Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-02-19
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

| A DANGEROUS CANE TO PLAY Ar.-The man.
| ayers of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, In
| their sagerness to monopolise the transporta-
| ton of Cumberland coal to tide water, are pur-
suing a policy that if persevered in cannot fail
| to render their own stock utterly worthless, us
well as to affect dissstrously the general bust
ness of Baltimore city. They are striving to
put up the tolls on coal upon the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal. twenty five cents per ton. As
through their virtual control of the interest of
the State of Maryland in the direction of the
canal, they will probably be able to succeed in
that aim, they can thus strike staggering
blow al the interests of the State of Virginia.
which is really greater, so far rs the future of
the Cumberland coal trade is concerned than
that of Maryland. At present the difficulty in
the way Of the success of Cumberland coal
mining operations, is the fact that anthracite
coal can be delivered Mt the great markets on
the coast somewhat cheaper. Those engaged
| in the trade on both sides, are we'll aware that
if twenty-five cents n ton be added to the cost
of getting the Cumberland coal to tide water.
much of the demand for it at points any con-
| siderable distance from where i first reaches
tide water, will be destroyed. Or, in other
words that the proposed increase of the tolls
upon it now charged by the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal, will destroy half the present market
for it,
Virgin is not only vitality interested in sus-
tanning the present coal trade of Alexsndris,
but in the business of the mines themselves
The policy which the managers of the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad aim to carry out in
this connection will destroy half Virginia's
current coal mining business, and the whole of
the valuable trade of Alexandria connected
with it. The people of Virginia have wit
messed for years past the persistent efforts of
the authorities Of Maryland, acting under the
dictation of the managers of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad to destroy the business of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, and incidentally,
to infict grievous injury on Virginia interests.
So long as there remained hope that sober Sec
ond thought might induce the authorities of
Maryland. TO stop their suicidal game. Vir-
ginia has been 10th to retalate by resorting to
unfriendly legislation, 30 far as the interests
Of the city of Baltimore are concerned. AS
three-fourths of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road arc within her limits she has the lawful
right so to legislatc with reference to its inter
csts, as to affect them much as the policy of the
authorities of Maryland, in the management
of the canal, are affecting its interests, and
thosc of all in Virginia in any way connected
with them. That her people have at length
come to the conclusion that the time for COM
mencing the work of retaliation has arrived.
is evident in the fact that pledges to favor such
rctaliatory legislation are being exacted from
all candidates for seats in the next Virginia
Legislature from q considerable portion of the
State.
NAVY REGISTER FOR lS59.-Tho Navy Re-
gistcr for the current year is just published
and, like its predecessors, exhibits a complete
statement of the condition of that branch of
the public service. We derive from it the fol-
lowing items of interest
The clerks, &c. in the Navy Department are
rs follows:
Secretarys Office. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. IA
Bureau Of yards and docks. a
construction &c. II
and clofhipD