New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-04-18
TALK ON CHANGE.

The gatherings were toleraby large on the shady
side of the flags yesterday, that is, before the
clouds began to give signs of discounting and let
ting out. The talk ON cotton did not amount to
much Four steamers were to leave Europe on
4th inst for New York and Portland. OF course,
there was some desire to await the arrival. Com
merciay the adyices cannot amount to much
politically, they may cast some shadows on the
future of the great Italian question and the move
ments of the Emperor Of France. There was the
usual quantum " of talk about cotton, and there
was more or less talk about the action of the
Chamber of Commerce, in regard to the Louisiana
Dredging Company The impression is, that the
Chamber has broken out in a new place all at
once. This venerable association has been in
organization about twenty eight years. The bars
and channels at the mouths of the Mississippi have
been blocked up about sixteen times in that
period. We have never heard of the " Chamber y
taking any action or making up contribution to
clear the channels or the snags. There was some
attempt to do something about year ago. when
one hundred vessels were detained. This fresh,
newborn zeal, however, for the commercial in
terests of our city, looks suspicious the movement
is believed to have its origin in Northern Cities
particularly as we learn that one or two New York
papers have taken up the cudgels against the law
passed by our Legislature, authorizing the Loui-
siana Dredging Company to exact 10 cents per tun
on all vessels that use pass through Pass
a'Loutre, provided there are Is feet water in the
channel, which is also to be 800 feet wide.
Many Northern folks would be glad that the i'm.
mense commerce of New Orleans should be sub
ject to detentons and delays at the mouths of the
great outlet. They would not care If the channels
or mouths of the Mississippi to be closed and
| eternally blocked, as share of the great trade
would be diverted to New York via the Western
| railroads. Our Chamber of Commerce say that for
$50 900 per annum the channel or bar can be kept
clear. Very good, very well; but we should like to
have their costs put down in some tangible shape,
| We are dubious about them. We know that an es
innate made last year to keep the channel open at
the Southwest Pass was over $40 900 nearer $50 000
| And why is it--after years and years of iuterrup
ton to the commerce of our emporium-thatw when
a company Of responsibility agrees to keep an en-
| trance to our port free and open at all times for
the pitiful compensation of 10 cents per tun on
vessels above certain draft, there should be op-
position? Who can answer; what does it mean :?
Vessels are now receiving, for carrying the great
staple from our levee to Europe, just double what
is paid from New York-4d. for cotton from New
| York, and 3D. from New 0rleans-and this has
been the rule for months past. However, throw.
ing all this talk for the asde and to present
something more than the talk on the flags against
| the assumptions of the Chamber of Commerce, we
| take at once decided stand against the commit,
tee, and beg leave to suggest that the action and
intents of the Louisiana Dredging Company can be
brought up right up; that is, for another company
to be organized that will agree to open an Is feet
channel at the Southwest Pass, or at the old South
east Pass which will agree to charge only five
cents per tun for the use of the channel; or per
haps if the $50 900, which have been called up BY
the Chamber are forthcoming, vessels can pass
over free. But why does not the report of thu
Chamber tell the world something about the South
west Pass2 Not word do we discern in regar,
to this great channel, which has been the main en-
trance for over twenty years past. The repor
, q talks of the old Northeast Pass, which neve
had more than to IL feet forty years ago-tha
was the last time we came through it. The oil
Southeast Pass was a good channel for u to i
feet up to within few years. But to cut lon
talk short, let US have another Dredging Company
| to be called the Southwest Pass Company; then