The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-07-02
l.ulh"er leet .......... .-.... 100, OCO
Slaves, No. West India standardl e, 600 600

1900
lumber ieet.........,........ ...... $4,000
9'a'es' No''..'. ........... 10000
Slaves, No. West India standardl. 2, 1000
The most Of the lumber which is thus shipped is
derived from Detroit and its vicinity; the slaves
beng chiefly obtained 'on the line of The Detroit
land Milwaukee Railway, and on the Canadian
territory adjacent to Lake St. Clair, and the ST.
"Clair and Detroit rivers" There is one remark
able feature in this traffic, to which we now pro-
pose to advert. The slaves which find their mar
ket in Liverpool, are purchased there for re-ship-
ment to the West Indies. Now it strikes US that
the profits which are made by the Liverpool
merchants, might be saved to the original
shippers in Detroit by sending their car
goes direct to the West Indies instead
OF deSmtching them across the Atlantic to be re-
shipped to Barbados or Jamaica. The length of
the voyage would also be greatly shortened whilst
The return freight being in West India produce
would furnish at least a portion of those supplies
which are always in demand at the Northwest
There Is another point which also appears to us
worthy of consideration. If these slaves, in which
SO considerable trade has recently sprung up,
md their final market in the West Indies, they
might be sent much more cheaply and ex oedtiously
by rail from Detroit to the nearest seaport and
shipped thence to the point of destination. Buff
fao, for instance, can be reached by rail from this
CITY IN fourteen hours, and there is then only the
length OF Lake Erie to traverse to reach the mort of
De'ro'' 1t seems, therefore, strange that so cir
curious route should be selected by the merchants
OF the latter city, while nearer and more direct
one lies open TO them. In sending a CARGO of
slaves to the West Indies ria Liyerpool the tima
occupied in the transit cannot be, on an average,
much less than sixty days, while the
profits of the cargo are divided between the origi
nal shipper and the mddle-man in LIVERPOOL On
the other hand, the same cargo, if it were sent by
rail TO this city, might be entered at the port of
Kingston, Jamaica, within twenty DAYS from the
time OF leaving Detroit, and, in addition to this
The shipper would have the further advantage
OF securing the entire profits of his venture We
learn, moreover that besides this direct trade to Eu-
rope, similar trade, but in lumber only is grow
ing up between the Northern Lakes and the Attain
TIC ports. During the present season one brig and
hve schooners, bearing cargoes of lumber, have
LETT Buffalo and Milwaukee for New York and Rich
mond, and yet, singularly enough, only one of the
fifty vessels that have been freighted upon the
Lakes with lumber and slaves, has sought mar
ket for the latter in the West Indies We have
more than once had occasion to call the attention
OF our merchants to the immense and steadily in
creaslng commerce of the great Northern Lakes.
The claims of Baltimore, to at least portion of
that commerce, as the nearest seaport and as hav-
ing direct railway communication with all the chief
ports on the borders of those inland seas, could
scarcely fail to be recognized if they were properly
set forth. As our merchants are LARGELY en-
gagged in the West India trade we see no reason
why, by exerting proper spirit of enterprise the
slaves which are now sent to the Islands Of tho
o'rr'oean Sea, by way of Liverpool, should not be
Drought hlther by rail, and shipped from our own
wharves