Ner York RIA Charleston. The tariffs
being the same the advantages Of SAFETY and erpe-
difion Of the Norfolk route the Charleston,
rW secure the whole trade.
We have now a line Of railroads to Chattanooga
over which the imports would mostly he conveyed;
aud We have canal from lynchburg by which the
heavy expectations would come by bargcs to our
port. Between Chattanooga and Norfolk we have
every desirable connection.
Our imperative want now is regular steam lines
to New York. Not steamers which touch Mt our
wharves going to and from New York to other
ports, but steamers which will run in connection
with our railroad and barge line We must hare
instant the line is advertised Let the cnterpris-
ing Cromwell 1.-THE Commodore Of fleet Of superb
or propellors,) make an arrangement with our rail-
road and our barge lines to run two or more ofhis
steamers in connection with these lines between
Norfolk and New York. We will guarantee that
every merchant in our city will give the preference
to this line over the present ones which discrm-
nate in favor Of interests hostile TO our port 1t
would be well Tor Mr.. Cromwell todisI"se ola por-
ton of two Of his steamers to our merchants. Let
each house take an interest rs guarantee of its
encouragement Of the line.
We have been assured most positively that Lynch
burg will ship her heavy exports To New York
through our barge line and Norfolk line Of steam
ers to New York, and will order her imports
through this line and our railroad. Let us have
this last important enterprise put in operation Mt
once. The steamers ready, the freight is rca
dy, it remains with our merchants to inaugurats
the scheme.
The Argns in the above article. undoubtedly
designates the true policy Of Norfolk. She must.
at once establish line of steamers to New York,
in order to put herself upon an equality with her
competitors for the trade Of the West.
Charleston has II line Of steamers to New York,
and. We believe. to Baltimore also. So also has
Savannah. Norfolk will be compelled to do the
same thing. by the necessities of trade, before ma
ny years eapse. Let her invite the trade at once,
by establishing facilities for carrying it on.
1t is no answer to say that sufficient trade does
not exist to keep up the line. Establish the line,
and the trade will increase. The Petersburg h.
telligencer we'll illustrates this in recent article,
in which comparisons made on the Souh-Side
and the Virginia and Tennessee Roads A few
years ago tri-weeky stage-coaehes carried all the
West. NoW, daily trains of cars crowded with
passengers. Why! Because the facilities of
travel are increased. In like manner. let Norfolk
increase the facilities of trade and trade will fol-
low, "ss tho night foloweth the day" Would not
Norfolk encourage her own line in preference to
that from Richmond? And is not the latter so
profitable that they are about putting on another
steamer!
The Richmond line derives n large portion of
its profits from the trade of Norfolk and the trade
Of the country above Richmond, as far West as
Knoxville. Now, the Norfolk line would have the
preference Of our ireigh,s over the Richmond, for
the reason that it would necessarily be cheaper
Is there any doubt that the immense productions
Of the country with which Norfolk is now in COM
muncation. and the return freights of goods
from New York, which that country consumes
would more than sustain line of equal impor-
lance with that of RichmondY We are actuated
by no feeling Of hostility to the Richmond line
which we are glad to see in such a prosperous
condtion-but we have 4 confident belief that
the large back country now brought into rela-
tons with Norfolk will fully sustain an add-
tional line from Norfolk. without injuring tina.
from Richmond.
We say this on the assumption that our mer
chants will continue to buy in New York those
goods which Norfolk herself ought to import As
long as this is the CASE ought have the cheap
est and most convenient mode Of getting them
We should regard the establishment of such line
from Norfolk to New York, moreover, as the pion-
eer OF Transatlantic line which . very few
years would render imperativeiy necessary. We
would soon find that such line would afford us