The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-09-07

South of direct trade with foreign countries the
Lynchburg VuginiaR remarks, with equal truth
and brevity, that ''thc shores of the Chesapeake
ebay the natural earepot of at least one-haf of
'the produce of the United States that is intended
''for expectation" If, in addition to this indis-
putable fact venture to remind our readers that
the shores of the Chesapeake Bay are also the
natural entrepot of nearly all the bituminous codl
that is mined in the United States, and that the
demand for this fuel for home consumption and
for the use of ocean steamers is annually ncreas-
ing, we place them in possession of two cogent
reasons why a system of direct trade would be
beneficial TO the commercial interests of Baltimore
and point out the means at our disposal for prose
cutting it with success.
That a pOpulous city like Baltimore possessing
so noble an estuary the Chesapeake, with a har-
Dor accessible at all Of the year. and occri-
pying geographical position which enables her
merchants to embrace within their circle of trade
Il vast and fertile inland area, extending from the
great Northern Lakes to the valley of the Missis-
sippi, should be content to build up the Eastern
ports, to the injury of her own commerce, and at
the sacrifice of natural advantages so obvious that
they do not admit of dispute, appears TO a re-
markable Illustration Of that force of habit which
travels in old grooves and clings to ancient customs
long after the spirit of change has rendered an ad
herence TO them not only mpolitic, but absolutely
injurious. There was indeed time when the COM
merce Of the port of Baltimore was too limited in
justify an increase Of our mercantile marine. while
that of New York offered to us opportunities of
frequent communication with European ports which
II would have been improper to neglect but now
that the agricultural products of the interior are
brought over our railways, either for home con-
sumption or foreign market it becomes of para
mount Importance that we should provide an ade-
quate outlet for their transit to the point of Milf
mate delivery. We must remember, moreover,
that with proper and iudcious arrangements on
our part the carrying trade of the interior is des
tined to increase from year to year. and that since
the introduction of steam for purposes of ocean
navigation the old modes of conveyance are he
coming obsolete. Speed, safety, regularity. and
frequency-theSe four conditions will bcnccforth
be insisted upon with respect to ocean navigation,
ana TO 1ulh those conditions it will become all es
sentlal to success that, in naval architecture iron
should take the place of wood and that sails sbouId
be superseded by the paddle-whee and the p-opeI-
efficient working of the submarine cable will tend
to render the rapid transmission of Freight and mas
SehgerS across the ocean still more imperative than
IL was previously. This modification of the old
hle'ns OIL transport to meet the demands of trade
qulckened as those demands are by the triumobs
accomplished by modern science has been
anticipated, to some extent by the merchants and
shpwrghts of Europe, and the success that has al
ready resulted to them, in their efforts to monono
lie the carrying trade of the Atlantic. should nd
monish us of the necessity of bestirring ourselves
to avert the loss of our commercial pressure We
have hitherto been among the first to substitute all
Kinds OF machinery for manual labor but in the
matter OF ocean navigation by steam. we have
neither shown our usual energy nor our customary
forethought. Here, then, from the STRANGE apathv
upon this subject which, at present, prevails at orr
seaportS to the Eastward an opportunity is offered
10 bai'imore to take the lead in establishing line
Oh steam propellers, for the purpose of trading
directly with Europe. Such an enterprise properly
conducted and economically managed. could not
all 10 prove of immense benefit to our commercial
prosperity. 1t would relieve us from the odinm
which always attaches, however uniustly, to CITY
winch imports indirectly the great bulk of her
ioreign purchases it would be a confirmation of
our rank as Commercial Emporium: it would
draw to our city large number of persons from
the South and West designing to take nassooo far
Europe, and it would afford a rcouIar and spro
means OF guarantee that all articles intended for
export would be forwarded to their approprato
market with due diligence and DISPATCH Nor
Wouiu such line of propellers be dependent mon
balllmore alone for freight and passengers-Vir-
glna Is pushing forward her great works of intor-
nal improvement. Already she has succeeded in
forming connection with other lines of Railway
which have their terminus at Memphis. Tennessee
and she has been for several years enoaoed in
tunnelling the Blue Ridge, preparatory to extend
ing another line of Railway to the mouth of tbo
Great kanawha. The agricultural produce hrouobt
over these roads will find their sea board terminus
at Portsmouth, so that propellers, either homeward
or outward bound, by simply touching at Ports
mouth and Norfolk, both of which places NAV he
said to be directly in their line of route wouId no
able to make up at those ports any deficiency in
their carsoes, and would thus be doubIv assnred
from any possibility of failure.