The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-02-16
BALTIMORE.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY Is, l8eo

Whilst it is impossible to entertain seriously the
belief that trade can be forced into and retained
for any great length of time in channels to which
it does not naturally tend, it is equally evident
that the extent Of the traffic between ports favor
ably situated for that purpose must be governed by
the circumstances under which it is conducted. 1t
often happens, however, that the superior natural
advantages offered by one market are more
than counterbalanced by the greater energy and
sagacity of the merchants of another. In this
respect the merchants of the Eastern cities have
shown what can be accomplished for ports other
wise less favorably situated with reference to the
Southern trade, than our own, and the success
with which their exertions have been crowned
might yet be turned to good account if it were al
lowed to operate upon the capitalists and business
men of this city as an example and an admonition.
The immense increase which has taken place ia
the industrial products of the States to the South
of u.s. during the past few years, has very natu-
rally drawn attention TO the imperfect facilities
which Baltimore possesses for keeping up a regular
communication coastwise with the principal South
ern ports When, therefore, in pursuance Of an
invitation to that effect, large number of our
most influential merchants met together, on Tues
dav last for the purpose of considering the pro-
prietv of re-establishing, on permanent basis,
line of steamships to ply between this port and Sa-
vannah, the first step was taken in direction
which only needs to be followed up to be of incacu-
bic advantage to our commerce. Since the steam
ers were Withdrawn which formerly piled between
this city and Savannah, we have been mainly de-
pendent upon the Cromwell steamships for the
means of transporting merchandise to that port
and TO Charleston. A very general impression, how
ever, prevails that the accommodation offered by the
Cromwell lire is altogether of temporary character
and that the boats ill be withdrawn whenever
their services can be rendered profitable else
where. 1t is very easy to understand how injuri-
ously any such change would operate upon
our trade with Southern ports. and it is there
fore a matter of no little importance that our
merchants should take appropriate measures for
placing our coastwise communication with the
South upon a footing which will render it least
liable to interruption in the future. Every body
will admit that the chief elements of success in an
enterprise of this sort regularity of dispatch
and reasonable certainty that the boats will con-
tinue their trips at stated intervals and at all sea-
sons of the year. To be of any real service the
line must be established upon permanent basis,
for under no other conditions will shippers be dis
posed TO sustain it. The point then, TO be consid-
cred is whether such line can be made profitable.
Mr. CRICHToN who was President of the late Sa-
vannah Steamship Company has, in our opinion,
very satisfactorily demonstrated that with ade-
quate capital and judicous management the ven
ture, even in Il mercantile sense would pay; but
to ensure perlnanency and success, he contends
that the boats ''must be owned by the merchants
''at the termini of the route" Such, also, is our
belief but as it does not appear possible at pre-
sent, to accomplish this result the appointment of
a committee to consider and report upon the pro-
position made by the Merchants and Miners
Steamship Company was, perhaps, the next best
arrangement should be made, at an early day, is
matter of no little consequence, in view of the
pressure of freight upon the steamers and sailing
vessels now plying between this city and Sa-
vannah, and of the imperfect facility which those
vessels afford. Those who have watched the in
dustrial progress of Georgia during the last fifteen
years, can well understand the commercial value
of a regular and uninterrupted communication
with her people through their chief port of entry.
To that port is brought not only large portion
of the products of the State to which it belongs,
but also considerable supplies from the contiguous
States Of South Carolina and Alabama This re-
suit is due to the admirable network Of railways
with which the Georgians have covered their
State; to the encouragement to increased activity
which they have given to the people of the inte-
rior, and to the heavy crops which have recently
been grown on soils that had either been worn
out, or were naturally poor, by liberal use of
the guano and other fertilizers which now consti-
tute important articles Of commerce in the traffic
between this city and Savannah.