Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-01-25
THE r1nE.WATER CITIES.


the ratio Of vinegar to nitric acid.
THE TIDE-WATER CITIES.
BALTIMORE IND P070NIC HAILH0Ah
We would again say a few words on the
merits of this new railroad enterprise, as one
Of peculiar importance to the cities o. Eastern
Virginia We have before stated that it would
reduce the distance between this city and BAL
,norc, and consequently all the cities North,
but that the reduction of time would he still
greater than the actual distance, ~ we subStl-
tutc railroad for water travel. saving oi
about six hours of time will he effected by the
connection of the Richmond, Fredericksburg
and Potomac Road with this new Baltimore
and Potomac enterprise at .iquia Greek. y
continuous and direct railroad connection has
lony been needed between this portion oi tile
State and the North. to facilitate business III
tcrrourSr and to concentrate its influence i'll
our ti,lc.watcr cities. without which II Is cYi-
dent our interior cities and towns cannot
grow in proportion to their natural resources.
Il !. N much the interest of I.ynrhhurs and
in f;lc, the West and Southwest. tu build up
Richmond and Norfolk as it Is the interest Of
our own citizens Richmond iS cvcn now, not
only the best nalkc; open 10 the people OF this
State, for all our >tapleariclc>, wheat. tobacco.
&c. but the best in the Union. That policy
then, which ,ctraci, from Richmond. or the
tide water cities: which tends 10 iniurc ;heir
commercial facilities. also Injuries 10 a> great il
not to greater extent. the best interests of the
producer in every part "i the State
When the markets are dali. DO not the
produccrS suffer? When Rich;nnrd or Pc
tcrsburg prosper Farmyilc and Lynch
burg thrive Then any tendency to dc-
trac, from the prosperity or commercial l!'ii-
encc of the tidc-watcr or exporting cities, ais"
Injuries the Valley and every part Of the
State whose arteries of trade terminate here
The Central roal drains larse portion of the
Valley and the West, and that terminates in
Richmond the James river and kanawis
canal opens out the centre of the State, and
gives Il large portion Of Piedmont and the Val
ley, and even the Southwest, Through the
Virginia and Tennessee railroad one Of the
cheapest modes of transit to market, and that
market is naturally Richmond.
Norfolk may be our great commercial centre,
proSpectivcly but at present, Richmond bears
tha, relation 10 the producer, and through
Richmond it> prosperity and incrcase) will
the growth Of Norfolk chiefly depend. Peters
burg bears the same relation generally, but,
naturally and artificially, its advantages are
comparatively limited, and therefore it cannot
exert the -amc influence.
When the shipping Of Richmond and Peters
bur. fail to accommodate the produce of the
interior. that produce will crowd on TO Norfolk
shippers will come since the shipping interests
Of the world follow the ircightS. The time.
however has not yet come. for Richmond can
accommodate ten times the amount of produce
and freight which now arrives. and art can still
add facilities IL her river outlet and her docks.
The extensive flats "f Manchester may be con-
vcrtcd into basins and docks. and even the
mammoth steamer and the deeply ireighte'l
barquc may yet ride far away from the river
and beneath gigantic warehouses on the low
grounds of Manchester Manchester presents
greater prospective facilities for the trade and
business Of the future than Richmond proper.
and an outlet from the canal may and will ter
becomes too much crowded which must bc the
case as soon AS it can be extended to the New
river.
Baltimore possessed no advantage, except
such as enterprise gave it, over Richmond 1t
can accommodate no shipping. or exporting IA
cilitcS, greater than can and may he Suppllcdat
Richmond. 1t is tie metropolis of an inferior
State and drains naturally but limited coun
try-iu comparison Richmond stands head and
shoulders above it, But concentration and en-
tervris, have done for Baltimore what all ouT
natural advantages have not and cannot do for
us. lr our efforts. however. were concentrated
ut the most available point, and our enterprise
directed towards some definite purpose, Sncl
would not l,e the case. The people of Mary
land and the citizens of Baltimore directed thcli
efforts to one object, and built up their great
commercial city with all their energies. The!
thus not only gave Maryland an unrlvalle'
market and an influential financial centre. bs
even extended that influence beyond the noun
tainS to the rich valic> of the West, ant
accomplished what We still tndo|,nf'y how f"r
We pray to Hercules for aid, while they pu
their shoulders to the wheel. and 10. they arr
through their difficulties while VIC arc still II
the inirc.
Alexandria has aspirations OF her own, ans
the people Of the Northwest woul'
throw up their caps for the trading
port of Columbia before any city II
existence, and we would not ask then
TO do otherwise. We cannot ask them It
build up Richmond. because their interests ar
no, cented here They might. however con