, 1861-03-29

: 4 GRRAT WESTERN PROJECT.
Steam Canal from Lake michigan 70
a. tbs N11sstssippi River :.:s:t -.
X *' From The N. 7. Evening Poai. :-z::; !
Tho present attitude Of Louisiana towards
the States lying northward upon the MIsaissip.
pl: Rtser has attracted attention to q project
;consldeFably dltcnhaed = few years since: She
now elaims TO belong to foreign sovereignty
Within her. territory lie the mouths 4of The
Mississippi, and she now holds with her troops
the forts which command them. It fs true
her Legislature has declared that aho Intends
Its commerce shall be free, but auch an 5tssu'
rance from government Which deems t:non'
est to lay hands upon the money, 1uints, YES
eels and fortresses Of the United States, with
no excuse except that President It does not
like hos been conBt1tutiona1ly elected, and de.
.seandsto honor q 1aitor-deeriy dyed ID per
jury, cannot be relied upon to keep Its faith d
moment longer than Its passion or seNinterest
men educated to1egard oathsas obligatory, and
the West will be reluctant to hazard Its pro.
duce and merchandise, which have hitherto
passed toAnd from the ocean by the why I'll
New Orleans, to the 1isk Of seizure by the
same officials who. deem It. honorable to rob;
steal and pstronize TREASON generally ~ ~
The project referred to Is the connecting
steamboat navigation. It Was seriously con.
sidered at the West several years since but
the want Of means to carry 1t into effect hss
for some time prevented any active efforts In
tts behalf Capitalists prefer making tnvest-
ment In enterprises which promise return IN
the shape Of semi. annual Dividends They
are BLOW in expending money, Upon works
rirh 1ArfrA Districts
Of country may not return to them an inter.
est On the outlay. a steamboat navigation
4 between the Mississlppi and the great lakes
might not at once prodlce to us Sufficient. TO
afford the capitalist his interest, whilelt would
add untold millions to the value Of the West.
the city Of New York Il possible, it should
be perfectly free. r. this cannot be, 1t should
be as lightly encountered with charges as POS
sibla: The value Of such navigation can
hardly be oVerestirnated. y:
For about twelve years there has been ca
unl connecting Chicago with the IllinoiB river.
Its capacity Is only sufficient for the canal
boats which were originally used upon the
Eric, It's summit 1eyel is supplied with water
By pumps. Such canal, with the necessity
Of having the property carried upon 1t trans
shipped At each terminus, and connecting with
the Illinois river, which, during portions Of
the summer season is too low for steamboat
siys traffic. The proposed connection would
be quite another affaiT.- It contemplates nay1-
gable channel for the steamboats, which arc
used on the mississippi and the propel1ers
which navigate the lakes, and supply Of wa
ter to the Illinois river at all times. A thor
ough cut Of one hundred feet wide and eight
feet deep from the river, three miles from its
mouth, In the city Of Chicago, through the d.
vidlng ridge to the Illinois river, would draw
from the lake stream sufficient for these pur-
poses at the drTest season. It Is estimated
that such q cana1 can be constructed for four
million dollars.' AL the steamers navigating
the waters Of the great western valley could
60, and proceed without breaking bulk or
other interruption directly to the New York
canals, Buffalo and 0swego. 49,
The effect Of the connection upon the great
cities Of thewest would be striking. Bymeana
ofrailroads, Cincinnati, Louisville ST. Louis
and Chicago are within a few hours from each
other. Each Is the centre Of a large district as
as it were; to its own suburbs. But, 1lotWith.
standing the facilities Of transportation which
railroads have conferred upon each, there
are many of the agricultural products Of the
western valley which require ch heaper method
OF transit than railroads furnish. Hitherto
these hare followed the natural channels o1
the western rivers, md found their market at
New Orleans. With the proposed cha1ue!
opened, they would find the route cheaper and
more secure by Chicago, the Lakes, the Erie
canal, and the Hudson river, to New York q
market always more desirable than New Or
leans. The result would be substantially te
make New York the outlet Of the mississippi
valley, with It's three Thousand miles Of steam.
boat navigation contsing through the most In
Viting agricultural country in the world, pro
ducing every variety Of vegetable growth
found In temperate regions, with many pro
ductions peculiar to the tropics, and teeming
with almost every metal and mineral usefu.
| In the arts.
New York viii derive an advantage fron
everything which promotes the prosperity O.
he"West. Every dollar added TO the wealth
Of the latter adds to its wealth md growth
| The railroads stretching from the Western val
| 1eys have done much, very much, to increase
the business Of the Atlantic cities. Boston
Philadelphia and Baltimore, "a well as Men
/ York, e1emplify this truth, But, as has beer
suggested, much Of the produce Of the Yves
| requires cheaper method Of transportation
Navigation alone furnishes this. Let the pro
posed communication be opened, aud largt
| part of the whole annual burden Of her sol
and the products Of her mines would find thei
market here. Certainly when the action 0
Louisiana Indicates that the commerce Of th'
ment, the Importance Of opening channel b,
which 1t may avoid the imposition Is mos
manifest. Already, as appears: by the repor
Of Secretary Dix to Congress, the foreign i'm
portatlons Of the merchants of St. Louis, Lou
ibvil1c, Cincinnati and other inland cities hay
bean detained at New Orleans until they shonl'
pay duties to Louisiana How soon she ma,
fay export duties upon the produce comlni
there from the Northern mud Western States
or may Beize the whole cs ahe has the min
and national vessels, no prophet cen fofete11
Indeed the safety Of the whole valley Of tn
Mississippi and Of It's continents northerly o
the line of Louisiana demands the eonstruc
fling III comparison to it's Importance: l
would be less than onehalf the sum annual,
raised in the city Of New York for ordinar,
taxes; less By one-1fth than the cost Of til
Land taken for the Central Park less than one
third Of what was paid for the Croton water
about onethfrd Of the expenditure for th
Hudson River Rallroad, and about one-efghtl
dollars be otherwise expended with so gren
an advantage to onr eity1 It would at ono
add untold millions to onr commerce, an
continue to multiply Its benefits until the Las
acre Of uncultiyated land in the whole wester
valley should be subdued, and the last manu-
factnring establishment within it should b
completed. The original construction Of th
Erie Canal cost about eight millions. With
the first ten yeats after Its completion it e1
hanced the value Of reel estate In the city oye
| one. hundred millions. Yet this result We
caused mainly by its Influence upon the con
merce Of Western New York alone The fou
millions required for this work would -Gecur
! to us the best parts Of the commerce of th
whole country, lying between the Alleghnnie
And the Rocky Mountains. Even the cottc
Of Northern Alabama and Northern MlssissiI
; pi, with that Of Tennessee, would find its wa
to the markets Of Europe by the new ehanns
Us cheaper, asfer and more expeditions rout
than by the months Of the }fissisaippi Ne,
OrleanE In foreign State would soon And II
self the port Of shipment for only it's ow
neighbothood- the great mart for the va
| ley of the West. And If, what Ia far Gomimp
bable, q communication between the waters {
the Mississippi and aud Red river should b
for1aed with the Atchatalaya, and the msf
channel Of the MiGsissippi seek that route t
the Gulf Of Mexico, leaving Eey Orleans wit
secondary channel, she may find 1t soE1.
what difficult to carry on foreign commerc
with the Gu1fand may seek another port
! Military and Naval Intelligence.
We are authorized to say TINT all the ship
of, the home squadron are out Of provisions
Only for the energy and enterprise Of Capital
Adams, Of the Sabine they would have had t
leave Florida altogether. Since tha vessel
arrived at Pensacola, not q line has been reetjpe
from Me Nary Department The steamers "a
get no wood and water. Another ship file
ed with stores should be sent OF ut once. !
"emuggler from Pensacola WIS selling waite
:: at four cents gallon. The officers md GREY
Of the entire feet are told Of, to land at d sia
nal from Lieut.. slemmer =,