Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-02-08
wise demonstrated, this insurance will be about


per cent.
Finally merchandise of certain class, such
as butter, cheese. bacon, whiskey, oil, -four,
wheat, sugar, tnolasses, lose, during the sum-
mer, from TO u dollars per ton, which would
make an average loss Of ten dollars per ton by
the Now Orleans route.
These same articles are not affected by the
climate of Virginia, which is neither too hot
nor too cold.
SECURITY AND PROTECTION OF THE LlSE-CoMrAR.
lsoS IN 4 MILITARY POINT OF VIEW.
In u report dated December lst, 1926, ad-
dressed to the Legislature Of the State of Vir-
ginia Mr. Crozct, the chief engineer of the
State at that time, formerly captain OF en-
gineers in France, once professor OF military
tactics at the academy Of West Point, in the
United States, expresses himself in these terms,
in speaking OF the advantages of the line in q
military point Of view:
sits entrance (thc entrance Of the great Fir-
ginia water linc,) will be efectually defended
by the cross fires Of the two formidable forts
at Old Point Comfort and the Rip Raps, which
will afford complete protection TO the coaSting
trade. Asan interior line or base Of operations,
the central situation Of a safe water communi-
cation between james Rivei and the Ohio
wonld / think, offer incalculable advantages" "
The three rival lines, Monsieur lie Ministre,
are far from being 50 favorably situated Thatoi
New Orleans is open, and without defence That
of Canada is situated, in part beyond the ter
ritory of the United States. Finally, the route
by way oil the Erie canal New York; pre-.
sents, though in less proportion, the same
disadvantages on the lake.
TRADE OF THE VIRGINIA LINE.
Er it is proved by the statistics produced, by
Investigations made, by the difference Of eli
mate by an examination of the advantages
and disadvantages, by the evidence Of every
thing in fact that the water line through Fir-
ginia is the shortest, the most certain and the
least expensive, in order to reach the great
markets Of America or even Europe, it must
he admitted that the products Of the West and
IL part OF the South will be drawn to this route.
The Southern States which would profit by
the Virginia line, are North and South Caroli-
na, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia,
and lastly, Virginia Those Of that part Of
the Union called the Great West, that is 10 say,
the States watcred by the upper Missouri, the
upper Mississippi and the tributaries, are and
! only cite the principal, Ohio, Indiana, Hi
nois, Missouri, Iowa and Michigan.
These expeditions would represent an cnor.
lnous amount, since they would be composed
Of the largest portion OF the products from the
immense territory occupied by the above named
States
In speaking Of the South, I would call your
Exccllcncy's attention to this point: The
freight, principally Of sugar and cotton, goes
up the Ohio, starting from Cairo, and mp the
Mississippi, not only from Memphis which is
the second cotton market of the United States,
but even from the town OF Helena, situated
much lower down the river. This freight goes
to New York, by Cincinnati and the Erie canal.
Cotton is also sent from these different places
by railroad to New York.
The prices Of transportation to New York
are by rail road, 81 dollars and 80 cents the
ton; by the Mississippi the Ohio, the Lakes,
the Eric canal and the Hudson, 10 dollars the
ten.
1t would only cost by the james River and
kanawha Canal to Norfolk, seven dollars the
ton.
The difference, for Norfolk, would then be
81 dollars and SO cents less han hy railroad
to New York, and three dollars less than by
the water line also to New York.
Cotton is, from its nature, merchandise
transportablc by water. When recourse is had
to railroads for this cumbrous article, it is bc-
cause the Erie Canal is closed; and this is the
case, repeat, during at least five months Of
the year.
have said above that the Virginia canal
would not be exposed to the inconvenience of
freezes Cotton could, therefore, be transport
ed over it during the whole year.
The line would be in the best condition for
since it debouches equally, but with
greater advantages than those Of the North, Oh
the shores Of the Atlantic, and from thence to
the markets Of Europe, by the shortest route,
called here the French route (Norfolk and St.
Nazaire) according to the opinion Of those who
have studied the question.
PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS FOR TONNAGE on THE CANAL.
am obliged to enter into some details, to
give an insight into the productions Of the
Southern and Western States, which would
feed the tonnage OF the james river and Kama
wha canal. will 10 this, by taking my STA
tistics from the last census-that Of 1850.
This census, which is an official document,
gives 81, 334, 40 bushels Of wheat; 399, 9ij 293
bushels of corn; 5S,T00,7f2 bushels Of other
grains, such as oats and barley--say a total Of
cereals alone, of 5l3, 9S0, ,525 bushels, or about
33 millions Of TONS
Besides, 1872, ,537 bushels Of rice; 1897. zoe
pounds Of kentucky and Missouri cotton ::
lG3, lG6, lGT pounds Of Kentucky and Virginia
tobacco, leaving out Maryland; 1876, 100000
pounds Of bacon.
All these products together represent the
sum of IT'S, $50, ,0G3 dollars, the official figures
of the census OF 1850.
do not speak Of other articles the enumc-
ration OF which would be too long, and limit
myself Monsieur le Ministre, in designating the
principal.
The dcccnnial census Of 1860, which is being
prepared now, will give, without doubt, figures
far beyond those above.
1t is admitted that the population Of the
West, and consequently its productions, double,
or nearly so, every twelve years.
In his last message to the Legislature Of
the production Of cereals in the State Of Ohio
alone surpassed in value the entire cotton CROP
for the same year, Of all the United States.
The chief provisions which | have just
named constitute, without speaking of the
S0utn proper, movement from W cSI W [IaSI
and North. 1t ought, as natural conse-
quence, to bring about corresponding move
,nent of exchange, composed in great part Of
European merchandise, going from East to
North and West
will cite, in the last place, the productions
OF the Southern States bordering on and neigh
boring to Virginia, coming from Tennessee,
Kentucky, North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia
and South Carolina. This freight might like
wise take direction from the South towards
different points of the Virginia Canal, whcth-
er by railroad or branches Of the canal to be
made or even made already, as those of the
Rivanna and North rivers.
RESOURCES OF VIRGINIA.
The resources of Virginia are immense. 1t
would be difficult to enumerate them all with
out being exposed to the charge Of exaggera-
ton. Nevertheless, think it will be we'll TO
give your Excellency an insight into them, con-
iining myself at the same time within the linn
its Of extreme moderation, and maintaining my
ro her hnlnw than ot the standard