Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-01-07
Manufacturing Capacity of Virginia.

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seamead aim % aaseas'ss Of ear frisads
Manufacturing Capacity Of Virginia.
In an article in yssserday's paper we announc
cd il As, in our opinion, the true policy Of Nirgi
mia to bald up the city Of Norfolk rs a CONNER
cal mart, and 10 encourage manufacturer moro
especially in the interior cities of the State A
general thing little respect is paid as no are
aware, TO mere general principles such as we enun-
cia,ed. unless accompanied By some proof of their
practical soundnsss. Assuming. then, that every
one will conceds, without argument, The unsur-
passed capacity of Norfolk for foreign trade, We
propose to show, 90 far can. and for the pur-
pose Of establishing the fact that our theory is
capable of practical realization. of the means
which Virginia has at her disposal for the pursuit
of almost every conceivable branch Of manulac-
turing industry.
The first of these Is also the moe, valuable
namely, q water-po natural and artificial,
which is unsurpassed and unsurpassable. Leav-
ing everything else out OF view, the waterpower
afforded by the James River and Kanawha Canal
alone is worth to the State Of Sirginia--or "a
Their may be made 10 be worth--a value which it
would be difficult il net impossible, to compute.
From Buchanan to Richmond city. Tic canal at
comparatively trifina expense. might be made to
furnish power for innunerabls factories of every
description. The same water, indeed, turning
o one wheel at Buchanan. might he made to turn a
hundred others before being finally discharged be-
low the falls at Richmond. Keeping this in
view, our estimate Of the capacity Of the canal
for such purposes is limited only by the supply Of
the whole volume Of water in tie bed Of James
river.
Now, here is a treasure which the SAFE Il Ir.
ginia possesses which. we say again is Of ine,,i-
mable value. Let any one point out. II he can,
another State in the Union which approaches this
cid Commonwealth IN such advantage. The wa
terpower Il. lowell. Massachusetts, which has
lult up large city thore, AMI contributed
much TO the general prosperity Q! tie State is
feeble and insignificant in comparison with il.
The watcrpower n. fredericksburg, alone. in this
State. is equal in capacity to tina, at Lowell.
Bo. If we cas-; unr eve over the remainder of .
the State. we again impressed with the boun-
~ Of nature TO in this respec.. Leaving out
tina, portion Of the State below !; ehmeni, ,here
is hardly county which does not possess more o.
less wster-power. When We &c. over into The /
Valley and the Trans Allegheny country. it il I
founI upon almost every farm. Tha.. II the
cheapes, and best motive-power in the world, ma
ture has been SO lavish in its gifts 10 that, As
We sad yesterday, it really seems criminal neg
lect OF the blessings Of Kind Providence If VIC I
fail to put them to profitable use
Hardly less fortunate ARE we in other respects
We have in Virginia climate that for The health.
full prosecution Of all industrial pursuits. caun1,
be equalled anywhere upon the habital,c globe.
We hive soil which either bears upon it- sur
face. or conceas beneath it, almost ever thing in
the shape Of raw material tina. enters into the
composition Of such manufactured articles a. we
are in the habit Of using. We have in the East
ern and Western sections Of the State navigable !
rivers. and in Central Virginia railroads and
canals, to bring US whatever We may need from /
abroad. aud TO transport to consumer through. !
out the world, the products Of manufacturing
industry. In short, If there is any clcmcn, q
success in such pursuits tbDt We do not enjoy ia a
vastly greater degree than any Other S;a,e Of tie
Con'edeiacy, we are at loss to know what it is.
With such eminent and peculiar advantage. it
seems to US that Virginia cannot mistake her true
policy. The first step is to establish her CONNER
cial independence Of the North and To retain
within her own borders the annual tribute which
she unnecessarily pays to that section. The next
step is to establish her commercial indcpeudcn.c c,
ms far as possible Of the whole world and this
can be done by manufacturing at hume instead of
buying from abroad. The world is Obliged to
have our breadstuFs and our tobacco But there
is hardly an article of luxury, much less Of
COSTLY, which Virginia may not produce Within
her own limits. 1t needs no prophet to farcell
the future greatness Of the Commonwealth if she
will only avail herself Of the kindly aud proinsc
bounties Of nature.