Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-02-19


ADJOURNED DIRECT TRADE CoSvESrIoS.-Last
Wednesday evening, att. o'clock, crowded audi.
ence, comprising, amongst ohers almost all the mem
Lers of tho Legislature, assembled ut Metropolitan
Hall, t. hear rhe Hon. WM. BALLARD PREsroNs
report of his mission 10 Europe in connection with
the establishment of direct trade between the Ches
apeake and some port there.
DR.. MALLORY called tho mesting 10 order, and
lessr.; TnoN. II. De VIII. DAvto I. Bean aud
The following Railroad Companies. represented at
the Bristol CoTvention were cslled on and answ
cred by their delegates Norfolk Ena Petersburg;
Sou,h.She Virginia and Tennessee Orange and
Alexandria; Alexandria, Lnudouu and Hampshire;
Manassas Gap, and North Eastern aud Southwest.
ern, Alabama.
Mr.. pRE.ro. then presented himself and was re-
ceved with rapurous applause. He entered into
detail CT H.. difficulties. which had go long existed in
the way Of fixing starting point in the South for the
project of direct trade with Europe he said that he
went TO Europe with the conviction that Enga land WIS
the place in which he would be surest Of success. and
"a the place holding out the most advantages but he
found tina. the Cunard line had eDgrossed the banking
commercial and government support. He appealed
10 The American interest In England, but Mr.. Blows
Of Liverpool, and that interest, were engaged 10 sup
porting The COLLINS liGe.
The Engii.h, too, were then engaged 10 f=ting DR..
Livingstone, because they believed he had found a
region --hich would relieve them from the odlum Of
cVanexiUn with The Sou,i.er States. They were too
absorbed in the queson OF the lu0lan lnutiny. He
then went 10 Francs, ard found the Emperor engaged
in following cut The idea OF his uncle Of looking for
colonies, commerce and ships. Mr. Preston then
described the encouragement which the Emperor was
giving To French lines .! cleaners 10 Hew rr-k. The
West India Islands aud Brazil. lie ' ,aal tbs bu.
siness Interviews with the Crrans j. swss Company,
whose capital vas eight hundred millions OF francs,
snd whose stock Was in q most prosperous condition
Mr.. PREsToS exhibited maps TO show the great tract
of French territory which the OrlaaEs CGmpanYs
rail roads truversed, aud also produced plan Of the
iNol MP DIrp fho cd ont ha
side After long, most eloquent and statesmanlike
speech he read The con.act-the principal features
Of which are
Tho. the number Of vessels shall be forr OF ter.
mage not less than that OF the Fulton and Arago, to
make twenty-Iour round trips in the year two of the
ships 10 be built in France and carry French coors
| and two in America To carry American cnors. The
capital stock to be three millions. ouehslf of which
to be American, and one-half French. Paris to lie
the headquarters Il! the Company. the siminisrs
tors cf the company TO be seven In number, four
French end three American, for the fret year, and
three French and four American the second year and
20 on alternately The American branch Of the Com
psny To guarantee sig sou per round trip mail con-
tracts and in the event of the French Company hav.
ing any subven'ion the proceeds to he equally dlv
ded.
The following resolutions were adopted, as we'll "a
votes Of thanks to james Buchanan, MIR. Mason and
the Orleans Company aud their Chief Engineer:
Resolved, That the thanks Of the Convention are
rendered to the Hon. WIN. Ballard Preston, Cor the
fidelity. energy and ability with which he has dig.
charged the duties assigned to him by the Bristol
Convention, and for the success which il fnr-sSsdow
ed from his efforts in behalf Of enterprise deeply
interesting to Virginia and the whole Southern States.
Resolved, That the thapks Of this Convention nre
due and are hereby rendered TO his Excellency Gov
ernor Henry A. Wise, for the valuable and generous
assistance extended b. him to Mr.. Preston in aid Of
his mission TO Europe; and that We take ths occasion
to express grateful acknowledgements for the cal
and interest manifested By him in the cause of later.
nal Improvement, and IN adrancin. The commercial
independence Of the State.
Resolved That q committee Of Eve be appointed
by the President TO mernorisze the Legislature for
charter prvding for the establishment OF a direct
service by steamships between Norfolk and st. Ma
zsre. upon the basis OF the preliminary Convention
agreed to by the Hon. VIM. Ballard Preston aud Mr..
Salacroup, Chief Engineer OF the Orleans Rail Road
Company.
| Resolved That Committee of eleven be appoint
ed by the President to memorable Congress to gu.
thorize contract with the Steamship Company, pro.
posed TO be organized under the auspices Of thi,
| Convention, for the transportation OF the United
States mail, upon tho terma Indicated in the premi
naries which have been approved Ut this meeting.
| Mr.. Anderson moved the adoption Of the contract
aud it YVES carried unanimously.
Mr. PREsros promises to enter into further deai.s
which he was precluded from giving til. occasion
! by severe cold South.
In obedience to the resolution published above
the President OF the meeting hes appointed the fol-
| lowing commit. co:
| Committee to present memofi.l to the Lsg;sla-
turs--Thos Fl Ellie, John 5 Barbour, Jr, Edmund
Foutaine Geo W Randolph, John Speed
Committee 20 present memorial 10 Congress-
jaime. Lyons, Francis Dean-, Jr. John X McD IAN.
lei, Tho. II Campbell, Benz Rush Floyd, Cbsunce,
Brooks, Augustus 4 Chapman, Jas Barbour, ia!
Hunter, VIM Robertson, George Blow, Jr.
ArrESrIoS We learn that challenge (says tn.
Norfolk Argus has been prof=red the Baltimore
City Guards by the Junior Volunteers of our city
The drill is to come of in Richmond during the 10
sugura;iou Toe intimacy Of the officer. Of the tw,
Companies hss brought ebout this rivalry nnd thos
who may have the pleasure Of witnessing the dril
will have tbs satisfaction of seeing good humoret
Contest for skill in arms.